Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ng et al. US 9620892 B2.
In reference to claim 1, Ng teaches a modular cable exit assembly (illustrated in Fig. 5) comprising: a receptacle housing (1) including one or more contact cavities (3) for electrical terminals (not shown, but secured in 3) configured to be connected to at least one cable (30), said receptacle housing including a coupling portion (i.e. the body of 1); and a cable exit adapter (5; fig. 3) including an exit collar (13, 32; fig. 5) for accommodating a portion of said at least one cable coming out of said receptacle housing (see fig. 5), said cable exit adapter including a body (see fig. 3); wherein said body and said coupling portion are coupled by a snap-fit connection (see A; shown in the illustration below, where the latch of the cable exit adapter 5 latches to a wall of the housing) of at least one of said body and said coupling portion; and wherein said cable exit adapter includes one or more retention hooks (see “latch” shown in the illustration below) suitable for securing said cable exit adapter to a retention wall of said receptacle housing (see the protrusion on the wall of the housing where the “latch” secures to).
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In reference to claim 2, Ng teaches the modular cable exit assembly according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of first guides (25; fig. 4) are formed on said body of said cable exit adapter and a plurality of second guides (sidewalls of 28; fig. 4) are formed on said coupling portion and said plurality of first guides is configured to be fit into said mating second guides (see fig. 4).
In reference to claim 4, Ng teaches the modular cable exit assembly according to claim 1, wherein said body of said cable exit adapter includes a cantilever (see “latch” shown in the illustration below) and said coupling portion includes a seat (28; fig. 3) and said cantilever is configured to be inserted into said seat.
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In reference to claim 8, Ng teaches the modular cable exit assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cable exit adapter is removably coupled to said receptacle housing.
In reference to claim 10, Ng teaches a method for assembling a modular cable exit assembly comprising: providing a receptacle housing (1) including one or more contact cavities (3) for electrical terminals configured to be connected to at least one cable, said receptacle housing including a coupling portion (near lead line 28); providing a cable exit adapter (5; fig. 2) including an exit collar (13, 32; fig. 5) for accommodating a portion of said at least one cable coming out of said receptacle housing (see fig. 5), said cable exit adapter including a body (i.e. the body of 5); assembling said receptacle housing and said cable exit adapter by coupling said body and said coupling portion by a snap-fit connection (see A; shown in the illustration below, where the latch of the cable exit adapter 5 latches to a wall of the housing); and securing said cable exit adapter to a retention wall (i.e. the sidewall wall of 28; fig. 3) of said receptacle housing using retention hooks (25 secures to the slots of 28, therefore 25 is seen as a retention hook).
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In reference to claim 12, Ng teaches the method for assembling the modular cable exit assembly according to claim 10, further comprising inserting a cantilever (see “latch” shown in the illustration below) of said cable exit adapter into a seat (28) of said coupling portion.
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In reference to claim 13, Ng teaches the modular cable exit assembly according to claim 1, wherein said body of said cable exit adapter includes a mating tab (see “latch”; shown in the illustration below) and said coupling portion of said receptacle housing includes a seat (pertaining to the protrusion that secures to the latch shown in A in the illustration below) receiving the mating tab to form said snap fit connection, said retention hooks (25) separate and discrete from said mating tab and coupled to said retention wall of said receptacle housing remote from said seat.
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In reference to claim 14, Ng teaches wherein said one or more retention hooks (25) are fixed hook structures fixed relative to said body of said cable exit adapter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ng et al. US 9620892 B2.
In reference to claim 5, Ng substantially teaches the claimed invention.
However Ng does not teach wherein said exit collar is slanted by an angle of 45° with respect to a plane passing through said coupling portion.
It would have been obvious at the time of the claimed invention to change the shape of exit collar, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. Changing the shape of the exit collar to arrive at the results of claim 5 is seen as an obvious modification.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the shape of the exit collar to arrive at the results of claim 5. The exit collar still guides the cables, therefore new results are not produced.
In reference to claim 6, Ng substantially teaches the claimed invention.
However Ng does not teach wherein said exit collar is slanted by an angle of 90 degrees with respect to a plane passing through said coupling portion.
It would have been obvious at the time of the claimed invention to change the shape of the exit collar, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. Changing the shape of the exit collar to arrive at the results of claim 6 is seen as an obvious modification.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the shape of the exit collar to arrive at the results of claim 6. The exit collar still guides the cables, therefore new results are not produced.
In reference to claim 7, Ng substantially teaches the claimed invention.
However Ng does not teach wherein said exit collar is parallel to a plane passing through said coupling portion.
It would have been obvious at the time of the claimed invention to change the shape of the exit collar, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. Changing the shape of the exit collar to arrive at the results of claim 7 is seen as an obvious modification.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the shape of the exit collar to arrive at the results of claim 7. The exit collar still guides the cables, therefore new results are not produced.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ng et al. US 9620892 B2 in view of Nishio et al. US 20140294349 A1.
In reference to claim 9, Ng substantially teaches the claimed invention.
However Ng does not teach further comprising a cover element for covering said receptacle housing.
Nishio teaches of a cover element (26; fig. 2) for covering said housing (H; fig. 2).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teachings of Nishio, as taught by Nishio [0032], lines 1-4, to improve the connector by preventing dust and debris from entering the connector housing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 11, 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAVIS SLOAN CHAMBERS whose telephone number is (571)272-6813. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRAVIS S CHAMBERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 07/01/2026
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