DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-19 in the reply filed on September 26, 2025 is acknowledged. Accordingly, claim 20 has been withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Information Disclosure Statement
The prior art documents submitted by applicant in the Information Disclosure Statements filed on February 2, 2024 and September 28, 2023 have all been considered and made of record (note the attached copies of form PTO-1449).
Drawings
Seven (7) sheets of drawings were filed on September 18, 2023 and have been accepted by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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, 5-9, 11-12, and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cooke et al. (US 2005/0111799 A1), hereafter Cooke.
Regarding claim 1-2, 5-9, 11-12, and 15-19; Cooke discloses a fiber optic cable assembly (100; see Figures 1, 2 and 7) and junction shell (36) for use therewith, comprising:
a main cable portion (fiber optic distribution cable 20; see paragraphs 28-30) including a plurality of subunit cables (buffer tubes 22 with optical fibers 38 therein);
one or more tap points (access point 30) along a length of the main cable portion (20) at which at least one subunit cable (22/38) of the plurality of subunit cables is separated from a remainder of the plurality of subunit cables; and
a junction shell (buffer tube transition piece 36) at at least one of the tap points (access point 30), wherein the junction shell (36) comprises:
a tubular body including a side wall (see Figure 3a),
a main passage (46) that opens at opposing ends of the tubular body, and
an auxiliary passage (38) that extends through the side wall and opens to the main passage (46) between the opposing ends at one end of the auxiliary passage and opens to an outer surface of the side wall at another end of the auxiliary passage (see Figure 3a),
the auxiliary passage (38) including
a first channel (42) that extends in a direction of the main passage and
a second channel (40) that extends in an outwardly direction from the main passage,
wherein
the main passage (46) receives the plurality of subunit cables at one of the opposing ends,
the remainder of the plurality of subunit cables extend through the other of the opposing ends, and
the auxiliary passage (38) receives the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables in one of the first channel or the second channel;
wherein the auxiliary passage (38) includes a gap that separates the first channel (42) from the second channel (40; see annotated Figure 3a below), the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables being movable out of the first channel into the gap (the cables are inherently movable between the channels and gap);
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wherein the first channel (42) and the second channel (40) intersect in the auxiliary passage;
wherein the junction shell is movable along the main cable portion (the junction 36 may be moved and positioned along the main cable portion 20);
wherein at least a portion of the second channel (40) is oriented perpendicularly to the main passage to position the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables in a perpendicular orientation relative to the main cable portion in the main passage (46; see Figures 3a);
wherein the tubular body includes a shoulder adjacent the auxiliary passage (46) for shielding the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables at the tap point (see Figure 3a, shoulders are provided around auxiliary passage 38);
wherein the tubular body includes a seam in the side wall at which the tubular body is configured to be opened to receive the main cable portion (see Figure 3a, the seam is visible on the portion of the sidewall opposing passage 38; see Figure 7).
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cobb, III et al. (US 2008/0080818 A1), hereafter Cobb.
Regarding claim 1-19; Cobb discloses a fiber optic cable assembly (see Figures 36-45) and junction shell (704) configured for use therewith, comprising:
a main cable portion (distribution cable 220) including a plurality of subunit cables (ribbon containing fibers 224dc);
one or more tap points (breakout assembly 700 is located at a tap point) along a length of the main cable portion (220) at which at least one (224t) subunit cable (ribbons of fibers 224dc) of the plurality of subunit cables is separated from a remainder of the plurality of subunit cables; and
a junction shell (704) at at least one of the tap points (see Figure 36), wherein the junction shell (704) comprises:
a tubular body including a side wall (704; see Figure 37),
a main passage (705) that opens at opposing ends of the tubular body (704), and
an auxiliary passage (710) that extends through the side wall and opens to the main passage (705) between the opposing ends at one end of the auxiliary passage and opens to an outer surface of the side wall at another end of the auxiliary passage (see Figures 36, 37, 43, and 44),
the auxiliary passage (710) including
a first channel (first channel 712 adjacent the main passage) that extends in a direction of the main passage and
a second channel (second channel 712 farthest from the main passage) that extends in an outwardly direction from the main passage,
wherein
the main passage (705) receives the plurality of subunit cables (ribbons of fibers) at one of the opposing ends,
the remainder of the plurality of subunit cables (ribbons of fibers) extend through the other of the opposing ends, and
the auxiliary passage (710) receives the at least one subunit cable (224t) of the plurality of subunit cables in one of the first channel (712) or the second channel (712; see Figure 36);
wherein the auxiliary passage (710) includes a gap (see Figure 44) that separates the first channel (712) from the second channel (712), the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables being movable out of the first channel into the gap (see Figure 36);
wherein the gap is tapered with a narrowest portion adjacent the first channel (see Figures 36 and 44);
wherein dimensions of the gap and dimensions of the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables produces an interference fit between the gap and the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables (see Figure 36 which illustrates an interference fit wherein the gap includes a tapered region that is sized to contact the buffer tubes 242 surrounding the fibers 224t within the channels (710/712);
wherein the first channel (712) and the second channel (712) intersect in the auxiliary passage (710);
wherein the junction shell (704) is movable along the main cable portion (the junction 704 may be moved and positioned along the main cable portion 220);
wherein at least a portion of the second channel (712 farthest from 705) is oriented perpendicularly to the main passage (705) to position the at least one subunit cable (224t) of the plurality of subunit cables in a perpendicular orientation relative to the main cable portion in the main passage (see Figure 44);
wherein the tubular body (704) includes a shoulder adjacent the auxiliary passage (see Figures 46 and 44) for shielding the at least one subunit cable of the plurality of subunit cables at the tap point (see Figures 36 and 44);
wherein the tubular body (704) includes a seam (seam between parts 704a and 704b; see Figures 44-59) in the side wall at which the tubular body is configured to be opened to receive the main cable portion;
wherein the seam receives a pin to lock the seam (flexible cantilever latches 726 which are functionally pins received within the holes of 728; see Figures 44 and 52 and paragraph 74).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE R CONNELLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2345. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at 571-272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHELLE R CONNELLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874