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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the direction of engagement between the inner-side engaging piece and the outer-side engaging piece, and the direction of engagement between the engaging groove and the engaging claw. must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
It appears Figure 9A should refer to 242 and 244 (on Figures 9B and 9C) instead of 232 and 234. Nonetheless, under 37 CFR 1.84(h)(3) section view lines in drawings should refer to the view number of the sectional view where it is shown. Accordingly Figure 9A should have section line 9B—9B and 9C—9C. See also Figures 8A.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto (JP-2002 359042, cited on IDS) in view of Nagao (US JP-2014 112497, cited on IDS) and Hotta et al. (US 2018/0241051).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a joint connector formed by stacking connector cases each accommodating a connection terminal, wherein the connector cases each comprise: a main plate part (11a, 11b) configured to hold the connection terminal, and a pair of side plate parts (11c, 11d) perpendicular to the main plate part and parallel to each other, an inner-side surface of a distal end portion, distal to the main plate part of each of the pair of side plate parts is provided with an engaging claw (15) protruding in a direction toward an opposing side plate part of the pair of side plate parts, an outer-side surface of a proximal end portion, proximal to the main plate part of each of the pair of side plate parts is provided with an engaging groove (13) recessed in a direction toward the opposing side plate part, and the connector cases are stacked with the engaging claws of one of the connector cases and the engaging grooves of another of the connector cases engaged with each other, respectively (see Figs. 2 and 3).
Nagao discloses an inner-side plate (not labeled, between two 6 in Fig. 4b) parallel to the side plate parts is provided at an inner-side surface of the main plate part, an outer-side plate (16) perpendicular to the side plate parts is provided at an outer-side surface of the main plate part, and the connector cases are stacked with one side end face of the inner-side plate of one of the connector cases and an opposite side flat surface of the outer-side plate of another of the connector cases being in contact with each other. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use inner plates and outer side-plates, as taught by Nagao, in order to properly separate and hold multiple terminals.
Hotta teaches an inner-side engaging piece (122/124) protruding toward one side is provided at the one side end face of the inner-side plate, an outer-side engaging piece (121B) protruding toward the other side is provided at the other side flat surface of the outer-side plate, and the connector cases stacked with the inner-side engaging piece of one of the connector cases and the outer-side engaging piece of another of the connector cases engaged with each other. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use engaging pieces, as taught by Hotta, in order to provide a more secure fitting of the terminals and cases.
Please note that the combination of Yamamoto and Hotta results on a direction of engagement (V in Figure 8 of Yamamoto) between the inner-side engaging piece and the outer-side engaging piece intersects a direction of engagement (D2 in Figures 1-4 of Hotta) between the engaging groove and the engaging claw.
Regarding claim 2, Yamamoto discloses the engaging claw, at the distal end portion of each of the side plate parts, between one side end face and a middle portion in a direction along the main plate part and the side plate parts, the engaging groove is provided, at the proximal end portion of each of the side plate parts, between the one side end face and the middle portion in the direction along the main plate part and the side plate parts, and the connector cases are stacked with opposite side end faces of the engaging claws of one of the connector cases and opposite side end faces of the engaging grooves of another of the connector cases being in contact with each other, respectively (Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 3, Yamamoto discloses an extension portion comprising the engaging claw, at the distal end portion of each of the side plate parts, between one side end face and a middle portion in a direction along the main plate part and the side plate parts, a stepped portion comprising the engaging groove is provided, at the proximal end portion of each of the side plate parts, between the one side end face and the middle portion in the direction along the main plate part and the side plate parts, and the connector cases are stacked with opposite side end faces of the extension portions of one of the connector cases and opposite side end faces of the stepped portions of another of the connector cases being in contact with each other, respectively (Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 6, Yamamoto discloses a plurality of the connection terminals accommodated in each of the connector cases in parallel with a direction from one side to an opposite side, and the inner-side plate that is non-conductive is arranged between two adjacent connection terminals of the plurality of connection terminals and along the connection terminals (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Yamamoto discloses an inner-side surface of each of the side plate parts is provided with a widened portion (at 12b) protruding in the direction toward the opposing side plate part, and a distal end face of the widened portion is opposed to the engaging claw or the engaging groove with the distal end face of the widened portion being in parallel with and at a constant interval from the engaging claw or the engaging groove (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Yamamoto discloses an outer-side surface of each of the side plate parts is provided with a protrusion portion (17-19) protruding in the direction away from the opposing side plate part, and each of the protrusion portions in the connector cases stacked constitutes a guide passage for a band clamp (intended use).
Regarding claim 9, Yamamoto discloses a wire (W) connected to the connection terminal of each of the connector cases constituting the joint connector.
Regarding claim 11, Yamamoto discloses a connector case configured to accommodate a connection terminal, the connector case comprising: a main plate part (11a, 11b) configured to hold the connection terminal; and a pair of side plate parts (11c, 11d) perpendicular to the main plate part and parallel to each other, wherein an inner-side surface of a distal end portion of each of the pair of side plate parts is provided with an engaging claw (15) protruding in a direction toward an opposing side plate part of the pair of side plate parts, and an outer-side surface of a proximal end portion of each of the pair of side plate parts is provided with an engaging groove (13) recessed in the direction toward the opposing side plate part.
Nagao discloses an inner-side plate (not labeled, between two 6 in Fig. 4b) parallel to the side plate parts is provided at an inner-side surface of the main plate part, an outer-side plate (16) perpendicular to the side plate parts is provided at an outer-side surface of the main plate part, and the connector cases are stacked with one side end face of the inner-side plate of one of the connector cases and an opposite flat surface of the outer-side plate of another of the connector cases being in contact with each other. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use inner plates and outer side-plates, as taught by Nagao, in order to properly separate and hold multiple terminals.
Hotta teaches an inner-side engaging piece (122) protruding toward one side is provided at the one side end face of the inner-side plate, an outer-side engaging piece (121B) protruding toward an opposite side is provided at the flat surface of the outer-side plate, and the connector cases stacked with the inner-side engaging piece of one of the connector cases and the outer-side engaging piece of another of the connector cases engaged with each other. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use engaging pieces, as taught by Hotta, in order to provide a more secure fitting of the terminals and cases.
Please note that the combination of Yamamoto and Hotta results on a direction of engagement (V in Figure 8 of Yamamoto) between the inner-side engaging piece and the outer-side engaging piece intersects a direction of engagement (D2 in Figures 1-4 of Hotta) between the engaging groove and the engaging claw.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto, Nagao and Hotta, and further in view of Komiyama (US 7,186,151).
Regarding claim 10, Komiyama teaches the use of a wire on at least one side being a flexible flat cable (2). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a number of known wires/cables, such as a flexible flat cable, in order to expedite connection to the terminals.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm. 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, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833