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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because in line 2 “the event” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 – 10 and 14 – 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. No. 10,396,519 (“Busies”).
Regarding claim 1, Busies discloses a two-part electrical pin-contact assembly for an electrical plug-in connection comprising:
a pin-contact device (14) extending in a longitudinal direction (direction 78, Fig. 1); and
a contact body (12) extending in said longitudinal direction (see Fig. 1);
wherein the pin-contact device is received in the contact body and secured to the contact body by a primary locking (80) and a secondary locking (engagement between the body and pin at portions 66/68, 63, 52, and 192/194) both configured to resist pull out of the pin-contact device from the contact body in a forward pull-out direction (80 is a weld which resists movement of 14 relative to 12 in the direction to the right as seen in Figure 8, engagement of 46 to notch 63 also resists movement in the same direction as seen in Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 2, Busies discloses that in the event of a failure of the primary locking, the secondary locking is configured to take over securing of the pin-contact device to the contact body (the pin is secured even if weld 80 fails; Figs. 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 3, Busies discloses wherein the primary locking includes at least one of a materially bonded connection or a welded connection between the pin-contact device and the contact body (80 is a weld), and wherein the secondary locking includes a mechanical locking connection between the pin-contact device and the contact body (see Figs. 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 4, Busies discloses wherein the primary locking is a circumferential portion (80 is formed along an exterior border of the pin), the circumferential portion being formed as a welded connection (80 is a weld), the pin-contact device being locked in at least two translational degrees of freedom in the contact body by the circumferential portion (movement forward and backward along longitudinal axis is prevented), the pin-contact device being locked in at least two rotational degrees of freedom in the contact body by the circumferential portion (rotation about the longitudinal axis and rotation about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is prevented) .
Regarding claim 5, Busies discloses wherein the secondary locking is formed as a circumferential portion (the engagement portions around 66/68 and 63 are around an exterior border of the pin), the circumferential portion being formed as a stop connection (see Figs. 8 and 10) between the pin-contact device and the contact body, the pin-contact device being locked in at least two translational directions in the contact body by the circumferential portion (movement forward and backward along longitudinal axis is prevented, see Figs. 8 and 10), the pin-contact device being locked in at least two rotational degrees of freedom in the contact body (rotation about the longitudinal axis and rotation about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is prevented, see Figs. 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 6, Busies discloses, wherein the secondary locking includes a locking surface that locks the pin-contact device in exactly one translational direction in the contact body (surface 42/44 prevents movement along direction 78, see Figs. 6 and 8).
Regarding claim 7, Busies discloses wherein the secondary locking includes a mechanical connection between an outer side of the pin-contact device and an inner side of the contact body (see Fig. 8), the mechanical connection being established between a longitudinal end of the pin-contact device (63 at left end of the pin) and a projection facing inwardly into the contact body (46), the mechanical connection between the pin-contact device and the contact body meshing with each other to position the pin-contact device in the contact body (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 8, Busies discloses wherein the secondary locking includes a secondary detent device defining a secondary locking assembly of the pin-contact device and a secondary detent device defining a secondary locking assembly of the contact body, the secondary detent devices being seated against one another to position the pin-contact device in the contact body (see 46 and 63 of the body and pin respectively, and see these portions engage in Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 9, Busies discloses the secondary detect device of the pin-contact device and the secondary detect device of the contact body are mutually associated detent devices of the pin-contact device and of the contact body formed as a detent protrusion and a detent recess (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 10, Busies discloses wherein the secondary locking includes locking surfaces of the pin-contact device and locking surfaces of the contact body, normal vectors of the locking surfaces of the pin-contact device are set up in opposite directions, normal vectors of the locking surfaces of the contact body are set up in opposite directions (a face of 46 opposes a face of 63, see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 14, Busies discloses wherein the contact body includes an electrical conductor crimping region (18) and a mechanical insulation crimping region (24).
Regarding claim 15, Busies discloses an electrical entity comprising:
a housing having a chamber (see col. 5, lns. 52 – 63); and
a two-part electrical pin-contact assembly (10) received in the chamber, the two-part electrical pin-contact assembly including a pin-contact device (14) extending in a longitudinal direction (see direction 78) and a contact body (12) extending in said longitudinal direction (see Fig. 1), wherein the pin-contact device is received in the contact body and secured to the contact body by a primary locking (80) and a secondary locking (engagement between the body and pin at portions 66/68, 63, 52, and 192/194) both configured to resist pull out of the pin-contact device from the contact body in a forward pull-out direction (80 is a weld which resists movement of 14 relative to 12 in the direction to the right as seen in Figure 8, engagement of 46 to notch 63 also resists movement in the same direction as seen in Fig. 8).
Regarding claims 16 – 19, Busies discloses the elements of these claims as discussed in the rejection of claims 3 – 5 and 8, above.
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 13 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Busies in view of U.S. Pat. No. 10,522,934 (“Zhang”).
Regarding claim 13, Busies discloses the housing engaging the contact body (see col. 5, lns. 52 – 63) but does not disclose wherein the contact body includes a primary locking assembly and a secondary locking assembly configured to be secured in a housing, the primary locking assembly including a resilient locking lance, the secondary locking assembly including rigid locking shoulder.
However, Zhang teaches a contact pin terminal with a contact body portion having a primary locking assembly (22, see col. 8, lns. 37 – 43) and a secondary locking assembly (42, and see col. 13, lns. 21 - 35) configured to be secured in a housing, the primary locking assembly including a resilient locking lance (see Fig. 3), the secondary locking assembly including rigid locking shoulder (see Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to provide the lance and shoulder as taught by Zhang, because these structures combine to securely hold the terminal in the housing, and this is nothing more than a substitution of one known locking structure between a terminal and a housing for another, with the predictable results of the terminal being made to slide into and then be securely engaged by the housing.
Regarding claim 20, Busies discloses the housing engaging the contact body (see col. 5, lns. 52 – 63) but does not disclose wherein the contact body includes a primary locking assembly and a secondary locking assembly configured to be secured in the housing, the primary locking assembly including a resilient locking lance engaging the housing, the secondary locking assembly including rigid locking shoulder engaging the housing.
However, Zhang teaches a contact pin terminal with a contact body portion having a primary locking assembly (22, see col. 8, lns. 37 – 43) and a secondary locking assembly (42, and see col. 13, lns. 21 - 35) configured to be secured in a housing, the primary locking assembly including a resilient locking lance engaging the housing (see Fig. 3 and col. 8, lns. 37 – 43), the secondary locking assembly including rigid locking shoulder engaging the housing (see Fig. 3 and col. 13, lns. 21 - 35).
It would have been obvious to provide the lance and shoulder as taught by Zhang, because these structures combine to securely hold the terminal in the housing, and this is nothing more than a substitution of one known locking structure between a terminal and a housing for another, with the predictable results of the terminal being made to slide into and then be securely engaged by the housing.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Busies cited secondary locking structure does not resist pull out of the contact piece as required by the claims. Examiner cannot concur.
As discussed above, the primary locking has been identified as weld 80, and the secondary locking has been identified as other areas where the contact engages the pin, including portions 66/68, 63, 52, and 192/194. As best seen in Figure 8 of Busies, portion 63 serves as a latching structure which resists movement in the pull-out direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 – 12 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, and if all applicable claim objections are remedied.
The reasons for allowance for claims 11 – 12 can be found in the action mailed 02/24/2026.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/PAUL D BAILLARGEON/Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/renee s luebke/Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2831
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