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
Claims 1 – 2, 9, and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, line 2, “the automotive sector” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 2, line 2 “the secondary locking is formed that,” is awkward and should be reworded for clarity. Furthermore, “the event” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 9, lines 1 – 2, “the two mutually associated detected devices” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 11, line 4, “the circumferential direction” lacks antecedent basis. In line 8, “the corresponding inner bearing surface” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate corrections are 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 in the automotive sector 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 66/68 and 63).
Regarding claim 2, Busies discloses wherein the secondary locking is formed so that, in the event of a failure of the primary locking, the secondary locking takes 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 wherein the two mutually associated detent devices of the pin-contact device and of the contact body are 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 66/68 and 63).
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.
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.
Regarding Claim 11, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed two-part contact assembly, wherein the contact body includes a receptacle receiving the pin-contact device, the receptacle includes mounting longitudinal portions spaced apart along the longitudinal direction, the receptacle being formed substantially completely closed in the circumferential direction, the primary locking is established between two such mounting longitudinal portions in the contact body, the receptacle includes inner bearing surfaces obliquely opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal direction, the pin-contact device including a locking surface adjoining the corresponding inner bearing surface, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Regarding Claim 12, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed two-part contact assembly, wherein the primary locking is established in a longitudinal extent portion of the pin-contact assembly, the primary locking formed by a circumferential portion of the contact body, the primary locking including a circumferential tab, wherein a free edge of the tab is welded to a wall of the contact body and a corner region of the pin-contact device to secure the pin-contact device in the contact body, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Busie discloses the primary locking as formed between a terminal body surface and a contact pin surface, but does not disclose or teach the recited structures as required by claims 11 or 12. Fry, Lehner, Seymour, and Howland each disclose terminals having a contact pin secured in a contact body, but do not disclose or teach the primary locking of claims 11 or 12.
The prior art, when taken alone, or in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D BAILLARGEON whose telephone number is (571)272-0676. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/PAUL D BAILLARGEON/Examiner, Art Unit 2833
/renee s luebke/Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2833