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 .
This office action is a response to the restriction requirement filed on 7/21/2025.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 3-8, in the reply filed on 7/21/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-2 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/21/2025.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: --METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WIRING COMPONENT--.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “the diameter of the tip end of the gate” as recited in lines 2-3 appears to be --a diameter of the tip end of the gate--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 5, 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Re. claim 5: The phrase “the gate side” as recited in line 3 lacks antecedent basis.
Re. claim 8: The phrase “the bending portions” as recited in lines 3-4 lacks antecedent basis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4 and 7 are allowed.
Claims 5, 6 and 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art of record fails to disclose the claimed invention such as a process of making a wiring component including a plurality of electric wires and a holding portion including a holder supporting the plurality of electric wires in a predetermined positional relationship and molded with resin covering respective portions of the plurality of electric wires, comprising steps of placing the plurality of electric wires and the holder in a cavity of a mold, and injecting molten resin into the cavity to perform the molding, wherein the holder including a substrate portion and a plurality of wire-holding portions formed protruding from the substrate portion and formed with a notch or a through-hole in the substrate portion is used as the holder, wherein the plurality of electric wires are supported by the plurality of wire-holding portions in the placing step, and the molten resin is injected toward a portion where the notch or the through-hole is formed in the injecting step. It is not obvious taken alone or in combination of other references fairly to suggest the claimed invention.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
The Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Takahashi (US PAT. 11,705,254), and Jun et al. (JP 2021141642 A) are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to a process of making a wiring component.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM.
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, Aneeta Yodichkas can be reached at 571-272-9773. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729