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
Applicant’s election of Specie 1, Figures 1-10, claims 1-8, 11, 13-17 and 19-20 in paper dated 12/11/25, is acknowledged.
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 1-2, 13-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Murakami et al. (6,383,022).
Regarding claims 1 and 20, Murakami et al. disclose a connector, comprising:
a plurality of contacts (W, FIG, 2A);
a housing (11, FIG. 2A) having:
a mating portion (not labeled, FIG. 1A) adapted to be mated with a mating connector (not shown) and defining a front opening; and
a waterproofed portion (14, FIG. 2A) into which the plurality of contacts are plugged, the waterproofed portion including:
a rear opening (an opened side of 14, FIG. 2A); and
an inner wall surface defining the rear opening; and
a waterproofing element (12 and 22a, FIG. 2A) arranged within the waterproofed portion (FIG. 1A) and adapted to prevent the entry of water into the connector, including:
a seal element (12, FIG. 2A) having:
a plurality of first waterproofing portions (17 and 18, FIG. 2A) each defining a plug hole (a slot between 17 and 18) into which one of the contacts is plugged (FIG. 1A) and adapted to prevent water from entering an area surrounding the contact; and
a second waterproofing (18, FIG. 2A) arranged in sealing contact with the inner wall surface of the waterproofed portion (FIG. 1A) and adapted to prevent water to enter a space between the inner wall surface and the seal element, and
a supporting element (22a, FIG. 2A) surrounding the first waterproofing portions and adapted to prevent a misalignment of the first waterproofing portions, the supporting element pressing the second waterproofing portion against the inner wall surface and, in a state of being free from an external force, is in watertight contact with the seal element.
Regarding claim 2, the supporting element defines a plurality of through holes (28, FIG. 2A) in which the respective ones of the plurality of first waterproofing portions are separately arranged.
Regarding claim 13, Murakami et al. disclose a waterproofing element comprising:
a seal element (12, FIG. 2A) having:
a plurality of first waterproofing portions (17 and 18) each defining a plug hole adapted to receive and form a seal with a conductive contact (W); and
a second waterproofing portion (18, FIG. 2A) adapted to sealingly contact an inner wall surface (an inner wall of 14, FIG. 2A) of a housing (11); and
a supporting element (13, FIG. 2A) surrounding the first waterproofing portions and adapted to prevent misalignment of the first waterproofing portions, the supporting element is arranged within and pressing the second waterproofing portion in a radially outward direction for sealingly engaging therewith (FIG. 1A).
Regarding claim 14, the supporting element defines a plurality of through holes (28, FIG. 2A) in which the respective ones of the plurality of first waterproofing portions are separately arranged.
Regarding claim 15, FIG. 2A shows the first waterproofing portions are discrete from the second waterproofing portion.
Claims 1, 5-6 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuroda et al. (8,647,132).
Regarding claim 1, Kurodai et al. disclose a connector, comprising:
a plurality of contacts (not shown);
a housing (12, FIG. 2) having:
a mating portion (not labeled) adapted to be mated with a mating connector (not shown) and defining a front opening; and
a waterproofed portion (11, FIG. 2) into which the plurality of contacts are plugged, the waterproofed portion including:
a rear opening (12S, FIG. 2); and
an inner wall surface defining the rear opening; and
a waterproofing element (20 and 21, FIG. 2) arranged within the waterproofed portion (FIG. 4) and adapted to prevent the entry of water into the connector, including:
a seal element having:
a plurality of first waterproofing portions (22, FIG. 4) each defining a plug hole (not labeled, FIG. 4) into which one of the contacts is plugged and adapted to prevent water from entering an area surrounding the contact; and
a second waterproofing (21, FIG. 4) arranged in sealing contact with the inner wall surface of the waterproofed portion and adapted to prevent water to enter a space between the inner wall surface and the seal element, and
a supporting element (20, FIG. 2) surrounding the first waterproofing portions and adapted to prevent a misalignment of the first waterproofing portions, the supporting element pressing the second waterproofing portion against the inner wall surface and, in a state of being free from an external force, is in watertight contact with the seal element.
Regarding claim 5, Kuroda et al., FIG. 2 shows the waterproofing element defines a drain groove (23) formed into a rear end face thereof.
Regarding claim 6, Kuroda et al., FIG. 2 shows the drain groove extends in a direction normal to a front-rear direction of the connector.
Regarding claim 11, a rear end of the supporting element (20, FIG. 2) is oriented further forward in a direction toward a front of the connector than a rear end of the seal element and the rear opening.
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 5-8, 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami et al. in view of Kuroda et al. (8,647,132).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Murakami et al. disclose the claimed invention as described above except for the waterproofing element defines a drain groove formed into a rear end face thereof.
Kuroda et al., FIG. 2 shows a waterproofing element defines a drain groove (23, FIG. 2). It would have been obvious to modify Murakami et al. to have the waterproofing element defines a drain groove formed into a rear end face thereof, as taught by Kuroda et al. for better connection.
Regarding claim 6, it is noted that Kuroda et al., FIG. 2 shows the drain groove extends in a direction normal to a front-rear direction of the connector.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Murakami et al. and Kuroda et al. disclose the supporting element protrudes from the rear opening, and the drain groove is formed in the supporting element and is not formed in the seal element.
Regarding claim 8, Murakami et al., FIG. 1A shows the seal element is arranged entirely within the rear opening.
Regarding claim 19, rear end faces of the supporting element and the seal element are arranged offset from one another in the axial direction (FIG. 2), and the drain groove is formed only in the rear end face of the supporting element or the rear end face of the seal element, that is arranged closest to a rear side of the waterproofing element.
Claims 3-4 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murakami et al. in view of Kilian et al. (11,362,496).
Regarding claims 3 and 16, Murakami et al. disclose the claimed invention as described above except for the seal element and the supporting element are integrally molded.
Kilian et al., fig. 1 and 2 show a seal part (4/5) and a holder part (6) are integrally molded (Kilian, column 3, lines 17-25). It would have been obvious to modify Murakami et al. to have the seal element and the supporting element are integrally molded, as taught by Kilian et al. for better engaging.
Regarding claim 4, Murakami et al., FIG. 2A shows the seal element and the supporting element are formed from distinct materials.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdul Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 01/24/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov