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 .
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.
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 21-34, 38-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eiger (US 2013/0197603).
Regarding claim 21: Eiger teaches a method of connecting a first electrical component 200 to a second electrical component 10 and detaching the first electrical component from the second electrical component (see Fig. 8 and Para. 0040), wherein the second electrical component 10 has an end comprising a receptacle configured to receive an end of the first electrical component (see at 200; Fig. 8), comprising: obtaining the first electrical component 200 and the second electrical component 10; aligning the end of the first electrical component with the receptacle of the second electrical component (see Fig. 8); inserting the end of the first electrical component 200 into the receptacle thereby causing a first protrusion member 111 positioned at least partially in a space (at 135, 145; Fig. 3) within the receptacle to move (see Fig. 5 and Para. 0040); and removing the end of the first electrical component 200 from the receptacle thereby causing the first protrusion member 111 and a second member 120 to move with respect to said space (see Fig. 3 and Para. 0040), wherein the second member 120 is configured to cause the first protrusion member 111 to be automatically moved at least partially outside said space when the end of the first electrical component is removed from said receptacle (see Figs. 3-4).
Regarding claim 22: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21 and further teaches wherein the receptacle comprises a housing 100 defined by an exterior surface and an interior surface and wherein the space (at 135, 145; Fig. 3) is positioned between the exterior surface and the interior surface (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 23: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 22 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is positioned circumferentially around the interior surface (see Figs. 2-4).
Regarding claim 24: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 22 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is configured to physically force the first protrusion member 111 out of the space (see Figs. 3-4).
Regarding claim 25: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 22 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is positioned within a groove 145 extending around the interior surface of the housing (see Figs. 2-4).
Regarding claim 26: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 25 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is a retention band and the first protrusion member 111 is a ball bearing (see Figs. 2-4 and Para. 0040).
Regarding claim 27: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 22 and further teaches wherein the space (at 135, 145; Fig. 3) comprises a first cavity 135 and a second cavity 145, wherein the second cavity is separate and distinct from the first cavity (see Fig. 3), wherein the first protrusion member 111 is positioned at least partially in the first cavity 135 and a second protrusion member 111 is positioned at least partially in the second cavity 145 (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 28: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 27 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is configured to physically force the second protrusion member 111 out of the second cavity (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 29: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 27 and further teaches wherein the first protrusion member 111 and the second protrusion member 111 are positioned 180 degrees from each other on opposite sides of the housing (e.g. both members exist around the housing, see Fig. 2 for 180-degree positioning).
Regarding claim 30: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 27 and further teaches wherein the first protrusion member 111 is a ball bearing (Para. 0040), the second protrusion member 111 is a ball bearing (Para. 0040), and both the first protrusion member and second protrusion member are configured to be pressed against an outside surface of the end of the first electrical component 200 by a spring force provided by the second member 120 (see Fig. 3 and Para. 0040).
Regarding claim 31: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 22 and further teaches wherein the space comprises a first cavity 135, a second cavity 145 separate and distinct from the first cavity, and a third cavity (at 142; Fig. 3) separate and distinct from the first cavity and the second cavity (see Fig. 3), wherein the first protrusion member 111 is positioned at least partially in the first cavity, a second protrusion member 110 is positioned at least partially in the second cavity, and a third protrusion member 111 is positioned at least partially in the third cavity (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 32: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 31 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is configured to physically force the second protrusion member 111 out of the second cavity and the third protrusion member 111 out of the third cavity (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 33: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 32 and further teaches wherein the first protrusion member, the second protrusion member, and the third protrusion member are positioned 120 degrees from each other circumferentially around the housing (see Figs. 2-4).
Regarding claim 34: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21 and further teaches wherein the end of the first electrical component 200 comprises a plug comprising a plurality of pins and wherein the receptacle of the second component 10 comprises a plurality of connectors each configured to receive one of the plurality of pins of the plug (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 38: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21 and further teaches wherein the second member 120 is a retention band and the first protrusion member 111 is a ball bearing (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 39: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21 and further teaches wherein the receptacle is molded (e.g. molding is common manufacturing technique well known in the art).
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 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Condo (US 2014/0127926), in view of Eiger (US 2013/0197603).
Regarding claims 35-36: Condo teaches a receptacle is a female DIN connector receptacle and an end of a first electrical component is a male DIN connector plug (see Fig. 2 for commonly known and seen DIN connectors).
Condo does not explicitly teach the limitations of claim 21.
Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to be able to modify the invention with the limitations of claim 21 as taught by Eiger into the electrical connector of Condo in order to achieve the advantage of ensuring constant pressure and contact is maintained between both connectors.
Claim 37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hacker (US 6,334,068), in view of Eiger (US 2013/0197603).
Regarding claim 37: Hacker teaches a receptacle is configured to connect EMG electrodes with an EMG control system via an amplifier (see Figs. 1-11).
Hacker does not explicitly teach the limitations of claim 21.
Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to be able to modify the invention with the limitations of claim 21 as taught by Eiger into the electrical connector of Condo in order to achieve the advantage of ensuring constant pressure and contact is maintained between both connectors.
Claim 40 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eiger (US 2013/0197603), in view of McNeel (US 3,993,859)
Regarding claim 440: Eiger teaches all the limitations of claim 21 and further teaches wherein the second member is an o-ring 120 (see Fig. 4 and Para. 0040)
Eiger does not explicitly teach wherein the second member is an O-ring having a durometer rating in a range of 50 to 90 Shore.
McNeel teaches a second member 82 is an O-ring having a durometer rating in a range of 50 to 90 Shore (see Claim 12).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to be able to modify the invention with the second member is an O-ring having a durometer rating in a range of 50 to 90 Shore as taught by McNeel into the receptacle of Eiger in order to achieve the advantage of ensuring adequate hardness to provide the spring force against the protrusion
members.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see PTO-892 for pertinent prior art, the following references being of closest relevance:
Blight (US 3,343,852) teaches a second member acting on a first protrusion member pushing the first protrusion member into a space when not in contact;
McGrath (US 2026/0016108) teaches a connector having multiple seal members and a biasing feature;
Paul (US 2018/0062308) teaches a second member acting on a first protrusion member pushing the first protrusion member into a space when not in contact and spaced at equal intervals within;
Norland (US 2019/0123487) teaches a second member acting on a first protrusion member pushing the first protrusion member into a space when not in contact;
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OSCAR C JIMENEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-0272. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han can be reached on (571) 272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSCAR C JIMENEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2833