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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 1/7/26. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 3-9, and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ciriello et al. (2008/0214039).
With regard to claim 1, Ciriello teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “An electrical connector arrangement 2, comprising: a connector housing 4, a mate-assist lever 29 being rotatable about a pivot point 36 and configured to facilitate, upon rotation, mating and unmating with a corresponding electrical counter-connector 3; and a mate-assist slider 16 configured to be mounted linearly movable on the connector housing 4, wherein the pivot point C is configured to move relative to the connector housing 4 upon rotation of the mate-assist lever 29 and wherein the mate-assist slider 16 has an at least partially circular recess (inner portion of 37 in figure 4) and a circular sleeve 37 in a center of the recess extending perpendicular from the recess for rotatably receiving the pivot point 36 of the mate-assist lever 29”.
With regard to claim 3, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the mate-assist lever 29 is pivotably mountable on the mate-assist slider 16”.
With regard to claim 4, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the mate-assist slider 16, when mounted, is configured to be moved from a first position (shown in figure 1) corresponding to an unmated condition to a second position (shown in figure 2), corresponding to a mated condition”.
With regard to claim 5, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the mate-assist lever 129 and the mate-assist slider 16 are configured such that a rotation of the mate-assist lever 29 causes a linear movement of the mate-assist slider 16 relative to the connector housing 4”.
With regard to claim 6, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein a movement direction B of the mate-assist slider 16 is substantially perpendicular to a mating and unmating direction A”.
With regard to claim 7, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the mate-assist slider 16 does not comprise any functional toothed rack, a gear, and/or a pinion”.
With regard to claim 8, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the connector housing 4 comprises a flat guiding channel 19, formed by at least one outer wall 11 of the connector housing 4, wherein the guiding channel 19 is configured to receive the mate-assist slider 16, such that the mate-assist slider 16 is configured to be at least partially enclosed by the connector housing 4”.
With regard to claim 9, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 8”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the flat guiding channel 19 comprises an opening 37 in a substantially central position of the guiding channel 19 and two side pockets 35 on opposing ends of the guiding channel 19, the two side pockets 35 formed by an outer wall 11 of the connector housing 4, wherein the opening 37 facilitates receiving the mate-assist lever 16 after the mate-assist slider 16 is received in the guiding channel 19”.
With regard to claim 11, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the mate-assist slider 16 comprises at least one cam slot 25 configured to engage with at least one cam follower 23 of the electrical counter-connector 32, such that a linear movement of the mate-assist slider 16 causes a relative movement of the electrical connector arrangement 2 and the electrical counter-connector 3 in a mating direction (downward direction in figure 2) and an unmating direction (upward direction in figure 2)”.
With regard to claim 12, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the connector housing 4 comprises a toothed rack 43 and wherein the mate-assist lever 29 comprises a gear 42 with one or more teeth 41, configured to mesh with the toothed rack 43 upon rotation of the mate-assist lever 29”.
With regard to claim 13, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 12”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the toothed rack 43 is arranged in a top portion of the connector housing 4, such that teeth of the toothed rack 43 are pointing in an unmating direction (downward direction in figure 2)”.
With regard to claim 14, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “comprising: an electrical counter-connector 3 comprising at least one cam follower 23, wherein the mate-assist slider 16 is mounted linearly movable on the connector housing 4 and comprises at least one cam slot 25 configured to engage with the at least one cam follower 23, wherein the connector housing 4 comprises a toothed rack 43, wherein the mate-assist lever 29 is pivotably mounted on the mate-assist slider 16 and comprises a gear 42 with one or more teeth 41 configured to mesh with the toothed rack 43 upon rotation of the mate-assist lever 29, and wherein, upon rotation of the mate-assist lever 29, a linear movement of the mate-assist slider 16 is caused, which causes a relative movement of the electrical connector arrangement 2 and the electrical counter-connector 3 in a mating direction (downward direction in figure 2) and an unmating direction (upward direction in figure 2)”.
With regard to claim 15, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “comprising: a cover 13 configured to be mounted on a top side of the connector housing 4, opposite to a bottom side at which the electrical counter-connector 3 is configured to be received, wherein the cover 13 comprises a cover latch 38 that is configured to latch with the mate-assist lever 29, when the mate-assist lever 29 is in a closed position corresponding to a mated condition with the electrical counter-connector 3”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/7/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “a recess sized and shaped to accommodate rotation of the lever about the pivot point, with the sleeve centrally disposed within that recess”) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). The claim language requires a circular recess and a circular sleeve in a center of the recess perpendicular to the recess (the radial direction of the recess is perpendicular to the recess) and the cited sleeve rotatably receives the pivot point of the mate-assist lever.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN M KRATT whose telephone number is (571)270-0277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A 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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/JUSTIN M KRATT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831