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 .
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 11-20 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) configured for rotatably receiving a gear (41, 42, and 36) of the mate-assist lever 29 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”.
With regard to claim 16, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the gear of the mate-assist lever 29 is disposed within the at least partially circular recess”.
With regard to claim 17, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 16”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the circular recess provides sufficient space such that the gear of the mate-assist lever 29 can be rotated by rotating the mate-assist lever 29”.
With regard to claim 18, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 12”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the circular recess provides a gap (where 42 are disposed in figure 3) that allows the gear of the mate-assist lever 29 to mesh with the toothed rack 43”.
With regard to claim 19, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 18”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the toothed rack 43 extends into the gap”.
With regard to claim 20, Ciriello teaches: “The electrical connector arrangement according to claim 11”, as shown above.
Ciriello also teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the at least one cam slot 25 is arranged on a first surface (inner surface of 18 in figure 4) of the mate-assist slider 43 and the circular recess is arranged on a second surface (outer surface of 18 in figure 4) of the mate-assist slider 43 opposite the first surface, thereby ensuring that the rotation and the meshing of the gear with the toothed rack 43 of the connector housing 4 does not interfere with the cam slot 25”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/23/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With regard to claim 1, the Applicant argues that the cited reference does not teach the limitation “wherein the mate-assist slider has an at least partially circular recess configured for rotatably receiving a gear of the mate-assist lever”. The Examiner respectfully disagrees, since the language of the claim is broad enough that a recess that surrounds the gear and so limits interference with the gear is not required to read on the claim. A gear that is pivotally held by the at least partially circular recess therefore reads on these limitations. Similarly, the dependent claims remain broad enough that the reference reads on the claims.
Conclusion
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
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