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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 7/9/2026 has been entered.
Double Patenting
The Terminal Disclaimer has been approved.
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 1-4, and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kollmann et al. (US 9,525,219).
Regarding claim 1, Kollmann discloses a lead terminal comprising: at least one spring-loaded clamping connection (1) for connecting an electrical conductor by spring force, the spring-loaded clamping connection comprising: a clamping spring (2); and a busbar section (8, 6) associated with the clamping spring, between which a clamping point (12, 13) for connecting the electrical conductor is formed; and a swivelable actuating lever (24) associated with the spring-loaded clamping connection to actuate the clamping spring, the actuating lever having at least one support element (24a) that includes a support surface facing the busbar section via which the actuating lever is supported on a support region (10) of the busbar section; wherein a concavely curved contour (at 10 in Fig. 4) of the support region is formed by a depression in the busbar section, the depression being a trough or channel depression (above 10 in Fig. 4) that is recessed from neighboring flat regions (6, or left of 10, Fig. 2) of the busbar section, the depression receiving the support element (24a) therein and the depression having a concavely curved bottom surface that supports the support surface of the support element of the actuating lever (Figs 4 and 5); and wherein the neighboring flat regions (at 6, or left of 10, Fig. 3) of the busbar section are formed by a common flat upper surface of the busbar section, such that the depression is recessed from the common flat upper surface of the busbar section (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Kollmann discloses a curvature profile of the concavely curved contour of the support region (10), with regard adapted to a curvature profile of a convexly curved contour of the support surface (Figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 3, Kollmann discloses the lead terminal is a multi-pole lead terminal (Fig. 3) in which multiple spring-loaded clamping connections are arranged next to one another, wherein the spring-loaded clamping connections each have a clamping spring (2) and a busbar section (8, 6) associated with the clamping spring, wherein an actuating lever is associated with each spring-loaded clamping connection, the busbar sections being parts of a continuous busbar (at 10), and wherein the concavely curved contour of the support region extends continuously from the support element of an actuating lever at least to the support element of a directly neighboring actuating lever or extends continuously over the busbar sections of multiple or all spring-loaded clamping connections.
Regarding claim 4, Kollmann discloses the continuously extending concavely curved contour (at 10, Fig. 1) of the support region is at least partially interrupted, at least at one clamping point (13), by another contour or a clamping contour.
Regarding claim 6, Kollmann discloses that in the concavely curved contour of the support region of the busbar section, the actuating lever is swivelable about a rotational axis that extends transversely with respect to a conductor insertion direction of the spring-loaded clamping connection (Figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 7, Kollmann discloses the busbar section having a clamping edge (13) for connecting the electrical conductor.
Regarding claim 8, Kollmann discloses the clamping edge (13) in the conductor insertion direction (at 10) arranged behind (right in Fig. 4) the concavely curved contour of the support region.
Regarding claim 9, Kollmann discloses the clamping edge (13) a border edge of a second depression (sideways of where 24a rest, see Fig. 2) that is impressed in the busbar section, the second depression forming a clamping contour.
Regarding claim 10, Kollmann discloses a length of the clamping contour (at 10) that is impressed in the busbar section, when viewed in a conductor insertion direction, is smaller than a length of the concavely curved contour of the support region (curve length is longer than straight distance).
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 11-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kollmann ‘219 in view of Kollmann et al. (US 9,466,895).
Regarding claim 11, Kollmann ‘895 teaches the at least one support element of the actuating lever (8) including two spaced-apart support elements (28) arranged in parallel, each of which has the support surface facing the busbar section, and each support surface having a convexly curved contour via which the actuating lever is supported on the support region of the busbar section (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 12, Kollmann ‘895 discloses the concavely curved contour of the support region extending continuously from one of the two support elements of the actuating lever at least to a nearest support element of a directly neighboring actuating lever (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 13, Kollmann ‘895 discloses a receiving space for accommodating the electrical conductor connected to the spring-loaded clamping connection is formed between the two support elements of the actuating lever (see Figs. 3 and 4).
Regarding claim 14, Kollmann ‘895 discloses at least a portion of the clamping spring or a predominant portion of a clamping leg of the clamping spring (13), arranged in a region between the two support elements of the actuating lever (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 15, Kollmann ‘895 discloses the actuating lever has two spaced-apart side wall sections (7) that at least partially inserted into a housing (2) of the lead terminal and that are each connected to one of the two support elements via a transverse web (8).
Regarding claim 16, Kollmann ‘895 discloses the two support elements forming a rotational axis about which the actuating lever is swivelably supported in the housing (2), wherein the two support elements have actuation sections (24), each of which is designed for impinging on an associated clamping spring of the spring-loaded clamping connection when the actuating lever swivels from a closed position, in which the actuating lever with the transverse web is swiveled toward the housing, and the clamping point formed by the spring-loaded clamping connection is closed for connecting the electrical conductor, into an open position (Fig. 2) in which the actuating lever with the transverse web is swiveled away from the housing, and the clamping point (20) formed by the spring-loaded clamping connection is opened for connecting the electrical conductor.
Regarding claim 17, Kollmann ‘895 discloses the actuation sections the two support elements spaced less farther apart from one another than a distance between the side wall sections, the actuation sections extending in parallel to the side wall sections and being integrally formed with the side wall sections such that at least one guide slot (30) present between each respective actuation section and the associated directly neighboring side wall section (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 18, Kollmann ‘895 teaches a guide web (29) of the housing inserted into an associated guide slot in order to guide the actuating lever during a swivel movement about the rotational axis in a swivel bearing region.
Regarding claim 19, Kollmann ‘895 teaches the actuation sections having a partially circular outer circumference with a cutout forming a shoulder, wherein the clamping spring (19) has an actuating tab (ends of 19, Fig. 4), and wherein the actuating tab of the clamping spring rests on the shoulder when the actuating lever is swiveled to open the clamping point (Figs. 2 and 3).
Claims 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kollmann ‘219 in view of Gerberding (US 7,815,463).
Regarding claim 20, Gerberding teaches at least one test lug (7a) situated at the busbar (3) and electrically contactable via a test probe that is inserted into a housing of the lead terminal.
Regarding claim 21, Kollmann discloses a lead terminal comprising: at least one spring-loaded clamping connection for connecting an electrical conductor by spring force, the spring-loaded clamping connection comprising; a clamping spring (2); and a busbar section (7, 10, 6) associated with the clamping spring, between which a clamping point for connecting the electrical conductor is formed; and a swivelable actuating lever (24) associated with the spring-loaded clamping connection to actuate the clamping spring, the actuating lever having at least one support element that includes a support surface facing the busbar section and having a convexly curved contour, via which the actuating lever is supported on a support region (at 10) of the busbar section; wherein a concavely curved contour (at 10 in Fig. 4) of the support region is formed by a depression in the busbar section, the depression being a trough or channel depression (above 10 in Fig. 4) that is recessed from neighboring flat regions (6, or left of 10 in Fig. 2) of the busbar section, the depression receiving the support element (24a) therein and the depression having a concavely curved bottom surface that supports the support surface of the support element of the actuating lever (Figs 4 and 5); and wherein the neighboring flat regions (at 6, or left of 10, Fig. 3) of the busbar section are formed by a common flat upper surface of the busbar section, such that the depression is recessed from the common flat upper surface of the busbar section (see Fig. 2).
Gerberding teaches at least one test lug (7a) arranged at the busbar and electrically contactable via a test probe that is inserted into the housing (at 29). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a test lug, as taught by Gerberding, in order to provide a dedicated testing point to improve testing reliability.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. 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, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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