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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the jack for blocking" in Line 3. The limitation seems to be incomplete.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,466,894). Regarding Claim 1, Wu discloses a terminal block with a pressing feature (22), comprising: a housing structure (10, 40), comprising a shell (10) and a terminal (40), and the terminal being fixed in the shell; a handle (20), movably disposed in the shell; a spring piece (30), disposed in the shell, comprising a first fixed segment (32) and a pressed segment (31), the first fixed segment being fixed in the housing structure, and the pressed segment being capable of elastically swinging relative to the first fixed segment along a swing path (Fig. 5); and an elastic element (80), disposed in the shell, comprising a second fixed segment (83) and a pressing segment (84), the second fixed segment being fixed in the housing structure, and the pressing segment being disposed in the swing path and capable of elastically moving relative to the second fixed segment.
Regarding Claim 2, Wu discloses the shell comprising a jack (12), the handle comprises a driving portion (24), a part (33) of the pressed segment is disposed corresponding to the driving portion, and another part (34) of the pressed segment is disposed corresponding to the jack for blocking.
Regarding Claim 3, Wu discloses the handle comprising a pushed portion (22) and a neck portion (27) connected between the pushed portion and the driving portion, the spring piece further comprises a connecting portion (curved middle portion of 30) connected between the first fixed segment and the pressed segment, the shell comprises a shaft (Fig. 3), the connecting portion surrounds the shaft and is formed with a dodge opening (Fig. 3), and the neck portion is located in the dodge opening.
Regarding Claim 4, Wu discloses both of the first fixed segment and the second fixed segment being fixed (Fig. 3) to the terminal.
Regarding Claim 5, Wu discloses the terminal comprising a platform (middle of 40), a foot portion (bottom pins of 40) and a connecting plate (between the pins and the middle of 40) connected between the platform and the foot portion, and both of the first fixed segment and the second fixed segment are fixed to the platform.
Regarding Claim 6, Wu discloses the platform being disposed with a fixing portion (Fig. 3), and the second fixed segment is fixed to the fixing portion.
Regarding Claim 7, Wu discloses the connecting plate comprising a disposing portion (Fig. 3), the elastic member further comprise a sleeving portion (between 81 and 82) connected between the second fixed segment and the pressing segment, the sleeving portion is disposed around the disposing portion, and the pressing segment is able to elastically swing relative to the second fixed segment.
Regarding Claim 8, Wu discloses the connecting plate comprising a blocker (87) abutting against the pressing segment of the elastic member.
Regarding Claim 9, Wu discloses the shell further comprising a guiding groove (11), and an end (Fig. 3) of the pressing segment is extended into the guiding groove.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses terminal blocks, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having pressure features, shells, terminals and spring or elastic elements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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