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 .
Claims 1-6 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cameron (US Patent 4,176,897).
Regarding claim 1, Cameron discloses an electrical connector (receptacle 12, Fig. 1) having an insertion opening (see Fig. 2) into which a plug connector (plug 11, Fig. 1) is inserted, the electrical connector comprising: a pair of guide portions (protective doors 41, Fig. 1) provided so as to be capable of protruding and retracting from both width-direction sides of the insertion opening (see Fig. 2, rotated 90 degrees on insertion opening), the pair of guide portions of the electrical connector being configured to guide both width-direction sides of the plug connector that moves toward the insertion opening of the electrical connector (see Figs. 5-5b).
Regarding claim 2, Cameron discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the pair of guide portions are integrally formed with a main body portion configured to move to open and close the insertion opening (see Fig. 1 and 5-5b), and protrude from the both width-direction sides of the insertion opening as the main body portion moves to open the insertion opening (see Fig. 2, rotated 90 degrees on insertion opening).
Regarding claim 3, Cameron discloses the electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the main body portion includes a locking portion (locking screw 30, Fig. 5) configured to lock the plug connector inserted into the insertion opening (Col. 3, line 57, “Once mated, plug 11 and receptacle 12 are locked together by means of a locking screw 30”).
Regarding claim 4, Cameron discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, further comprising a posture holding structure (locating pins 20, Fig. 1) configured to hold a posture of the pair of guide portions in a protruded or retracted position with respect to the insertion opening (Col. 3, line 23, “receptacle 12 includes a pair of longitudinally-extending locating pins 20 which are received in complimentarily dimensioned apertures 21 on the plug portion of the connector assembly. In addition to providing more positive alignment, alignment pins increase the mechanical rigidity of the mated connector assembly and make it less susceptible to disengagement from externally applied forces”).
Regarding claim 5, Cameron discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the pair of guide portions each are made of a conductive member and are connected to ground (Col. 5, line 33, “To obtain the desired EMI shielding and environmental sealing effect the doors 41 are preferably formed of co-electrically conductive metal such as copper”).
Regarding claim 6, Cameron discloses the electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the pair of guide portions each include a contact portion (spring strip 42, Fig. 5) that contacts the plug connector inserted into the insertion opening.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Baldwin et al. (US Patent 8,563,859) discloses a receptacle with two panels that retract to allow a plug to connect.
Calderara et al. (US Patent 5,020,997) discloses a connector for a plug wherein portions move at the opening.
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/JEFFREY MOUNTAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834