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
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 1-5, 9-10, 13-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hack (US. 9,197,006 B2).
In Regards to Claim 1:
Hack teaches an assembly (Fig .1-2), comprising:
a first connector housing (4) including an opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) and a first electrical contact (2); a second connector housing (5) including a portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) disposed in the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) and a second electrical contact (3) electrically interfaced with the first electrical contact (2); a sealable fluid chamber (8) formed with the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5) and a sealable vent (1) coupled to the sealable fluid chamber (8) wherein the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5) are configured such that, the portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) of the second connector housing (5) is movable within the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1); and a volume of the sealable fluid chamber (8) changes as the portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) of the second connector housing (5) moves within the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1).
In Regards to Claim 2:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a seal (8) configured to form the sealable fluid chamber (8) with the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5).
In Regards to Claim 3:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the sealable vent (1) penetrates the first connector housing (4).
In Regards to Claim 4:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the sealable vent (1) penetrates the second connector housing (5).
In Regards to Claim 5:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the sealable vent (1) is rotatable relative to at least one of the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5).
In Regards to Claim 9:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein:
a major axis of movement of the portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) of the second connector housing (5) within the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) is aligned with an axis of insertion of the portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) of the second connector housing (5) into the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1).
In Regards to Claim 10:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5) are configured such that rotation of the portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) of the second connector housing (5) within the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) changes the volume of the sealable fluid chamber (8).
In Regards to Claim 13:
Hack teaches a method, comprising:
providing a first connector housing (4) including a first electrical contact (2); providing a second connector housing (5) including a second electrical contact (3); mating the second connector housing (5) with the first connector housing (4) to form a sealable fluid chamber (8); adding an insulating fluid to the sealable fluid chamber (8); moving the second connector housing (5) relative to the first connector housing (4); sealing the sealable vent (1) after moving the second connector housing (5); and forming an electrical connection between the first electrical contact (2) and the second electrical contact (3).
In Regards to Claim 14:
Hack teaches the method of claim 13, wherein:
sealing the sealable vent (1) after moving the second connector housing (5) comprises sealing the sealable vent (1) after the insulating fluid escapes from the sealable fluid chamber (8) while moving the second connector housing (5) relative to the first connector housing (4).
In Regards to Claim 15:
Hack teaches the method of claim 13, wherein:
moving the second connector housing (5) relative to the first connector housing (4) comprises moving the second connector housing (5) to increase a volume of the sealable fluid chamber (8).
In Regards to Claim 16:
Hack teaches the method of claim 15, further comprising:
sealing the sealable vent (1) before moving the second connector housing (5) to increase the volume of the sealable fluid chamber (8).
In Regards to Claim 17:
Hack teaches the method of claim 16, further comprising:
unsealing the sealable vent (1) to vent the sealable fluid chamber (8).
In Regards to Claim 18:
Hack teaches the method of claim 13, further comprising:
sealing the sealable vent (1); moving the second connector housing (5) relative to the first connector housing (4); unsealing the sealable vent (1); moving the second connector housing (5) relative to the first connector housing (4) until fluid escapes through the sealable vent (1); and sealing the sealable vent (1).
In Regards to Claim 20:
Hack teaches an assembly (Fig. 1-2), comprising:
a first connector housing (4) including a first electrical contact (2); a second connector housing (5) including a second electrical contact (3) electrically interfaced with the first electrical contact (2); a sealable fluid chamber (8) formed with the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5) and a sealable vent (1) coupled to the sealable fluid chamber (8); wherein the first connector housing (4) and the second connector housing (5) are configured such that:
the second connector housing (5) is movable relative to the first connector housing (4); and a volume of the sealable fluid chamber (8) changes as the second connector housing (5) moves relative to the first connector housing (4).
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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.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hack (US. 9,197,006 B2).
In Regards to Claim 11:
All claim limitations are discussed with respect to Claim 1, Hack does not teach wherein:
the volume of the sealable fluid chamber is less than about 10 milliliters (ml).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have the volume of the sealable fluid chamber is less than about 10 milliliters (ml), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). to provide power and data communications within an adverse environment, such as underwater in a well-head or in a sub-sea oil well (Hack, Col 1, line 11-14).
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hack (US. 9,197,006 B2) in view of Mudge,III (US. 7,695,301).
In Regards to Claim 6:
All claim limitations are discussed with respect to Claim 1, Hack does not teach further comprising: a mechanical stop coupled to the first connector housing such that movement of the portion of the second connector housing within the opening is limited by the mechanical stop.
Mudge teaches further comprising:
a mechanical stop (88) coupled to the first connector housing (65) such that movement of the portion of the second connector housing (65) within the opening is limited by the mechanical stop (88).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use Mudge's teaching of the use of the mechanical stop as a modification in the Hack connector in order to provide lubrication to the front seal which allows dynamic movement relative to the pin during the mating and de-mating operation. In other embodiments, the chamber is not filled with a mobile substance. (Mudge, Col 2, line: 59-62).
In Regards to Claim 7:
All claim limitations are discussed with respect to Claim 6, Hack does not teach further comprising: a spring coupled between the mechanical stop and the second connector housing and configured to apply pressure to reduce the volume of the sealable fluid chamber.
Mudge teaches further comprising:
a spring (90) coupled between the mechanical stop (88) and the second connector housing (65) and configured to apply pressure to reduce the volume of the sealable fluid chamber (Fig. 6).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use Mudge's teaching of the use of the spring and mechanical stop as a modification in the Hack connector in order to provide lubrication to the front seal which allows dynamic movement relative to the pin during the mating and de-mating operation. In other embodiments, the chamber is not filled with a mobile substance. (Mudge, Col 2, line: 59-62).
In Regards to Claim 8:
Hack teaches the assembly of claim 6, wherein:
the sealable fluid chamber (8) is maintained in all positions of the portion (See Reproduced Drawing 1) of the second connector housing (5) within the opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) when limited.
Hack does not teach the mechanical stop.
Mudge teaches the mechanical stop (88).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to use Mudge's teaching of the use of the mechanical stop as a modification in the Hack connector in order to provide lubrication to the front seal which allows dynamic movement relative to the pin during the mating and de-mating operation. In other embodiments, the chamber is not filled with a mobile substance. (Mudge, Col 2, line: 59-62).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest these limitation as substantially described in claims 12 and 19, these limitations, in combination with remaining limitations of claims 12 and 19, are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NADER J ALHAWAMDEH whose telephone number is (571)270-0571. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9Am - 6Pm EST.
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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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/NADER J ALHAWAMDEH/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831