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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 13-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sakai (2022/0320789).
With regard to claim 1, Sakai teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “An electrical connector unit 10 for a cable 20 comprising: an outer housing 50; an inner housing 41 located in the outer housing 50, the inner housing 41 having a first sub housing (left 43 in figure 4) and a second sub housing (right 43 in figure 4), the first sub housing and the second sub housing including respective opposing sidewalls (portions of 43 facing each other in figure 4) spaced apart from one another by a gap, a first portion (bottom portion) of each of the opposing sidewalls of the first sub housing and the second sub housing are connected to each other via a bridge element (portion of 41 extending between 43 in figure 4) extending through the gap, the inner housing 41 being directly engageable with the outer housing 50”.
With regard to claim 2, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein the first sub housing, the bridge element, and the second sub housing are continuous, such that the inner housing 41 forms an integral component”.
With regard to claim 13, Sakai teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “An electrical connector unit 10 for a cable 20 comprising: an outer housing 50; an inner housing 41 formed from an insulating material and arranged in the outer housing 50, the inner housing 41 including: a first sub housing (left 43 in figure 4);a second sub housing (right 43 in figure 4); and a bridge (portion of 41 extending between 43 in figure 4) integrally formed with the first sub housing and the second sub housing and connecting a first side (portion of the first sub housing facing the second sub housing in figure 4) of the first sub housing and an opposing first side (portion of the second sub housing facing the first sub housing in figure 4) of the second sub housing to form a single integral component, the first side of the first sub housing and the first side of the second sub housing being separated outside of the bridge”.
With regard to claim 14, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 13”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “further comprising a metallic shield 80 mounted against a top surface of the inner housing 41 and the second sub housing”.
With regard to claim 15, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 13”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein a gap is defined between the opposing first sides outside of the bridge”.
With regard to claim 16, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 15”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein the gap extends about a perimeter of the bridge”.
With regard to claim 18, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein the gap extends about a perimeter of the bridge”.
With regard to claim 19, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein opposite facing sides of each of the opposing sidewalls of the first sub housing and the second sub housing define an internal wall of a terminal space formed in each of the first sub housing and the second sub housing”.
With regard to claim 20, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein: the outer housing 50 defines an internal recess (interior of 50 in figure 4), wherein opposed shoulders (left and right portions of 52 and 53 in figure 4) extend inwardly into the internal recess from opposite sides 55 of the outer housing 50; and the inner housing 41 defines outwardly extending protrusions (left and right portions of 42 in figure 4) adapted to engage with the opposed shoulders for securing the inner housing 41 to the outer housing 50”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 3-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai (2022/0320789) in view of Chen (CN212011467U).
With regard to claim 3, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai does not specifically teach: “wherein one of the outer housing and the inner housing has opposed protrusions, and the other of the outer housing and the inner housing has mutually opposed recessed shoulders with which each of the protrusions engage”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Chen teaches as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein one of the outer housing 100 and the inner housing 300 has opposed protrusions (shown below), and the other of the outer housing 100 and the inner housing 300 has mutually opposed recessed shoulders (shown below) with which each of the protrusions engage”.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai in order to hold the inner and outer housings together.
With regard to claim 4, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 3”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein two engagement points (where the protrusions and shoulders engage in figure 7 above) of the inner housing 300 engage the outer housing 100”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to hold the inner and outer housings together.
With regard to claim 5, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 4”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein the two engagement points are positioned in line symmetry or point symmetry”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to hold the inner and outer housings together.
With regard to claim 6, Sakai teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figure 2: “further comprising a device connector 200 assembled with the connector 30”.
Sakai does not specifically teach: “wherein the device connector has a conductive device housing, a first insulating device housing positioned in the conductive device housing opposite to the first sub housing, and a second insulating device housing positioned opposite to the second sub housing”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein the device connector (shown in figure 4) has a conductive device housing 200, a first insulating device housing (portion of 400 mating with 340 in figure 7) positioned in the conductive device housing 200 opposite to the first sub housing 340, and a second insulating device housing (portion of 400 mating with 350 in figure 7) positioned opposite to the second sub housing 350”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai in order to form a mating connector for the sub-housings.
With regard to claim 7, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 6”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught on page 5 lines 36-42 of the translation: “wherein, the inner housing 300 is adapted to be assembled to the outer housing 100 in predetermined and rotated positions (page 5 lines 36-42 of the translation teaches the inner housing can be inserted in reverse positions)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to form a mating connector for the sub-housings.
With regard to claim 8, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 7”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught on page 5 lines 36-42 of the translation: “wherein the outer housing 100 may be oriented in predetermined and rotated positions (page 5 lines 36-42 of the translation teaches the inner housing can be inserted in reverse positions, which would enable the same for the outer housing)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to form a mating connector for the sub-housings.
With regard to claim 9, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 8”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein a plane size of the first sub housing 340 and a plane size of the second sub housing 350 are different from each other”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to connect the electrical connector to different shaped connectors.
With regard to claim 10, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 6”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein, a protrusion (shown in figure 4 below) provided on one of the sub housing 340 and the insulating device housing and a recessed shoulder (shown in figure 3 below) provided on the other thereof are matable in either the first sub housing 340 and the first insulating device housing or the second sub housing 350 and the second insulating device housing”.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to provide align the terminals of the mating connectors.
With regard to claim 11, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 10”, as shown above.
Chen also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7: “wherein the protrusion and the recessed shoulder are located opposite to each other to form a keying arrangement for assembly”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Chen with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to provide more mating features of the mating connectors.
With regard to claim 12, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 1”, as shown above.
Sakai also teaches, as shown in figures 2-7: “wherein the cable is a… cable having at least a first internal cable (left cable 20 in figure 6) and a second internal cable (right cable 20 in figure 6)”.
Neither Sakai nor Chen teach the cable being a single composite cable. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cables into one cable in order to more easily position the internal cable portions. Also, it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. Howard v. Detroit Stove Works, 150 U.S. 164 (1993).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai (2022/0320789) in view of Chen (CN212011467U) and Masuda et al. (2019/0296485).
With regard to claim 17, Sakai as modified by Chen teaches: “The electrical connector unit as set forth in claim 6”, as shown above.
Neither Sakai nor Chen teach: “further comprising a seal arranged about an exterior wall of the device connector and adapted to form a seal between the device connector and the outer housing”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Masuda teaches, as shown in figure 6: “further comprising a seal 80 arranged about an exterior wall of the device connector 82 and adapted to form a seal between the device connector 200 and the outer housing 7”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Masuda with the invention of Sakai as modified by Chen in order to liquid-tightly fit the outer housing and the device connector (Masuda, paragraph 72).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 13 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.
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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