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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 1-6, 8-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Falchetti (6,773,271).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Falchetti discloses a cable harness, comprising:
an electrical connector, comprising:
a housing (31, Fig. 1) with a terminal module (6) inserted in the housing in an axial direction;
an electrical terminal (41) fixed in the terminal module;
a cover (1 and 24) latched with the housing; and
a spring (55 and 56, Fig. 7) that biases the terminal module in the axial direction (Figs. 9 and 10).
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 9 shows the spring (55 and 56) is provided between the cover (5 and 25) and the terminal module (6).
Regarding claim 3, Fig. 7 shows the spring is integrally formed with the cover.
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 7 shows the spring (55 and 56) is formed as an arc- shaped web.
Regarding claim 5, Fig.7 shows the spring (55 and 56) has a Y-shaped cross- section.
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 7 shows the spring is formed by a web spanning an aperture (an aperture between 55 and 56).
Regarding claim 8, Figs. 9 and 10 show the spring urges the terminal module towards the cover.
Regarding claim 9, Fig. 7 shows the spring is a separate part.
Claims 1, 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jenkins (6,027,360).
Regarding claim 1, Jenkins discloses an electrical connector, comprising:
a housing (74, Fig. 1) with a terminal module (18) inserted in the housing in an axial direction;
an electrical terminal (19, Fig. 2) fixed in the terminal module;
a cover (88, Fig. 1) latched with the housing; and
a spring (65, Fig. 2) that biases the terminal module in the axial direction (by 64, Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, the spring urges the terminal module away from the cover.
Regarding claim 10, Fig. 2 shows the terminal module (18) has biasing element (64) that urges the electrical terminal in the axial direction against an abutment (a protrusion from an inner wall of 18) of the terminal module.
Claims 1 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rutkowski (4,032, Regarding claim 1209).
, Rutkowski discloses an electrical connector, comprising:
a housing (10, Fig. 1) with a terminal module (11) inserted in the housing in an axial direction;
an electrical terminal (37, Fig. 1) fixed in the terminal module;
a cover (a half 45 of a left side), Fig. 1) latched with the housing; and
a spring (a half 45 of a right side, Figs. 1 and 3) that biases the terminal module in the axial direction (Fig. 2).
Regarding claims 12 and 14, a mating connector (13, Fig. 1), wherein the electrical connector is fully inserted and latched in the mating connector (Fig. 2) and wherein the spring urges the terminal module in the axial direction against an abutment (one of 41, Fig. 1) of the mating connector.
Regarding claim 13, Fig. 1 shows a terminal mating module (14) is inserted in a housing (another half of 45 of the right side and the left side) of the mating connector and an electrical terminal (another of 41) is fixed in the terminal mating module, wherein the abutment (the one of 41) of the mating connector is provided on the terminal mating module of the mating connector.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 03/10/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov