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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the "a contact part of a plurality of connector components coming into contact with one another”, as claimed in claim 1 and “an area including an edge of a contact part of a plurality of connector components coming into contact with one another”, as claimed in claim 10, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-23 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. With regard to claims 1 and 10, it is unclear how the connector components of the contact part come into contact with one another, when the conducting components of the connector are separated by insulating and sealing components. For prior art analysis, any components that are in contact can be considered to meet these limitations. Claims 2-9 and 23 include all the limitations of claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons. Claims 11-22 include all the limitations of claim 10 and are rejected for the same reasons.
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 1-15 and 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akihiro et al. (JP2020149777A) in view of He (CN216698078U).
With regard to claim 1, Akihiro teaches, as shown in figure 4: “A connector 1 having a waterproof structure 13 and 15, the waterproof structure comprising: a first potting reservoir 121 recessed in an area including an edge of a contact part 11 of a plurality of connector components 14-16 coming into contact with one another… and a potting agent 15 injected into the first potting reservoir 121”.
Akihiro does not teach: “a first indicator identifying an injection amount of a potting agent to be injected into the first potting reservoir a second potting reservoir; a second indicator corresponding to the second potting reservoir and” the potting agent injected into “the second reservoir”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, He teaches, as shown in figure 2 and taught on pages 2 lines 16-31 or the translation: “a first indicator 6 identifying an injection amount of a potting agent (described on page 2 lines 16-31) to be injected into the first potting reservoir 3; a second indicator corresponding to the second potting reservoir (another reservoir 3 of the reservoirs 3 in figure 2) and” the potting agent (indicator 6 of the second reservoir in figure 2) injected into “the second reservoir”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31) and to provide multiple reservoirs for encapsulating connector components (He translation, Abstract).
With regard to claim 2, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “wherein the first potting reservoir 121 includes a depression circumscribing an outer wall of components of the connector 1”.
With regard to claim 3, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 2”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “wherein one part of the depression (interior of 1211 in figure 4) in a circumferential direction is wider than a remainder (interior of 1212 in figure 4) of the depression”.
With regard to claim 4, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “further comprising an elongated signal contact 14, the first potting reservoir 121 is defined by a depression circumscribing the signal contact 14”.
With regard to claim 5, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4, the component in the potting agent 15 is a signal contact 14.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2 and taught on pages 2 lines 16-31 or the translation: “wherein the first indicator 6 protrudes laterally with respect to a direction (roughly up-and-down direction in figure 2) in which the” component 2 “extends in the first potting reservoir 3”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro as modified by He in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 6, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2: “wherein the first indicator 6 includes a plurality of individual first indicators 6 pointing to each of a plurality of injection volumes 3”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro as modified by He in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 7, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2: “wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir are open in a common direction”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro as modified by He in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 8, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “wherein the connector 1 includes: a first mating part (bottom part of 1 in figure 4) adapted to mate with a first mating connector (where bottom end of contacts 14 are mated when the connector 1 is mated); and a second mating part (top part of 1 in figure 4) adapted to mate with a second mating connector (where the top end of 14 is connected when the connector 1 is mated), the connector 1 adapted to pass signals between the first mating connector and the second mating connector (this is an inherent property of electrical connectors otherwise there is no electrical connection achieved)”.
With regard to claim 9, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 8”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “wherein the waterproofing structure is adapted to prevent water entering the connector 1 from leaking to a first side (top side in figure 4) of the connector 1 corresponding to the first mating connector when the connector 1 is mated with the first mating connector and unmated with the second mating connector”.
With regard to claim 10, Akihiro teaches, as shown in figure 4: “A connector 1, comprising: a first mating part (bottom part of 1 in figure 4) adapted to mate with a first mating connector (where bottom end of contacts 14 are mated when the connector 1 is mated) on a first side (bottom side of 1 in figure 4) of the connector 1; a second mating part (top part of 1 in figure 4) adapted to mate with a second mating connector (where the top end of 14 is connected when the connector 1 is mated) on a second side (top side of 1 in figure 4) of the connector 1; and a waterproofing structure 15 adapted to prevent water entering the connector from leaking to the first side of the connector 1 when the connector 1 is mated with the first mating connector and unmated with the second mating connector, including: a first potting reservoir 121 recessed in an area including an edge of a contact part of a plurality of connector components 14-16 coming into contact with one another, the first potting reservoir 121 opened in a first direction (upward direction in figure 4).
Akihiro does not teach: “a first indicator identifying a first injection amount of a potting agent to be injected into the first potting reservoir; a second potting reservoir opened in the first direction; and a second indicator identifying a second injection amount of the potting agent to be injected into the second potting reservoir”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, He teaches, as shown in figure 2 and taught on pages 2 lines 16-31 or the translation: “a first indicator 6 identifying a first injection amount of a potting agent (described on page 2 lines 16-31) to be injected into the first potting reservoir 3; a second potting reservoir (another reservoir 3 of the reservoirs 3 in figure 2) opened in the first direction; and a second indicator (indicator 6 of the second reservoir in figure 2) identifying a second injection amount of the potting agent to be injected into the second potting reservoir”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31) and to provide multiple reservoirs for encapsulating connector components (He translation, Abstract).
With regard to claim 11, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 10”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “further comprising a signal contact 14, the first potting reservoir 121 is defined by a depression circumscribing the signal contact 14”.
With regard to claim 12, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 11”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “further comprising an outer shield 12 arranged about the signal contact 14, the first potting reservoir 121 defined between the signal contact 14 and the outer shield 12”.
With regard to claim 13, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 12”, as shown above.
Neither Akihiro nor He teach: “wherein the first indicator includes a groove formed into an inward facing wall of the outer shield defining the first potting reservoir”. However, He teaches, as shown in figure 2, the indicator 6 being an outwardly protruding strip. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the shape of the indicator so that the indicator includes a groove since doing so would provide a visual indicator for the amount of potting to be inserted. Also, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
With regard to claim 14, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 12”, as shown above.
Neither Akihiro nor He teach: “wherein the second potting reservoir is defined between an outer surface of the outer shield and an inner surface of a housing of the connector”. However, Akihiro teaches, as shown in figure 4, a packing provided between an outer surface of the outer shield 12 and an inner surface (inner surface of 11 in figure 4) of a housing 11 of the connector 1. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the packing by injecting potting material in order to control the size of the waterproofing (Akihiro, translation page 2 lines 4-7 and page 3 lines 1-8).
With regard to claim 15, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 14”, as shown above.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2: “wherein the second indicator comprises at least one step formed into the housing 1 in the first direction”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro as modified by He in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 17, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 11”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4: “wherein one part (interior of 1211 in figure 4) of the depression in a circumferential direction is wider than a remainder (interior of 1212 in figure 4) of the depression”.
With regard to claim 18, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 11”, as shown above.
Akihiro also teaches, as shown in figure 4, the component in the potting agent 15 is a signal contact 14.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2 and taught on pages 2 lines 16-31 or the translation: “wherein the first indicator 6 protrudes laterally with respect to a direction (roughly up-and-down direction in figure 2) in which the” component 2 “extends in the potting reservoir 3”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro as modified by He in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 19, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 18”, as shown above.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2: “wherein the first indicator 6 includes a plurality of individual first indicators 6 pointing to each of a plurality of injection volumes 3”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro as modified by He in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 20, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 19”, as shown above.
He also teaches, as shown in figure 2: “wherein each first indicator 6… extending to a discrete height in the first direction”.
Neither Akihiro nor He teach: “wherein each first indicator includes a plurality of grooves, each groove extending to a discrete height in the first direction”. 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 He with the invention of Akihiro in order to indicate when enough potting material is injected (He, translation page 2 lines 16-31).
With regard to claim 21, Akihiro as modified by He teaches: “The connector according to claim 10”, as shown above.
Neither Akihiro nor He teach: “wherein at least one dimension of the first potting reservoir differs from at least one dimension of the second potting reservoir”. 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 change the size of a dimension of the first and second reservoirs to be different in order to encapsulate different-sized connector components. Also, a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16 and 22-23 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/17/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With regard to the 112 rejections, the Applicant argues that at least paragraph 26 of the instant application clarifies what the contact part of the plurality of connector components is referring to. The Examiner respectfully disagrees, since there is no single contact part indicated of the components of the connector, nor is there an obvious location in the figures where the components contact one another, so the item of the connector that represents “a contact part” is not clear. With regard to the prior art rejections of claims 1 and 10, the Applicant argues that no rationale for combining the second reservoir of He with the invention of Akihiro. The Examiner concedes that a rationale for that feature must be provided. A second Non-Final is therefore being issued with rationale for this feature, namely “to provide multiple reservoirs for encapsulating connector components (He translation, Abstract)”.
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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