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 because in Figure 5, the reference number 26 outside of the socket housing 22 is pointing at the securing element 21 and not pointing at the force transmission element 26 inside the socket housing 22.
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.
Specification
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.
The following title is suggested: ELECTRICAL PLUG-IN CONNECTION HAVING AT LEAST ONE SECURING ELEMENT.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0077], line 7, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “the outer socket housing 105” to -- the socket housing 105 -- because other places in the specification simply describe the reference number 105 as the socket housing.
Paragraph [0083], line 4, “socket housing 23” should be -- socket housing 22 --.
Paragraph [0083], line 6, “socket housing 23” should be -- socket housing 22 --.
Paragraph [0084], line 4, “socket housing 23” should be -- socket housing 22 --.
Paragraph [0085], lines 2-3, both occurring words “the securing elements 26” should be -- the securing element 21 --.
Paragraph [0087], line 3, “the blade 32” should be -- the blade 33 --.
Paragraph [0089], lines 4 and 5, “the blade 34” should be -- the blade 33 --.
Paragraph [0098], line 6, “the two housings 53, 55” should be -- the two housings 52, 54 --.
Paragraphs [0099], lines 3-4, “the plug housing 53” should be -- the plug housing 52 --.
Paragraphs [0099], lines 4 and 5, both occurring words “the housings 53, 55” should be -- the two housings 52, 54 --.
[00101], lines 4-6, all the occurring words “the housings 53, 55” should be -- the two housings 52, 54 --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 16-19, 23-26, 28-29, 31-33 and 35 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 16, line 7, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “the lamella pair” to -- the lamella pair of the second plug-in connection element --.
In claims 17-19, 23-26, 28-29, 31-32 and 35, the examiner suggests the applicant to change the pronouns such as “it”, “its” and “their” to proper nouns for clear understanding.
Claim 35, lines 3-4, “a first plug-in connection element into a second plug-in connection element” should be -- the first plug-in connection element into the second plug-in connection element -- because claim 16, line 2 and 4 already recite, “a first plug-in connection element” and “a second plug-in connection element”.
Claim 35, lines 4-5, “a blade of the first plug in connection element are in a contact state” should be -- the blade of the first plug-in connection element are in the contact state -- because claim 17 recites, “a contact state” and claim 1 recites, “a first plug-in connection element” and “at least one blade”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 16-34 are 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.
Claim 16, line 6 recites, “at least one securing element made of a shape memory alloy”. However, claim 16 does not recite how this at least one securing element is structurally related with the first and second plug-in connection elements because this at least one securing element is simply listed in line 6 and not interaction with any other elements recited in claim 16.
Claims 17-26 and 28-35 recite, “a respective transition temperature”, which is being heated to reach the respective transition temperature of the securing element. In order for an object to reach the object’s respective transition temperature, a heat source is required to heat the object. However, claims 17-26 and 28-35 do not recite any heat source and where the heat comes from that heated the securing element to reach the respective transition temperature. Therefore, it is not clear how the securing element is heated.
Claim 31 recites the limitation "the lamella pair" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 32 recites the limitation "the socket housing" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 32 recites the limitation "the lamella pair" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 33 recites the limitation "the lamella pair" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 33 recites the limitation "the socket housing" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 16-20, 27 and 29-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Junji et al (JP-2014154329 A).
Regarding claim 16, Junji discloses an electrical plug-in connection comprising: a first plug-in connection element with a plug housing 90, wherein the plug housing comprises at least one blade 9; a second plug-in connection element with a socket housing 10, wherein the socket housing 10 comprises at least one socket in the form of a lamella pair 2 (see Fig. 12); at least one securing element 4 made of a shape memory alloy, wherein the lamella pair 2 is configured to receive a respective blade 9 of the first plug-in connection element by plugging in.
Regarding claim 17, Junji discloses wherein the at least one securing element 4 changes in shape in response to being heated to its transition temperature such that a contact state between the blade 9 and the lamella pair 2 changes as a result (see the paragraph under the section heading Third embodiment).
Regarding claim 18, Junji discloses wherein the contact state is a contact pressure between the blade 9 and the lamella pair 2, and the at least one securing element 4 is configured to change in shape in response to being heated to its transition temperature such that the contact pressure is increased (see the paragraph under the section heading Third embodiment).
Regarding claim 19, Junji discloses wherein the at least one securing element 4 is arranged between the socket housing 10 and an outer side of at least one lamella of the lamella pair 2, and the at least one securing element 4 expands in a direction between the socket housing 10 and the at least one lamella in response to its transition temperature being reached (see Figs. 12-14).
Regarding claim 20, Junji discloses wherein for each lamella of the lamella pair 2, multiple securing elements 4 are arranged in series between the socket housing 10 and a lamella of the lamella pair 2 (see Figs. 12-14).
Regarding claim 27, Junji discloses wherein the at least one securing element 4 is in the shape of a spring (see Figs. 12-14).
Regarding claim 29, Junji discloses a method for operating an electrical plug-in connection comprising: plugging in a first plug-in connection element 90 into a second plug-in connection element 10; bringing an at least one securing element 4 made of a shape memory alloy to its transition temperature; wherein the at least one securing element 4 deforms from a cold shape to a hot shape upon reaching its transition temperature (see the paragraph under the section heading Third embodiment and Figs. 12-14).
Regarding claim 30, Junji discloses the at least one securing element 4 exhibits a one-way memory effect.
Regarding claim 31, Junji discloses further comprising: increasing a contact pressure between the lamella pair 2 in response to the at least one securing element 4 being in its hot shape when compared to being in its cold shape.
Regarding claim 32, Junji discloses the at least one securing element 4 is arranged between the socket housing 10 and an outer side of at least one lamella of the lamella pair 2, and the method further comprises: expanding the at least one securing element 4 in a direction between the socket housing 10 and the at least one lamella 2 in response to its transition temperature being reached.
Regarding claim 33, Junji discloses for each lamella of the lamella pair 2, multiple securing elements 4 are arranged in series between the socket housing 10 and a lamella of the lamella pair 2, and wherein the method further comprises: bringing the multiple securing elements 4 to their respective transition temperatures.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAE MOON HYEON whose telephone number is (571) 272-2093. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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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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/hmh/
/Hae Moon Hyeon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831