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
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
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2020166950 A.
In regard to claim 1, JP 2020166950 A discloses a connector 1, comprising:
a terminal fitting 35;
a housing 31 including a holding portion 32 for holding the terminal fitting 35 and a receptacle 33 projecting from the holding portion 32; and
a molded portion 5 for surrounding the housing 31,
a recess (see annotated drawing below) being provided in a joint surface of the housing 31 with the molded portion 5.
In regard to claim 2, JP 2020166950 A discloses the terminal fitting 35 is passed through the holding portion 32 and projects toward a back surface of the holding portion 32 and the receptacle 33, and the recess is provided in the back surface of the holding portion 32.
In regard to claim 3, JP 2020166950 A discloses the recess is provided around the terminal fitting 35 in the back surface (see fig. 4).
In regard to claim 4, JP 2020166950 A discloses the recess is provided to surround a formation region of a plurality of the terminal fittings 35 in the back surface over an entire periphery (see fig. 4).
[AltContent: textbox (recess)][AltContent: connector]
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Claim(s) 1, 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Komori et al. (US 20200161784 A1)
In regard to claim 1, Komori et al. discloses a connector 20, comprising:
a terminal fitting 41;
a housing 21 including a holding portion (see annotated drawing below) for holding the terminal fitting 41 and a receptacle 26 projecting from the holding portion; and
a molded portion 60 for surrounding the housing 31,
a recess (see annotated drawing below) being provided in a joint surface of the housing 21 with the molded portion 60.
In regard to claim 2, Kimori et al. discloses the terminal fitting 41 is passed through the holding portion and projects toward a back surface of the holding portion and the receptacle 26, and the recess is provided in the back surface of the holding portion.
[AltContent: textbox (holding portion)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (recess)][AltContent: connector]
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Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2015153595 A.
In regard to claim 1, JP 2015153595 A discloses a connector 3, comprising:
a terminal fitting 20;
a housing 10 including a holding portion 13 for holding the terminal fitting 20 and a receptacle projecting from the holding portion 13; and
a molded portion 30 for surrounding the housing 10,
a recess 11 being provided in a joint surface of the housing 10 with the molded portion 3060.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 6 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 made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THO D. TA whose telephone number is (571)272-2014. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Tdt
12/12/2025
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834