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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mastel et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0350722). Regarding Claim 1, Mastel discloses a latching tab (8) for locking an electrical plug connection between a plug connector (1) and a mating plug connector (9) in a plug-in direction, comprising: at least one latching clip (82) resiliently configured to form a detachable latching connection with a latching portion (90) of the mating plug connector and extending at least partly in a first direction; at least one plug portion (83) configured to form a plug connection with a retaining portion of the plug connector, the at least one plug portion extending at least partly in a second direction; and at least one actuating portion (85) configured to actuate the at least one latching clip, and wherein the latching tab is configured to transfer the at least one latching clip from a latching position into a release position by actuation of the actuating portion in at least one direction from the first direction and the second direction.
Regarding Claim 2, Mastel discloses the latching tab being L-shaped at least in portions in a view (Fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 3, Mastel discloses the at least one latching clip being U-shaped or fork-shaped at least in portions in a view (Fig. 7), and has a first clip leg (83) and a second clip leg (84), and wherein the first clip leg is arranged at a distance (Fig. 7) from and/or opposite the second clip leg.
Regarding Claim 4, Mastel discloses the at least one latching clip merging into the at least one actuating portion and/or into the at least one plug portion (Fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 5, Mastel discloses the at least one plug portion being plate-shaped and/or has a trapezoidal or wedge-shaped contour in a view (Fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 6, Mastel discloses the at least one actuating portion having an L-shaped contour at least in portions in a view (Fig. 7), and/or the at least one actuating portion is plate-shaped at least in portions.
Regarding Claim 7, Mastel discloses at least one stop element (90) being arranged between the at least one actuating portion and the at least one plug portion.
Regarding Claim 8, Mastel discloses the at least one stop element being plate-shaped or bolt-shaped at least in portions (Fig. 7), and/or extends in the first direction.
Regarding Claim 9, Mastel discloses the at least one latching clip comprising a latching element (90).
Regarding Claim 10, Mastel discloses the at least one latching clip and the at least one plug portion and the at least one actuating portion being integrally formed in one piece, or as a stamped/bent part (Fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 11, Mastel discloses a plug connector (1), comprising: at least one plug-in contact (72) configured to form an electrical plug connection with at least one mating plug-in contact (91) of a mating plug connector (9) in a plug-in direction, wherein the at least one plug-in contact extends from an end wall (20) of a housing (2) of the plug connector in the plug-in direction, wherein the end wall has at least one retaining portion (21) configured to form a positive connection with the at least one latching tab, and wherein the at least one retaining portion is configured to clamp the at least one latching tab with a clamping element (Fig. 1) of the retaining portion at least when forming the positive connection with the at least one latching tab.
Regarding Claim 12, Mastel discloses the at least one retaining portion being formed at least in portions (Fig. 7) within the end wall and/or extends at least in portions perpendicular to the plug-in direction.
Regarding Claim 13, Mastel discloses the clamping element being arranged within the at least one retaining portion (Fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 14, Mastel discloses the at least one retaining portion having at least one stop (90) for the at least one latching tab.
Regarding Claim 15, Mastel discloses the at least one retaining portion having a trapezoidal contour or a wedge-shaped contour in a view (Fig. 7), for forming the positive connection, at least in portions.
Regarding Claim 16, Mastel discloses the end wall having at least one guide channel (Fig. 7) configured to guide a stop element (90) of the at least one latching tab, and wherein the at least one guide channel extends perpendicularly to the plug-in direction along the end wall from the at least one retaining portion.
Regarding Claim 17, Mastel discloses the at least one guide channel having a greater depth (Fig. 7) in the plug-in direction than the at least one retaining portion in the plug-in direction and/or the at least one retaining portion merges into the at least one guide channel.
Regarding Claim 18, Mastel discloses the housing having a first housing part (2) and a second housing part (5) configured to form a housing (2) plug connection in the plug-in direction, wherein the first housing part comprises at least the end wall (20) with the at least one guide channel, and wherein the at least one guide channel is delimited at least in portions by a wall portion (20) of the second housing part extending in the plug-in direction during the forming of the housing plug connection.
Regarding Claim 19, Mastel discloses the at least one plug contact having a square-shaped contour or a rectangular contour in a view (Fig. 7), and/or the end wall has a rectangular contour in a view (Fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 20, Mastel discloses an arrangement: comprising: at least one latching tab (8); a plug connector (1), comprising: at least one plug-in contact (72) configured to form an electrical plug connection with at least one mating plug-in contact (91) of a mating plug connector (9) in a plug-in direction, and a mating plug connector (9), wherein the at least one plug-in contact extends from an end wall (20) of a housing (2) of the plug connector in the plug-in direction, wherein the end wall has at least one retaining portion (21) configured to form a positive connection with the at least one latching tab, wherein the at least one retaining portion is configured to clamp the at least one latching tab with a clamping element (Fig. 1) of the retaining portion at least when forming the positive connection with the at least one latching tab, and wherein the mating plug connector is configured to form an electrical plug-in connection with the plug connector.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses electrical connectors, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having plug connectors comprising latching tabs with clips.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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