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 .
35 USC 102 Rejections
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) 1-12 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP
3407445.
Regarding claim 1, EP '445 discloses an electrically insulating touch protection cover for a
connection part of an electrical module connector, wherein the touch protection cover comprises a
protection housing 3 configured to at least sectionally surround an electrical conductor 17 of the
connection part; a screw guide element (lower portions of 29a,29b in Figure 7a) with an insertion
opening which is configured to at least sectionally receive, in a rotatable manner, a screw 45 serving the
fixation of the electrical conductor; wherein the screw guide element is movable relative to the
protection housing and is monolithically connected thereto.
Regarding claim 2, EP '445 discloses a flexure bearing (upper portions of 29a,29b in Figure 7a)
which connects the screw guide element and the protection housing 3 monolithically and movably to
each other.
Regarding claim 3, EP '445 discloses the screw guide element (lower portions of 29a,29b) and
the flexure bearing are arranged in an opening of the protection housing 3, in a plane of which the screw
guide element is movably guided by the flexure bearing relative to the protection housing.
Regarding claim 4, EP '445 discloses the screw guide element is separated from the protection
housing 3 by a gap which is bridged by the flexure bearing.
Regarding claim 5, EP '445 discloses the flexure bearing comprises at least one deformable
material bridge extending from the protection housing to the screw guide element.
Regarding claim 6, EP '445 discloses the at least one material bridge has two joints.
Regarding claim 7, EP '445 discloses the joints are each configured as a film hinge.
Regarding claim 8, EP '445 discloses the screw guide element is guided by the flexure bearing
movably with respect to the protection housing along a compensation direction.
Regarding claim 9, EP '445 discloses the touch protection cover comprises a guide element 27
which is spaced apart from the screw guide element, is monolithically connected to the protection
housing, has a push-through opening arranged so as to be flush with the insertion opening for pushing
through a screw shaft 51 of the screw and is movable relative to the protection housing.
Regarding claim 10, EP '445 discloses the guide element is configured to at least partially receive
an electrically conductive current bridge 15 of the connection part 7.
Regarding claim 11, EP '445 discloses the protection housing is configured from two housing
halves 3,5 which can be joined together and wherein the screw guide element and the guide element
are connected to different housing halves.
Regarding claims 12 and 15-20, EP '445 is applied as above. Screw 45,51 is clearly intended to
fasten to a counterpart (not shown).
35 USC 103 Rejections
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.
Claim(s) 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 3407445.
It would have been an obvious matter of design to form hole 15 of the connection part of EP '445 as oblong in the extension of the insertion opening, a longitudinal direction of which is aligned along the compensation direction, one end of the electrical conductor having the oblong hole, since this would not substantially affect the function thereof.
Response To Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 16, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner considers the protection housing to be element 3 of EP ‘445, not the combination of 3 and 5. Figures 3 and 4 clearly show screw guide element 29a,29b to be monolithically connected to the protection housing 3. Applicant admits that screw guide element 29a,29b are resiliently flexible and thus movable relative to the protection housing 3.
Finality
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher 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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/GARY F PAUMEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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