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) 1-3, 6-9, 11, 15 and 17-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nagano et al 5779491.
Regarding claim 1, Nagano et al (front page and Figure 7) discloses an engagement structure, comprising: a body portion 4; at least one connecting portion 3, wherein the connecting portion and the body portion are movably fitted together; and, a limiting portion 1, being fixed on the connecting portion, for engaging an engaged object 100, such that the engaged object is limited to a confinement range of the limiting portion.
Regarding claim 2, Nagano et al discloses the body portion 4 is fitted to the engaged object 100 by engagement, riveting, expanded connection, resilient engagement, soldering, fastening, penetrated connection, magnetic attraction or adhesion.
Regarding claim 3, Nagano et al discloses rotation-proof portions (unnumbered guide channels which body portion 4 slides in) are disposed between the connecting portion 3 and the body portion 4, the body portion and the connecting portion are movably fitted together by an engaging portion (the lower end of body portion 4).
Regarding claim 6, Nagano et al discloses the connecting portion 3 is in a number of one or more, each said connecting portion is parallelly fixed to the body portion 4 and moves synchronously therewith.
Regarding claim 7, Nagano et al discloses the body portion 4 or the connecting portion 3 has a movement space 41, the connecting portion or the body portion has a movement portion (upper end of 3), the movement portion undergoes lateral or axial movement within the movement space, the movement portion has a rotation-proof portion (middle portion of 3) for preventing rotation of the movement portion relative to the movement space of the body portion.
Regarding claim 8, Nagano et al discloses the body portion 4 or the connecting portion 3 has an accommodating portion (outer surface of body portion 4) for accommodating the limiting portion 1.
Regarding claim 9, Nagano et al discloses the body portion 4 has a retention portion (upper surface of 4) for position-restraining and retaining the engaged object 100.
Regarding claim 11, Nagano et al discloses the connecting portion 3 has an avoidance space or an avoidance region (the lower end of 3), the avoidance space or the avoidance region that avoid interfere with a raised structure of the engaged object 100, an electronic component of the engaged object, an IC component of the engaged object, an electrically conductive component of the engaged object or a component of the engaged object.
Regarding claim 15, Nagano et al discloses the connecting portion 3 has an abutting-pushing structure that abuts and pushes the body portion.
Regarding claim 17, Nagano et al discloses the body portion 4 or the connecting portion 3 has a movement space 41, and the movement space has a restraining portion (walls of 41) for position-restraining a latch element, the limiting portion 1 or the connecting portion at an open position or closed position, the restraining portion is a structure or material capable of undergoing resilient deformation or displacement (vertical movement).
The subject matter of claims 18-22 has been discussed above.
35 USC 103 Rejection
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) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagano et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tadokoro 2016/0064846.
Tadokoro (paragraph 002) discloses the connecting portion (contact member) comprises a multilayer structure (base material and a gold plating), and to form the connecting portions of Nagano et al in this way thus would have been obvious, for better conductivity.
Claims Defining Over Prior Art
Claims 4, 13 and 14 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art discloses or teaches the combination of the guiding portion, resilient component and the blocking portion as recited; nor the body portions being penetratedly connected or fitted together; nor the connecting portion having an engaging portion snap-engaged with the body portion; in combination with the rest of the subject matter of the respective independent claim.
Response To Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Finality
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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/GARY F PAUMEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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