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 .
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 15 and 16 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 15 claims “wherein a portion of the first pliable gel pad and the second pliable gel pad is removed or missing.” It is unclear what is being claimed. The term “removed” implies an active process step took place, which would render this limitation a “product by process” limitation, giving the removal limitation no patentable weight. The term “missing” is even more ambiguous. Was it once there or was it never there to begin with. It is unclear what structural limitation is being claimed.
Claim 16 depends upon claim 15 and therefore carries the same deficiencies.
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.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 114415304 A Huawei Technologies Co., LTD. (herein “Huawei”, cited on the IDS of 8/12/2024).
Regarding claim 10, Huawei discloses in Figs 7a-7c, a fiber optic cable closure (shown in Figs. 1-2) comprising:
a first cable receiving port cartridge (40) including a first pliable gel pad (42), at least a portion of the first cable receiving port cartridge being formed integral to the fiber optic cable closure (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the housing 44 is particularly fixed only to the lower pressure block 43” – wherein 43 is a part of cartridge 40 and is integral to 44);
a second cable receiving port cartridge (50) including a second pliable gel pad (52), the second cable receiving port cartridge movable with respect to the first cable receiving port cartridge between at least first and second positions (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the structure of the compartment can allow the first sealing piece 40 along the radial direction is detachably mounted to the first base 20 and mounted on the first base 20 of the second sealing piece 50; and/or detached from the first base 20 and the second sealing piece 50” – therefore at least 40 or 50 are moveable with respect to one another),
wherein in the first position, the first and second cable receiving port cartridges allow a cable to be positioned between the first and second pliable gel pads and wherein in the second position, the first and second pliable gel pads form a sealing closure around the cable (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “deformation of 52 can allow for the extrusion of the optical cable (or possibly the false cable plug) mounted on the through hole 111, thereby forming or creating a seal around the optical cable (or possibly a false cable plug) at the through hole 111. only as an example, the elastic part 42, 52 can be gel”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-9 and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 114415304 A Huawei Technologies Co., LTD. (herein “Huawei”, cited on the IDS of 8/12/2024).
Regarding claims 1 and 6, Huawei discloses in Figs. 2-4, 7a-7c, a fiber optic cable closure assembly (shown in Figs. 1-3) comprising:
an enclosure (130) having an open end (132);
an end plate assembly (100) for sealing the open end (132), the end plate assembly comprising, at least one fiber optic cable receiving port (111, shown in Fig. 4) comprising:
a first cable receiving port cartridge (40) at least a portion of which is formed integral to the end plate assembly (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the housing 44 is particularly fixed only to the lower pressure block 43” – wherein 43 is a part of cartridge 40 and is integral to 44);
a second cable receiving port cartridge (50) movable with respect to the first cable receiving port cartridge between at least first and second positions (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the structure of the compartment can allow the first sealing piece 40 along the radial direction is detachably mounted to the first base 20 and mounted on the first base 20 of the second sealing piece 50; and/or detached from the first base 20 and the second sealing piece 50” – therefore at least 40 or 50 are moveable with respect to one another in at least a first unconnected position and a second connected position); and
a latch member (45, shown in Figs. 7a-b),
wherein in the first position, the first and second cable receiving port cartridges allow a cable to be positioned between the first and second cable receiving port cartridges and wherein in the second position, the first and second cable receiving port cartridges form a sealing closure around the cable positioned between the first cable receiving port cartridge and the second cable receiving port cartridge.
Regarding claims 1 and 6, Huawei discloses a latch member (45, shown in Figs. 7a-b) operably associated with the first cable receiving port cartridge but is silent as to a latch member operably associated with the second receiving port cartridge for selectively securing the first cable receiving port cartridge to the second cable receiving port cartridge when in the second position. However, Huawei discloses that first port cartridge (40) and second port cartridge (50) are secured to one another to create a seal around the fiber optic cable (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the sealing unit 110 mainly comprises a first sealing piece 40 and the second sealing piece 50, both can be detachably assembled together, and can be combined to form at least a portion of the at least one through hole 111”). While Huawei does not explicitly teach latching 40 and 50 together, Huawei teaches a latch (Fig. 10) and teaches that the elements must be secured together to create a seal. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention, to latch elements (40) and (50) together, to ensure a proper seal, since Huawei already demonstrates the possession of the knowledge of the benefits of latches and seals.
Regarding claim 2, Huawei discloses in Figs. 4 and 8, a plurality of fiber optic cable receiving ports (111) are provided.
Regarding claim 3, Huawei discloses the sealing closure around the cable is at least one of airtight and watertight (“satisfies the sealing requirement of IP 68 level of IEC61300-2-23 standard” – therefore the seal is watertight).
Regarding claim 4, Huawei discloses the first cable receiving port cartridge and the second cable receiving port cartridge comprise gel pads (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the elastic part 42, 52 can be gel”).
Regarding claim 5, Huawei discloses the gel pads form the sealing closure around the cables (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “deformation of 52 can allow for the extrusion of the optical cable (or possibly the false cable plug) mounted on the through hole 111, thereby forming or creating a seal around the optical cable”).
Regarding claim 7, Huawei discloses the latch member comprises a ratchet mechanism (shown in figure 9 wherein 454 creates the ratchet portion of the latch).
Regarding claim 8, Huawei is silent as to specifically including a ratchet tooth. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to include a tooth or any other relevant mechanism to ensure the ratchet mechanism securely locks into place and functions as intended.
Regarding claim 9, Huawei discloses in Fig. 6, a strength member (21, 31) for securing the fiber optic cable within the enclosure.
Regarding claims 17-18, Huawei discloses a latch member (45, shown in Figs. 7a-b) operably associated with the first cable receiving port cartridge but is silent as to a latch member operably associated with the second receiving port cartridge for selectively securing the first cable receiving port cartridge to the second cable receiving port cartridge when in the second position. However, Huawei discloses that first port cartridge (40) and second port cartridge (50) are secured to one another to create a seal around the fiber optic cable (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the sealing unit 110 mainly comprises a first sealing piece 40 and the second sealing piece 50, both can be detachably assembled together, and can be combined to form at least a portion of the at least one through hole 111”). While Huawei does not explicitly teach latching 40 and 50 together, Huawei teaches a latch (Fig. 10) and teaches that the elements must be secured together to create a seal. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention, to latch elements (40) and (50) together, to ensure a proper seal, since Huawei already demonstrates the possession of the knowledge of the benefits of latches and seals.
Regarding claim 19, Huawei discloses the latch member comprises a ratchet mechanism (shown in figure 9 wherein 454 creates the ratchet portion of the latch).
Regarding claim 20, Huawei is silent as to specifically including a ratchet tooth. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to include a tooth or any other relevant mechanism to ensure the ratchet mechanism securely locks into place and functions as intended.
Claim(s) 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 114415304 A Huawei Technologies Co., LTD. (herein “Huawei”, cited on the IDS of 8/12/2024) in view of US 5,775,702 A Laeremans et al. (herein “Laeremans”, cited on the IDS of 8/12/2024).
Regarding claims 11-16, Huawei is silent as to any prongs. However, Laeremans discloses in Figs. 8 and 9, a plurality of prongs (37, “crowns”) extend at an angle transversing a portion of a longitudinal length, wherein the at least one prong extending into each of the first pliable gel pad and the second pliable gel pad support the cable substantially centered between the first and second pliable gel pads (col. 8, lines 47-63). Laeremans teaches this ensures a secure seal. Therefore, it would have been obvious at the effective filing date of the invention to include the pronged “crowns” taught by Laeramans and to secure them in the most effective fashion to ensure a secure seal.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARY A EL-SHAMMAA whose telephone number is (571)272-2469. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm (flexible schedule).
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/MARY A EL-SHAMMAA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/THOMAS A HOLLWEG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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