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 .
Drawings
The drawings (filed 12/31/2025) are objected to because the numeral reference “1040” in Figure 5 should be replaced with -- 40 -- to correctly designate the latch part. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the recitation “between engaging and releasing positions is greater than movement of the second slide between latched and unlatched positions” (lines 14-15) should be replaced with -- between the engaging and releasing positions is greater than movement of the second slide between the latched and unlatched positions --. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: the recitation “first and second flange” (line 9) should be replaced with -- first and second flanges --. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fiedler, US 2014/0339232.
Regarding claim 1, Fiedler discloses a connector [for joining two parts] comprising: a base part (2) having a flange (24) and a first magnetic element (22); and a latch part (3) having a receptacle (30) into which a portion (21) of the base part (2) is received, and a first slide (4) and a second slide (41); wherein the first slide (4) includes a second magnetic element (32) and a third magnetic element (34) and is moveable between engaging and releasing positions (see figures 3A - 3D); wherein movement of the first slide (4) to the engaging position (figure 3A) aligns the second magnetic element (32) in a magnetically attractive relation with the first magnetic element (22) and movement to the releasing position (figure 3C) aligns the third magnetic element (34) in a magnetically repulsive relation with the first magnetic element (22); wherein movement of the first slide (4) moves the second slide (41) relative to the first slide between latched and unlatched positions; and wherein movement of the first slide (4) between the engaging and releasing positions (figures 3B, 3C) is greater than movement of the second slide (41) between the latched and unlatched positions (the second slide 41 undergoes ‘only a slight spreading’ movement between its latched and unlatched positions while the first slide 4 travels a full lateral distance in the direction Y between the engaging and releasing positions and therefore necessarily greater as illustrated in the figures 3B-3D; see paragraph [0063]).
Claim language set in brackets [] set forth above and below in this office action are considered by the examiner to be intended use that fails to further limit the structure of the claimed invention. Since the claimed invention is directed solely to that of the connector, the prior art must only be capable of performing the functional recitations in order to be applicable, and in the instant case, the examiner maintains that the magnetic closure device disclosed by Fiedler (US 2014/0339232) and/or Cheng (US 2021/0015217), is indeed capable of the intended use statements. Note that it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
Regarding claim 2, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second slides (4, 41) are resiliently biased (via a spring element 35; the second slide 41 is resiliently biased) toward the engaging and latched positions (right before the pin 21 engages the receptacle 30), respectively.
Regarding claim 3, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 2, further comprising an actuator (an end portion of the slide 4 for pushing into the housing 3) configured to move the first slide (4) toward the releasing position (figure 3C).
Regarding claim 4, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 3, wherein the first slide (4) includes a first resilient member (35) and the second slide (41) includes a second resilient member (410), each resilient member (35, 410) having a respective spring rate (for their intended resiliency), the spring rate of the first resilient member (35) being greater (the slide 4 has to be biased to travel a longer distance while the slide 41 has a minimal travel distance to engage and release) than the spring rate of the second resilient member (410). It is noted that a higher catch spring rate increases resistance to accidental release while a lower actuator spring rate minimizes the user effort required for intentional release.
Regarding claim 5, Fiedler discloses a connector [for joining two parts] comprising: a base (20) having a flange (24); a post (21) extending from the base (20) and having a first magnetic element (22) disposed therein; a latch part (3) having a receptacle (30) into which a portion of the post (21) may be received (see figure 3C); a first slide (4) bi-directionally moveable along an axis (a direction Y), the first slide (4) having a second magnetic element (32) and a third magnetic element (34), the second magnetic element (34) being magnetically attracted to the first magnetic element (22) in a closing configuration (see figure 3B), the third magnetic element (34) being magnetically repulsive with the first magnetic element (22) in a repelling configuration (figure 3C), the first slide (4) bi-directionally moveable (in a Y direction) to align the second magnetic element (32) or the third magnetic element (34) with the first magnetic element (22); and a second slide (41) bi-directionally moveable along the axis (the direction Y) to engage or release the flange (24); wherein movement of the first slide (4) toward alignment of the third magnetic element (34) with the first magnetic element (22) moves the second slide (41) to release the flange (24).
Regarding claim 6, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 5, wherein the post (21) further comprises a second flange (210) and the second slide (41) is bi-directionally moveable (in the direction Y) to simultaneously engage the flange (24) and the second flange (210).
Regarding claim 7, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 6, wherein the first slide (4) is resiliently biased (via element 35) to align the first and second magnetic elements (22, 32) and the second slide (41) is resiliently biased (via 410) to engage the flanges (24, 210).
Regarding claim 8, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 7, further comprising an actuator (an end portion of the slide 4 for pushing into the housing 3) configured to selectively move the first and second slides (4, 41).
Regarding claim 9, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 7, wherein the first slide (4) resilient bias (via the spring element 35) is greater than the second slide (41) resilient bias (via 410; slight movement as disclosed in paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 10, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 5, wherein displacement of the first slide (4) between closing and repelling configurations (figures 3B-3C) is greater than displacement of the second slide (41) between the engaging and releasing positions (when engaged with the pin 21 and later actuated to be moved in the direction Y to the released position).
Regarding claim 11, Fiedler discloses a connector [for joining two parts] comprising; a base (2) having a first flange (24); a post (21) extending from the base (2) and having a first magnetic element (22) disposed therein and a second flange (210); a latch part (3) having a receptacle (30) into which the post (21) may be received; and a slide (4, 41) having a second magnetic element (32) and a third magnetic element (34), the slide (4, 41) being bi-directionally moveable along an axis (in a direction Y) between latched and released positions (see figures 3A - 3D), movement of the slide to the latch position (figure 3B) aligning the second magnetic element (32) in a magnetically attractive relation with the first magnetic element (22) and simultaneously engaging (on the base 2) the first and second flanges (24, 210), movement of the slide (4) to the released position (figure 3C) aligning the third magnetic element (34) in a magnetically repulsive relation with the first magnetic element (22) and disengaging the slide (4) from the first and second flanges (24, 210) thereby allowing the base (2) and latch part (3) to be separated (figure 3D).
Regarding claim 12, Fiedler discloses teaches the connector of claim 11, wherein the slide (4) is resiliently biased (via spring element 35) toward the latched position (figure 3B).
Regarding claim 13, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 12, further comprising an actuator (an end portion of the slide 4) configured to move the slide (4) toward the release position (figure 3C).
Regarding claim 14, Fiedler discloses the connector of claim 13, wherein the slide further comprises a catch portion (41) and a magnetic portion (4), the catch portion (41) being moveable in relation to the magnetic portion (4) and configured to engage the first and second flanges (24, 210), the second and third magnetic elements (32, 34) being disposed in the magnetic portion (4).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 16, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to Applicant’s amendment, the reference by Fiedler (US 2014/0339232) still read on the claimed connector as set forth in the rejection above. As rejected, the slide (4) is moveable in the direction Y ‘bi-directionally’ while moving the second slide (41) also in the same axis (the direction Y, bi-directionally).
Conclusion
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 ROWLAND DO whose telephone number is (571)270-5737. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:30 - 7:00 PT.
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, Jason San can be reached at (571) 272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/R.D./ Examiner, Art Unit 3677
/JACK W LAVINDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677
Prosecution Insights