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 .
Double Patenting
Claims 1-9 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10 of copending Application No. 18/596228. This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection as discussed in previous office action mailed on 5/14/2026.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zweigle in view of Tsuji (US 2008/0280467).
Regarding claim 1, Zweigle discloses a wiring harness 1, comprising: a connector-equipped wire assembly 2 (20, 22, 23, 24) including a connector 1 and a wire 5 drawn out in a rearward direction from the connector 1; and a protector 6 including a mounting portion MP to be mounted on the connector 2 and a curving portion CP for curving the wire 5 in a pull-out direction different from the rearward direction by contacting the wire 5, the protector 6 including a first cover 6b and
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a zip tie 4, the first cover 6b including a first mounting portion 13 constituting at least a part of the mounting portion MP, a first rearward extending portion REP1 extending in the rearward direction from the first mounting portion MP1/13 and a first curving portion CP1 constituting at least a part of the curving portion CP by extending from the first rearward extending portion to contact an outer diameter side of a curved part CPW of the wire 5, and the zip tie 4 tying the first rearward extending portion REP1 and the wire so that the wire extends in the rearward direction from the connector 2.
However, Zweigle does not disclose a first tip part in the first curving portion including an engaging portion.
Tsuji , discloses, a first tip part in the first curving portion 34 including an engaged portion 50.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a first tip part in the first curving portion including an engaging portion in order to have ease of assembly and guiding the first cover to engage with corresponding second part of an invention.
Regarding claim 2, Zweigle discloses the protector 6 includes a second cover 6a , and the second cover 6a includes a second mounting portion MP2 constituting a part of the mounting portion MP, a second rearward extending portion REP2 extending in the rearward direction from the second mounting portion MP2 to regulate a path for the wire together with the first rearward extending portion REP1 so that the wire extends in the rearward direction from the connector 2, and a second curving portion CP2 constituting a part of the curving portion CP by extending from the second rearward extending portion REP2 along an inner diameter side of the curved part CPW of the wire 5.
However, Zweigle does not disclose a second tip part in the second curving portion including an engaging portion for suppressing deformation of the first tip part in the rearward direction by being engaged with the engaged portion.
Tsuji, discloses a second tip part in the second curving portion including an engaging portion 49 for suppressing deformation of the first tip part in the rearward direction by being engaged with the engaged portion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a second tip part in the second curving portion including an engaging portion for suppressing deformation of the first tip part in the rearward direction by being engaged with the engaged portion as taught by Tsuji in order to have ease of assembly and guiding the first cover to engage with corresponding second part of an invention.
Regarding claim 3, Zweigle (as modified by Tsuji), discloses the first cover 6b includes a tie hole 13, the zip tie being threaded through the tie hole TH.
Regarding claim 4, Zweigle discloses all the claimed limitation except for the zip tie is provided for each wire.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have zip tie for each of a wire of the plurality of wire, in order to route each wire in particular direction and have systematic arrangement with in cover of the protect and since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8., and, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 5, Zweigle (as modified by Tsuji), discloses a plurality of the wires (FIG. 4) are arranged in parallel, and one zip tie 4 is provided for the plurality of wires and the plurality of wires and the first rearward extending portion are tied by the one zip tie (FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 6, Zweigle (as modified by Tsuji), discloses the connector 1 includes a connector housing 2 for accommodating an end part of the wire and a water stop rubber 5 interposed between the connector housing and the wire in a rear end part of the connector housing.
Regarding claim 7, Zweigle discloses a protector 6, comprising: a mounting portion MP to be mounted on a connector 2 in a connector-equipped wire assembly 20, 22, 23, 24 including the connector 2 and a wire 5 drawn out in a rearward direction from the connector 2; a curving portion CP for curving the wire 5 in a pull-out direction different from the rearward direction by contacting the wire 5; and a first cover 6b and a zip tie 4, the first cover 6b including a first mounting portion MP1 constituting at least a part of the mounting portion MP, a first rearward extending portion REP1 extending in the rearward direction from the first mounting portion MP1 and a first curving portion CP1 constituting at least a part of the curving portion CP by extending from the first rearward extending portion REP1 to contact an outer diameter side of a curved part CPW of the wire 5, and the zip tie 4 tying the first rearward extending portion REP1 and the wire so that the wire extends in the rearward direction from the connector 2.
However, Zweigle does not disclose a first tip part in the first curving portion including an engaging portion.
Tsuji , discloses, a first tip part in the first curving portion 34 including an engrained portion 50.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a first tip part in the first curving portion including an engaging portion in order to have ease of assembly and guiding the first cover to engage with corresponding second part of an invention.
Regarding claim 8, Zweigle discloses the protector 6 includes a second cover 6a , and the second cover 6a includes a second mounting portion MP2 constituting a part of the mounting portion MP, a second rearward extending portion REP2 extending in the rearward direction from the second mounting portion MP2 to regulate a path for the wire together with the first rearward extending portion REP1 so that the wire extends in the rearward direction from the connector 2, and a second curving portion CP2 constituting a part of the curving portion CP by extending from the second rearward extending portion REP2 along an inner diameter side of the curved part CPW of the wire 5.
However, Zweigle does not disclose a second tip part in the second curving portion including an engaging portion for suppressing deformation of the first tip part in the rearward direction by being engaged with the engaged portion.
Tsuji, discloses a second tip part in the second curving portion including an engaging portion 49 for suppressing deformation of the first tip part in the rearward direction by being engaged with the engaged portion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have a second tip part in the second curving portion including an engaging portion for suppressing deformation of the first tip part in the rearward direction by being engaged with the engaged portion as taught by Tsuji in order to have ease of assembly and guiding the first cover to engage with corresponding second part of an invention.
Regarding claim 9, (Zweigle (as modified by) Tsuji, discloses the engaged portion 50 and the engaging portion49 are an engaged groove 51 (see fig. 11) and an engaging protrusion 49 extending along the pull-out direction (up down direction).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 097/09/2026 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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 HARSHAD C PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-8289. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5.00 pm (EST).
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/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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