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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the ferrule holder" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purposes, Examiner treats claim 3 as if it depends from claim 12.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2010/0098381 (“LARSON”).
Regarding claim 1, LARSON teaches a connector (200) for attachment to the end of an optical fibre (201); the connector comprising a rear body (225) and a resilient biasing member (244); wherein the rear body comprises a longitudinal slot (the bore hole, which is a slot which extends longitudinally as shown in FIGs. 13, 14) configured to allow a cable (217) to be inserted (FIGs. 13, 14); wherein the rear body comprises a transverse slot (224b) configured to receive the resilient biasing member, wherein the resilient biasing member has a shape configured to allow a cable to be inserted in the longitudinal slot (as the shape of the resilient biasing member does not prevent insertion of the cable in the longitudinal slot; FIGs. 13-15).
Regarding claim 4, LARSON teaches that the resilient biasing member is a resilient biasing clip, wherein the resilient biasing clip comprises a deflectable tine (FIGs. 11, 12).
Regarding claim 5, LARSON teaches that the resilient biasing clip comprises two deflectable tines (FIGs. 11, 12).
Regarding claim 6, LARSON teaches that the resilient biasing clip is substantially U-shaped (FIGs. 11, 12).
Regarding claim 12, LARSON teaches the connector further comprises a ferrule holder (214), the ferrule holder having an internal bore (FIGs. 13, 14).
Regarding claim 3, LARSON teaches that the connector does not comprise a spring extending from the ferrule holder (FIG. 15).
Regarding claim 13, LARSON teaches that the ferrule holder comprises an internal bore and wherein the internal bore has a tapered end (par. [0068]).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2, 7, 10, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LARSON.
LARSON teaches the limitations of the base claims 1 and 4. LARSON further teaches a connector (200) for attachment to the end of an optical fibre (201), wherein the connector comprises a rear body (225) and a resilient biasing member (244); and wherein the rear body comprises a longitudinal slot configured to allow a cable to be inserted (FIGs. 13, 14).
The remaining limitations appear to involve mere optimization or integration of parts. It has been held that “where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). It has further been held “that the use of a one piece construction would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice." In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965). As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to integrate the connector portions and to optimize the dimensions thereof in the connector of LARSON as set for in the instant claims.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LARSON in view of US 6,134,370 (“CHILDERS”).
LARSON teaches the limitations of the base claim 1. LARSON does not explicitly teach that the resilient biasing member comprises stainless steel or beryllium copper. CHILDERS teaches a resilient biasing member comprising stainless steel or beryllium copper (col. 2, line 64 – col. 3, line 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to modify the biasing member of LARSON so as to comprises stainless steel or beryllium copper, as taught by CHILDERS. The motivation would have been to achieve high yield strength (col. 2, line 64 – col. 3, line 14).
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LARSON in view of US 7,048,447 (“PATEL”).
LARSON teaches the limitations of the base claim 13. LARSON does not explicitly teach that the tapered end of the internal bore of the ferrule holder is tapered in a concave curve. PATEL teaches a tapered end of an internal bore of a ferrule holder that is tapered in a concave curve (FIG. 6; col. 4, lines 43-58; col. 5, lines 3-26). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to modify the fiber holder of LARSON so as to comprise a concave curved taper, as taught by PATEL. The motivation would have been to assist in ease of insertion into the ferrule holder.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LARSON in view of US 2020/0012063 (“LAMBERT”).
LARSON teaches the limitations of the base claim 1. LARSON does not explicitly teach kit of parts comprising a fibre optic blowing accessory and an installation tube, wherein the fibre optic accessory has an outer diameter between 75% and 85% of the inner diameter of the installation tube. LAMBERT teaches a kit of parts comprising a fibre optic blowing accessory and an installation tube, wherein the fibre optic accessory has an outer diameter between 75% and 85% of the inner diameter of the installation tube (par. [0021]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to modify the connector of LARSON so as be part of a kit of parts comprising a fibre optic blowing accessory and an installation tube, wherein the fibre optic accessory has an outer diameter between 75% and 85% of the inner diameter of the installation tube, as taught by LAMBERT. The motivation would have been to assist in the assembly of the connector.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11 is 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: the prior art of record, whether taken individually or in combination, when considered in light of the claimed subject matter as a whole as interpreted in light of the Specification as originally filed, fails to disclose or render obvious that the transverse slot of the rear body has a cross section formed of a first and second rectangle, wherein the first rectangle has a greater length than the second rectangle and the first and second rectangles both have lengths greater than the diameter of the longitudinal slot.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY M BLEVINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8581. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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, Thomas Hollweg can be reached at 571-270-1739. 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.
/JERRY M BLEVINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874