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 § 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-7, 9-16, 18-19, 21-27, 29-30, and 32-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Roehrs et al. (US Patent No. 6,848,834, from hereinafter “Roehrs”).
Regarding claims 1, 14, and 26, Roehrs teaches a fiber optic connector (fig. 1-4, 6) (and method of making as in claim 26) comprising: at least one ferrule assembly (fig. 6) comprising a bore (276) extending from a rear end into the at least one ferrule assembly, and an optical interface (274) disposed at a front end of the ferrule assembly; an optical fiber disposed within the bore of the ferrule assembly (two termini 34 of optical fibers shown); a connector housing (fig. 1) comprising a passageway (fig. 4 (188)) extending from a rear end to a front end, wherein the ferrule assembly is at least partially disposed within the passageway (fig. 4); and a sealing gasket (fig. 6 (seal element 266)), disposed about a portion of the ferrule assembly (fig. 6) for inhibiting contaminants from reaching the optical interface of the ferrule assembly when the fiber optic connector is mated (col. 2, first paragraph). Further regarding claim 14, Roehrs, in fig 6: shoulder (228, 230, 248, or 254), further discloses a ferrule holder comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion with a shoulder disposed between the forward portion and the rearward portion, and wherein the ferrule is attached to the ferrule holder and the sealing gasket is disposed about the forward portion of the ferrule holder.
Regarding claims 2 and 27, Roehrs, in fig 6: shoulder (228, 230, 248, or 254), further discloses a ferrule holder comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion with a shoulder disposed between the forward portion and the rearward portion, and wherein the ferrule is attached to the ferrule holder and the sealing gasket is disposed about the forward portion of the ferrule holder.
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Roehrs, in fig. 6 (266) further discloses that O-rings are made of one of the recited materials, such as rubber, see Figure 3, col 8 lines 1-15.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Roehrs shows that the sealing gasket is compressed when the fiber optic connector is mated, in which compression is essential for sealing (see Figure 3).
Regarding claims 6, 18, and 29, Roehrs further teaches a second ferrule assembly with a second sealing gasket disposed on the second ferrule assembly received within a second passageway (see figs. 1, 2 (34)).
Regarding claims 7, 19, and 30, Roehrs teaches, comprising a secondary seal disposed rearward of the sealing gasket (see fig. 6, (264)).
Regarding claims 9 and 21, Roehrs further teaches wherein the at least one ferrule assembly comprises a ferrule that defines the optical interface and is configured for optically mating using physical contact (see fig. 6 (218)).
Regarding claims 10, 22, and 32, Roehrs teaches that the connector is a male plug, female receptacle or connector port (see fig. 1, 2, col 2).
Regarding claims 11, 23, and 33, Roehrs teaches that the sealing gasket is disposed within the passageway of the connector housing (see fig. 3).
Regarding claims 12, 13, 24, 25, 34, 35, Roehrs teaches that the fiber optic connector is suitable to be part of a cable assembly, in such varied applications as in a cable assembly of a vehicle (see background of invention, col 1, lines 1-45 where the reference discusses that a cable connector may also be exposed to contaminants such as moisture, dust, smoke and fumes (such as in vehicles).
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) 5, 17, and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roehrs in view of Kidd US Patent No. 6,076,976).
Regarding claims 5, 17, and 28, Roehrs fails to specifically teach the fiber optic connector of claim 1, wherein the sealing gasket comprises one or more ridges.
Kidd teaches a fiber optic cable connector with a sealing gasket with one or more ridges (see Fig 1, col 3, lines 25-53) when Kidd teaches flexible radial sealing lips 54 in the cable seal sleeve 48.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the ridges of Kidd within the sealing gasket of Roehrs because it is within the same field of endeavor as an O-ring, and ridges on a sealing gasket increase surface pressure which helps to seal the gasket efficiently which is favorable for a sealed connector system.
Claim(s) 8, 20, and 31, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roehrs in view of Zhong et al. (US PGPUB 2018/0045892, from hereinafter “Zhong”).
Regarding claims 8, 20, and 31, Roehrs fails to specifically teach the fiber optic connector of claim 1, wherein the optical interface comprises a lens.
Zhong teaches an optical beam expanding module and connector which discloses that the optical interface comprises a lens (see Figure 3, (optical lens 150) when it is taught that the optical beam expanding module mainly includes a housing 110, a ferrule 120, a cable 140, and an optical lens 150.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a lens as in Zhong within the connector of Roehrs since a lens is well known in the art to utilize for optical interfaces and a main building component for optimal light transmission.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US Patent No. 6357929 to Roehrs et al.
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/LISA M CAPUTO/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874