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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/04/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-6, 32-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torsten Klein (WO 2020/102063 A1) (hereinafter Klein).
Regarding claim 1, Klein discloses a fastening apparatus (10) for fastening a first strand-like component having an approximately circular cross-section to a second component, in particular for fastening a cable or a cable harness to a carrier component of a motor vehicle, comprising a fastening body (20) having a fastening means (22) for connecting the fastening apparatus (10) to a second component, in particular a carrier component of a motor vehicle, and a receiving body (12), wherein the receiving body (12) forms a receiving portion (14) having a receiving surface facing in a direction of a first component for receiving a first component, and wherein an adhesive tape (¶0024) is or can be arranged on the receiving surface of the receiving portion (14) in order to connect a first strand-like component (17), in particular a cable or a cable harness, to the receiving body (3) by means of adhesion of the adhesive tape (Fig. 1-6; ¶0024-¶0026), wherein the receiving portion is tolerance compensation with simultaneously secure fastening to the carrier component. Klein further discloses the receiving body is segmented (Notice the depiction below) and the receiving body (12) has arcuate configuration to accommodate a cable with various diameter (Fig. 2 and 4).
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Thus, given the wealth of knowledge, the receiving portion is segmented and is flexible to accommodate cable with various diameter in the longitudinal direction so as to be adaptable to a curvature in an axial direction of the cable. The benefit of doing to would have been to allow the cable to be strapped to the receiving portion and allow the accommodation of cable with various different curvature/diameters.
Regarding claims 2 and 4, Klein discloses wherein the receiving portion (14) extends in a longitudinal direction (L) corresponding to an axial direction of a first component to be received and is formed in an approximately trench-shaped (or C-shaped) manner in cross-section (Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 3, the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Klein. Klein discloses a line may be retained on the line support, for example via straps enclosing the line about its circumference, for example cable ties (retaining bands) or adhesive tapes (¶0024). Thus, the use of straps and adhesive tape are well known within the art. A person of ordinary skill can readily use combination of straps and adhesive tape to assure the strand-like component is properly secured to receiving surface of the receiving body. The benefit of doing so would have been to assure the cable or line is properly secured to receiving surface.
Regarding claim 5, Klein discloses the fastening body (20) and the receiving body (12)
are integrally connected to one another, or that the fastening body (20) and the receiving body (12) are releasably, in particular re-releasably, connected to one another by means of a connecting means and thus have a modular structure (Fig. 1-4; ¶0026). Regarding claim 6, Klein discloses recesses formed on lateral edge regions of the receiving portion extending orthogonally to the longitudinal direction (Notice the depiction below), such that the receiving portion is segmented or flexibly configured in the longitudinal direction so as to be adaptable to a curvature in an axial direction of the first component (Explained in claim rejection 1 above).
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Regarding claim 32, Klein discloses a fastening apparatus (10) for fastening a first strand-like component having an approximately circular cross-section to a second component, in particular for fastening a cable or a cable harness to a carrier component of a motor vehicle, comprising a fastening body (20) having a fastening means (22) for connecting the fastening apparatus (10) to a second component, in particular a carrier component of a motor vehicle, and a receiving body (12), wherein the receiving body (12) forms a receiving portion (14) having a receiving surface facing in a direction of a first component for receiving a first component, and wherein an adhesive tape (¶0024) is or can be arranged on the receiving surface of the receiving portion (14) in order to connect a first strand-like component (17), in particular a cable or a cable harness, to the receiving body (3) by means of adhesion of the adhesive tape (Fig. 1-6; ¶0024-¶0026), wherein the receiving portion is tolerance compensation with simultaneously secure fastening to the carrier component. Klein further discloses the receiving body is segmented (Notice the depiction below) and the receiving body (12) has arcuate configuration to accommodate a cable with various diameter (Fig. 2 and 4). Klein discloses wherein the receiving portion (14) extends in a longitudinal direction (L) corresponding to an axial direction of a first component to be received and is formed in an approximately trench-shaped (or C-shaped) manner in cross-section (Fig. 1-4). Klein discloses recesses formed on lateral edge regions of the receiving portion extending orthogonally to the longitudinal direction (Notice the depiction below), such that the receiving portion is segmented or flexibly configured in the longitudinal direction so as to be adaptable to a curvature in an axial direction of the first component (Explained in claim rejection 1 above).
Regarding claim 33, Klein further discloses a line may be retained on the line support, for example via straps (corresponding to film hinges) enclosing the line about its circumference, for example cable ties (retaining bands) or adhesive tapes (¶0024).
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Regarding claim 34, Klein discloses the fastening body and the receiving body are integrally formed from a plastic material (¶008).
Regarding claim 35, Klein discloses the fastening body (20) and the receiving body (12)
are integrally connected to one another, or that the fastening body (20) and the receiving body (12) are releasably, in particular re-releasably, connected to one another by means of a connecting means and thus have a modular structure (Fig. 1-4; ¶0026).
Claim(s) 7 and 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klein as applied to claims 1-6, 32-35 above, and further in view of Komaro et al. (US Pat. No.: 9,310,013 B2) (hereinafter Komaro).
Regarding claim 7, the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Klein. Klein is silent about the adhesive means comprising double sided tape.
Kamaro also discloses a fastening apparatus for fastening a strand-like component. The apparatus discloses the use of double-sided adhesive tape fasten the device on to the fastening surface (Col 2, Ln 35-37). The benefit of doing so would have been to create a tacky surface to allow for secure fastening.
Give the wealth of knowledge, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize double sided tape as taught by Komaro within the fastening apparatus as taught by Klein. The benefit of doing so would have been to create a tacky surface to allow for secure fastening.
Regarding claim 36, the limitations of claim 32 are taught by Klein. Klein is silent about the adhesive means comprising double sided tape.
Kamaro also discloses a fastening apparatus for fastening a strand-like component. The apparatus discloses the use of double-sided adhesive tape fasten the device on to the fastening surface (Col 2, Ln 35-37). The benefit of doing so would have been to create a tacky surface to allow for secure fastening.
Give the wealth of knowledge, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize double sided tape as taught by Komaro within the fastening apparatus as taught by Klein. The benefit of doing so would have been to create a tacky surface to allow for secure fastening.
Claim(s) 24-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torsten Klein (WO 2020/102063 A1) (hereinafter Klein) in view of Komaro et al. (US Pat. No.: 9,310,013 B2) (hereinafter Komaro).
Regarding claims 24, 30 and 31, Klein discloses a fastening apparatus (10) for fastening a first strand-like component having an approximately circular cross-section to a second component, in particular for fastening a cable or a cable harness to a carrier component of a motor vehicle, comprising a fastening body (20) having a fastening means (22) for connecting the fastening apparatus (10) to a second component, in particular a carrier component of a motor vehicle, and a receiving body (12), wherein the receiving body (12) forms a receiving portion (14) having a receiving surface facing in a direction of a first component for receiving a first component, and wherein an adhesive tape (¶0024) is or can be arranged on the receiving surface of the receiving portion (14) in order to connect a first strand-like component (17), in particular a cable or a cable harness, to the receiving body (3) by means of adhesion of the adhesive tape (Fig. 1-6; ¶0024-¶0026), wherein the receiving portion is tolerance compensation with simultaneously secure fastening to the carrier component. Klein further discloses the receiving body is segmented (Notice the depiction below) and the receiving body (12) has arcuate configuration to accommodate a cable with various diameter (Fig. 2 and 4).
Klein further discloses a line may be retained on the line support, for example via straps (corresponding to film hinges) enclosing the line about its circumference, for example cable ties (retaining bands) or adhesive tapes (¶0024). Komaro also discloses a fastening apparatus for fastening a first strand-like component. The apparatus discloses fastening device means such as cable ties, string or wire (4) (corresponding to film hinges) which extends orthogonally to the longitudinal direction, the strands segmenting the receiving portions so as to enable the receiving portion to conform to a curvature of the first strand-like component (5) along the longitudinal direction (Fig. 1).
Given the wealth of knowledge, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the at to utilize straps or cable ties (corresponding to film hinges) as taught by Komaro within the fastening apparauts as taught by Klein. The benefit of doing so would have been to assure the first strand-like component is tightly secured to receiving body.
Regarding claim 25, Klein discloses wherein the receiving portion (14) extends in a longitudinal direction (L) corresponding to an axial direction of a first component to be received and is formed in an approximately trench-shaped (or C-shaped) manner in cross-section (Fig. 1-4).
Regarding claim 26, Klein discloses recesses formed on lateral edge regions of the receiving portion extending orthogonally to the longitudinal direction (Notice the depiction below), such that the receiving portion is segmented or flexibly configured in the longitudinal direction so as to be adaptable to a curvature in an axial direction of the first component (Explained in claim rejection 1 above).
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Regarding claims 27 and 28, Klein discloses the fastening body (20) and the receiving body (12) are integrally connected to one another, or that the fastening body (20) and the receiving body (12) are releasably, in particular re-releasably, connected to one another by means of a connecting means and thus have a modular structure (Fig. 1-4; ¶0026).
Regarding claim 29, Kamaro discloses a fastening apparatus for fastening a strand-like component. The apparatus discloses the use of double-sided adhesive tape fasten the device on to the fastening surface (Col 2, Ln 35-37). The benefit of doing so would have been to create a tacky surface to allow for secure fastening. Give the wealth of knowledge, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize double sided tape as taught by Komaro within the fastening apparatus as taught by Klein. The benefit of doing so would have been to create a tacky surface to allow for secure fastening.
Conclusion
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/VISHAL I PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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