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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
Drawings objected to, just how the recited parts and the wire are to fit together is unclear. While extensively discussed the combined features are not shown therefore first how the parts are used is unclear. The use of press bar 253 and of movable part 100m are also unclear. The end of wire W at P1 must be exposed to enable it use. However, the figures do not show a fully exposed on cable end. Figure 12 by showing only a partial exposed end provides further confusion. A drawing should be added like that of Ishii cite figure 5B to show a side view of parts 100, 200 assembled and including the wire W with wire and P1 positioned to engage mating contacts. Specification also objected to the functions of parts 100M and of press part 253 are unclear and should be further discussed including use of part 100M.
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
The purpose of the movable block 100M and the nature of its structure are not adequately disclosed and just the part is to be made and used is unclear.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 20210141841 in view of Oga (U. S. 2023/003582).
Regarding claim 1, KR discloses a connector a detection wire 10 configured to transmit information; a connector 500 comprising a rim edge member (at end section of connector 500 closer to detection wire 10) and an accommodation member (see opposite end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05), the rim edge member (at end section of connector 500 closer to detection wire 10) surrounding an open end 03 configured to receive a connection end (see figure 2) of the detection wire 10, the accommodation member (see opposite end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05) being recessed from the rim edge member (at end section of connector 500 closer to detection wire 10) in a first direction X to enclose the connection end (see figure 2); and a retainer 550 extending across the detection wire 10 in a second direction Y crossing the first direction X and coupled to the open end 03 of the connector from the outside such that the retainer 550 is between the connector and the detection wire 10 in a third direction Z crossing both the first direction X and the second direction Y. KR discloses the claimed invention except for a battery pack (battery cell) and use a detection wire. Oga discloses use of a battery pack 111 with a battery cell 112 and use of a detection wire 30 to transmit battery information. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify KR to provide such feature as taught by Oga so as to provide for electrical use of the wire in a battery system.
Regarding claim 2, KR discloses the rim edge member (see end section of connector 500 closer to detection wire 10 in figure 2) comprises a first upper block 540a and a first lower block 540a facing each other with the open end 03 therebetween in the third direction Z, wherein the first upper block 540a is formed stepwise upwardly from a second upper block 540a of the accommodation member (see opposite end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05) , and wherein the first lower block 540a is formed stepwise downwardly from a second lower block of the accommodation member (see opposite end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05)
Regarding claim 3, KR discloses the rim edge member (see end section of connector 500 closer to detection wire 10 in figure 2) further comprises a pair of side blocks 540 that connect the first upper block 540a and the first lower block 540a to each other to surround the open end 03, and wherein each of the pair of side blocks 540 comprises a locking portion 540a configured to be hook-coupled to the retainer 550.
Regarding claim 23, KR discloses a connector assembly comprising: a connector 500 comprising a rim edge member (at end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05) and an accommodation member (see opposite end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05), the rim edge member (see at end section of connection 500 closure to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05) surrounding an open end 03 to receive a connection end (see figure 2) of a detection wire 10 for transmitting information therein, the accommodation member (see opposite end section of connector 500 closer to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 05) being recessed from the rim edge member (see end section of connection 500 closure to housing 100 or figure 5 at line 95) in a first direction X to enclose the connection end (see figure 2); and a retainer 550 extending across the detection wire 10 in a second direction Y crossing the first direction X and coupled to the open end 03 of the connector 500 from the outside such that the retainer 550 is between the connector 500 and the detection wire 10 in a third direction Z crossing both the first direction X and the second direction Y. KR discloses the claimed invention except for a battery pack (battery cell) and use a detection wire. Oga discloses use of a battery pack 111 with a battery cell 112 and use of a detection wire 30 to transmit battery information. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify KR to provide such feature as taught by Oga so as to provide for electrical use of the wire in a battery system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-22 are 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.
None of the references discloses the retainer comprises: a plate unit extending in the second direction across the connection end of the detection wire and covering the detection wire in a plate shape on a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction; and locking jaw blocks on both sides of the plate unit in the second direction and protruding in the third direction from both sides of the plate unit to prevent separation between the connector and the connection end of the detection wire.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG K DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-2090. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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, Riyami A Abdullah can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG K DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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