DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-9 are 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.
The claims have numerous antecedent basis and informality issues that render the claimed invention unclear. Suggested changes to the claims are shown below.
Claim 1. A dust-proof and shading adapter, comprising
a frame and shading components,
an interior of a front end of the frame is formed with horizontally arranged chambers having upward openings,
[[an]] a front end of each [[chamber]] of the horizontally arranged chambers is provided with a port for mating engagement with a connecting piece,
each [[chamber]] of the horizontally arranged chambers is equipped with one of the shading components that comprises a hook piece and a baffle,
wherein, [[the]] side walls of the chamber are provided with guide rails that restrict [[the]] a vertical sliding movement of the baffle,
wherein, the guide rails are arcuate and are curved outward towards the upward opening of the chamber, the bottom of each of the guide rails [[align]] aligns with the bottom of the port,
an upper end of the hook piece is hinged to the middle of [[the]] an upper surface of the chamber, while [[the]] a lower end of the hook piece is interlocked with the baffle through a hinged engagement,
wherein a reciprocating rotational movement of the hook piece drives the baffle to slide up and down, enabling the baffle to cover or uncover the port.
2. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 1, further comprising a detachably mounted upper cover on the opening [[position]] of each of the horizontally arranged [[the]] chamber, wherein the upper cover cooperates with the frame to form a sealed cavity.
3. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 2, wherein each of the shading [[component]] components further comprises an elastic spring piece, wherein two ends of the elastic spring piece are supported against the upper surface of the hook piece and [[the]] a lower surface of the detachably mounted upper cover, respectively.
4. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 3, wherein [[the]] a lower surface of the hook piece engages with the connecting piece inserted into the port to drive the hook piece to swing upward, and the lower surface of the hook piece is provided with a protruding arched portion.
5. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 2, wherein the detachably mounted upper cover is provided with an upper cover fixing element, and [[the]] an upper end of the frame is preset with a fixing portion that cooperates with the upper cover fixing element to fix the detachably mounted upper cover.
6. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of each of the hook [piece]] pieces shares a common horizontally extending hinge axis hinged at the top [[position]] of the chamber.
7. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 1, wherein the baffle is made of a semi-transparent material and comprises a connection identification portion and a non-connection identification portion, wherein the non-connection identification portion is used to block [[the]] a laser emitted from the port, while the connection identification portion is lit by the laser when the connecting piece is connected to the port.
8. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 1, wherein are formed by pairs of the guide rails on both side walls of the chamber, the guide grooves are aligned, and both sides of the baffle are formed with guide blocks that slide cooperatively [[with]] along the guide grooves, respectively. (Note: it is unclear how guide rails are also guide grooves, and the guide groove is presumed to be a recessed area defined between a pair parallel guide rails for the purpose of this Office action.)
9. The dust-proof and shading adapter according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the hook piece is formed with a drive arm, the baffle is formed with a cooperating groove,
wherein an [[the]] end of the drive arm is embedded in the cooperating groove, the drive arm engages with [[the]] an upper or a lower surface of the cooperating groove, and a reciprocating rotational movement of the hook piece drives the baffle to slide up and down, enabling the baffle to cover or uncover the port.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. The examiner concurs with EPO and ISA in that independent claim 1 recites a dust-proof and shading adapter for receiving/mating with a connecting piece, comprising, among others, a plurality of horizontal chambers each equipped with arcuate guide rails curved outward toward an opening of the chamber for guiding vertical, sliding movement of a shading component’s baffle, which are non-obvious modifications over prior art, when considered in view of the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for a listing of related art to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLIE PENG whose telephone number is (571)272-2177. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 6PM.
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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.
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/CHARLIE Y PENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874