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 Objections
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 19, line 1, change “manufacutring” to –manufacturing--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the sealant" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 13, 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (US 20220263260 A1).
In regard to claim 13, Wang discloses an electrical connector 100 comprising:
a housing 102 comprising a mating face, a mounting face 202 opposite the mating face 118, and a plurality of channels 106 (see fig. 5A) extending to the mounting face 202;
a plurality of conductive elements 104 disposed in respective channels 106 of the plurality of channels of the housing 102, each of the plurality of conductive elements 104 comprising a mating end 302, a mounting end 206 opposite the mating end and extending out of the plurality of channels at the mounting face, and an intermediate portion 304 joining the mating end 302 and mounting end 206; and
a seal 400 disposed at the mounting face 202 of the housing 102, wherein, for each of the plurality of conductive elements 104:
a subportion (see annotated drawing below) of the intermediate portion 304 directly connected to the mounting end 206 is embedded in the seal 400 (see fig. 3D).
In regard to claim 15, Wang discloses for each of the plurality of conductive elements 104; the mounting end 206 is narrower than the subportion of the intermediate portion 304.
In regard to claim 16, Wang discloses the intermediate portion 304 abuts the plastic of the seal 400 and a respective side wall 110 of the housing 102 on opposite sides (see fig. 3D).
In regard to claim 17, Wang discloses the plastic of the seal 400 comprises a platform portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the platform portion (see fig. 4A and 4B); and the intermediate portion 304 is at least partial disposed between the peripheral portion of the plastic of the seal and the respective side wall 110 of the housing 102.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12, 19, 20 are allowed.
Claims 14, 18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: In regard to claim 1, the prior art fails to provide, teach or suggest a seal disposed at the mounting face, the seal comprising a first sealing element and a second sealing element at least partially disposed on the first sealing element. In regard to claim 19, the prior art fails to provide, teach or suggest disposing a seal at the mounting face of the housing comprising flowing a sealant around subportions of the intermediate portions of the plurality of conductive elements. In regard to claim 14, the prior art fails to provide, teach or suggest the seal comprises plastic and sealant connected to the plastic; and the subportions of the intermediate portions of the plurality of conductive elements are embedded in the sealant of the seal.
In regard to claim 18, the prior art fails to provide, teach or suggest the sealant is stacked on the peripheral portion of the plastic; and the platform portion of the plastic is thicker than the stack of the sealant and the peripheral portion of the plastic.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
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Tdt
7/14/2026
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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