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 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 9, “wherein the sealing position” should read – wherein in the sealing position –. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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) 1, 7-12, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 114415304 A Huawei Technologies Co., LTD. (herein “Huawei”, cited on the IDS of 8/12/2024).
Regarding claim 1, Huawei discloses in Figs. 2-4, 7a-7c, a fiber optic cable closure assembly (shown in Figs. 1-3) comprising:
an enclosure (130) having an open end (132);
an end plate assembly (100) for sealing the open end (132), the end plate assembly comprising, at least one longitudinal fiber optic cable receiving port (111, shown in Fig. 4) comprising:
a first cable receiving port cartridge (40) removably positionable within the end plate assembly and comprising a first sealing member (42) (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the structure of the compartment can allow the first sealing piece 40 along the radial direction is detachably mounted to the first base 20” and wherein, “deformation of 52 can allow for the extrusion of the optical cable (or possibly the false cable plug) mounted on the through hole 111, thereby forming or creating a seal around the optical cable (or possibly a false cable plug) at the through hole 111. only as an example, the elastic part 42, 52 can be gel”), and;
a second cable receiving port cartridge (50) removably positionable within the end plate assembly (see English translation of claim 7, wherein, “a first sealing piece (40) and a second sealing piece (50) detachably assembled together”), the second cable receiving port cartridge comprising,
a second sealing member (52), and
a compression member (53) movable between a sealing position and a non-sealing position,
wherein in the sealing position the compression member provides a compressive force against at least a portion of the second sealing member (52) (see English Translation, wherein, “the upper pressing block 41, 51 can be configured to the downward pressure under the pressure of the second base block of 43, 53 movement”).
Regarding claim 7, Huawei discloses the first and the second sealing members (42, 52) comprise gel pads (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the elastic part 42, 52 can be gel”).
Regarding claim 8, Huawei discloses the gel pads comprise abutting surfaces between which a fiber optic cable is positioned (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “deformation of 52 can allow for the extrusion of the optical cable (or possibly the false cable plug) mounted on the through hole 111, thereby forming or creating a seal around the optical cable”).
Regarding claim 9, Huawei discloses the compression member is movable in a direction parallel to the longitudinal fiber optic cable receiving port (see English translation, wherein, “correspondingly, the upper pressure block the first sealing piece 40 41 can be provided with a matching part 47, the matching part 47 can be matched and installed with the guide part 46, so as to guide the upper pressure block 41) relative to the lower pressure block 43) along the cover assembly 100 of the axial movement”).
Regarding claim 10, Huawei discloses in Figs. 4 and 8, a plurality of longitudinal fiber optic cable receiving ports (111) are provided.
Regarding claim 11, Huawei discloses in Figs. 2-4, 7a-7c, a fiber optic cable receiving port cartridge (110) comprising:
a first portion (40) removably positionable within an end plate assembly and comprising a first sealing member (42) (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the structure of the compartment can allow the first sealing piece 40 along the radial direction is detachably mounted to the first base 20” and wherein, “deformation of 52 can allow for the extrusion of the optical cable (or possibly the false cable plug) mounted on the through hole 111, thereby forming or creating a seal around the optical cable (or possibly a false cable plug) at the through hole 111. only as an example, the elastic part 42, 52 can be gel”), and;
a second portion (50) removably positionable within the end plate assembly (see English translation of claim 7, wherein, “a first sealing piece (40) and a second sealing piece (50) detachably assembled together”) and comprising,
a second sealing member (52), and
a compression member (53) movable between a sealing position and a non-sealing position,
wherein in the sealing position the compression member provides a compressive force against at least a portion of the second sealing member (52) (see English Translation, wherein, “the upper pressing block 41, 51 can be configured to the downward pressure under the pressure of the second base block of 43, 53 movement”).
Regarding claim 12, Huawei discloses wherein in the sealing position the compression member provides a compressive force against at least a portion of the first sealing member (52) (see English Translation, wherein, “the upper pressing block 41, 51 can be configured to the downward pressure under the pressure of the second base block of 43, 53 movement”).
Regarding claim 18, Huawei discloses the first and the second sealing members (42, 52) comprise gel pads (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the elastic part 42, 52 can be gel”).
Regarding claim 19, Huawei discloses the gel pads comprise abutting surfaces between which a fiber optic cable is positioned (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “deformation of 52 can allow for the extrusion of the optical cable (or possibly the false cable plug) mounted on the through hole 111, thereby forming or creating a seal around the optical cable”).
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) 2-6, 13-17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 114415304 A Huawei Technologies Co., LTD. (herein “Huawei”, cited on the IDS of 8/12/2024).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Huawei discloses a latch member (45, shown in Figs. 7a-b) operably associated with the first cable receiving port cartridge but is silent as to a latch member operably associated with the second receiving port cartridge for selectively securing the first cable receiving port cartridge to the second cable receiving port cartridge when in the second position. However, Huawei discloses that first port cartridge (40) and second port cartridge (50) are secured to one another to create a seal around the fiber optic cable (see English translation of the description of Figs. 7a-c, wherein, “the sealing unit 110 mainly comprises a first sealing piece 40 and the second sealing piece 50, both can be detachably assembled together, and can be combined to form at least a portion of the at least one through hole 111”). While Huawei does not explicitly teach latching 40 and 50 together, Huawei teaches a latch (Fig. 10) and teaches that the elements must be secured together to create a seal. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention, to latch elements (40) and (50) together, to ensure a proper seal, since Huawei already demonstrates the possession of the knowledge of the benefits of latches and seals.
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Huawei discloses in Fig. 9, the latch member comprises a locking arm member (453) and a latch arm member (454).
Regarding claims 4-6 and 15-17, Huawei discloses in Fig. 9, the latch arm member comprises at least one hook (shown at 454, curved portion bottom of Fig. 9) positioned and dimensioned to engage at least one locking notch in the end plate assembly. Huawei is silent as to specifically pivotably attaching the latch members. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention would have a general understanding of how latches work, and would understand that there are different mechanisms that can be provided to ensure the latch functions, moves, and locks properly. A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand to provide for pivotal motion so that portions of the latch do not snap off or break when locked into place.
Regarding claim 20, Huawei discloses gel pads (42, 52) are elastic and deformable, but are silent as to specifically using a thermal plastic polymer. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to select an appropriate material that meets the standards and the needs of a fiber optical cable closure assembly, including thermoplastic polymers that will maintain their integrity while in operation.
Conclusion
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/MARY A EL-SHAMMAA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/THOMAS A HOLLWEG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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