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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in present Application filed on April 07, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed April 05, 2024 have been submitted for consideration by the Office. It has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Applicants must continue to share prior art references throughout the patent application process. A supplemental IDS must be submitted if prior art is discovered through a foreign patent application or an International Patent Search, or a related application before a prosecution closes.
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.
Claims 1-4 are 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.
Rejection of claim 1, the limitations “a part of the covered portion on a side of the exposed portion is inserted, and two or more second tubular portions branching and extending from an end part of the first tubular portion on a side of the exposed portion,” are indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter.
The term “a side of the exposed portion” lacks antecedent basis when introduced second time in above limitation.
Therefore, claim 1 is indefinite.
Rejections of claims 2-4, claims 2-4 are rejected by the same reason applied to the rejection of claim 1 above.
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-AlA) 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C.102 (a)(1)/(a)(2) (whichever apply) as being anticipated by Eshima et al. (US20200262364, herein referred to as Eshima).
Rejection of claim 1, Eshima (figures 1-5) discloses a wire harness comprising:
a cable including a plurality of insulated electrical wires (a cable including insulated electric wires 2-3) and an outer sheath (sheath 4);
a cover member of an integrated type made of resin molded member (the molded member 5 made of urethane resin, paragraph 0057); and
a fixing member that fixes the cover member to the cable (a fixing member 7 fixes 5 to the cable),
wherein the cable includes a covered portion in which the plurality of insulated electrical wires are covered with the outer sheath (see the cable includes a covered portion at 4a in which the plurality of insulated electrical wires 2-3 are covered with the outer sheath 4) , and
an exposed portion in which the plurality of insulated electrical wires are not covered with the outer sheath (an exposed portion in which the plurality of insulated electrical wires 2-3 are not covered with the outer sheath 4), the cover member includes a first tubular portion into which a part of the covered portion on a side of the exposed portion is inserted (see first tubular portion at 5a in figure 2), and
two or more second tubular portions branching and extending from an end part of the first tubular portion on the side of the exposed portion ((see the plurality of guiding out portions (53, 54)) ,
two or more of the plurality of insulated electrical wires present in the exposed portion are inserted into the two or more second tubular portions, respectively (see figure 2 and figures 3A-3C),
an inner peripheral surface of the first tubular portion is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the covered portion inserted into the first tubular portion (see figure 2 wherein the first tubular portion at 5a or 4a is contact with the covered portion at 4a (sheath 4 of cable)) , and
the fixing member is (a) a band attached to an outer peripheral side of the first tubular portion (7 is band attached to an outer peripheral side of the first tubular portion, see figure 1) , (b) a tape wound around an outer peripheral surface of a specific part straddling the first tubular portion and the covered portion not inserted into the first tubular portion, (c) a shrink tube covering the specific part, or (d) a mold resin molded body covering the specific part.
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.
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C.103 as being unpatentable Eshima in view of Sukuma et al. (US20130126232, herein referred to as Sukuma).
Rejection of claim 2-4, Eshima (figures 1-5) discloses a wire harness according to claim 1, but fails to disclose two or more protrusion parts extending along a circumferential direction of the first tubular portion on an outer peripheral surface of the first tubular portion (claim 2). wherein an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first tubular portion or the second tubular portion has a shape in which protrusion parts extending in a circumferential direction and recess parts extending in the circumferential direction are alternately arranged in an axial direction (claims 3-4).
Sukuma discloses two or more protrusion parts extending along a circumferential direction of the first tubular portion on an outer peripheral surface of the first tubular portion. And an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first tubular portion or the second tubular portion has a shape in which protrusion parts extending in a circumferential direction and recess parts extending in the circumferential direction are alternately arranged in an axial direction (see alternate protrusions and recesses on an outer peripheral surface of first tubular portion at 30 and second tubular portion at 11 or at 12 in figure 1 of Sukuma ).
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the wire harness of Eshima have arrangement of tubular portions as taught by Sukuma by doing so it increase surface roughness so that user keeps a firm hold of or grasp tightly; additionally, these tubular portions are flexible, allowing routing around corners and through tight spaces without damage and reducing the risk of kinking or breaking, which is advantageous to protect cable or wire. This is particularly beneficial in vehicle.
Pertinent Prior Arts
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the enclosed PTO-892 form for the citation of pertinent art in the present case, all of which disclose various protection members.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PARESH PAGHADAL whose telephone number is (571)272-5251. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00AM-4:00PM, Monday - Thursday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached on (571)272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PARESH PAGHADAL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847