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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-5, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 4684716 B2 (herein JP716).
In reference to claim 1, JP716 teaches a connector cover (5; fig. 4) for a flexible flat cable or a flexible printed circuit (FFC/FPC) connector (1; fig. 4) comprising at least one electric terminals array (4; fig. 3), said cover is slidable along a sliding direction from a fixed pre-lock position (shown in fig. 4), in which at least one FFC/FPC can be inserted into said FFC/FPC connector along an insertion direction (X1; fig. 3, 7), to a fixed lock-position (shown in fig. 3), in which said at least one FFC/FPC is blocked into said connector (see 29; fig. 9 which prevents the FPC from being removed from the connector).
In reference to claim 2, JP716 teaches wherein said connector cover comprises a main body (near lead line 11c; fig. 4) and cover pins (22; fig. 4, 5) protruding from said main body, wherein said cover pins extend along said sliding direction.
In reference to claim 3, JP716 teaches the connector cover according to claim 2, wherein said cover pins comprise protruding hooks (see hook 21; fig. 5. 21 engages groove 20; fig. 5) suitable to engage into said connector so as to fix said connector cover in said pre-lock position or in said lock-position.
In reference to claim 4, JP716 teaches the connector cover according to claim 2, wherein said cover pins are elastically movable from an engaged position to an unengaged position.
In reference to claim 5, JP716 teaches the connector cover according to claim 2, wherein said main body comprises though-holes (A; shown in the illustration below) for reaching said cover pins so as to move said cover pins from an engaged position to an unengaged position.
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In reference to claim 8, JP716 a connector device comprising a the FFC/FPC connector comprising the at least one electric terminals array, and the connector cover according to claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 9, 10-20 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-2 in the Remarks dated 08/11/2026 with respect to the REJECTION UNDER 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) of claims 1-5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14-17 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 102(a)(1) rejection of claims 1-5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14-17 have been withdrawn.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAVIS SLOAN CHAMBERS whose telephone number is (571)272-6813. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami 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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/TRAVIS S CHAMBERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
10/14/2026
