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 30, lines 2-3, “an electrical interface of an electrical accessory” should be –the electrical interface of the electrical accessory--;
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 25 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.
Regarding claim 25, line 2, “the flange” lacks an antecedent basis;
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)(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.
Claims 21, 23-24, 29 and 37-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang (10,422,486).
Regarding claim 21, Zhang discloses a support base, comprising:
a connector hub (105, Fig. 2) having a top end, a bottom end spaced apart from the top end, and a chamber wall extending between the top end and the bottom end and defining a chamber, wherein the chamber is dimensioned for receiving a support wall (pointed at 103, Fig. 2);
an interface casing (1032, Fig. 2) positioned in the chamber (Fig. 1), the interface casing including a casing wall (walls of 1032) and a hollow interior (1032, Fig. 2), wherein the casing wall defines the hollow interior within the casing wall; and
an interface (1031, Fig. 2), wherein the interface is positioned in the hollow interior of the interface casing (Fig. 1) and the chamber is configured for positioning the support wall in at least a partially overlapping relationship with the interface casing, in the radial direction (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 23, the interface casing comprises: a top end; a bottom end spaced apart from the top end; and a lumen (1032, Fig. 2) extending from the top end to the bottom end of the interface casing, wherein the interface is positioned within the lumen of the casing (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 24, a FIGURE A below shows a casing flange extending radially outwardly from the bottom end of the interface casing.
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Regarding claim 29, the interface is a power interface set (column 7, lines 10-14) configured for electrically connecting to an electrical interface of an electrical accessory.
Regarding claim 37, a support base, comprising:
a connector hub (105, Fig. 2) having a top end, a bottom end spaced apart from the top end, and a chamber wall extending between the top end and the bottom end and defining a chamber, wherein the chamber is dimensioned for receiving a support wall (103);
an interface casing (walls of 1032, Fig. 2) positioned in the chamber (Fig. 1), the interface casing including a casing wall and a hollow interior (1032), wherein the casing wall defines the hollow interior within the casing wall;
an interface (1031), wherein the interface is positioned in the hollow interior of the interface casing and the chamber is configured for positioning the support wall at least partially in an overlapping relationship with the interface casing, in the radial direction (Fig. 1); and
a baffle (101, Fig. 2) positioned at the top end (at an edge of the top end) of the connector hub, wherein the chamber is configured for positioning the support wall such that the baffle is in an overlapping relationship with at least a portion of the support wall.
Regarding claim 38, the interface is a power interface set (column 7, lines 10-14) configured for electrically connecting to an electrical interface positioned within the support wall.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 32-36 are allowed.
Claims 22, 25-28, 30-31 and 39-40 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.
Claim 25 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 03/16/26.
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov