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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the plurality of male terminals being electrically connected to a female terminal must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: CONNECTOR STRUCTURE INCLUDING A SHORT SPRING.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0013], line 3 describes, “fitting position guarantee lock (CPA)”. It seems that the abbreviation “CPA” is not the abbreviation for “fitting position guarantee lock”. The applicant should use the right terminology for the abbreviation “CPA”.
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 4 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 4, lines 2-3 recite, “a plurality of male terminals configured to be electrically connected to a female terminal”. It is not clear how one female terminal is electrically connected to the plurality of male terminals.
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Osada et al (US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0210266 A1).
Osada discloses a connector structure comprising: (claim 1) a male connector 10 including a plurality of male terminals 10T (only shown one male terminal, see Paragraphs [0091] and [0094]), a short spring 10S configured to come into contact with the plurality of male terminals 10T, and a male housing 10H configured to house the plurality of male terminals 10T and the short spring 10S; and a female connector 20 including a plurality of female terminals 20T (only shown one female terminal, see Paragraphs [0091] and [0094]) configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of male terminals 10T and a female housing 20H configured to house the plurality of female terminals 20T, wherein the short spring 10S is configured to be come into contact with a portion of the male terminal 10T to be inserted into the female terminal 20T (see Fig. 1), and wherein, when the male terminal 10T and the female terminal 20T are electrically connected with each other, the female housing 20H is configured to be inserted between the male terminal 10T and the short spring 10S (see Fig. 7); (claim 2) wherein the female housing 20H includes a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers (not labeled, see Fig. 1 showing the female terminal 20T placed in a terminal accommodating chamber) configured to each accommodate one of the plurality of female terminals 20T, and a short circuit release portion 20S provided with a protruding outer surface of a distal end portion located between adjacent terminal accommodating chambers (see Fig. 1), and wherein the short circuit release portion 20S is configured to be inserted between the male terminal 10T and the short spring 10S; (claim 3) wherein the short circuit release portion 20S is provided with an inclined surface (see Fig. 1), the inclined surface being away from the female terminal 20T as being away from a distal end.
Regarding claim 4, Osada discloses a male connector 10 comprising: a plurality of male terminals 10T (only shown one male terminal, see Paragraphs [0091] and [0094]) configured to be electrically connected to a female terminal 20T; a short spring 10S configured to come into contact with the plurality of male terminals 10T; and a male housing 10H configured to house the plurality of male terminals 10T and the short spring 10S, wherein the short spring 10S is configured to be come into contact with a portion of the male terminal 10T to be inserted into the female terminal 20T.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sekino et al (US 10,062,998 B2).
Sekino discloses a connector structure 1 comprising: (claim 1) a male connector (not labeled) including a plurality of male terminals 3, a short spring 13 configured to come into contact with the plurality of male terminals 3, and a male housing 5 configured to house the plurality of male terminals 3 and the short spring 13; and a female connector including a plurality of female terminals 7 configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of male terminals 3 and a female housing 9 configured to house the plurality of female terminals 7, wherein the short spring 13 is configured to be come into contact with a portion of the male terminal 3 (see Fig. 3) to be inserted into the female terminal 7, and wherein, when the male terminal 3 and the female terminal 7 are electrically connected with each other (see Fig. 1), the female housing 9 is configured to be inserted between the male terminal 3 and the short spring 13 (see Fig. 1); (claim 2) wherein the female housing 9 includes a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 37 (see Fig. 7), configured to each accommodate one of the plurality of female terminals 7, and a short circuit release portion 15 provided with a protruding outer surface of a distal end portion located between adjacent terminal accommodating chambers 37 (see Figs. 5-7), and wherein the short circuit release portion 15 is configured to be inserted between the male terminal 3 and the short spring 13; (claim 3) wherein the short circuit release portion 15 is provided with an inclined surface (see Figs. 6-7), the inclined surface being away from the female terminal 7 as being away from a distal end.
Regarding claim 4, Sekino discloses a male connector comprising: a plurality of male terminals 3 configured to be electrically connected to a female terminal 7; a short spring 13 configured to come into contact with the plurality of male terminals 3; and a male housing 5 configured to house the plurality of male terminals 3 and the short spring 13, wherein the short spring 13 is configured to be come into contact with a portion of the male terminal 3 to be inserted into the female terminal 7 (see Fig. 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAE MOON HYEON whose telephone number is (571) 272-2093. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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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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/hmh/
/Hae Moon Hyeon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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