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 were received on 04/22/2024. These drawings are approved in view of the claim amendments filed on 08/12/2026.
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 Nakamura (US 8,366,493 B2).
Regarding claims 1-3, Nakamura discloses a connector structure comprising: (Claim 1) a male connector including a plurality of male terminals 50 (see Fig. 1 showing four male terminals), a short spring 40 configured to come into contact with the plurality of male terminals 50, and a male housing 10 configured to house the plurality of male terminals 50 and the short spring 40; and a female connector including a plurality of female terminals 85 configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of male terminals 50 and a female housing 80 configured to house the plurality of female terminals 85 (see Fig. 3 showing four female terminals), wherein a male terminal 50 of the plurality of male terminals includes a male tab 52 configured to be inserted into a female terminal 85 of the plurality of female terminals, and a box portion 51 adjacent to a rear side of the male tab 52, wherein the short spring 40 is configured to come into contact with a male tab 52 (see Fig. 2), and wherein, when the male terminal 50 and the female terminal 85 are electrically connected with each other, the female housing 80 is configured to be inserted between the male terminal 50 and the short spring 40 (see Fig. 5 showing a portion 84 of the female housing 80 being placed between the male tab 52 and the short spring 40); (Claim 2) wherein the female housing 80 includes a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 81 configured to each accommodate one of the plurality of female terminals 85, and a short circuit release portion 84 provided with a protruding outer surface of a distal end portion located between adjacent terminal accommodating chambers 81 (see Fig. 4), and wherein the short circuit release portion 84 is configured to be inserted between the male terminal of the plurality of male terminals 50 and the short spring 40; and (Claim 3) wherein the short circuit release portion 84 is provided with an inclined surface, the inclined surface being spaced further away from the female terminal of the plurality of female terminals 50 as the inclined surface extends away from a distal end (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 4, Nakamura discloses a male connector comprising: a plurality of male terminals 50 configured to be electrically connected to a plurality of female terminals 85; a short spring 40 configured to come into contact with the plurality of male terminals 50; and a male housing 10 configured to house the plurality of male terminals 50 and the short spring 40, wherein a male terminal of the plurality of male terminals 50 includes a male tab 52 configured to be inserted into a female terminal of the plurality of female terminals 85, and a box portion 51 adjacent to a rear side of the male tab 52, and wherein the short spring 40 is configured to be come into contact with the male tab 52.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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