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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because of the following: the first sentence of the abstract is incomplete. Examiner suggests adding the phrase “is disclosed,” or something similar, at the end of the sentence. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claims 1 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Phillips (U.S. Patent No. 11,557,888).
Regarding claim 1, in Figure 36, Phillips discloses an electrical box assembly (200) for adjustable-depth mounting of an electrical box relative to a support structure, the electrical box assembly comprising: a centerplate (104, Figure 24) with a centerplate opening (136; junction box 104 has an opening 136, col. 19, lines 1 - 2); an electrical box, including: an electrical box housing (212), a back plate (206) removably attached to the electrical box housing; an extendable sleeve (208) that includes a plurality of mounting tabs (220) arranged to secure three or more electrical devices (Figure 14) at an open front side (208A) of the extendable sleeve (col. 14, lines 4 – 11; Figure 14); the electrical box received within the centerplate opening (Figure 24), with the electrical box housing secured to the centerplate (Figure 24); and the extendable sleeve selectively slidable within the electrical box housing (the finishing ring 208 is configured to move telescopically within the opening 206A of the ring portion 212, col. 26, lines 38 – 41; Figure 36).
Regarding claim 2, Phillips discloses wherein the extendable sleeve is moved between a retracted position and an extended position by an adjustment fastener, wherein the adjustment fastener is axially fixed but rotatable relative to the electrical box housing (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 3, Phillips discloses wherein the adjustment fastener is accessible, inside the electrical box, through the open front side of the extendable sleeve, to move the extendable sleeve between the retracted position and the extended position and through the extendable sleeve (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 4, Phillips discloses wherein the adjustment fastener is axially fixed to a housing tab extending inward from a side wall of the electrical box housing (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 5, Phillips discloses wherein the centerplate has a plurality of plate arms extending from a plate body, the plurality of plate arms fixedly secured to the electrical box housing (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 6, Phillips discloses wherein the back plate includes an adjustable far side support that is selectively bendable to a plurality of orientations corresponding to a plurality of distances between the back plate and a building structure opposite the back plate (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 7, Phillips discloses wherein the adjustable far side support includes a plurality of reliefs that define a plurality of bend locations corresponding to the plurality of distances (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 8, Phillips discloses wherein the adjustable far side support includes a first relief corresponding to a first extension distance, and a second relief corresponding to a second extension distance; and wherein the back plate further includes a fixed far side support extending from the back plate at a third extension distance smaller than the first extension distance and the second extension distance (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 9, Phillips discloses wherein the fixed far side support is integral with the adjustable far side support (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 10, Phillips discloses a grounding tab extending from a side wall of the electrical box housing to attach an equipment grounding conductor for the three or more electrical devices (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 11, Phillips discloses wherein the centerplate is secured to a support rail by a first arm that extends to engage with a first side of the support rail, and a second arm that extends to engage with a second side of the support rail that is opposite the first side (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 12, Phillips discloses wherein the centerplate includes a set of partial centerplate portions that are secured to the electrical box housing spaced apart from each other (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 13, in Figure 36, Phillips discloses an adjustable depth electrical box comprising: an electrical box housing (212); a back plate (206) removably attached to the electrical box housing, the back plate including a far side support (20a, Figures 1A and 8) that is selectively adjustable to a plurality of extension distances to support the electrical box housing relative to a building structure opposite the back plate (col. 12, lines 13 – 29); an extendable sleeve (208) positioned at least partially within the electrical box housing to secure one or more electrical devices (col. 14, lines 4 – 11); and an adjustment fastener (224) axially fixed relative to the electrical box housing and rotatable relative to the electrical box housing to move the extendable sleeve between a retracted position and an extended position (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 14, Phillips discloses wherein the far side support is bendable relative to the back plate at a first relief, to selectively adjust the far side support between: an unbent position, in which a proximal portion of the far side support extends substantially in parallel with the back plate; and a first bent position, wherein the proximal portion of the far side support extends substantially perpendicular to the back plate (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 15, Phillips discloses wherein the far side support is bendable relative to the back plate at a second relief, to selectively adjust a distal portion of the far side support to a second bent position, in which the distal portion of the far side support extends transverse to the proximal portion at a first distance from the back plate; and wherein the far side support is bendable relative to the back plate at a third relief, to selectively adjust the distal portion of the far side support to a third bent position, in which the distal portion of the far side support extends transverse to the proximal portion at a second distance from the back plate (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 16, Phillips discloses wherein the far side support includes a fixed support that rigidly extends substantially perpendicular to the back plate (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 17, in Figure 36, Phillips discloses a method of installing an electrical box assembly (200), the method comprising: affixing a centerplate (104, Figure 24) of the electrical box assembly to a building support structure, to support a housing of an electrical box (212) relative to the building support structure, with an extendable sleeve (208) of the electrical box: slidably supported within the housing (the finishing ring 208 is configured to move telescopically within the opening 206A of the ring portion 212, col. 26, lines 38 – 41; Figure 36); and supporting electrical devices at a front side of the electrical box assembly (col. 14, lines 4 – 11; Figure 14); installing a back plate (206) on a far side of the electrical box housing; and adjusting the extendable sleeve of the electrical box housing relative to the electrical box housing to change a depth of the electrical devices relative to the building support structure (via fasteners 224, Figure 36).
Regarding claim 18, Phillips discloses selectively adjusting a far side support that is secured to the back plate, to support the electrical box housing relative to a building structure opposite the back plate, by selectively: bending the far side support to a first bent position, in which the far side support extends substantially perpendicular to the back plate; or bending the far side support to a second bent position, in which a distal portion of the far side support extends substantially parallel to the back plate (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 19, Phillips discloses wherein adjusting the extendable sleeve includes rotating an adjustment fastener that is axially fixed to a housing tab that extends inward from a side wall of the electrical box housing (Figure 36).
Regarding claim 20, Phillips discloses wherein rotating the adjustment fastener includes accessing the adjustment fastener through the front side of the electrical box assembly between electrical devices installed at the front side of the electrical box assembly (Figure 36).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREMESHA W BURNS whose telephone number is (571)270-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 4:30 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached at (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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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847