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 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 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) 1-17 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baldwin (US Patent 11038331 B1).
As per claim 1, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, comprising: a housing (under 114) configured to be installed to a first surface (see column 6, lines 25-38) of a body (along 100 and 114); and a power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) configured to receive an electrical plug (see column 11, lines 27-45); wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be removably stored (shown in figure 8) within the housing (under 114); wherein in a stored configuration (see column 7, lines 16-24), the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is at least partially stored within the housing (under 114); wherein in a deployed configuration (shown in figure 8), the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is exposed from the housing (under 114) and extends beyond a second surface (along 100 and 114) of the body (along 100 and 114); wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis (in up-down direction in figure 7) of the housing (under 114) when the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is in the deployed configuration (shown in figure 8).
As per claim 2, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein in the stored configuration (see column 7, lines 16-24), the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be electrically isolated (see column 11, lines 27-45) from a power source (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 3, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) comprises a ground fault circuit interrupter (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 4, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) comprises one or more low voltage accessory inputs (see column 11, lines 27-45) configured to receive a low voltage plug (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 5, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the housing (under 114) is configured to be sealed to prevent ingress of water (see column 10, lines 36-47).
As per claim 6, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the first surface (see column 6, lines 25-38) of the body (along 100 and 114) is an underside of the body (along 100 and 114).
As per claim 7, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the first surface (see column 6, lines 25-38) is a countertop surface (see column 1, lines 19-32).
As per claim 8, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the first surface (see column 6, lines 25-38) is a desktop surface (see column 6, lines 25-38) (see column 6, lines 25-38), a tabletop surface (see column 6, lines 25-38), or a furniture surface (see column 6, lines 25-38).
As per claim 9, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein in the deployed configuration (shown in figure 8), the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be disposed above the second surface (along 100 and 114) of the body (along 100 and 114).
As per claim 10, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) comprises a three-prong opening (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 11, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) comprises a universal serial bus (USB) port (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 12, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be rotatable by less than 360° (see column 10, lines 10-19), and wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be rotatable by at least 30° (see column 10, lines 10-19).
As per claim 13, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, further comprising: a first ring (along 116), wherein the first ring (along 116) includes a protrusion (138, see figure 9); and a second ring (along 118), wherein the second ring (along 118) has a channel (136, see figure 9), wherein the channel (136, see figure 9) includes a first end (136, see figure 9) and a second end (136 other end, see figure 9); wherein the first end (136, see figure 9) and the second end (136 other end, see figure 9) limit an amount of rotation (see column 10, lines 10-19) of the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 14, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the first ring (along 116) or the second ring (along 118) is configured to provide tactical feedback (see column 12, lines 15-29) during rotation (see column 10, lines 10-19) in response to a set amount of rotation (see column 10, lines 10-19).
As per claim 15, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, comprising: a housing (under 114) configured to be installed to a bottom surface (under 114) of a countertop (see column 6, lines 25-38); and a power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) configured to receive an electrical plug (see column 11, lines 27-45); wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be removably stored (shown in figure 8) within the housing (under 114); wherein in a stored configuration (see column 7, lines 16-24), the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is at least partially stored within the housing (under 114); wherein in a deployed configuration (shown in figure 8), the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is exposed from the housing (under 114) and extends beyond a top surface (see column 6, lines 25-38) of the countertop (see column 6, lines 25-38); wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis (in up-down direction in figure 7) of the housing (under 114) when the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is in the deployed configuration (shown in figure 8).
As per claim 16, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) comprises a ground fault circuit interrupter (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 17, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) comprises one or more low voltage accessory inputs (see column 11, lines 27-45) configured to receive a low voltage plug (see column 11, lines 27-45).
As per claim 19, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be rotatable by less than 360 (see column 10, lines 10-19) °, and wherein the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45) is configured to be rotatable by at least 30° (see column 10, lines 10-19).
As per claim 20, Baldwin teaches a plug assembly 100, further comprising: a first ring (along 116), wherein the first ring (along 116) includes a protrusion (138, see figure 9); and a second ring (along 118), wherein the second ring (along 118) has a channel (136, see figure 9), wherein the channel (136, see figure 9) includes a first end (136, see figure 9) and a second end (136 other end, see figure 9); wherein the first end (136, see figure 9) and the second end (136 other end, see figure 9) limit an amount of rotation (see column 10, lines 10-19) of the power outlet (see column 11, lines 27-45).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18 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.
As per claim 18, The prior art does not disclose or suggest: wherein the plug assembly comprises a cap; wherein the cap comprises a wireless power charger configured to inductively charge an electronic device placed on the cap.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (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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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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