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 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.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 line 10 recites: “an electric wire insertion portion” should be --an electric wire harness insertion cylinder--
Claim 3 line 5 recites: “an engaging portion” should be --an engaging secure portion--
Claim 8 line 4 recites: “an inner housing” should be --a female inner housing--
Claim 8 lines 10 recites: “a coupling portion” should be --a press-fit coupling portion--
Appropriate correction is required.
(Note: Applicant is reminded to use the same terminology as described in Specification through out the claim set to prevent confusing, and to help expedite the examination process also. There are many different terminologies in the claim set vs. the Specification. Further, there was no indicating element numeral for “an electric wire insertion portion” as an example.)
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) 1-7, 10-11, and 15 are as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ludwig et al. (US 2016/0240957).
As per claim 1: Ludwig et al. discloses a connector 10, comprising: an electric wire 100 having a harness-side terminal 30 attached to a tip thereof (as shown in fig. 3a); and a housing 20 having the harness-side terminal 30 disposed therein, wherein:
the housing 20 includes: a main body (not label, see fig. 2a-c) having the harness-side terminal 30 disposed therein, and an electric wire insertion portion (see fig. 9, encircling collar 27) in communication with the main body (see fig. 9), the electric wire insertion portion (27) having the electric wire 100 inserted thereinto,
the connector 10 further includes a retainer 50 (see fig. 5a-c) outserted over a portion of the electric wire 100 that is inserted into the electric wire insertion portion (27) and thus retaining the electric wire 100,
the retainer 50 includes: a retainer securing portion 53 inserted into the electric wire insertion portion (27) to be secured (as shown in fig. 9), and
an electric wire retaining portion 54/60/62 (as shown in fig. 5a-c) protruding from the electric wire insertion portion (27) and retaining the electric wire 100, and the electric wire retaining portion (27) has an electric wire insertion hole 70 retaining the electric wire 100 inserted therethrough (as shown in fig. 8), and includes:
a securing-side retaining portion 61 integrally formed with the retainer securing portion 53 (as shown in fig. 5a-c), the securing-side retaining portion 61 defining a part of the electric wire insertion hole 70 (as shown in fig. 5b),
and an attachment retaining portion 60/62 defining another part of the electric wire insertion hole 70, the attachment retaining portion 60/62 being attached to the securing-side retaining portion 61 (as shown in fig. 5a-c).
(note: claim 1 can be rejected also by Ooki et al. (US 2009/0197450))
As per claims 2-7, 10-11: Ludwig et al. discloses the connector 10, further comprising a pressing portion provided on an inner surface defining the electric wire insertion hole 70 (as shown in fig. 5a-c), the pressing portion locally pressing an outer surface of the electric wire 100 (as shown in figs. 9-11); and
wherein: the attachment retaining portion 60/62 and the securing-side retaining portion 61 are formed separately from each other (as shown in fig. 5a-c), and the connector 10 includes an engaging portion 63/64 putting the attachment retaining portion 60/62 and the securing-side retaining portion 61, which are formed separately from each other, into engagement with each other to assemble and secure the attachment retaining portion 60/62 and the securing-side retaining portion 61 to each other (as shown in figs. 5a-c, 8); and
wherein: the attachment retaining portion 60/62 and the securing-side retaining portion 61 are formed separately from each other (see fig. 5a), and the connector 10 includes an engaging portion 63/64 putting the attachment retaining portion 60/62 and the securing-side retaining portion 61, which are formed separately from each other (as shown in figs. 5a-c), into engagement with each other to assemble and secure the attachment retaining portion 60/62 and the securing-side retaining portion 61 to each other (see fig. 8); and
further comprising an electric wire seal 40 (as shown in figs. 7, 11) outserted over the portion of the electric wire 100 that is inserted into the electric wire insertion portion (see fig. 9, encircling collar 27), the electric wire seal 40 being provided on the tip side with respect to the retainer 50 to seal a space between the electric wire insertion portion (27) and the electric wire 100 (as shown in fig. 7); and
wherein a plurality of the electric wires 100 are provided, and a plurality of the electric wire insertion portions (27) are provided in correspondence with the number of the electric wires 100 (as shown in fig. 7); and
further comprising a retainer 63/64 engaging portion engaged with, and securing, the retainer securing portion 53 inserted into the electric wire insertion portion (27) (as shown in fig. 9); and
wherein the coupling portion (not label, see fig. 9) allows the electric wire insertion portion (27) of the inner housing 20 to be press-fitted thereinto (as shown in figs. 9-11).
As per claim 15: Ludwig et al. discloses a retainer 50 (as shown in figs. 5a-c) included in a connector 10 including an electric wire 100 having a harness-side terminal 30 attached to a tip thereof, and a housing 20 having the harness-side terminal 30 disposed therein, the housing 20 including a main body having the harness-side terminal 30 disposed therein and an electric wire insertion portion (see fig. 9, encircling collar 27) in communication with the main body (as shown in fig. 11), the electric wire insertion portion (27) having the electric wire 100 inserted thereinto (see fig. 7),
the retainer 50 comprising:
a retainer securing portion 53 inserted into the electric wire insertion portion (27) to be secured, and an electric wire retaining portion 54/60/62 (as shown in figs. 5a-c) protruding from the electric wire insertion portion (27) and retaining the electric wire 100, wherein:
the electric wire retaining portion 54/60/62 has an electric wire insertion hole 70 retaining the electric wire 100 inserted therethrough, and includes:
a securing-side retaining portion 61 integrally formed with the retainer securing portion 53 (see fig. 5b), the securing-side retaining portion 61 defining a part of the electric wire insertion hole 70, and
an attachment retaining portion 60/62 (as shown in fig. 5a) defining another part of the electric wire insertion hole 70, the attachment retaining portion 60/62 being attached to the securing-side retaining portion 61, and
the retainer 50 is outserted over, and secures, the electric wire 100 inserted into the electric wire insertion portion (27).
(note: claim 15 can be rejected also by Ooki et al. (US 2009/0197450))
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 8-9, and 12-14 are as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ludwig et al. (US 2016/0240957) in view of Kim et al. (US 12597740).
As per claims 8-9: Ludwig et al. discloses a connector 10, wherein: the housing 20 including an inner housing (as shown in fig. 8, element 20) including the main body and the electric wire insertion portion (see fig. 9, encircling collar 27), the retainer securing portion 53 includes a coupling portion coupled with the electric wire insertion portion (27) of the inner housing (20). However, Ludwig et al. does not explicitly disclose wherein the housing includes an outer shell; and wherein the retainer securing portion is secured to the electric wire insertion portion of the outer shell
Kim et al. discloses a connector 100, wherein an outer shell 150 and the inner shell 120/130 are disposed in the outer shell 150; and the retainer securing portion 151 is secured to the electric wire insertion portion of the outer shell 150 (as shown in fig. 1C) to further enhance a secure, stable and reliable structure of the connector and to protect the terminals within the housing from harsh environments as well.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to further modify the connector of Ludwig et al. by having the housing includes an outer shell; and the retainer securing portion is secured to the electric wire insertion portion of the outer shell as taught by Kim et al. to further enhance a secure, stable and reliable structure of the connector and to protect the terminals within the housing from harsh environments as well.
As per claims 12-13: : Ludwig et al. discloses a connector 10, and the inner housing (20). However, Ludwig et al. does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one of the coupling portion and a portion of the inner housing that is press-fitted into the coupling portion has a crushing protrusion provided thereon, the crushing protrusion protruding in a direction crossing a press-fit direction in which the electric wire insertion portion of the inner housing is press-fitted into the coupling portion.
On the other hand, Ludwig et al. mentioned the seal holder 50 which has projections 52/53/54 on its both sides and the seal holder can be fastened to the lugs of the first connector housing (see Para. [0044-0045]). However, having the coupling portion and a portion of the inner housing that is press-fitted into the coupling portion has a crushing protrusion provided thereon as recited above is common knowledge in the art of connector because such modification still would not change the function of the connector after all but to further enhance a stable, reliable, secure and sturdy structure between housings and to secure the terminals from disconnector or damage by strong vibration and to protect the connector from harsh environments as well.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to further modify the connector of Ludwig et al. by having at least one of the coupling portion and a portion of the inner housing that is press-fitted into the coupling portion has a crushing protrusion provided thereon, the crushing protrusion protruding in a direction crossing a press-fit direction in which the electric wire insertion portion of the inner housing is press-fitted into the coupling portion as taught by the instant invention to further enhance a stable, reliable, secure and sturdy structure between housings and to secure the terminals from disconnector or damage by strong vibration and to protect the connector from harsh environments as well.
As per claim 14: Ludwig et al. discloses a connector 10. However, Ludwig et al. does not explicitly disclose wherein a housing seal sealing a space between the electric wire insertion portion of the inner housing and the electric wire insertion portion of the outer shell.
On the other hand, Ludwig mentioned a seal 40 is attached to the first connector housing 20. Then, the second connector housings 30 with attached network cables 100 are inserted through the seal 40 into the first connector housing 20. Thereafter, the seal holder 50 is arranged between the network cables 100, assembled into a lid-like structure and connected to the first connector housing 20 to further protect, prevent the connector from harsh environment as well as to provide more sturdy structure to support the terminal/connector once connects/engages to other connector. However, a person having ordinary skill in the art would know that having a structure as recited above is common knowledge in the art of the connector because such modification still would not change the function of the connector after all but to further enhance a stable, reliable, secure and sturdy structure between housings and to secure the terminals from disconnector or damage by strong vibration and to protect the connector from harsh environments as well.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to further modify the connector of Ludwig et al. by having a housing seal sealing a space between the electric wire insertion portion of the inner housing and the electric wire insertion portion of the outer shell as taught by the instant invention to further protect, prevent the connector from harsh environment as well as to provide more sturdy structure to support the terminal/connector once connects/engages to other connector.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-0288. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah 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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/T.H.N/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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