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 because Figure 22 of the drawings includes three reference numbers 17, 18 and 31, just placed in Figure 22, without lines pointing at any element.
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: SAFETY LOCK MECHANISM HAVING DUAL LOCK SYSTEM.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abbreviation “CPA” is not written with a full terminology with the abbreviation enclosed within a parenthesis.
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 Objections
Claims 1 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 8, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “a CPA device” to -- a connector position assurance (CPA) device --.
Claim 7, line 2, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “the housing” to -- the connector housing -- in order for the claims to have the consistent terminology.
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.
Claims 1-10 are 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.
Paragraph [0058], lines 2-3 describe and Figure 1 of the drawings shows the connector assembly 1 including two separate connectors, a connector 2 and a counter-connector 3. However, claim 1 recites that the connector assembly comprising just one connector, “a connector” and then this “a connector” comprising a counter-connector as one of the components of the connector along with other components a connector housing, at least one terminal, and a CPA device. Therefore, it is not clear whether “a counter-connector” recited in claim 1 is the same counter-connector 3 as described and shown in the specification and the drawings.
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) 1-5 and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schroll et al (US 9,899,761 B2).
Schroll discloses a connector assembly 100, comprising: (claim 1) a connector 104 further comprising: a connector housing 110, at least one terminal 166 configured to be inserted in a cavity 106 formed in the connector housing 110; a counter-connector 102 configured to be mated with the connector 104 in a mating direction 112; and a CPA device 118 slidably mounted on the connector housing 110 between an initial position (see Fig. 5) and a final position (see Fig. 6), wherein movement of the CPA device 118 between the initial position and the final position is released by the mating of the connector 104 with the counter-connector 102, wherein the connector 104 further comprises a safety locking member 162 which is slidably mounted on the connector 104 between an open position (see Fig. 5) in which the safety locking member 162 is attached to the connector 104 and in which the safety locking member 162 leaves both the CPA device 118 and the counter-connector 102 free to be moved with respect to the connector 104 and a closed position (see Fig. 4) in which the safety locking member 162 prevents a movement of both the CPA device 118 and the counter-connector 102 with respect to the connector 104;
(claims 2) wherein the safety locking member 162 is configured to be moved between the open position (see Fig. 5) and the closed position (see Fig. 6) in a mounting direction 191 (see Figs. 4-6) perpendicular to the mating direction 112 (see Figs. 4-6);
(claim 3) wherein the safety locking member 162 comprises a CPA locking feature configured to prevent a movement of the CPA device with respect to the connector when the safety locking member 162 is in closed position, this CPA locking feature extending essentially parallel to the mounting direction 191;
(claim 4) wherein the CPA locking feature also prevents a movement of the counter-connector 102 with respect to the connector 104 when the safety locking member 162 is in closed position;
(claim 5) wherein the safety locking member 162 comprises a counter-connector locking feature 210 configured to prevent a movement of the counter-connector 102 with respect to the connector 104 when the safety locking member 162 is in closed position, this counter-connector locking feature 210 extending essentially parallel to the mounting direction 191;
(claim 9) wherein the safety locking member 162 comprises a SLS locking latch 202 configured to keep the safety locking member 162 slidingly mounted on the housing 110; and
(claim 10) wherein the safety locking member 162 has a U-shape with two legs 192, 194 extending essentially parallel to the mounting direction 191 and a beam 196 extending essentially perpendicular to the mounting direction 191, wherein the safety locking member 162 is mounted astride the connector housing 110 over at least a portion of the CPA device 118 and a portion of the counter-connector 102.
Regarding claim 11, Schroll discloses a method of assembling and mating, in a mating direction 112, a connector 104 with a counter-connector 102, the connector 104 having a connector housing 110, at least one terminal 166 accommodated in a cavity 106 formed in the connector housing 110, and a CPA device 118 slidably mounted on the connector housing 110, the method comprising: mating the connector 104 with the counter-connector 102; moving the CPA device 118 between an initial position (see Fig. 5) and a final position (see Fig. 6), wherein movement of the CPA device 118 between the initial position and the final position is enabled by the mating of the connector 104 with the counter-connector 102; and moving a safety locking member 162 which is slidably mounted on the connector 104, between an open position (see Fig. 5) in which the safety locking member 162 is attached to the connector 104 and in which the safety locking member 162 leaves both the CPA device 118 and the counter-connector 102 free to be moved with respect to the connector 104 and a closed position (see Fig. 6) in which the safety locking member 162 prevents a movement of both the CPA device 118 and the counter-connector 102 with respect to the connector 102.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 are 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.
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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