DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed on 5/2/2024.
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. GERMANY 102023111650.9, filed on 05/04/2023.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. EP 23216358.4, filed on 12/13/2023.
Specification
The following guidelines illustrate the preferred layout for the specification of a utility application. These guidelines are suggested for the applicant’s use.
Arrangement of the Specification
As provided in 37 CFR 1.77(b), the specification of a utility application should include the following sections in order. Each of the lettered items should appear in upper case, without underlining or bold type, as a section heading. If no text follows the section heading, the phrase “Not Applicable” should follow the section heading:
(a) TITLE OF THE INVENTION.
(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS.
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT.
(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT.
(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A READ-ONLY OPTICAL DISC, AS A TEXT FILE OR AN XML FILE VIA THE PATENT ELECTRONIC SYSTEM.
(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR.
(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.
(1) Field of the Invention.
(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S).
(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.
(k) CLAIM OR CLAIMS (commencing on a separate sheet).
(l) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE (commencing on a separate sheet).
(m) SEQUENCE LISTING. (See MPEP § 2422.03 and 37 CFR 1.821 - 1.825). A “Sequence Listing” is required on paper if the application discloses a nucleotide or amino acid sequence as defined in 37 CFR 1.821(a) and if the required “Sequence Listing” is not submitted as an electronic document either on read-only optical disc or as a text file via the patent electronic system.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The sections in the specification filed on 5/2/2024 are missing their respective headings.
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 3, 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.
Claim 3 recites “wherein a collar surrounds a contact field of the hybrid connector”. The meaning and scope of “contact field” is unclear. While the specification indicates that the contact field is formed by contact elements, it is unclear what structural boundaries define the contact field and therefore what it means for the collar to surround the contact field. For examination purposes, the Examiner will interpret the recited “contact field” as the region defined by the contact elements of the hybrid connector, consistent with the specification’s disclosure that the contact field is formed by the contact elements in page 6, line 29. Accordingly, the limitation that “a collar surrounds a contact field of the hybrid connector” is interpreted as requiring a collar to surround the region defined by the contact elements.
Claim 10, lines 2 – 3, recite “is completely below the electrical connection area with respect to gravity”. It is unclear how the recited positional relationship can be determined because the claim does not specify an orientation of the claimed connector from which “below” is measured. The recitation “with respect to gravity” does not provide reasonable certainty regarding the scope of the invention because the relative positions of the fluid connection area and electrical connection area may vary depending upon the orientation of the connector. For examination purposes, the Examiner will interpret this limitation as requiring the fluid connection area to be located vertically beneath the electrical connection area when the claimed structure is positioned in an intended operational orientation.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3 – 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Röhrig (US 20210140576, cited in the IDS on 8/22/2024).
Regarding claim 1, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) a housing part (10a, 10b) for a hybrid connector (54a, 55a) for the transmission of electrical current and at least one fluid (¶0019) to a mating connector (56a) along a connection direction (“X” in annotation), comprising an electrical connection area (55a) and a fluid connection area (54a) which is separate from the electrical connection area (¶0019) and has an external connection (42a) located at a distal end (end where 58 is seen in figure 4) with at least one fluid channel (2030a; ¶0036 – ¶0038) for connecting at least one fluid hose (38a) transversely to the connection direction (¶0049).
~ Please see annotation of figure 3 in the Röhrig reference, where the fluid hose 38a, the external connection 42a, the fluid connection area 54a, the electrical connection area 55a, the mating connector 56a, the fluid channel 2030a, and the insertion direction “X” can be seen.
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Regarding claim 3, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1, wherein a collar (46 in figure 4) surrounds a contact field of the hybrid connector (54a, 55a).
Regarding claim 4, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fluid channel (2030a) comprises two respective segments (18, 28) with cylindrical inner shapes (¶0037 – ¶0038).
Regarding claim 5, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fluid channel (2030a) is configured as a separate part mounted to the hybrid connector (i.e. disclosed fluid channel 2030a is capable of being mounted separately from the disclosed hybrid connector).
Regarding claim 6, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1, wherein an internal connection (see connection in figure 3) of the at least one fluid channel (2030a) located at a proximal end (figure 5) is configured for connection parallel to the connection direction (i.e. see parallel connection in B – B axis between 18 and 36 in figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 6, wherein the internal connection (see connection in figure 3) has a separate seal (22).
Regarding claim 9, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1, wherein the housing part (10a, 10b) comprises a grommet attachment portion (22) for attaching a grommet (24; ¶0046).
Regarding claim 10, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1, wherein the housing part (10a, 10b) is configured such that, in the intended operating state, the fluid connection area (54a) is completely below the electrical connection area (55a) with respect to gravity (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 12, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) a hybrid connector (54a, 55a), comprising a housing part (10a, 10b) according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 13, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the hybrid connector according to claim 12, wherein the hybrid connector (54a, 55a) is configured as a plug (¶0056 – ¶0058).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 2, 8, 11, 14, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Röhrig (US 20210140576, cited in the IDS on 8/22/2024) in view of Saba (US 20020058436, cited in the IDS on 8/22/2024).
Regarding claim 2, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1.
But Röhrig does not explicitly disclose wherein in the connected state the electrical connection area is sealed in a fluid-tight manner.
Saba teaches (figure 2) a connector wherein in the connected state the electrical connection area (31) is sealed (23) in a fluid-tight manner (¶0041).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Röhrig with the connector as disclosed by Saba to provide wherein in the connected state the electrical connection area is sealed in a fluid-tight manner, improving the connector’s resistance against water, dust, and debris.
Regarding claim 8, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1.
But Röhrig does not explicitly disclose wherein the inner clear cross-section of the at least one fluid channel widens in an end section towards one or the proximal end.
Saba teaches (figure 2) a connector wherein the inner clear cross-section of the at least one fluid channel (cross section of 22) widens in an end section towards one or the proximal end (see figure 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Röhrig with the connector as disclosed by Saba to provide wherein the inner clear cross-section of the at least one fluid channel widens in an end section towards one or the proximal end, as this would have predictably provided the advantage of facilitating detection of tube disconnection (i.e. ¶0006 in Saba), thereby improving operational reliability.
Regarding claim 11, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the housing part according to claim 1.
But Röhrig does not explicitly disclose wherein the fluid connection area lies completely in a first half-space defined by a plane and the electrical connection area lies completely in a second half-space complementary to the first half-space.
Saba teaches (figure 2) a connector wherein the fluid connection area (55W) lies completely in a first half-space (see figure 2) defined by a plane and the electrical connection area (31) lies completely in a second half-space (see figure 2) complementary to the first half-space.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Röhrig with the connector as disclosed by Saba to provide wherein the fluid connection area lies completely in a first half-space defined by a plane and the electrical connection area lies completely in a second half-space complementary to the first half-space, as this would have predictably provided the advantage of facilitating detection of tube disconnection (i.e. ¶0006 in Saba), thereby improving operational reliability.
Regarding claim 14, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the hybrid connector according to claim 12.
But Röhrig does not explicitly disclose wherein the hybrid connector is configured such that the connection of the internal connection to a mating element is sealed off from the electrical connection area in the connected state by at least two independent seals.
Saba teaches (figure 2) a connector wherein the hybrid connector (15) is configured such that the connection of the internal connection to a mating element (30) is sealed off from the electrical connection area (31) in the connected state by at least two independent seals (23, 24, 71).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Röhrig with the connector as disclosed by Saba to provide wherein the hybrid connector is configured such that the connection of the internal connection to a mating element is sealed off from the electrical connection area in the connected state by at least two independent seals, improving the connector’s resistance against water, dust, and debris.
Regarding claim 15, Röhrig teaches (figures 1 – 7, annotation) the hybrid connector according to claim 12.
But Röhrig does not explicitly disclose wherein the hybrid connector is configured to be connected to a mating connector attached to a surface.
Saba teaches (figure 2) a connector wherein the hybrid connector (15) is configured to be connected to a mating connector (30) attached to a surface (11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Röhrig with the connector as disclosed by Saba to provide wherein the hybrid connector is configured to be connected to a mating connector attached to a surface, as this would have predictably provided the advantage of facilitating detection of tube disconnection (i.e. ¶0006 in Saba), thereby improving operational reliability.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Carlos E. Lopez-Pagan whose telephone number is (703)756-5734. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30a - 5:00p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tulsidas Patel can be reached at (571) 272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS E LOPEZ-PAGAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights