CTNF 18/654,094 CTNF 78166 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 11 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 11, “an initial position” should be --the initial position--, per claim 2. In claim 20, “the substrate mating end” lacks antecedent basis . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-3, and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Hatagishi (US 5,037,319) . Regarding claim 1, Hatagishi discloses a connector assembly comprising: a connector housing (2) having terminal receiving cavities (3) which extend to a mating end (left end, Fig. 1) of the connector housing; electrical terminals (17) provided in the terminal receiving cavities, the terminals having mating portions (20) which extend from the terminal receiving cavities beyond the mating end of the electrical connector; a movable cover (6, 7) movably mounted on the connector housing, the movable cover extending over the mating portions of the terminals (Fig. 2); wherein the movable cover prevents unwanted engagement and damage to the mating portions of the terminals during shipping and assembly. Regarding claim 2, Hatagishi discloses the movable cover having a first wall (7) and side walls (6) which extend from the first wall, the first wall and the side walls extend from the mating end a further distance than the mating portions of the terminals extend from the mating end of the connector housing when the movable cover is in an initial position (Fig. 2). Regarding claim 3, Hatagishi discloses a latching projection (4) provided on the connector housing proximate the mating end. Regarding claim 5, Hatagishi discloses tracks (4, 4, 4, 4, Fig. 2) provided on side walls of the connector housing, the tracks extend from proximate the mating end. Regarding claim 6, Hatagishi discloses recesses (not labeled, Fig. 2) provided on the side walls of the cover . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 7-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatagishi in view of Lopata et al. (US 5,194,018) . Regarding claim 7, Lopata teaches tracks (24) having a dovetail configuration in which side walls of the tracks are tapered inward toward the side walls of the connector housing. Regarding claim 8, Lopata teaches recesses (26) having a dovetail configuration, the recesses configured to allow the tracks to be positioned therein, thereby allowing the tracks and the recesses to guide the cover as the cover is moved between a first latched position and a second latched position. Regarding claim 9, Lopata teaches the recesses having angled side walls and extend essentially the length of the cover. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use dovetail configurations, as taught by Lopata, in order to provide a more stable connection between the connector and the cover. Regarding claim 10, Lopata teaches a cover (12) initially attached to the connector housing (14) by molded connection points (28) which extend between ends of the cover and the mating end of the connector housing. Regarding claim 11, Lopata teaches the molding connection points (28) providing a breakable connection between the cover and the connector housing to maintain the cover in an initial position relative to the connector housing. Regarding claim 12, Lopata teaches the cover (12) initially attached to the connector housing by molded connection points which extend between ends of the cover and the mating end of the connector housing. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use molded connection points, as taught by Lopata, in order to more efficiently provide shipping and transportation of the parts before use. Regarding claim 13, Hatagishi discloses the movable cover having a first wall (7) and side walls (6) which extend from the first wall, the first wall and the side walls extend from the mating end a further distance than the mating portions of the terminals extend from the mating end of the connector housing when the movable cover is in an initial position. Regarding claim 14, Hatagishi discloses tracks (at 4) provided on side walls of the connector housing, the tracks extend from proximate the mating end. Regarding claim 15, Hatagishi discloses recesses (above 10) provided on the side walls of the cover. Regarding claim 16, Lopata teaches tracks (24) having a dovetail configuration in which side walls of the tracks are tapered inward toward the side walls of the connector housing. Regarding claim 17, Lopata teaches recesses (26) having a dovetail configuration, the recesses have angled side walls and extend essentially the length of the cover, the recesses are configured to allow the tracks to be positioned therein, thereby allowing the tracks and the recesses to guide the cover as the cover is moved between a first latched position and a second latched position . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatagishi in view of Myer et al. (US 7,670,177) . Regarding claim 18, Myer teaches the connector housing having mounting guide projections (120) which extend from the mating end and latching projections (138/122) positioned between the mating end. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use mounting guide projections, as taught by Myer, in order to unsure correct mating and protect the terminals. Regarding claim 19, Myer teaches the movable cover has a first wall (top of 24 in Fig. 1), a second wall (bottom) and side walls which extend between the first wall and the second wall, latch receiving projections (26) extend from the second wall of the cover, the latch receiving projections have latch receiving openings (192) which extend therethrough, mounting guide projection receiving openings (189) extend from a leading surface of the cover toward a rear surface of the cover, the mounting guide projection receiving openings are dimensioned to receive the mounting guide projections (120) therein. Regarding claim 20, Myer teaches the movable cover dimensioned to allow the first wall, the second wall and the side walls to extend from the substrate mating end (104) a further distance than the mating portions of the terminals extend from the mating end of the connector housing, an opening (180) provided in the second wall, the opening extends into a terminal receiving opening of the cover which extends between the first wall, the second wall and the side walls . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim 4 is 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 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /FELIX O FIGUEROA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/654,094 Page 2 Art Unit: 2831
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