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
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, 8, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(1) as being anticipated by US Patent No. 7,418,183 B2 to Wittmeier et al. (hereinafter “Wittmeier”).
Regarding claim 1, Wittmeier discloses a cable entrance plate assembly comprising a cable entrance plate (e.g. 110 in Fig. 28) comprising a plurality of channels configurable to receive different sizes of optical fiber cables (clearly shown in Fig. 28); and a top piece (e.g. 20 in Fig. 13) configured to couple with the cable entrance plate, the top piece comprising a plurality of cable tie areas (50 in Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 3, Wittmeier discloses wherein the cable tie areas are in a shape of a T (e.g. Fig. 13 clearly shows the cable tie areas being each comprised of a vertically elongated body and a clamp that forms horizonal extending element).
Regarding claim 8, Wittmeier discloses wherein the cable entrance plate comprises a plurality of channels of different widths for defining ports of varying sizes (e.g. see Fig. 28).
Regarding claim 12, Wittmeier discloses wherein the cable entrance plate comprises one or more mounting features for coupling the cable entrance plate to the top piece (i.e. Fig. 28-30 clearly shows indentations of the cable entrance plate on the right and the left sides of the entrance plate serve as the mounting features for the entrance plate to couple with the top piece).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wittmeier.
Wittmeier discloses a cable entrance plate assembly as discussed above regarding claim 1. Although Wittmeier discloses the use of a cable entrance plate coupled to a top piece, it does not explicitly disclose that the cable entrance plate further comprises protrusions having a tab configured to engage with a slot in the top piece as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, the use of a tab-and-slot features for mechanically coupling fiber optic housing pieces is well known and common in the art. Such use of a protruding tab and a corresponding slot would have been advantageously used in the art since it would provide a simple, cost-effective mechanical coupling features capable of securely holding the entrance plate and the top piece together. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Wittmeier to have the cable entrance plate comprising protrusions having a tab configured to engage with a slot in the top piece as claimed in the present application.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 5,069,516 to Kohy et al. (hereinafter “Kohy”) in view of Wittmeier.
Regarding claim 13, Kohy discloses an optical fiber pedestal box comprising a pedestal (2 in Fig. 1), and an optical fiber box (1 in Fig. 1) configured to mount to the pedestal. However, it does not explicitly disclose the use of a cable entrance assembly comprising a cable entrance plate and a top piece configured to couple with the cable entrance plate as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such a cable entrance assembly is known in the art, as already discussed above regarding claim 1.
Specifically, Wittmeier discloses a cable entrance plate assembly comprising a cable entrance plate (e.g. 110 in Fig. 28) comprising a plurality of channels configurable to receive different sizes of optical fiber cables (clearly shown in Fig. 28); and a top piece (e.g. 20 in Fig. 13) configured to couple with the cable entrance plate, the top piece comprising a plurality of cable tie areas (50 in Fig. 13). One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize such cable entrance plate assembly to be advantageous and desirable since it would allow for effective environmental seal for multiple sizes of optical fiber cables and ensures adequate protection for fragile optical fiber components disposed within the fiber optic housing. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Kohy to have a cable entrance assembly in the manner claimed claim 13 of the present application.
Regarding claim 14, Kohy in view of Wittmeier renders the claimed optical fiber pedestal box obvious as discussed above. Although Wittmeier discloses the use of a cable entrance plate coupled to a top piece, it does not explicitly disclose that the cable entrance plate further comprises protrusions having a tab configured to engage with a slot in the top piece as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, the use of a tab-and-slot features for mechanically coupling fiber optic housing pieces is well known and common in the art. Such use of a protruding tab and a corresponding slot would have been advantageously used in the art since it would provide a simple, cost-effective mechanical coupling features capable of securely holding the entrance plate and the top piece together. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Kohy and Wittmeier to have the cable entrance plate comprising protrusions having a tab configured to engage with a slot in the top piece as claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 15, Wittmeier discloses wherein the cable tie areas are in a shape of a T (e.g. Fig. 13 clearly shows the cable tie areas being each comprised of a vertically elongated body and a clamp that forms horizonal extending element).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7, 9-11, 16-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 4-7 and 16-20, a cable entrance plate assembly comprising a cable entrance plate having a plurality of channels configured to receive different sizes of optical fiber cables and a top piece configured to couple with the cable entrance plate is known in the art, as already discussed above. However, none of the prior art fairly teaches or suggests such a cable entrance plate assembly wherein at least one channel of the plurality of channels comprises a plurality of breakable portions configured to adjust a length of the at least one channel, in the manner claimed in the present application.
Regarding claims 9-11, none of the prior art fairly teaches or suggests such a cable entrance plate assembly wherein the top piece comprises a plurality of prongs configured to interleave between the plurality of channels when the top piece is coupled to the cable entrance plate in the manner claimed in the present application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNG H PAK whose telephone number is (571)272-2353. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7AM- 5PM.
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/SUNG H PAK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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