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.
The following title is suggested: A CONNECTOR WITH A LEVER.
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 1-4 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 1, line 15 recites, “ the housing”. It is not clear that this ‘housing’ is of connector housing of the housing of the mating connector? For the further examination, “the housing” is considered as -the housing of the (first) connector-.
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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park (US 8,297,992)
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a connector 100 comprising: a plurality of terminals; a housing 110 containing the plurality of terminals; and a lever 120 pivotably attached to the housing, and configured such that when the lever is pivoted, the lever 120 brings the housing 110 and a housing 210 of a mating connector 200 closer to each other to fit the housing of the connector and the housing of the mating connector, wherein the lever 120 includes: a first side plate 121 formed with a pivot fulcrum hole 124serving as a center of pivot on one end side; a second side plate 121 formed with a pivot fulcrum protruding portion 126 serving as the center of pivot on one end side; and an operation portion 120 connecting the other end of the first side plate and the other end of the second side plate, wherein the housing 110 is formed with: a boss 114 configured to be fitted in the pivot fulcrum hole 124 of the first side plate 121; and a recessed portion 112 configured to allow the pivot fulcrum protruding 126 portion of the second side plate 121 to be fitted therein.
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses, an elongated hole 125 is formed closer to the other end side than the pivot fulcrum protruding portion 126 of the second side plate 121, and the housing 110 is formed with an auxiliary guide boss 115 configured to be movably positioned in the elongated hole 125.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 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.
Regarding clams 3 and 4, the prior art of record does not disclose or teaches a connector comprising a spacer attached to the housing to prevent the terminals from detaching, wherein the housing is formed with a spacer-receiving recessed portion in which the spacer fits, the recessed portion and the spacer-receiving recessed portion are provided adjacent to each other, and a pivot area of the second side plate is provided so as not to overlap the spacer-receiving recessed portion as required by these claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARSHAD C PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-8289. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5.00 pm (EST).
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, 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.
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.
/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights