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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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, 10, 11, 13, 15-17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Goren US 20230378679 A1.
In reference to claim 1, Goren teaches a system (fig. 25), comprising: a terminal block (2500) including a busbar (as similarly shown 815; fig. 15) including a socket (as similarly shown, 820; fig. 15) configured to receive a pin, a spring (as similarly shown, 810; fig. 15) having a loop shape, wherein the spring is configured to couple a wire to the busbar, a lever (130; fig. 25) configured to pivot to actuate the spring, wherein the lever is configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position, and a connector system configured to couple the terminal block to a second terminal block (see fig. 25, 29); and wherein the terminal block is a pluggable type terminal block.
In reference to claim 2, Goren teaches further comprising: the second terminal block being connected to the terminal block via the connector system (see fig. 25, 29); wherein the connector system includes one or more pegs and one or more holes; and the pegs are coupled to the holes (see fig. 28, 29).
In reference to claim 10, Goren teaches a system (fig. 25), comprising: a terminal block (2500) including a busbar including a socket (as similarly shown, 820; fig. 15) configured to receive a pin, wherein the socket includes at least two leaves (as similarly shown, 1420; fig. 15), wherein the socket includes a bridge (as similarly shown, 1415; fig. 15) that spans between the leaves, wherein the socket is configured to secure the pin between the leaves, a spring (as similarly shown, 810; fig. 15) configured to couple a wire to the busbar, a lever (130; fig. 25) configured to pivot to actuate the spring, wherein the lever is configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position, wherein the terminal block is configured to receive a wire when the lever is in the open position, wherein the terminal block is configured to couple to the wire when the lever is in the closed position, and a plug (2515; fig. 25) configured to plug into a port.
In reference to claim 11, Goren teaches wherein: the leaves curve to form arches; the arches curve away from each other to form lips; the lips define a mouth that is configured to receive the pin; and the lips are configured to guide the pin into the socket (as similarly shown, see the structure in fig. 15).
In reference to claim 13, Goren teaches wherein: the spring defines an aperture (as similarly shown, 905; fig. 15); the spring having a base (as similarly shown, 830; fig. 15) resting against the busbar; the spring has an arm (as similarly shown, 845; fig. 15) with a leg (as similarly shown, 855; fig. 15) that extends past the busbar and a fulcrum (as similarly shown, 830; fig. 15) connecting the base to the arm; the spring is configured to flex between a first position and a second position; and the aperture is configured to retain the wire in the second position.
In reference to claim 15, Goren teaches wherein: the terminal block is a first terminal block; the first terminal block is configured to couple to a second terminal block; the first terminal block includes a first plug and the second terminal block includes a second plug (see 2525, 2535; fig. 28); the first terminal block is configured to sit flush against the second terminal block (see fig. 25, 28, 29); and the first plug and the second plug define a gap between each other (see the illustration below;, where a tiny corner is formed at A between the terminal block body and the plug and another tiny corner is formed at B between the other terminal block body and the other plug. When the terminal blocks are joined, the tiny corners will form a narrow gap between the first and second plug).
In reference to claim 16, Goren teaches a system (fig. 25), comprising: a terminal block (2500) including a plug (2515; fig. 25) configured to plug into a port, a busbar (as similarly shown 815; fig. 15) including a socket (as similarly shown 820; fig. 15) configured to receive a pin, a spring (as similarly shown 810; fig. 15) configured to couple a wire to the busbar, wherein the spring has a base (as similarly shown, 830 abutting 815; fig. 15) resting against the busbar, wherein the spring has an arm (as similarly shown, 845; fig. 15) with a leg (as similarly shown, 855; fig. 15) that extends past the busbar and a fulcrum (as similarly shown, 830 near 1510; fig. 15) connecting the base to the arm, a lever (130; fig. 25) having a cam surface (as similarly shown, 1110; fig. 12) configured to contact the spring as the lever rotates, wherein the lever is configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position, wherein the lever is bistable in the closed position and the open position, wherein the spring is configured to flex between the closed position and the open position, wherein the spring defines an aperture (as similarly shown, 305; fig. 15) to receive the wire in the open position (as similarly shown, see fig. 12), and wherein the aperture of the spring closes to retain the wire against the busbar when in the closed position (as similarly shown, see fig. 13).
In reference to claim 17, Goren teaches wherein: the spring includes an edge (as similarly shown, 910; fig. 12) at the aperture; wherein the edge and the busbar define a gap (as similarly shown, see fig. 12); and wherein the edge is configured to press the wire against the busbar to electrically connect the wire and the busbar (as similarly shown, see fig. 13).
In reference to claim 20, Goren teaches wherein: the terminal block includes a connector system (2820, 2710, 2815, 2705 and 2810, 2610, 2805, 2605; fig. 29); and the connector system is configured to couple the terminal block to a second terminal block (see fig. fig. 29 where the ribs (2710, 2705) secure into the slots (2810, 2805)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9, 12, 14, 18, 19 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
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/TRAVIS S CHAMBERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 06/10/2026
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