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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/24/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the application. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-14, 16, 17, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe et al. US 2021/0210876 in view of Nakai et al. US 2015/0229067.
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe discloses an electrical connector, comprising: a first connection terminal (fig. 3; 4) having a first end (fig. 3; 41a) and a second end (fig. 3; 41b) opposite the first end (41a); and an insulation housing (fig. 2; 2) having a first housing portion (fig. 2; 20) and a second housing portion (fig. 2; 21), the first housing portion (20) extending in a first direction (fig. 2; z direction) and defining a terminal accommodation space (fig. 4; inside space of 20 that receives 4), the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) is installed in the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4), the second housing portion (21) extends from a side (fig. 2; outer side surface of 20) of the first housing portion (20) and defines an insertion passage (fig. 8; 51) communicated with the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4), the insertion passage (51) has an insertion port (front opening of 51).
Watanabe does not disclose the insertion port or the insertion passage is sized to prevent a finger from contacting the first connection terminal positioned in the terminal accommodation space through the insertion port or the insertion passage.
However, Nakai teaches the insertion port (fig. 1; 19) is sized to prevent a finger (the size of 19 prevents a finger from entering) from contacting the first connection terminal (fig. 1; 12) positioned in the terminal accommodation space (fig. 1; 15) through the insertion port (19).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the insertion port or the insertion passage is sized to prevent a finger from contacting the first connection terminal positioned in the terminal accommodation space through the insertion port or the insertion passage as suggested by Nakai for the benefit of improving the protection of users during operation or maintenance procedures.
Regarding claim 2, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) is electrically connectable to a second connection terminal (fig. 3; 3) of a mating connector (figs. 2-3; W, 3, 8).
Regarding claim 3, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein an end (fig. 3; 31) of the second connection terminal (3) passes through the insertion port (front opening of 51) and the insertion passage (51) to be inserted into the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4) to electrically contact the first connection terminal (4).
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the second housing portion (21) extends in a second direction (fig. 3; x direction) different from the first direction (z direction) to allow the second connection terminal (3) to be inserted into the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4) in the second direction (x direction).
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein an angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees is formed between the second direction and the first direction (xyz axis are always 90° apart).
Regarding claim 6, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the second housing portion (21) has a cylindrical shape (see figs. 3-6 and 8) defining the insertion passage (51).
Regarding claim 7, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) is visible when viewed from the insertion port (51; when viewed in the x direction, 41a can be seen from 51, see figs. 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 8, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses a fastening assembly (fig. 3; 5, 6) fastening the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) in the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4).
Regarding claim 9, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the fastening assembly (5, 6) keeps the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) in a fixed contact with the end (31) of the second connection terminal (3).
Regarding claim 10, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) has a first through-hole (fig. 3; 41c).
Regarding claim 11, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the fastening assembly (5, 6) includes a fastening screw (6) and a nut (5) arranged on opposite sides of the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) in the first direction (x direction).
Regarding claim 12, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the fastening screw (6) passes through a second through-hole (fig. 3; 31a) formed in the end (31) of the second connection terminal (3) and the first through-hole (41c) to be engaged with the nut (5).
Regarding claim 13, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the end (31) of the second connection terminal (3) and the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) are stacked and squeezed between the nut (5) and a head (see figs. 14-15) of the fastening screw (6).
Regarding claim 14, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the first end of the first connection terminal (41a) has a plate-shaped portion (shape of 41a) making a surface contact with the end of the second connection terminal (31).
Regarding claim 16, Watanabe discloses a connector assembly, comprising: an electrical connector (2, 4-6) including a first connection terminal (fig. 3; 4) and an insulation housing (fig. 2; 2), the first connection terminal (4) has a first end (fig. 3; 41a) and a second end (fig. 3; 41b) opposite the first end (41a), the insulation housing (fig. 2; 2) has a first housing portion (fig. 2; 20) and a second housing portion (fig. 2; 21), the first housing portion (20) extending in a first direction (fig. 2; z direction) and defining a terminal accommodation space (fig. 4; inside space of 20 that receives 4), the first end (41a) of the first connection terminal (4) is installed in the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4), the second housing portion (21) extends from a side (fig. 2; outer side surface of 20) of the first housing portion (20) and defines an insertion passage (fig. 8; 51) communicated with the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4), the insertion passage (51) has an insertion port (front opening of 51); and a mating connector (W, 3, 8) inserted and engaged with the electrical connector (2, 4-6) in a second direction (x direction).
Watanabe does not disclose the insertion port or the insertion passage is sized to prevent a finger from contacting the first connection terminal positioned in the terminal accommodation space through the insertion port or the insertion passage.
However, Nakai teaches the insertion port (fig. 1; 19) is sized to prevent a finger (the size of 19 prevents a finger from entering) from contacting the first connection terminal (fig. 1; 12) positioned in the terminal accommodation space (fig. 1; 15) through the insertion port (19).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the insertion port or the insertion passage is sized to prevent a finger from contacting the first connection terminal positioned in the terminal accommodation space through the insertion port or the insertion passage as suggested by Nakai for the benefit of improving the protection of users during operation or maintenance procedures.
Regarding claim 17, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the mating connector (W, 3, 8) has a second connection terminal (3) with an end (31) passing through the insertion port (front opening of 51) and the insertion passage (51) to be inserted into the terminal accommodation space (inside space of 20 that receives 4) to electrically contact the first connection terminal (4).
Regarding claim 19, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the electrical connector (2, 4-6) is a socket and the mating connector (W, 3, 8) is a plug connector.
Regarding claim 20, Watanabe modified by Nakai has been discussed above. Watanabe discloses wherein the second direction (x direction) is perpendicular to the first direction (z direction).
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe et al. US 2021/0210876 and Nakai et al. US 2015/0229067 as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Yamanaka US 2020/0067211.
Watanabe and Nakai disclose all of the claim limitations except wherein the fastening assembly has an insulation cover covering the head of the fastening screw.
However, Yamanaka teaches the fastening assembly (figs. 2-3; 32, 38) has an insulation cover (32) covering the head of the fastening screw (38).
Therefore, it would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the fastening assembly has an insulation cover covering the head of the fastening screw as suggested by Yamanaka for the benefit of optimizing protection against live high voltage connections.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe et al. US 2021/0210876 and Nakai et al. US 2015/0229067 as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Hall et al. US 7682205.
Watanabe and Nakai disclose (Watanabe) the second connection terminal (3) has another end (fig. 3; 32) connected with a cable (W).
Watanabe and Nakai do not disclose wherein the mating connector includes a shell extending in the second direction, the second connection terminal is partially arranged within the shell.
However, Hall teaches the mating connector (fig. 2; 102) includes a shell (fig. 2; 130) extending in the second direction (fig. 2; mating direction), the second connection terminal (fig. 2; 108) is partially arranged within the shell (130).
Therefore, it would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the mating connector includes a shell extending in the second direction, the second connection terminal is partially arranged within the shell as suggested by Hall for the benefit of providing improved guidance and protection of the second connection terminal during the mating process.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS E HARCUM whose telephone number is (571)272-9986. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah 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.
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/MARCUS E HARCUM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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