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 .
35 USC 102 Rejections
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, 2 and 4-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brennauer 11,342,709.
Regarding claim 1, Brennauer (Figure 2a and 3) discloses a plug connector, comprising: a housing 3; and a locking system arranged on the housing, the locking system has an actuating lever 210 and a locking lever 23, the locking lever has a latching element 2101, the actuating lever and the locking lever are connected to one another at a first end of the locking lever, the locking lever is a bending bar that creates a spring force in a direction of the housing, the locking lever extends to a second end along a plug-in direction from the housing, the actuating lever is connected to the housing by a supporting web 22 and projects beyond the supporting web in a direction opposite the plug-in direction.
Regarding claim 2, Brennauer discloses the latching element 2101 is a latching lug arranged at the second end of the locking lever 23.
Regarding claim 4, Brennauer discloses the supporting web 22 extends perpendicular to the plug-in direction from the housing 3.
Regarding claim 5, Brennauer discloses a travel limiter 2102 arranged at an end of the locking system opposite the plug-in direction.
Regarding claim 6, Brennauer discloses the travel limiter 2102 is positioned at a distance from the supporting web 22.
Regarding claim 7, Brennauer discloses the travel limiter 2102 includes a bulge on an inside of the actuating lever 210.
Regarding claim 8, Brennauer discloses the travel limiter includes a structure on the housing 3.
Regarding claim 9, Brennauer discloses the travel limiter includes a structure on the housing 3 that is complementary to the bulge 2102.
Regarding claim 10, Brennauer discloses the actuating lever 210 has an actuating area (near 2102) at an end opposite the plug-in direction.
Regarding claim 11, Brennauer discloses the actuating area is widened outward.
Regarding claim 12, Brennauer discloses the actuating arca has a structured actuating surface (unnumbered ribs) on an outside of the actuating lever 210.
Regarding claim 13, Brennauer discloses the housing 3 has an outwardly widened area that widens the housing perpendicular to the plug-in direction.
Regarding claim 14, Brennauer discloses the locking lever 23 extends from the outwardly widened area.
Regarding claim 15, Brennauer discloses the latching lug 2101 has an undercut and projects from the locking lever 23 in a direction of the housing 3 perpendicular to the plug-in direction.
Regarding claim 16, Brennauer discloses the latching lug 2101 has a chamfer (unnumbered) formed in the plug-in direction.
Regarding claim 17, Brennauer discloses the actuating lever 210 is bent outwards starting from the outwardly widened area.
Regarding claim 18, Brennauer discloses a connector strip having a connector housing 60. Brennauer is further applied as above.
Regarding claim 19, Brennauer discloses the latching element 2101 engages in a latching pocket 61 of the connector housing 60.
Regarding claim 20, Brennauer discloses the plug housing 3 has a width that is less than or equal to a width of the connector housing 60.
35 USC 103 Rejection
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) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brennauer.
It would have been an obvious matter of routine experimentation to arrange the supporting web 22 of Brennauer on the housing 3 at a point at which the locking lever 23 extends from the housing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 571-272-3560. 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.
/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights