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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is a continuation of the PCT Application Number PCT/JP2023/005660, being filed on February 4, 2023.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in present Application filed on June 25, 2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed May 31, 2024 have been submitted for consideration by the Office. It has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Applicants must continue to submit prior art references throughout the patent application process. A supplemental IDS must be submitted if prior art is discovered through a foreign patent application or an International Patent Search, or a related application before a prosecution closes.
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 4-9 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.
Rejection of claims 4-9, the limitation “the harness body is routed to at least one of a plurality of the link mechanisms” is indefinite or unclear.
The term “a plurality of the link mechanisms” lacks antecedent basis. Because claim has “a link mechanism” not “a plurality of the link mechanisms”. And not clear relationship established between a plurality of
Additionally, as shown in figure 1, a wire harness body 10 is only attached to single link mechanism 610B, and is not attached to any of link mechanisms 610A. and furthermore, it does not mentioned by specification how and why same wire harness body 10 is attached link mechanisms 610A. Therefore, it is not clear and not supported by specification and figures having at least one of a plurality of the link mechanisms which includes more than one plurality of the link mechanisms.
Appropriate action is required.
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-AlA) 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 102 which forms the basis for all rejections set forth 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) (whichever apply) as being anticipated by Sato et al. (US20070148992, herein referred to as Sato).
Rejection of claim 1, Sato (figure 1-3) discloses a wire harness 9 comprising:
a harness body that is a routing component (a wire14) that electrically connects a first electrical connection target installed on a slide door and a second electrical connection target installed on a vehicle body (see paragraphs 0006, 0011 and 0058 wherein harness is continuously supply electric power by power supply unit to auxiliary equipment ) , and includes a route regulating portion (a portion of the wire 14 at 11) that is routed along a link mechanism (a link arm 2) that couples the slide door (a door 1) and the vehicle body (a vehicle body 1) and reciprocates the slide door in a sliding direction with respect to the vehicle body (see the figures and specification); and a harness fixing structure that fixes the route regulating portion to the link mechanism at least one location so as not to cause relative displacement between the route regulating portion and the link mechanism (A slide protector 11 made of a synthetic resin is mounted on an outer surface (front side surface) of the link arm 2 in parallel relation thereto).
Rejection of claim 2, Sato discloses the wire harness according to claim 1, wherein the harness fixing structure fixes the route regulating portion to an arm member having a door-side turning fulcrum of the link mechanism at one end portion and having a vehicle body-side turning fulcrum of the link mechanism at other end portion (see figures of Sato which has an arm member at 2 having a door-side turning fulcrum of the link mechanism at both side ) .
Rejection of claim 3, Sato discloses the wire harness according to claim 2, wherein in the harness fixing structure, one end of the route regulating portion is fixed to the one end portion of the arm member, and other end of the route regulating portion is fixed to the other end portion of the arm member ( each of both ends of arm member to fix to each of both ends of the route regulating portion of wire 14 by fixing structure 11 in figures of Sato).
Pertinent Prior Arts
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the enclosed PTO-892 form for the citation of pertinent arts in the present case, all of which disclose various wire harnesses.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PARESH PAGHADAL whose telephone number is (571)272-5251. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00AM-4:00PM, Monday - Thursday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached on (571)272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PARESH PAGHADAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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