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 .
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sawabe (US 9,7,11,888).
Regarding claim 20, Sawabe discloses a connector assembly 10, comprising: a connector 100 comprising: a dielectric housing 2 having a mating front end 21 for mating with a mating connector and an opposite rear end defining a cable opening 12a (fig. 3) therein; and a plurality of electrically conductive terminals 22 disposed in the dielectric housing 2 (fig. 4) and comprising mating portions disposed proximate the mating front end of the dielectric housing for making electrical contact with corresponding terminals of the mating connector, and termination portions; a connector support 2e, 2f assembled (being an integral part) to the connector 100 and comprising: a back support 6 disposed outside and at the rear end of the dielectric housing 2 (fig. 3) and defining a center opening 6a aligned with the cable opening 12a (fig. 2) and a pair of opposing side openings 6b on opposite sides of the center opening 6a; a plurality of elongated rods (of 8, fig. 2) oriented along a mating direction (x-axis) of the connector and disposed inside of the housing extending from the rear end of the housing to the front end of the housing; and a pair of elongated fasteners 8 for fastening the connector to a plate 7, each of the elongated fasteners 8 engaging the back support 6 such that a rear portion of the elongated fastener is disposed in a corresponding side opening 6b, 6c of the back support 6, a front portion of the elongated fastener is disposed outside and adjacent the front end of the housing 2 (see fig. 2), and a middle portion 8C of the of the elongated fastener 8, extending between and connecting the rear and the front portions, is disposed inside of the housing (fig. 4), wherein the elongated fastener 8 is tightenable and securable against the back support 6; and a cable 4 comprising a plurality of conductors (column 4, lines 1-20) received inside the dielectric housing 2 through the cable opening 12a of the housing 2 and the center opening 6a of the back support 6 and terminated at the termination portions of the conductive terminals.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowable.
Regarding claim 1, the prior art of record does not disclose or teaches a connector assembly, comprising: a connector support assembled to a connector and comprising: each of a pair of U-shaped side supports having an elongated base disposed along, and substantially co-extensive with, a corresponding side of a dielectric housing, a first leg extending from a first end of the base and disposed on and facing the rear end of the dielectric housing and a second leg extending from an opposite second end of the base and disposed on and facing the front end of the dielectric housing, the first and second legs defining respective first and second openings therein; and a pair of elongated fasteners for fastening the connector to a plate, each of the elongated fasteners engaging a corresponding side support in the pair of side-supports such that a rear portion of the elongated fastener is disposed in the first opening of the corresponding side support, a front portion of the elongated fastener is disposed in the second opening of the corresponding side support, and a middle portion of the elongated fastener, extending between and connecting rear and the front portions, is disposed inside of a housing as required in combination with other limitations of this claim.
Regarding claim 1, Su et al. (US 8,062,054), discloses a connector assembly, comprising: a connector 100 comprising: a dielectric housing 4, 6 having a mating front end 424 for mating with a mating connector and an opposite rear end defining a cable opening (see fig. 3) therein; and a plurality of electrically conductive terminals 41 disposed at least partially in the dielectric housing and comprising mating portions disposed proximate the mating front end of the dielectric housing (figs. 2, 5) for making electrical contact with corresponding terminals of the mating connector, and termination portions.
However, Su does not disclose or teaches a connector support assembled to a connector and comprising: each of a pair of U-shaped side supports having an elongated base disposed along, and substantially co-extensive with, a corresponding side of a dielectric housing, a first leg extending from a first end of the base and disposed on and facing the rear end of the dielectric housing and a second leg extending from an opposite second end of the base and disposed on and facing the front end of the dielectric housing, the first and second legs defining respective first and second openings therein; and a pair of elongated fasteners for fastening the connector to a plate, each of the elongated fasteners engaging a corresponding side support in the pair of side-supports such that a rear portion of the elongated fastener is disposed in the first opening of the corresponding side support, a front portion of the elongated fastener is disposed in the second opening of the corresponding side support, and a middle portion of the elongated fastener, extending between and connecting rear and the front portions, is disposed inside of a housing as required by this claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO 892.
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/HARSHAD C PATEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831