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
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)(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.
Claim(s) 11, 14, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Preischel et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2018/0299370; hereinafter referred to as Preischel).
With respect to claim 11, Preischel discloses and illustrates a securing part for a housing (15), wherein the securing part is ring-shaped and extends about a longitudinal axis (see figures 3 and 4; Figure 3 reproduced below for reference), the securing part comprising: a first edge (A) and a second edge (B) opposite the first edge, wherein the first edge includes at least two bayonet grooves (31) which are configured to secure the securing part to the housing, wherein the at least two bayonet grooves extend along the longitudinal axis and transversely relative to the longitudinal axis about the longitudinal axis (shown in Figure 3 below), wherein the at least two bayonet grooves each have an inlet, a ridge, a stop, and a groove base having a groove depth (shown in Figure 3 below), wherein each stop is configured to limit the respective bayonet groove in its extension about the longitudinal axis (shown in Figure 3 below), and wherein each ridge is arranged between the respective inlet and the respective stop on the groove base and extends from the groove base radially relative to the longitudinal axis at a predetermined height (shown in Figure 3 below).
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With respect to claim 14, the securing part according to claim 11, wherein each bayonet groove includes a longitudinal groove (near the inlet, shown in Figure 3 above) and a transverse groove (along the length shown at 31, shown in Figure 3 above), wherein the transverse groove extends parallel or obliquely to the first edge.
With respect to claim 16, the securing part according to claim 11, wherein the securing part includes at least one first bayonet groove and a second bayonet groove opposite the first bayonet groove on the securing part (two grooves 31, shown in Figure 3 above).
With respect to claim 17, the securing part according to claim 11, wherein the second edge includes a projection (29), which extends radially relative to the longitudinal axis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 12, 13, 15, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Preischel as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Henrici et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2007/0165415; hereinafter referred to as Henrici).
With respect to claim 12, while the securing part according to claim 11, wherein each ridge extends about the longitudinal axis between a first ridge end and a second ridge end is disclosed in Preischel (shown in Figure 3 above), Preischel fails to disclose or illustrate wherein the first ridge end includes a first ridge bevel, and the second ridge end includes a second ridge bevel. However, Henrici discloses and illustrates a first ridge bevel and a second ridge bevel on the interlocking structure (see at least Figure 7 and paragraph [0018] of Henrici). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the bevel structures in Henrici with the system of Preischel in order to allows axial positioning by means of a corresponding rotational motion. This would allow a better securing means for the housing to interlock one to the other.
With respect to claim 13, the securing part according to claim 11, wherein the securing part comprises a resilient material is not explicitly disclosed in Preischel. However, Henrici discloses the use of spring tongues with the interlocking system (see at least paragraph [0022] of Henrici). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to use a spring tongue such as disclosed in Henrici with the system of Preischel in order to allows axial positioning by means of a corresponding rotational motion. This would allow a better securing means for the housing to interlock one to the other.
With respect to claim 15, the securing part according to claim 11, wherein the at least two bayonet grooves each define a central angle between 10° and 150° with the respective inlet and the respective stop on the longitudinal axis is not explicitly disclosed in Preischel. However, Henrici discloses that an angle is formed between the surface region and the springed tongues of the interlocking structure (see at least paragraph [0046] of Henrici). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to use the angled surface and tongues of Henrici with the system of Preischel in order to allow for a secure locking mechanism as the angle is disclosed to determine the torque required to unscrew the housing from each other (see at least paragraph [0046] of Henrici).
With respect to claim 18, while Preischel does disclose and illustrate a housing for a field device, the housing comprising: the securing part according to claim 11 (shown in Figure 3 above); and a cylindrical housing body (15, shown in Figure 3 above), which extends about the longitudinal axis and includes a housing edge (shown in Figure 3 above), which includes at least two bayonet teeth (29, see at least Figure 1 of Preischel), which each extend radially relative to the longitudinal axis (see at least Figure 1 of Preischel), wherein the at least two bayonet teeth are each complementary to the at least two bayonet grooves (see at least paragraph [0041] of Preischel), wherein the at least two bayonet teeth each include a first tooth end and a second tooth end, Preischel fails to disclose or illustrate wherein a first tooth bevel is arranged at the first tooth end and a second tooth bevel is arranged at the second tooth end, and/or a first ridge bevel is arranged on the first ridge end and a second ridge bevel is arranged on the second ridge end, or wherein a first tooth bevel is arranged at the first tooth end and a second ridge bevel is arranged on the second ridge end, or a first ridge bevel is arranged on the first ridge end and a second tooth bevel is arranged at the second tooth end, wherein the ridges and the bayonet teeth are configured for coming into contact with each other when the bayonet teeth are moved in the bayonet grooves. However, Henrici discloses the use of beveled surfaces as a part of the interlocking mechanism (see at least Figure 7 and paragraph [0018] of Henrici). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the bevel structures in Henrici with the system of Preischel in order to allows axial positioning by means of a corresponding rotational motion. This would allow a better securing means for the housing to interlock one to the other.
With respect to claim 19, the housing according to claim 18, wherein the first tooth end and the second tooth end define a tooth length (see at least Figure 1 of Preischel), and the second ridge end and the stop define a ridge-stop length, and wherein the tooth length and the ridge-stop length are identical such that the bayonet tooth is operable to engage between the ridge and the stop (see at least paragraph [0041] of Preischel).
With respect to claim 20, the housing according to claim 18, wherein the first ridge end and the second ridge end define a ridge length, and the bayonet tooth includes a recess which is arranged between the first tooth end and the second tooth end and has a recess length, wherein the recess length and the ridge length are identical such that the ridge is operable to engage with the recess (see at least paragraph [0041] of Preischel).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY T FRANK whose telephone number is (571)272-2193. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5:30pm.
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/RODNEY T FRANK/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
March 7, 2026