DETAILED ACTION
The applicant response filed on January 07, 2026 is being examined.
Election/Restriction
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, figure 3 encomssing claims 1-10 and 14 in the reply filed on is acknowledged. Therefore, claims 11-13 are withdrawn as being drawn to non-elected subject matter.
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.
Claim 1-10 and 14 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 claim 1, the limitation “the at least one first joint includes a flat plate, and the at least one second joint includes another flat plate that is superimposed on the flat plate with a bolt inserted there- through in a state where the at least one first joint is joined to the at least one second joint.” contains subject matter which is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter as well as lacking necessary structure.
Claim fails to clearly show how bolt is passing though the both plates without though holes when structure is avoided in the claim while specification showing it is critical part of structure; it must require the at least one first joint includes first bolt holes that passes through in the height direction of the first tube, the at least one second joint includes second bolt holes that passes through in the height direction of the second tube, and the first bolts hole and the second bolt holes are aligned in the height direction of the first tube. Claims lacking essential structure.
Additionally, claim describes “at least one first joint” and “at least second joint” appears to be at least one first joints and at least second joints.
Therefore, proper clarification is required.
Rejection of claims 2-10 and 14, claims 2-14 are dependent on claim 1, therefore claims 2-14 are rejected by the same reason applied to rejection of claim 1 above.
Rejection of claim 5, the limitation “a plurality of first wires” contains subject matter which is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter. It is not clear how the first wire in claim 1 and a plurality of first wires are related such as a plurality of first wires includes the first wire in claim 1 or is separate from the first wire 1 in claim, no clear indication is given. Please clarify.
Appropriate clarification is required.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 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 § 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) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1)/ (a)(2) (whichever apply)as being anticipated by JPH06-62718 ((cited reference), hereinafter JPH06), Chen et al. (CN 110901564A, herein referred to as Chen), and Sugino et al. (US20180175596, hereinafter Sugino).
Rejection of claim 1, JPH06 discloses routing member (figures 1-7 of JPH06) comprising:
a first housing including a first tube through which a first wire passes (a first protector body with a first wire inside for example one of 21 in figure 6); and
a second housing including a second tube that differs from the first tube (a second protector body for example other of 21 in figure 6 with a second wire inside adjacent to the first protector body) and through which a second wire passes (see paragraphs 0022-0029 of JPH06 ),
wherein the first housing further includes at least one first Joint provided integrally with the first tube (a first Joint(for example 25 in figure 6) of the first protector body),
the second housing further includes at least one second Joint provided integrally with the second tube (a second Joint(for example 25 in figure 6) of the second protector body), and the at least one second Joint is joined to the at least one first Joint and together with the at least one first Joint maintains a state where the second tube is disposed along the first tube (see figures 3-6).
JPH06 fails to disclose a second wire which carries a lower voltage than the first wire;
the at least one first joint includes a flat plate, and the at least one second joint includes another flat plate that is superimposed on the flat plate with a bolt inserted there- through in a state where the at least one first joint is joined to the at least one second joint; and
Chen discloses the at least one first joint includes a flat plate, and the at least one second joint includes another flat plate that is superimposed on the flat plate with a bolt inserted there- through in a state where the at least one first joint is joined to the at least one second joint (see figure 1 of Chen wherein a first tab or plate at 801 of first elongated structure 8 and a second tab or plate at 701 of second elongated structure 7 is overlapping on the first tab and both tabs are joined together by a bolt using holes in each tab (see specification)).
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the routing member of JPH06 to have coupling or joining arrangement as taught by Chen instead of arrangement mentioned in JPH06 because this type of arrangement would provide two parallel elongated components or structures to securely and detachably or removably keep them together and can be easily remove and attach when necessary in case of damage, repair, or replace one of the elongated components or structures.
Sugino discloses a second wire which carries a lower voltage than the first wire (Sugino states in paragraphs 0021-0023 and 0029 wherein This wire harness W is provided with high voltage wires 10 forming part of a high voltage circuit and a low voltage wire 20 forming part of a low voltage circuit. The high voltage wires 10 connect equipment (an engine, an inverter, etc.) M1 installed in the front portion of the vehicle to equipment (a high voltage battery) M2 installed in the rear portion of the vehicle, and the low voltage wire 20 connects equipment (a fuse box, etc.) M3 installed in the front portion of the vehicle to equipment (for example, a 12V battery or another low voltage battery) M4 installed in the rear portion of the vehicle. Most of the wire harness W is routed under the floor of the vehicle (see FIG. 3); and The wire harness W has clamps 30 that retain the pipe 11 and the low voltage wire 20 in place while being secured to a vehicle body. The clamps 30 are provided in multiple locations along the wire harness W. The pipe 11 and the low voltage wire 20 are coupled by the clamps 30.).
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the routing member of JPH06 in view of Chen to wire arrangement as taught by Sugino for the reason mentioned above as well as Sugino further states that it is an object of invention to provide a wire harness capable of securely combining low voltage wires and high voltage wires for connecting different voltage devices in the vehicle.
Rejection of claim 2, JPH06 in view of Chen and Sugino disclose the routing member according to claim 1, wherein the first tube and the second tube are both sufficiently rigid to maintain respective shapes thereof (JPH06 has tube which sufficiently rigid to maintain permanent shapes; additionally or alternatively see Chen).
Claims 3-7, 9, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JPH06, Chen, and Hamada et al. (JP2022-109563 (cited Reference), herein referred to as Hamada).
Rejection of claim 3, JPH06 in view of Chen and Sugino disclose the routing member according to claim 1 but fail to disclose wherein the first tube has an external form in a horizontal section that is rectangular with a shorter height than a width, the second tube has an external form in a horizontal section that is rectangular with a shorter height than a width or rectangular with an equal width and height, and the first tube and the second tube are disposed side by side in the width direction of the first tube and so that a height direction of the first tube and a height direction of the second tube are parallel.
Hamada discloses wherein the first tube has an external form in a horizontal section that is rectangular with a shorter height than a width, the second tube has an external form in a horizontal section that is rectangular with a shorter height than a width or rectangular with an equal width and height, and the first tube and the second tube are disposed side by side in the width direction of the first tube and so that a height direction of the first tube and a height direction of the second tube are parallel (see tubes 50D in figure 8C of Hamada).
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the routing member of JPH06 in view of Chen and Sugino to have shape and/or size of the tubes as Hamada so that 7A to 7D are diagrams showing protectors to be attached to trunk lines of various cross-sectional shapes, and (a) to (d) are front views of the protectors. The protector 50A shown in FIG. 7(a) is a large protector having an insertion hole 51 through which the trunk line 10A with a large cross section can be inserted. The protector 50B shown in FIG. 7(b) is a medium-sized protector having an insertion hole 51 through which the main line 10B of the intermediate plane can be inserted. The protector 50C shown in FIG. 7C is a small protector having an insertion hole 51 through which the trunk line 10C with a small cross section can be inserted. The protector 50D shown in FIG. 7(d) is a very small protector having an insertion hole 51 through which the trunk line 10D with a very small cross section can be inserted. In the ultra-small protector 50D, a plurality of engaging protrusions 61 are formed on one of the plurality of side surfaces, and engaging recesses 63 are formed on the side surface opposite to this one side surface. In the wire harness W equipped with the protector 50, when a plurality of types of main wires 10A to 10D having different cross-sectional shapes are arranged in the straight wiring section 11 on the same route, the protectors 50A to 50D attached to the respective main wires 10A to 10D are assembled to each other and then arranged.
Rejection of claim 4, JPH06, Chen, Sugino and Hamada disclose the routing member according to claim 3 wherein the second tube falls within a range of a height of the first tube along a height direction of the first tube (see explanation as mention in rejection of claim 3 by Hamada, furthermore, see figure 8C).
Rejection of claim 5, JPH06, Chen, Sugino, and Hamada disclose plurality of first wires pass through the first tube, and an internal space of the first tube has a width that enables the plurality of first wires to be disposed side by side along the width direction of the first tube (see figure 5 of JPH06 in view of Sugino wherein the first tube has a width that enables wherein two wires are side by side ).
Rejection of claim 6, JPH06, Chen, Sugino, and Hamada disclose the routing member according to claim 3 wherein the at least one first Joint and the at least one second Joint each fall within the range of the height of the first tube along the height direction of the first tube and fall within a range of a height of the second tube (see rejection of claim 1 wherein JPH06 in view of Chen wherein joints which fall within the range of the height; similarly Hamada has tubes with side joint potions engaging with each other within height; rejection is given based on modified language) .
Rejection of claim 7, JPH06 in view of Chen, Sugino, and Hamada disclose the routing member according to claim 3, wherein the first tube includes a first side wall at one end of the first tube in a width direction of the first tube, the second tube includes a second side wall that faces the first side wall, and each of the first Joint and the second Joint is positioned between the first side wall and the second side wall in the width direction of the first tube (see rejection of claim 1 wherein JPH06 having joints which falls within the range of the height on side wall of each tube; similarly Chem and Hamada has tubes with side joint potions on side walls engaging with each other within height).
Rejection of claim 9, JPH06, Chen, Sugino, and Hamada disclose the routing member according to claim 6 either wherein the first Joint protrudes from the first side wall toward the second side wall, the second Joint protrudes from the second side wall toward the first side wall, and the first Joint and the second Joint are superposed in the height direction of the first tube (see JPH06 wherein joint 25 in figure 8 overlap to each other in height direction when they fix each other; additionally see Chen).
Rejection of claim 14, JPH06, Chen, and Sugino disclose a wire harness comprising: the routing member according to claim 1; the first wire that passes through the first tube; and the second wire that passes through the second tube; is located at an intermediate part of the first side wall in a height direction of the first tube and is located at an intermediate part of the second side wall in a height direction of the second tube (see rejection of claim 1 above).
Claims 8, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JPH06, Hamada, and in view of CN111769490 herein referred to as CN11.
Rejection of claim 8, JPH06 in view of Hamada disclose the routing member according claim 6, wherein the first tube includes a first side wall at one end of the first tube in a width direction of the first tube, the second tube includes a second side wall that faces the first side wall (see rejection of claim 1), and but fail to disclose a fastener that joins the first Joint and the second Joint is located at an intermediate part of the first side wall in a height direction of the first tube and is located at an intermediate part of the second side wall in a height direction of the second tube.
CN11 disclose a fastener that joins the first Joint and the second Joint is located at an intermediate part of the first side wall in a height direction of the first tube and is located at an intermediate part of the second side wall in a height direction of the second tube (see figure 14 wherein joints are extending out and connecting by fastener) .
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the routing member of JPH06 and Hamada to have arrangement of fastener with joints as taught by CN11 into the routing member of JPH06 and Hamada because By placing each cable 10 in a one-to-one correspondence through the main mounting hole 100 and the auxiliary mounting holes 200, the elevator cables 10 can be neatly arranged side by side to avoid entanglement and clutter of the cables, which can facilitate the inspection and replacement of the cables, thereby helping to improve the convenience of cable maintenance; and Beneficial effects of the present invention: (1) the main clamping hole and each auxiliary clamping hole can be respectively provided for different elevator cables to pass through, so that a plurality of elevator cables can be neatly arranged side by side through the elevator cable clamping device to avoid entanglement and disorder of the elevator cables, which can facilitate workers to inspect and replace the elevator cables, which can greatly improve the convenience of elevator cable maintenance; (2) the elevator cable clamping device can accurately and reliably position elevator cables of different diameters together, and the application range of the elevator cable clamping device is very wide.
Rejection of claim 10, JPH06 in view of Chen , Sugino and Hamada disclose the routing member according claim 6, but fail to disclose wherein the at least one first Joint includes a first bolt hole that passes through in a height direction of the first tube, the at least one second Joint includes a second bolt hole that passes through in a height direction of the second tube, and each first bolt hole and the second bolt hole of a second Joint that has been superposed on a first Joint including the first bolt hole are aligned in a height direction of the first tube.
CN11 disclose wherein the at least one first Joint includes a first bolt hole that passes through in a height direction of the first tube, the at least one second Joint includes a second bolt hole that passes through in a height direction of the second tube, and each first bolt hole and the second bolt hole of a second Joint that has been superposed on a first Joint including the first bolt hole are aligned in a height direction of the first tube (see figure 14 wherein joints are extending out and connecting by fastener).
It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the routing member of JPH06, Chen, Sugiono and Hamada to have arrangement of fastener with joints as taught by CN11 into the routing member of JPH06 and Hamada because By placing each cable 10 in a one-to-one correspondence through the main mounting hole 100 and the auxiliary mounting holes 200, the elevator cables 10 can be neatly arranged side by side to avoid entanglement and clutter of the cables, which can facilitate the inspection and replacement of the cables, thereby helping to improve the convenience of cable maintenance; and Beneficial effects of the present invention: (1) the main clamping hole and each auxiliary clamping hole can be respectively provided for different elevator cables to pass through, so that a plurality of elevator cables can be neatly arranged side by side through the elevator cable clamping device to avoid entanglement and disorder of the elevator cables, which can facilitate workers to inspect and replace the elevator cables, which can greatly improve the convenience of elevator cable maintenance; (2) the elevator cable clamping device can accurately and reliably position elevator cables of different diameters together, and the application range of the elevator cable clamping device is very wide.
Pertinent Prior Arts
The prior art 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 art in the present case, all of which disclose various wire harness bracket assemblies.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Additionally, Amendment presented on January 07, 2026 do not cure any issue present under USC 112 Above, see further explanation in the rejection under USC 112 above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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