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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 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(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Exenberger et al. (US Patent Application Publication 20170229813 A1).
As per claim 1, Exenberger teaches a connector (along 130), to be connected to a mating connector (along 120), comprising a terminal 580; a housing 130 for accommodating the terminal 580 inside; and outside (shown in figure 4), the formwork portion (along 205) including a body portion (along 205) and recesses (from 350, 450, so that 150 blocks the code) recessed (from 350, 450, so that 150 blocks the code) from the body portion (along 205) in an intersecting direction (along 580) intersecting a connection direction (along 580) of the connector (along 130) and the mating connector (along 120), the connector (along 130) or the mating connector (along 120) including a background portion 150 to be arranged more inward than the formwork portion (along 205) in the housing 130, the background portion 150 being disposed at a completion position (shown in figure 4) and the formwork portion (along 205) and the background portion 150 overlapping in the intersecting direction (along 580), whereby a color difference (shown in figure 3B, see paragraph 21) is produced between inner parts of the recesses (from 350, 450, so that 150 blocks the code) and the body portion (along 205) to make a code detectable (see paragraph 21) from outside appear, with connection of the connector (along 130) and the mating connector (along 120) completed, and the code not appearing (shown in figure 2) without the background portion 150 being disposed at the completion position (shown in figure 4).
As per claim 2, Exenberger teaches a connector (along 130), further comprising a retainer 550 for retaining the terminal 580 in the housing 130, wherein the retainer 550 includes the background portion 150.
As per claim 3, Exenberger teaches a connector (along 130), wherein the recesses (from 350, 450, so that 150 blocks the code) are through holes 480 penetrating through the body portion (along 205).
As per claim 4, Exenberger teaches a connector (along 130), wherein thin portions (along 350 or 450) thinner than the body portion (along 205) are provided in the recesses (from 350, 450, so that 150 blocks the code).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (571)270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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