DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of species A (figs. 1-7) in the reply filed on 22 December 2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because each recitation of “pass through” should recite “pass-through”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because each recitation of “pass through” should recite “pass-through”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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, 7, 9-11, 13-15, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lepper et al. (US 2020/0263811 hereinafter “Lepper”).
In regards to claim 1, Lepper discloses a pass through assembly confirmation quick connector (see figs.19-35), comprising:
a pass through tube (104) having a cylindrical outer surface;
a tubular locking ring (102) disposable on the outer surface of the pass through tube;
a twist-lock mount (187, 171) releasably connecting the pass through tube and the locking ring, wherein twisting the locking ring relative to the pass through tube moves the locking ring between an unlocked position and a locked position; and
a confirmation ring (108) releasably connected to the locking ring, the confirmation ring securing the locking ring in the locked position (see paragraphs [0093-0096]).
In regards to claim 2, Lepper further discloses the twist-lock mount includes at least one locking member (187) projecting from the outer surface of the pass through tube, and at least one female receptor (171) disposed on an inner surface of the locking ring, each female receptor corresponding to one of the at least one locking member, and each locking member being received in its corresponding female receptor (shown in fig. 34).
In regards to claim 3, Lepper further discloses each female receptor includes an inlet slot (171) and a ramp (168) adjacent the slot.
In regards to claim 7, Lepper further discloses the confirmation ring includes opposite first and second surfaces, an inner edge, and an outer edge, the first surface including a pair of circumferentially opposed clips (122) along the outer edge and extending in an axial direction away from the first surface.
In regards to claim 9, Lepper further discloses the confirmation ring includes a pair of circumferentially opposed verification tabs (138) along the outer edge and extending in an axial direction away from the first surface.
In regards to claim 10, Lepper further discloses the locking ring includes two circumferentially opposed tab receivers (160), the verification tabs of the confirmation ring being insertable into the tab receivers of the locking ring.
In regards to claim 11, Lepper further discloses the confirmation ring includes a pair of circumferentially opposed stop tabs (126) along the inner edge and extending in an axial direction away from the first surface.
In regards to claim 13, Lepper further discloses the confirmation ring is disk-shaped (shown in fig. 20).
In regards to claim 14, Lepper further discloses the pass through tube includes an annular flange (184) extending radially from the cylindrical outer surface, and a sealing ring (161) is adjacent the annular flange.
In regards to claim 15, Lepper further discloses a cooperative indication surface (172, 144) partly formed on the locking ring and partly formed on the confirmation ring, wherein the part of the indication surface on the locking ring is adjacent to and aligned with the part of the indication surface on the confirmation ring when the confirmation ring is connected to the locking ring (shown in fig. 34).
In regards to claim 17, Lepper discloses a pass through assembly, comprising:
the pass through assembly confirmation quick connector of claim 1 (see above);
a surface member (106) having first and second sides and including an opening (124) sized to receive the pass through tube;
the pass through tube being inserted into the opening (shown in fig. 19);
the locking ring being disposed on the pass through tube in the unlocked position, wherein twisting the locking ring moves the locking ring to the locked position and draws the locking ring against the first side of the surface member and simultaneously urges a portion of the pass through tube against the second side of the surface member (shown in fig. 19); and
the confirmation ring being connected to the locking ring to secure the locking ring in the locked position (shown in fig. 19).
In regards to claim 18, Lepper further discloses the surface member is one or more of a housing wall, a boundary wall, and a mounting plate (shown in fig. 19).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lepper as applied to claim 2 above.
In regards to claims 4 and 5, Lepper discloses the connector of claim 2 but does not disclose two pairs of said locking members and two pairs of said female receptors; wherein one pair of locking members is circumferentially offset 90 degrees from the other pair of locking members, and the one pair of locking members is spaced from the other pair of locking members in an axial direction of the pass through tube; wherein one pair of female receptors is circumferentially offset 90 degrees from the other pair of female receptors.
However, providing additional three identical locking members and female receptors each spaced ninety degrees from another is no more than duplication of working parts which has been held to be a design consideration within the skill of the art. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960).
Accordingly, it would have been no more than an obvious matter of engineering design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide three identical locking members and female receptors each spaced 90 degrees from another in order to ensure proper alignment, producing no new and unexpected results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19 and 20 are allowed.
Claims 6, 8, 12, and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of the remaining cited prior art shows a similar pass through assembly.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH whose telephone number is (571)270-0505. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D. Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZACHARY T DRAGICEVICH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
01/13/2026