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 Objections
Claim 22, lines 2 and 4, “an edge” should be --the edge--;
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 21-29 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.
Claim 21, line 12, what “its” refers to?
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.
Claims 17-20 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawahara (10,404,006).
Regarding claim 17, Kawahara, Fig. 2 shows an assembly, comprising:
a retaining frame (52); and
a plug-in connector module (10) arranged at a plug-in location within the
retaining frame,
wherein the plug-in connector module includes a module coding (12 and 32) that allows the plug-in connector module to only be inserted into the plug-in location in a predetermined orientation,
wherein the plug-in connector module includes
a first module element (FIGURE A below) and
a second module element (FIGURE A below) that is not identical to the first module element,
the first module element and the second module element being
connected to each other,
wherein the first module element and the second module element each
include an element coding (A and B, respectively) that allows only matching module
elements to be connected to each other;
wherein the first module element includes a first coding (12) of the module coding, and
wherein the second module element includes a second coding (32) of the module coding.
PNG
media_image1.png
304
429
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 18, the module coding (12 and 32, Fig. 2) and the element coding (A or B, FIGURE A above) are coordinated, whereby only suitable module elements can be arranged in the plug-in location.
Regarding claim 19, the element coding includes a third coding (pointed at A, FIGURE A above) with a tab formed on the first module element, and
a fourth coding (pointed at B, FIGURE A above) with a pocket formed on the second module element, and
wherein the tab engages the pocket when the first module element
is connected to the second module element (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 20, Fig. 2 and FIGURE A above show a positioning of the tab prevents the first module element to be connected to another first module element.
Regarding claim 30, Fig. 2 shows the first module element includes a predetermined first number of contact inserts (14) for receiving pin contacts or a predetermined second number of contact inserts for receiving socket contacts, and wherein the second module element includes a predetermined third number of contact inserts (14) for receiving pin contacts or a predetermined fourth number of contact inserts for receiving socket contacts.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-29 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.
Claims 21-29 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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, Abdul Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 09/24/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov
