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 Objection
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: on lines 1-2 “comprising a bracket and at least one terminal” is redundant with the beginning of line 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawing Objections
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s): reference numerals for the end surfaces and side surfaces recited in claim 2. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
35 USC 102 Rejections
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) 1-10 and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 1564846.
Regarding claims 1 and 13, EP ‘846 (Figure 6) discloses a bracket integrated with a terminal, comprising a bracket 313 and at least one terminal 3, wherein an anti-rotation portion is disposed on the terminal and comprises a first groove and/or a protrusion (directly above 312) disposed on a side surface of the terminal, and the bracket is formed integrally injection-molded on at least part of the anti-rotation portion.
Regarding claims 2 and 14, EP ‘846 discloses the bracket 313 comprises opposite end surfaces and side surfaces connected to the end surfaces, at least one through hole is formed on the end surface of the bracket, and at least part of the anti-rotation portion is disposed in the through hole.
Regarding claims 3 and 15, EP ‘846 discloses a percentage of a total area of a cross section of the anti-rotation portion in an area of one of the end surfaces of the bracket 313 is 1%-66%.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, EP ‘846 discloses the first groove and/or the protrusion are/is disposed on the side surface of the terminal 3 along a radial direction of the terminal.
Regarding claims 5 and 17, EP ‘846 discloses the anti-rotation portion further comprises an auxiliary surface 312 which is a non-circular plane or a curved surface, or a folded surface disposed on the side surface of the terminal 3.
Regarding claims 6 and 18, EP ‘846 discloses a percentage of a surface area of the auxiliary surface 312 in a total contact area between the anti-rotation portion and the bracket 313 is 10%-100%.
Regarding claims 7 and 19, EP ‘846 (Figure 12) discloses the terminal 3 is connected to a cable (unnumbered) to implement current conduction, and the terminal further comprises a connection portion (upper end of terminal 3 above the bracket 313 in Figure 6)) with one end connected to one end of the anti- rotation portion and the other end connected to a conductive portion of the cable.
Regarding claims 8 and 20, EP ‘846 discloses the terminal 3 further comprises an extension portion (portion immediately below the bracket) with one end connected to one end of the anti-rotation portion away from the connection portion.
Regarding claim 9, EP ‘846 discloses the terminal 3 further comprises a stop ring 311 which is a peripheral protrusion disposed at one end of the extension portion close to the bracket 313.
Regarding claim 10, EP ‘846 discloses a part of the terminal away from the cable is connected to an electrical device (an electrical wall outlet) to conduct a current into the electrical device, and the terminal further comprises a contact portion (lower end of terminal 3 in Figure 6) with one end connected to one end of the extension portion away from the anti-rotation portion and is configured to be plugged with a plug-in terminal on the electrical device.
Claims Defining Over Prior Art
Claims 11 and 12 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art discloses or teaches the fixing portion; in combination with the rest of the subject matter of the respective independent claim and any intervening claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 571-272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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