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 .
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) 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 0613213.
Regarding claim 1, DE ‘213 discloses a clamping body 1 for receiving a conductor to be connected, the clamping body comprising: a base wall 11; a first side wall 1; a second side wall opposite the first side wall; and a clamping screw receiving portion which is opposite the base wall and which has a threaded screw opening configured to receive a clamping screw 2, the clamping screw receiving portion being formed by comprising a first tab portion 3, a second tab portion 4 resting on the first tab portion, and a third tab 7 portion resting on the second tab portion; the threaded screw opening extending through the first tab portion, the second tab portion, and the third tab portion.
Regarding claim 2, DE ‘213 discloses the first tab portion 3 and the third tab portion 7 are integrally formed in one piece, an opening being formed at a transition region between the first tab portion and the third tab portion, through which opening the second tab portion 4 is passed.
Regarding claim 3, DE ‘213 discloses the second tab portion 4 is connected to the first side wall 1, and wherein the first tab portion 3 and the third tab portion 7 are connected to the second side wall.
Regarding claim 4, DE ‘213 discloses the second tab portion 4 extends at a 90° angle to the first side wall 1.
Regarding claim 5, DE ‘213 discloses the first tab portion 3 extends at a 90° angle to the second side wall.
Regarding claim 6, DE ‘213 discloses the third tab portion 7 extends at a 180° angle to the first tab portion 3.
Regarding claim 7, DE ‘213 discloses the second tab portion 4 has a width that is smaller than a width of the first tab portion 3 and smaller than a width of the third tab portion 7.
Regarding claim 8, DE ‘213 discloses the second tab portion 4 rests without play on the first tab portion 3, and wherein the third tab portion 7 rests without play on the second tab portion 4.
Regarding claim 9, DE ‘213 discloses the clamping body comprises a punched and bent flat strip material.
35 USC 103 Rejections
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) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DE 0613213.
DE ‘213 substantially discloses the claimed invention, including the threaded screw opening is formed by punching a first opening into the first tab portion 3, a second opening into the second tab portion 4, and a third opening into the third tab portion 7, and subsequently positioning the first, second, and third tab portions on each other by bending, such that the first opening is in alignment with the second opening and the third opening, and by subsequently cutting a threaded hole into the first opening and the second opening. It is deemed to have been an obvious matter of design to cut a threaded hole in the third opening disposed one above the other another in aligned relationship, to better secure to the screw.
Claim(s) 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DE 0613213 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Vanzetto 2014/0113507.
Regarding claim 11, Vanzetto (front pate) disclose a current bar 46 inserted in the clamping body 24, and to provide DE ‘213 with a current bar thus would have been obvious, to facilitate connection to a power source.
Regarding claim 12, DE ‘213 (as modified by Vanzetto) discloses a connection terminal, comprising: a housing; and at least one connection assembly of claim 11 disposed in the housing.
Claim 10 is 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.
.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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/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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