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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 31, 2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive. However, the arguments are moot in view of the amended claims and the new ground of rejection.
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sano et al. (JP 2012048257 A) and in further view of Miyazaki et al. (JP S61273129 A), Andre et al. (US 5312273 A), and Tsuchiyama et al. (US 5131455 A)
Regarding Claim 1 – Sano teaches a circuit board (Figs 10-13; PCB 40) comprising: a plurality of connecting parts connectable to components (Figs 12-13; headers 50 to 52, connecting wire bundle 49, housings 53a, 53b), wherein the plurality of connecting parts includes a first connecting part, a second connecting part, and a third connecting part (Fig 13; headers 52, 50, 51 respectively; Sano [0099]), a circuit pattern is formed in which the first connecting part (Figs 12-13; header 52), a first power supply (Figs 12-13; first inlet 41), and the third connecting part (Figs 12-13; header 51) are connected in series (Figs 12-13; headers 51, 52, inlet 41, noise filter circuit 45, housings 53a, 53b; Sano [0098-0100]).
Sano does not explicitly disclose that the second connecting part, the first power supply, and the third connecting part are connected in series, and the third connecting part is configured to enable short-circuit between two terminals of the third connecting part when a component that needs power is not connected, a protection contactor that is provided on a route where power is supplied from a second power supply to a heater is connected to the first connecting part, and a control contactor of the heater, provided on the route, is connected to the second connecting part.
Miyazaki teaches the second connecting part (Figs 1-2; connector 60), the first power supply (Fig 1; power supply through PCB 100, terminal 109), and the third connecting part (Figs 1-2; connector 70) are connected in series (Miyazaki teaches a completed connection chain extending through connectors 70 and 60 and “connected to a power supply through a terminal 109 of the printed board 100” and further explicitly describes the connector arrangement as “connected in series”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sano with the second connecting part, the first power supply, and the third connecting part are connected in series as taught by Miyazaki to get the benefit of preventing erroneous power supply because erroneous insertion can cause “unexpected power feeding to unexpected circuits… it will lead to deterioration or breakage of the characteristics of the components”.
Andre teaches the third connecting part (Figs 1, 3, 5, 6; shunt module 18) is configured to enable short-circuit between two terminals (Figs 1, 3, 5, 6; normally closed shunt terminals 62 and 64, contacts 62a and 64a) of the third connecting part when a component that needs power is not connected (Andre states “shunt terminals 62 and 64 which have contact portions 62a and 64a, respectively, normally spring-loaded into closed condition as shown in FIG. 3” and when the plug is inserted “plug housing 40 has engaged contact arms 62d… to separate or open the normally closed shunt contacts 62a and 64a”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sano with the third connecting part is configured to enable short-circuit between two terminals of the third connecting part when a component that needs power is not connected as taught by Andre to get the benefit of providing a normally closed shared line circuit that is automatically opened upon insertion of a mating component in “a very simply manner… and without requiring extra components, cams and the like”.
Tsuchiyama teaches a protection contactor that is provided on a route where power is supplied from a second power supply to a heater is connected to the first connecting part (Fig 5; first relay 35, normally-open connector RPA, AC power supply, electric heater 9, first connector piece 32), and a control contactor of the heater, provided on the route, is connected to the second connecting part (Fig 5; second relay 36, normally-open connector RDA, electric heater 9, second connector piece 33; Tsuchiyama teaches that “the second connector piece 33… is similarly connected to the AC power supply through another (second) relay 36”, “second relay 36 is for controlling a normally-open connector RDA”, and “electric heater 9 is connected to the AC power supply through the normally-open connectors RPA and RDA”).
It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the device of Sano with a protection contactor that is provided on a route where power is supplied from a second power supply to a heater is connected to the first connecting part, and a control contactor of the heater, provided on the route, is connected to the second connecting part as taught by Tsuchiyama to get the benefit of providing dependable heater control and accurately protecting the heater from excessive temperature.
Regarding Claim 2 – Sano in view of Miyazaki, Andre, and Tsuchiyama teaches the circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a noise filter is installed between the first connecting part, the second connecting part, and the third connecting part and the first power supply (Sano; Figs 10-13; first inlet 41, second inlet 66, noise filter circuits 45 and 46, headers 50 to 52; Sano [0090-0093, 0098-0101]).
Regarding Claim 3 – Sano in view of Miyazaki, Andre, and Tsuchiyama teaches the circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a relay is installed between the first power supply and the second connecting part (Miyazaki; Fig 1; relay 1, connectors 50/60/70, PCB 100), and a thermostat that opens a circuit when detecting a state where a temperature near the heater is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold, is connected to the third connecting part (Sano Figs 3, 12-13; thermostat 17, header 51; Sano [0050, 0102]).
Regarding Claim 4 – Sano in view of Miyazaki, Andre, and Tsuchiyama teaches the circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a relay is installed between the first power supply and the second connecting part (Miyazaki; Fig 1; relay 1, connectors 50/60/70, PCB 100), and a jumper connector that short-circuits between two terminals of the third connecting part is connected to the third connecting part (Andre; Figs 1, 3, 5, 6; shunt module 18, terminals 62, 64, contacts 62a, 64a, board contacts 64b; Andre states “normally closed shunt terminals”).
Regarding Claim 7 – Sano in view of Miyazaki, Andre, and Tsuchiyama teaches the circuit board according to claim 2, wherein a relay is installed between the first power supply and the second connecting part (Miyazaki; Fig 1; relay 1, connectors 50/60/70, PCB 100), and a thermostat that opens a circuit when detecting a state where a temperature near the heater is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold, is connected to the third connecting part (Sano Figs 3, 12-13; thermostat 17, header 51; Sano [0050, 0102]).
Regarding Claim 8 – Sano in view of Miyazaki and Andre teaches the circuit board according to claim 2, wherein a relay is installed between the first power supply and the second connecting part (Miyazaki; Fig 1; relay 1, connectors 50/60/70, PCB 100), and a jumper connector that short-circuits between two terminals of the third connecting part is connected to the third connecting part (Andre; Figs 1, 3, 5, 6; shunt module 18, terminals 62, 64, contacts 62a, 64a, board contacts 64b; Andre states “normally closed shunt terminals”).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
/ADITYA SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
Prosecution Insights