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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 49, as shown in figure 4A. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “17” has been used to designate both the outward-facing surface and the inward-facing surface. 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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: --ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH SLIDING LOCKING DEVICE FOR LOCKING TO A COUNTER-CONNECTOR AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR THE SAME--.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the terms “counter-connector”, “outward-facing”, “inward-facing”, and “form-fit” are used throughout the disclosure both with and without the hyphen. A consistent form of each should be used throughout the claims and specification. On page 16 line 26, the word “D2or” should read --D2 or--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-16 are objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 1 line 1, the phrase “Electrical connector” should read --An electrical connector--. In claims 2-3 in line 1, the phrase “Electrical connector” should read --The electrical connector--. In claim 4 line 1, the phrase “Electrical counter-connector” should read --An electrical counter-connector--. In claims 5-6 in line 1, the phrase “Electrical counter-connector” should read --The electrical counter-connector--. In claim 7 line 1, the phrase “Connector assembly” should read --A connector assembly--. In claims 8-16, the phrase “Connector assembly” should read --The connector assembly--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-2, 4-5, 7-9, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Batty (4,927,374).
With regard to claim 1, Batty teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 4 lines 57-62 and column 11 lines 3-26: “Electrical connector 2 comprising: a housing 100 and an electrical terminal 10 configured to be mated along a mating axis (running left-to-right through the middle of 100 and 300 in figure 6A) with a mating housing 200 and a mating electrical terminal 20 of an electrical counter-connector 4, the housing 100 including a shell 110 at least partially surrounding the electrical terminal 10, the shell 110 including a protruding portion 130 formed on an outward-facing surface for allowing a form-fit connection along the mating axis with a hook-shaped latching device 208 of the electrical counter-connector 4, the housing 100 including a connector locking device 150 at least partially surrounding the shell 110, wherein the connector locking device 150 is in a sliding contact with the shell 110 allowing a movement of the connector locking device 150 along the mating axis relative to the shell 110 column 4 lines 57-62, and wherein the connector locking device 150 is configured to block the form-fit connection between the latching device 208 and the protruding portion 130 along a direction (up-down direction in figure 6A) perpendicular to the mating axis in a coupled state in which the electrical connector 2 and the electrical counter-connector 4 are coupled”.
With regard to claim 2, Batty teaches: “Electrical connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Batty also teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 11 lines 3-26: “wherein an inward-facing surface, facing the outward-facing surface of the shell 110, of the connector locking device 150 forms a receiving space (where 208 is received in figure 13E) together with the outward-facing surface of the shell 110, wherein the receiving space has an opening towards the protruding portion 130 of the shell 110, the receiving space being configured to at least partially receive the latching device 208 through the opening in the coupled state”.
With regard to claim 4, Batty teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 4 lines 57-62 and column 11 lines 3-26: “Electrical counter-connector 4 configured to be mated along a mating axis (running left-to-right through the middle of 100 and 300 in figure 6A) with an electrical connector 2, the electrical connector 2 including a housing 100 and an electrical terminal 10, wherein the housing 100 includes a shell 110 at least partially surrounding the electrical terminal 10 and a protruding portion 130 formed on an outward-facing surface of the shell 110, the housing 100 including a connector locking device 150 at least partially surrounding the shell 110, wherein the connector locking device 150 is in a sliding contact with the shell 110 allowing a movement of the connector locking device 150 along the mating axis relative to the shell 110 (column 4 lines 57-62), the electrical counter-connector 4 comprising: a mating housing (200, 400, 500) and a mating electrical terminal 20, configured to be mated along the mating axis with the housing 100 and the electrical terminal 10 of the electrical connector 2, the mating housing including a mating shell 400 at least partially surrounding the mating electrical terminal 20, the mating housing including a latching device 200, the latching device 200 being hook-shaped and extending along an outward-facing surface of the mating shell 400 and spaced apart therefrom, the latching device 200 including a lance 208 extending parallel to the mating axis and including a mating protrusion 210 extending from a surface of the lance 208 facing the outward-facing surface of the mating shell 400 towards said outward-facing surface of the mating shell 400, for allowing a form-fit connection along the mating axis with the protruding portion 130 of the shell 110 of the electrical connector 2, wherein the lance 208 of the latching device 200 has one extremity (left end of 208 in figure 7) fixed to the mating shell 400 and a second extremity (right end of 208 in figure 7) configured and arranged such that, in the coupled state, the second extremity of the lance 208 is blocked, along the direction (up-down direction in figure 6A) perpendicular to the mating axis, by the connector locking device 150 of the electrical connector 2”.
With regard to claim 5, Batty teaches: “Electrical counter-connector according to claim 4”, as shown above.
Batty also teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 11 lines 3-26: “wherein the lance 208 extends perpendicularly from a flange 206 mounted against a mating flange 402 of the mating shell 400”.
With regard to claim 7, Batty teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 4 lines 57-62 and column 11 lines 3-26: “Connector assembly (shown in figure 1) comprising: an electrical connector 2 including a housing 100 and an electrical terminal 10, the housing 100 including a shell 110 at least partially surrounding the electrical terminal 10, the shell 110 including a protruding portion 130 formed on an outward-facing surface, the housing 100 including a connector locking device 150 at least partially surrounding the shell 110, wherein the connector locking device 150 is in a sliding contact with the shell 110 allowing a movement of the connector locking device along the mating axis relative to the shell 110 (column 4 lines 57-62); and an electrical counter-connector 4 including a mating housing (200, 400, 500) and a mating electrical terminal 20 configured to be mated along a mating axis (running left-to-right through the middle of 100 and 300 in figure 6A) with the housing 100 and the electrical terminal 10 of the electrical connector 2, the mating housing including a mating shell 400 at least partially surrounding the mating electrical terminal 20, the mating housing including a latching device 200, the latching device 200 being hook-shaped and extending along an outward- facing surface of the mating shell 400 and spaced apart therefrom, the latching device 200 including a lance 208 extending parallel to the mating axis and including a mating protrusion 210 extending from a surface of the lance 208 facing the outward-facing surface of the mating shell 400 towards said outward-facing surface of the mating shell 400, for allowing a form-fit connection along the mating axis with the protruding portion 130 of the shell 110 of the electrical connector 2, wherein the lance 208 of the latching device 200 has one extremity (left end of 208 in figure 7) fixed to the mating shell 400 and a second extremity (right end of 208 in figure 7); wherein the electrical terminal 10 of the electrical connector 2 abuts against the mating electrical terminal 20 in a plane (plane running in the up-down direction in figure 6A) perpendicular to the mating axis, wherein the protruding portion 130 and the mating protrusion 210 realize a form-fit connection between the latching device 200 and the shell 110 along the mating axis to prevent a decoupling against the coupling direction, and wherein, in the coupled state, the second extremity of the lance 208 is blocked by the connector locking device 150 in the direction (up-down direction in figure 6A) perpendicular to the mating axis away from the shell 110 of the electrical connector 2”.
With regard to claim 8, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 7”, as shown above.
Batty also teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 11 lines 3-26: “wherein an inward-facing surface, facing the outward-facing surface of the shell 110, of the connector locking device 150 forms a receiving space together with the outward-facing surface of the shell 110, wherein the receiving space has an opening towards the protruding portion 130 of the shell 110, the receiving space being configured to at least partially receive the latching device 200 through the opening in the coupled state”.
With regard to claim 9, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 8”, as shown above.
Batty also teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 11 lines 3-26: “wherein the lance 208 of the latching device 200 is bent towards the shell 110 of the electrical connector 2 by the connector locking device 150 by the inward-facing surface of the connector locking device 150”.
With regard to claim 15, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 7”, as shown above.
Batty also teaches, as shown in figures 1-13E and taught in column 11 lines 3-26: “wherein the lance 208 extends perpendicularly from a flange 206 mounted against a mating flange 402 of the mating shell 400”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 3, 6, 10-12, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Batty (4,927,374).
With regard to claim 3, Batty teaches: “Electrical connector according to claim 2”, as shown above.
Batty does not teach: “wherein the inward-facing surface of the connector locking device includes a first surface section and a second surface section adjacent to the first surface section towards the opening of the receiving space, the first surface section parallel to the outward-facing surface of the shell, wherein the second surface section is chamfered with respect to the mating axis such that the distance between second surface section and the outward-facing surface of the shell gradually increases towards the opening”. However, Batty teaches the outward-facing surface of the shell having a first surface section parallel with the inward-facing surface of the connector locking device and a second surface second chamfered such that the distance between the outward-facing surface and the inward-facing surface gradually increases towards the opening. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to rearrange the parts of the Batty so the inward-facing surface has the chamfered section and the latching device engages the locking device in order to allow the connectors to be locked together (Batty, column 11 lines 3-26). Also, it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955).
With regard to claim 6, Batty teaches: “Electrical counter-connector according to claim 4”, as shown above.
Batty does not teach: “wherein latching device further comprises a notch formed at the second extremity on an outward-facing surface opposite the surface of the lance facing the outer surface of the mating shell”. However, Batty does teach in figures 1-13E a notch (where the right tip of 208 engages 152 in figure 13D) formed in the connector locking device 150 at an extremity of the connector locking device that engages with the lance on a surface of the lance opposite to the outer surface of the mating shell 400. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the parts of the connector and counter-connector so that the notch is formed on the lance in order to latch the connector and counter-connector together (Batty, column 11 lines 3-26). Also, it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955).
With regard to claim 10, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 8”, as shown above.
Batty does not teach: “wherein the inward-facing surface of the connector locking device includes a first surface section and a second surface section adjacent to the first surface section towards the opening of the receiving space, the first surface section parallel to the outward-facing surface of the shell, wherein the second surface section is chamfered with respect to the mating axis such that the distance between second surface section and the outward-facing surface of the shell gradually increases towards the opening”. However, Batty teaches the outward-facing surface of the shell having a first surface section parallel with the inward-facing surface of the connector locking device and a second surface second chamfered such that the distance between the outward-facing surface and the inward-facing surface gradually increases towards the opening. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to rearrange the parts of the Batty so the inward-facing surface has the chamfered section and the latching device engages the locking device in order to allow the connectors to be locked together (Batty, column 11 lines 3-26). Also, it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955).
With regard to claim 11, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 10”, as shown above.
Batty does not teach: “wherein latching device further comprises a notch formed at the second extremity on an outward-facing surface opposite the surface of the lance facing the outer surface of the mating shell”. However, Batty does teach in figures 1-13E a notch (where the right tip of 208 engages 152 in figure 13D) formed in the connector locking device 150 at an extremity of the connector locking device that engages with the lance on a surface of the lance opposite to the outer surface of the mating shell 400. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the parts of the connector and counter-connector so that the notch is formed on the lance in order to latch the connector and counter-connector together (Batty, column 11 lines 3-26). Also, it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955).
With regard to claim 12, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 10”, as shown above.
Batty, as shown in figures 1-13E and as modified above teaches: “wherein the form-fit connection between the latching device 200 and the connector locking device 150 is realized by an engagement between the notch and the second surface portion”.
With regard to claim 16, Batty teaches: “Connector assembly according to claim 7”, as shown above.
Batty does not teach: “wherein latching device further comprises a notch formed at the second extremity on an outward-facing surface opposite the surface of the lance facing the outer surface of the mating shell”. However, Batty does teach in figures 1-13E a notch (where the right tip of 208 engages 152 in figure 13D) formed in the connector locking device 150 at an extremity of the connector locking device that engages with the lance on a surface of the lance opposite to the outer surface of the mating shell 400. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the parts of the connector and counter-connector so that the notch is formed on the lance in order to latch the connector and counter-connector together (Batty, column 11 lines 3-26). Also, it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the objection(s) 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 JUSTIN M KRATT whose telephone number is (571)270-0277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A 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.
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/JUSTIN M KRATT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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