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
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 9, line 2: “the first electrical connector” should be corrected to - -a first electrical connector- -;
Claim 10, line 3: “to be retain” should be corrected to - -to retain- -;
Claim 16, line 3: “to be retain” should be corrected to - -to retain- -;
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brodeur (US 2009/0258509).
Regarding claim 1: Brodeur teaches an adjustable electrical connector 10 (Fig. 1) comprising: an electrical conductor (e.g. cable not shown but discussed in Para. 0027); a first sleeve member 12 operatively connected to the electrical conductor (e.g. cable would be positioned within), the first sleeve member 12 having an end having a first angle (see Fig. 2 and Para. 0049); a second sleeve member 14 operatively connected to the electrical conductor (e.g. cable positioned within), the first sleeve member 12 having an end having a second angle (Para. 0032 discusses the various positions/angle achievable by the present connector), the end of the first sleeve member 12 and the end of the second sleeve member 14 are positioned proximate to one another (at 24; Fig. 3), wherein the at least one of the first and second sleeve members is rotatable relative to the other sleeve member to form a straight connector or an angled connector (see Para. 0032); and at least one stop member 16, 18 to limit the rotational movement of the first sleeve member relative to the second sleeve member (see Para. 0049).
Regarding claim 2: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the electrical conductor is a wire (e.g. cable/wire discussed in Para.0027).
Regarding claim 3: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the electrical conductor is torsion wire (e.g. the cable/wire located within is subjected to torsional forces; see Para. 0027-0028).
Regarding claim 4: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the electrical conductor is a cord (see Para. 0027).
Regarding claim 5: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the first angle and the second angle are 45 degrees (see Para. 0042).
Regarding claim 6: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches
further comprises a gasket 117 attached to the end of one of the first sleeve member and the second sleeve member (see Fig. 11 and Para. 0008).
Regarding claim 7: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the stop member 16, 18 is positioned on the end of the second sleeve member 14 (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein the stop member 16, 18 is arced and has a first end and a second end (see Figs. 2-3).
Regarding claim 9: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches including a raised member (e.g. not shown but discusses a surface to mate with notches 74; see Para. 0055 and Fig. 10) on the end of a first electrical connector that is positioned to move between the first end and the second end of the stop member 16, 18 (Para. 0055).
Regarding claim 10: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 9 and further teaches which further includes raised surfaces (e.g. not shown but discusses a surface to mate with notches 74; see Para. 0055 and Fig. 10) on the end of the first connector member proximate the first and second ends of the stop member 16, 18, wherein the raised member may pass one of the raised surfaces to be retain the connector in either a straight or an angled position (see Para. 0048-0049).
Regarding claim 11: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches
wherein the angled connector is a right-angled connector (see Para. 0030).
Regarding claim 12: Brodeur teaches an adjustable electrical connector (see Fig. 1 and Para. 0007) comprising: an electrical conductor (e.g. not shown but cable discussed in Para. 0007); a first sleeve member 12 operatively connected to the electrical conductor (e.g. cable located within), the first sleeve member having an end having a first angle (see Fig. 2); a second sleeve member 14 operatively connected to the electrical conductor (e.g. cable located within), the first sleeve member 12 having an end having a second angle (Para. 0032 discusses the various positions/angle achievable by the present connector), the end of the first sleeve member 12 and the end of the second sleeve member 14 are positioned proximate to one another (see Figs. 2-3), wherein the at least one of the first and second sleeve members is rotatable relative to the other sleeve member to form a straight connector or a right-angled connector (Para. 0007); a gasket 117 attached to the end of one of the first sleeve member and the second sleeve member (see Fig. 11) and at least one stop member 16, 18 to limit the rotational movement of the first sleeve member relative to the second sleeve member (see Para. 0049).
Regarding claim 13: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 12 and further teaches wherein the stop member 16, 18 is positioned on the end of the second sleeve member 14 (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 13 and further teaches wherein the stop member 16, 18 is arced and has a first end and a second end (see Figs. 2-3).
Regarding claim 15: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 14 and further teaches including a raised member (e.g. not shown but discusses a surface to mate with notches 74; see Para. 0055 and Fig. 10) on the end of the first electrical connector that is positioned to move between the first end and the second end of the stop member 16, 18.
Regarding claim 16: Brodeur teaches all the limitations of claim 14 and further teaches further including raised surfaces (e.g. not shown but discusses a surface to mate with notches 74; see Para. 0055 and Fig. 10) on the end of the first connector member proximate the first and second ends of the stop member 16, 18, wherein the raised member may pass one of the raised surfaces to be retain the connector in either a straight or an angled position (see Para. 0048-0049).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see PTO-892 for pertinent prior art, the following references being of closest relevance:
Hsu (US 2012/0052746) teaches a rotatable plug comprising at least two portions that rotate relative to each other;
Brodeur (US 2008/0261428) teaches an adjustable connector comprising at least two portions that rotate relative to each other and house a cable within;
Reilly (US 2014/0045365) teaches a rotatable connector comprising at least two portions and an o-ring located between both portions;
Horssen (US 3,546,658) teaches a connector with a rotatable backshell and housing a cable within;
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OSCAR C JIMENEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-0272. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571) 272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSCAR C JIMENEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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