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 .
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.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ichio (US 8,662,910).
Regarding claim 1: Ichio teaches a socket housing 10 (Fig. 1), comprising: a base portion 40; and a first wall portion 20 formed as a hollow cylindrical wall that protrudes continuously from a first side of the base portion (see Fig. 1), the first wall portion 20 has a first drainage portion 32 intersecting the base portion 40 and opening outwards (see Figs. 1 and 4), the first drainage portion 32 is a passage that extends obliquely from an inner root portion of the first wall portion 20 to an outer root portion of the first wall portion 20 (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 2: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches further comprising a plurality of second wall portions 22 surrounded by the first wall portion 20 and spaced apart from each other (see Figs. 2-3).
Regarding claim 3: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 2 and further teaches wherein each of the second wall portions 22 is formed as a hollow cylindrical wall protruding continuously from the first side of the base portion 40 (see Figs. 1-5).
Regarding claim 4: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 3 and further teaches wherein each second wall portion has a second drainage portion 27 at an intersection of the second wall portion with the base portion, the second drainage portion is a passage that extends from an inner side to an outer side of the second wall portion (see Fig. 9 and Col. 4, lines 1-9).
Regarding claim 5: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 4 and further teaches wherein the second drainage portion 27 extends continuously along an axial direction of the second wall portion to a free end of the second wall portion (see Fig. 9 and Col. 4, lines 1-9).
Regarding claim 6: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 3 and further teaches wherein the first drainage portion 32 extends continuously from an inlet section of the first wall portion to an outlet section of the first wall portion 20 (see Figs. 4-5), the inlet section is at an intersection of the inner root portion with the base portion, the outlet section is at an intersection of the outer root portion with the base portion (see Figs. 4-5).
Regarding claim 7: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 6 and further teaches wherein the first drainage portion 32 has a plurality of channel sections (at 42, 84; Fig. 6) coupled with each other, an angle of each of the channel sections relative to an axial direction of the first wall portion gradually increases from the inlet section toward the outlet section (see Figs. 4-6).
Regarding claim 8: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein the inlet section (at 32; Fig. 5) has a groove extending along the axial direction of the first wall portion and has a cross section gradually increasing from an inner side towards an outer side of the first wall portion (see Figs. 4-6).
Regarding claim 9: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches wherein the groove has a guide inclined surface at a bottom portion of the groove (e.g. below 32; Fig. 4), a higher end of the guide inclined surface is distal to the inlet section and a lower end of the guide inclined surface is proximal to the inlet section (see Figs. 4-6).
Regarding claim 10: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein the outlet section (at 32; Fig. 6) has an inverted funnel shape with a cross-section that expands outwards (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 10 and further teaches wherein, before the outlet section, the first drainage portion has a cross-sectional area (at 42; Fig. 4) gradually decreasing from the inlet section towards the outlet section (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 12: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein the first drainage portion has a turning section (e.g. below leadline 42; Fig. 5 ) extending outwards before the outlet section (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein a plurality of rounded corners are formed at a plurality of edges of both the inlet section and the outlet section, (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 14: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein the outlet section has a protective portion 50 at least partially surrounding itself (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 15: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the base portion 40 and the first wall portion 20 are integrally molded plastic pieces (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 16: Ichio teaches a socket 10 for coupling to a sheet metal component P of a vehicle body (Col. 3, lines 10-19), comprising: a socket housing 11 including a base portion 40 and a first wall portion 20 formed as a hollow cylindrical wall that protrudes continuously from a first side of the base portion (see Fig. 1), the first wall portion 20 has a first drainage portion 32 intersecting the base portion and opening outwards (see Figs. 4-5), the first drainage portion 32 is a passage that extends obliquely from an inner root portion of the first wall portion to an outer root portion of the first wall portion (see Figs. 4-5), a second side of the base portion opposite to the first side is arranged toward the sheet metal component P and coupled to the sheet metal component (see Fig. 5); and a plurality of connection terminals 60 respectively accommodated in a plurality of holes 21 defined by a plurality of second wall portions 22 of the socket housing (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 17: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 16 and further teaches wherein the base portion 40 is at a first angle relative to the sheet metal component P (see Fig. 5), the first drainage portion 32 is inclined at an acute angle within an angular range greater than the first angle with respect to an axial direction of the first wall portion 20 (see Figs. 4-6).
Regarding claim 18: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 16 and further teaches wherein each of the second wall portions 22 has a stopper 23 protruding radially inwards at a free end of the second wall portion (Fig. 5), the stopper prevents one of the connection terminals from being separated from the one of the holes defined by the second wall portion (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 19: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 18 and further teaches wherein the stopper 23 has a continuous inner peripheral surface, each stopper 23 extends in a closed loop shape along a circumferential direction of one of the second wall portions (see Figs. 3-6).
Regarding claim 20: Ichio teaches all the limitations of claim 16 and further teaches wherein the base portion 40 is coupled to the sheet metal component P by at least one of a snap fit and a threaded connection (see Fig. 5).
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:
Maegawa (US 2005/0239332) teaches an outlet socket with a drain portion located at a lower end;
Maegawa (US 2011/0223808) teaches a charging connector and multiple drain points located on a cylindrical wall housing a terminal within;
Kamemura (US 10,594,071) teaches a charging inlet having a base and protruding wall portion and a drain located 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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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