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 because they have elements shown in cross section which are not properly crosshatched. Insulating members shown in cross section should be properly crosshatched. See Figueres 7-11. It is brought to applicant’s attention that the conventional crosshatch for insulating members shown in cross section consist of lines of two different thicknesses alternatively disposed.
PNG
media_image1.png
35
156
media_image1.png
Greyscale
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(h)(3) because section lines in drawings should refer to the view number of the sectional view where it is shown. Figure 5should have section line 7–7. See also Figures 9 and 10.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, the use of parenthesis makes unclear whether the portion inside the parenthesis is necessary or optional.
In claim 2, “the other side” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 3, “a second direction” should be --the second direction--, per claim 1.
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.
Claim 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Noro et al. (US 10,476,206).
Regarding claim 1, Noro discloses a connector, comprising: a first housing (10) and a second housing (30); a plurality of first terminals to be at least partly disposed in the first housing; and at least one shorting terminal (22) to be disposed in the first housing, the shorting terminal including one or more contact pieces (24) for shorting a pair of the first terminals (12), out of the plurality of first terminals, by resiliently contacting the pair of first terminals, the second housing including at least one releasing projection (35) substantially projecting in a connection direction to the first housing, and the releasing projection including at least one releasing portion (37) for releasing a short circuit of the pair of first terminals by resiliently deforming the contact piece(s) toward one side in a first direction (down in Fig. 9) when the first and second housings are properly connected, and one or more extending portions (42) extending in a second direction (side to side in Fig. 9) intersecting with or substantially orthogonal to the first direction from the releasing portion.
Regarding claim 2, Noro discloses the first housing including one or more contact portions (20) for contacting the extending portions from the other side in the first direction.
Regarding claim 3, Noro discloses the extending portions extending toward both sides in a second direction intersecting with or substantially orthogonal to the first direction from the releasing portion.
Regarding claim 4, Noro discloses the releasing projection including one or more ribs (36) extending toward the one side in the first direction from the one or more extending portions.
Regarding claim 5, Noro discloses the one or more ribs substantially extending in the connection direction (left to right in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 6, Noro discloses the ribs include a first rib (front/top of 36 in Fig. 5) to be disposed between the pair of contact pieces and a second rib (base/bottom of 36 in Fig. 5) to be disposed on a side opposite to the first rib in the releasing projection.
Regarding claim 7, Noro discloses the second rib is smaller (i.e. shorter) than the first rib.
Regarding claim 8, Noro discloses the first housing (10) including a plurality of first cavities (11/15) disposed substantially side by side in the second direction for at least partly accommodating the first terminals, a plurality of second cavities (14/17) arranged substantially side by side in the second direction for at least partly accommodating the shorting terminal, at least one separation wall portion (at 20) at least partly disposed between adjacent ones of the second cavities and at least one first wall portion at least partly disposed between adjacent ones of the first cavities and/or connected to the separation wall portion in the first direction, the separation wall portion has a first surface (left side 20 in Fig. 1), a second surface (right side 20 in Fig. 1) disposed on a side opposite to the first surface and a recess (17) recessed toward one side in the second direction from the second surface, the recess is capable of at least partly accommodating the second rib, and/or the first surface is connected to the first wall portion via at least one step surface and/or disposed further on the one side in the second direction than the first wall portion.
Regarding claim 9, Noro discloses the extending portions (42) include a first extending portion with the first rib extending therefrom and/or a second extending portion with the second rib extending therefrom, the first extending portion is disposed to at least partly enter the first housing earlier than the releasing portion (37) and/or the second extending portion when the first and second housings are connected, an inclined portion is formed on a projecting end part of the first extending portion, and the inclined portion is inclined toward the one side in the first direction in a projection direction of the releasing projection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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)727-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights