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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 12, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the second cable section " in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Holland (US 7264502 B2).
In regard to claim 1, Holland discloses a method for producing an assembly made of a connector 50 (fig. 5, 6) for high-frequency applications and a coaxial cable 10 or a component for such an assembly, comprising:
providing an outer conductor part 24, the outer conductor part 24 comprising at least one connecting section (see annotated drawing below) having an inner wall, which is at least partly designed as a hollow cylinder;
providing an inner conductor part 51 and an insulation part (col. 6, lines 65-67);
providing a coaxial cable 10, the coaxial cable 10 comprising an outer conductor 13, which has wires, an inner conductor 11, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor 13, an insulator 12, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor 13 and at least partly encloses the inner conductor 11, and a cable jacket 14, which at least partly encloses the outer conductor 13;
stripping an outer conductor section of the coaxial cable 10;
everting the stripped outer conductor section around a first cable section of the coaxial cable 10 and arranging the wires on the outside of the cable jacket 14 in the first cable section; joining the coaxial cable 10 with the outer conductor part 24 to form the assembly or the component, the outer conductor part 24 being pushed with the connecting section (see annotated drawing below) of the outer conductor part 24 over the first cable section; and
reducing the inside diameter of the connecting section (see annotated drawing below), whereby the cable jacket 14 is compressed at least in a first subregion (see annotated drawing below) of the connecting section and the wires bear against the inner wall of the connecting section and the cable jacket 14, the first subregion comprising at least 70% of a region of the connecting section in which the wires are arranged between the inner wall and the cable jacket 14.
In regard to claim 2, Holland discloses the connecting section is designed completely as a hollow cylinder.
In regard to claim 3, Holland discloses the first subregion completely comprises the region of the connecting section in which the wires are arranged between the inner wall and the cable jacket.
In regard to claim 5, Holland discloses the inside diameter of the connecting section is reduced by no more than 5% (see fig. 6).
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Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, 11, 12, 14, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Holliday (US 20120178289 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Holliday discloses a method for producing an assembly made of a connector 200 (fig. 22-25) for high-frequency applications and a coaxial cable C or a component for such an assembly, comprising:
providing an outer conductor part 214, the outer conductor part 214 comprising at least one connecting section (see annotated drawing below) having an inner wall, which is at least partly designed as a hollow cylinder;
providing an inner conductor part G and an insulation part 207;
providing a coaxial cable C, the coaxial cable C comprising an outer conductor B, which has wires, an inner conductor P, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor B, an insulator D, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor B and at least partly encloses the inner conductor P, and a cable jacket J, which at least partly encloses the outer conductor B;
stripping an outer conductor section of the coaxial cable C;
everting the stripped outer conductor section around a first cable section of the coaxial cable C and arranging the wires on the outside of the cable jacket J in the first cable section; joining the coaxial cable C with the outer conductor part B to form the assembly or the component, the outer conductor part 214 being pushed with the connecting section (see annotated drawing below) of the outer conductor part 214 over the first cable section; and
reducing the inside diameter of the connecting section (see annotated drawing below), whereby the cable jacket J is compressed at least in a first subregion (see annotated drawing below) of the connecting section and the wires bear against the inner wall of the connecting section and the cable jacket J, the first subregion comprising at least 70% of a region of the connecting section in which the wires are arranged between the inner wall and the cable jacket J.
In regard to claim 2, Holliday discloses the connecting section is designed completely as a hollow cylinder.
In regard to claim 3, Holliday discloses the first subregion completely comprises the region of the connecting section in which the wires are arranged between the inner wall and the cable jacket J.
In regard to claim 5, Holliday discloses the inside diameter of the connecting section is reduced by no more than 5% (see fig. 24).
In regard to claim 6, Holliday discloses introducing at least one inwardly directed depression into the connecting section, the depression having a smaller axial extension than the first subregion (see fig. 24).
In regard to claim 7, Holliday discloses the at least one depression is introduced into the first subregion of the connecting section (see fig. 24).
In regard to claim 8, Holliday discloses the at least one depression is introduced into the region of the connecting section in which the wires are arranged between the inner wall and the cable jacket J.
In regard to claim 11, Holliday discloses the outer conductor part 214 is configured as a tube.
In regard to claim 12, Holliday discloses a diameter reduction of the coaxial cable C is present due to the compression of the cable jacket J in the first cable section (see annotated drawing below), the diameter reduction being at least 4%, preferably 4% to 15%, compared to the second cable section (see annotated drawing below).
In regard to claim 14, Holliday discloses an assembly made of a connector, in particular for high-frequency applications, and a coaxial cable, produced by way of the method according to claim 1, the connector comprising:
an outer conductor part 214;
an inner conductor part G, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor part; and
an insulation part 207, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor part and at least partly encloses the inner conductor part, the outer conductor part comprising at least one connecting section (see annotated drawing below) having an inner wall, the connecting section being at least partly designed as a hollow cylinder;
the coaxial cable C comprising:
an outer conductor B, which has wires;
an inner conductor P, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor;
an insulator D, which is at least partly arranged in the interior of the outer conductor and at least partly encloses the inner conductor; and
a cable jacket J, which at least partly encloses the outer conductor, the coaxial cable C comprising a first cable section (see annotated drawing below), which is arranged within the connecting section, the coaxial cable comprising a second cable section (see annotated drawing below), which is arranged outside the connecting section, a stripped outer conductor section of the coaxial cable being arranged in the first cable section so as to surround and bear against the outside of the cable jacket, the wires of the stripped outer conductor section being located between the cable jacket and the outer conductor part of the connector and bearing against the inner wall of the connecting section and the cable jacket, and at least the cable jacket being compressed by the outer conductor part, at least in a first subregion (see annotated drawing below) of the connecting section.
In regard to claim 15, the recitation “configured for the transmission of high frequency or high-frequency signals, as a high-frequency connector, in a high-frequency connector or for the production of a high-frequency connector” has not been given a significant patentable weight since it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations. Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987).
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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.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holliday.
In regard to claim 13, Holliday does not disclose the connecting section has one or more of the following features after the reduction of the inside diameter: a length in the range of 5 to 15 mm; a wall thickness in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm; an inside diameter in the range of 3.0 to 4.0 mm.
Regarding the particular dimensions of the length, the wall thickness and the inside diameter, to the extent that Holliday does not specify exact dimensions, at the time of the invention, workable dimensions of the length, the wall thickness and the inside diameter would have been a matter of routine experimentation. In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618 (CCPA 1977). Variations in the distance would have been obvious minor adjustments without patentable significance. See In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955) (Where general conditions of the claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover optimal or workable ranges by routine experimentation).
Claim(s) 4, 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holliday in view of Jacobsen et al. (US 5338225 A).
In regard to claims 4, 9 and 10, Holliday does not disclose the reduction of the inside diameter of the connecting section is carried out with the aid of two half shells, which each have a semi-cylindrical recess, the two half shells being pressed with the semi-cylindrical recesses onto the connecting section, and the inside radius of the semi-cylindrical recesses being smaller than the outside diameter of the connecting section before the inside diameter is reduced, wherein the assembly does not comprise an additional support clamp or support sleeve or crimp clamp or crimp tube arranged around the first cable section and/or the insulator, and wherein the insulator of the coaxial cable is compressed by the introduction of the at least one depression.
Jacobsen et al. discloses the reduction of the inside diameter of the connecting section is carried out with the aid of two half shells 142, 144, which each have a semi-cylindrical recess, the two half shells being pressed with the semi-cylindrical recesses onto the connecting section, and the inside radius of the semi-cylindrical recesses being smaller than the outside diameter of the connecting section before the inside diameter is reduced, wherein the assembly does not comprise an additional support clamp or support sleeve or crimp clamp or crimp tube arranged around the first cable section and/or the insulator, and wherein the insulator 124 of the coaxial cable 120 is compressed by the introduction of the at least one depression (see fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the invention of Holliday by using the conventional crimping tool 140 as disclosed by Jacobsen et al. in order to reduce the inside diameter of the connecting section without an additional support clamp or support sleeve or crimp clamp or crimp tube, thus the manufacture process will be much simpler.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Tdt
8/31/2026
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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