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 under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “electrically conductive plate” as described in claim 15 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 states, “tubular gland body” then goes on to describe it as a “gland body” in subsequent claims. Assuming that each reference is directed to the same structure the language should be consistent throughout all claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-4, 6, 10 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burke et al. (US PG. Pub. 2013/0014974) in view of Kawai et al. (US Patent 5169323).
Regarding claim 1 – Burke teaches a gland (figs. 1, 20 [paragraph 0037] Burke states, “grommet assembly 20”) for an optical closure (fig. 3, 22 [paragraph 0016] Burke states, “FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the grommet assembly of FIG. 2 in the process of being fed through entry openings in the base of an optical fiber cable splicing enclosure”), comprising: a tubular gland body (figs. 1-3, combination of elements 24 & 26 [paragraph 0033] Burke states, “compressible grommet 24…upper pressure plate 26”) extending along an axial direction between a first end (upper end) and a second end (lower end), the gland body (24/26) comprising a connecting portion (26) configured to reversibly fasten (see fastening shown in figure 5) the gland body (24/26) inside an opening (44 [paragraph 0036] Burke states, “open-ended passages 44”) of the optical closure (22); a gland base (28 [paragraph 0033] Burke states, “lower pressure plate 28”) at the second end (lower end) of the gland body (24/26); and one or more terminated wires (fig. 3, 36 [paragraph 0040] Burke states, “wires 36’ ”), each having a distal portion (upper portion of wires 36’) extending outside the gland body (24/26) from a first opening (upper opening of tube 38) at the first end (top end) of the gland body (24/26) for the electrical connection to a cable (32 [paragraph 0036] Burke states, “drop cables 32”) housed in the optical closure (22; claimed structure shown in figure 3).
Burke fails to teach wherein the gland in a grounding gland, and wherein the gland body comprising a connecting portion configured to reversibly fasten the gland body inside an opening of the optical closure; and a gland base at the second end of the gland body, comprising one or more electrically conductive studs extending along axial directions across the gland base, such that each stud has an inner portion axially protruding inside the tubular gland body and an outer portion axially protruding outside the gland base for an electrical connection with a grounding cable; and one or more terminated grounding wires, each having a proximal portion electrically connected to a stud inner portion inside the tubular gland body and a distal portion extending outside the gland body from a first opening at the first end of the gland body for the electrical connection to a cable to be grounded housed in the optical closure.
Kawai teaches a gland (figs. 1 & 15, 6 & 23 [column 4 line 11] Kawai states, “the connection portion 12 of plug shell 6”) wherein the gland (6) is a grounding gland ([column 2 lines 45-46] Kawai states, “ground member 23 attached to the ground terminal 9”) with a tubular gland body (12); wherein the gland body (12) comprising a connecting portion (14 [column 2 line 52] Kawai states, ‘external flange 14”) configured to reversibly fasten the gland body inside an opening of the closure (4); and a gland base (10 [column 2 lines 46-48] Kawai states, “a retention member 10 for holding the terminals 8 and 9 in place in the insulation housing 7”) at the second end (right end) of the gland body (12), comprising one or more electrically conductive studs (8 & 9) extending along axial directions across the gland base (10), such that each stud (8 & 9) has an inner portion (30) axially protruding inside the tubular gland body (12) and an outer portion (outer portion extending to the right of gland base 10) axially protruding outside the gland base (10) for an electrical connection with a grounding cable ([column 3 lines 61-62] Kawai states, “terminals 8 and 9 is soldered to a cord (not shown)”); and one or more terminated grounding wires ([column 4 lines 6-7] Kawai states, “Each cord connection portion 40a of the male terminals 40 is soldered to a cord (not shown)”), each having a proximal portion (40) electrically connected to a stud inner portion (30) inside the tubular gland body (12) and a distal portion (left portion of 40) extending outside the gland body (12) from a first opening (opening having 40a/40 therein) at the first end (left end) of the gland body (12) for the electrical connection to a cable to be grounded housed in the closure ([column 4 lines 19-21] Kawai states, “ the ground terminal 9 is grounded to the electronic equipment via the ground member 23, the plug shell 6, and the receptacle shell 34”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the gland for an optical closure as taught by Burke with the gland being a grounding gland including electrically conductive studs joined to the grounding wires as taught by Kawai because Kawai states, “it is an object of the invention to provide a multiple pole electrical connector which permits mounting a ground terminal in any terminal aperture of the insulator housing to meet a variety of uses, thus reducing the unit manufacturing costs” [column 1 lines 34-38].
Regarding claim 2 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the grounding gland of claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of the gland body (Burke; fig. 3A, 26) comprises a locking arrangement (62 [paragraph 0041] Burke states, “locking tabs 62”) configured to axially lock the gland body (24/26) inside the opening (44) of the optical closure (22).
Regarding claim 3 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the grounding gland of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion (Kawai; fig. 15, 40) of each terminated grounding wire (wire connected to portion 40 is electrically connected to a stud inner portion (30) of a relative stud (8) inside the tubular gland body (12).
Regarding claim 4 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the grounding gland of claim 3, wherein the gland body connecting portion (Burke; fig. 3A, 26) comprises a locking arrangement (62 [paragraph 0041] Burke states, “locking tabs 62”) configured to axially lock the gland body (24/26) inside the opening (44) of the optical closure (22).
Regarding claim 6 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the grounding gland of claim 1, wherein the connecting portion (fig. 3, 26) of the gland body (24/26) comprises an anti-rotation portion (62) forming a shape coupling with the opening (44) of the optical closure (22) for avoiding rotations of the gland body (24/26) around the axial direction thereof when the grounding gland (20) is coupled with the optical closure (22).
Regarding claim 10 – Burke in view of Kwai teach the grounding gland of claim 1, wherein axial directions of the one or more electrically conductive studs (Kwai; fig. 15, 8/9) are parallel to an axial direction of the gland body (6).
Regarding claim 16 – Burke teaches an optical closure (fig. 3, 22 [paragraph 0016] Burke states, “FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the grommet assembly of FIG. 2 in the process of being fed through entry openings in the base of an optical fiber cable splicing enclosure”) comprising: a base (top surface having openings 44) including a plurality of openings (44 [paragraph 0065] Burke states, “opening 44”); and one or more glands (fig. 1, 20 [paragraph 0033] Burke states, “compression grommet assembly 20”) arranged in the plurality of openings (44), the one or more grounding glands (20) comprising: a tubular gland body (figs. 1-3, combination of elements 24 & 26 [paragraph 0033] Burke states, “compressible grommet 24…upper pressure plate 26”) extending along an axial direction between a first end (upper end) and a second end (lower end), the gland body (24/26) comprising a connecting portion (26) configured to reversibly fasten (see fastening shown in figure 5) the gland body (24/26) inside an opening (44) of the optical closure (22); a gland base (28 [paragraph 0033] Burke states, “lower pressure plate 28”) at the second end (bottom end) of the gland body (24/26), and one or more terminated wires (fig. 3, 36 [paragraph 0040] Burke states, “wires 36’ ”), each having a distal portion (upper portion of wires 36’) extending outside the gland body (24/26) from a first opening (upper opening of tube 38) at the first end (top end) of the gland body (24/26) for the electrical connection to a cable (32 [paragraph 0036] Burke states, “drop cables 32”) housed in the optical closure (22; claimed structure shown in figure 3).
Burke fails to teach wherein the gland in a grounding gland, and wherein the gland body comprising a connecting portion configured to reversibly fasten the gland body inside an opening of the optical closure; and a gland base at the second end of the gland body, comprising one or more electrically conductive studs extending along axial directions across the gland base, such that each stud has an inner portion axially protruding inside the tubular gland body and an outer portion axially protruding outside the gland base for an electrical connection with a grounding cable; and one or more terminated grounding wires, each having a proximal portion electrically connected to a stud inner portion inside the tubular gland body and a distal portion extending outside the gland body from a first opening at the first end of the gland body for the electrical connection to a cable to be grounded housed in the optical closure.
Kawai teaches a gland (figs. 1 & 15, 6 & 23 [column 4 line 11] Kawai states, “the connection portion 12 of plug shell 6”) wherein the gland (6) is a grounding gland ([column 2 lines 45-46] Kawai states, “ground member 23 attached to the ground terminal 9”) with a tubular gland body (12); wherein the gland body (12) comprising a connecting portion (14 [column 2 line 52] Kawai states, ‘external flange 14”) configured to reversibly fasten the gland body inside an opening of the closure (4); and a gland base (10 [column 2 lines 46-48] Kawai states, “a retention member 10 for holding the terminals 8 and 9 in place in the insulation housing 7”) at the second end (right end) of the gland body (12), comprising one or more electrically conductive studs (8 & 9) extending along axial directions across the gland base (10), such that each stud (8 & 9) has an inner portion (30) axially protruding inside the tubular gland body (12) and an outer portion (outer portion extending to the right of gland base 10) axially protruding outside the gland base (10) for an electrical connection with a grounding cable ([column 3 lines 61-62] Kawai states, “terminals 8 and 9 is soldered to a cord (not shown)”); and one or more terminated grounding wires ([column 4 lines 6-7] Kawai states, “Each cord connection portion 40a of the male terminals 40 is soldered to a cord (not shown)”), each having a proximal portion (40) electrically connected to a stud inner portion (30) inside the tubular gland body (12) and a distal portion (left portion of 40) extending outside the gland body (12) from a first opening (opening having 40a/40 therein) at the first end (left end) of the gland body (12) for the electrical connection to a cable to be grounded housed in the closure ([column 4 lines 19-21] Kawai states, “ the ground terminal 9 is grounded to the electronic equipment via the ground member 23, the plug shell 6, and the receptacle shell 34”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the gland for an optical closure as taught by Burke with the gland being a grounding gland including electrically conductive studs joined to the grounding wires as taught by Kawai because Kawai states, “it is an object of the invention to provide a multiple pole electrical connector which permits mounting a ground terminal in any terminal aperture of the insulator housing to meet a variety of uses, thus reducing the unit manufacturing costs” [column 1 lines 34-38].
Regarding claim 17 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the optical closure of claim 16, wherein the connecting portion of the gland body (Burke; fig. 3A, 26) comprises a locking arrangement (62 [paragraph 0041] Burke states, “locking tabs 62”) configured to axially lock the gland body (24/26) inside the plurality of opening (44).
Regarding claim 18 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the optical closure of claim 16, wherein the proximal portion (Kawai; fig. 15, 40) of each terminated grounding wire (wire connected to portion 40) is electrically connected to a stud inner portion (30) of a relative stud (8) inside the tubular gland body (12).
Regarding claim 19 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the optical closure of claim 18, wherein the gland body connecting portion (Burke; fig. 3A, 26) comprises a locking arrangement (62 [paragraph 0041] Burke states, “locking tabs 62”) configured to axially lock the gland body (24/26) inside the opening (44) of the optical closure (22).
Regarding claim 20 – Burke in view of Kawai teach the optical closure of claim 16, wherein the connecting portion (fig. 3, 26) of the gland body (24/26) comprises an anti-rotation portion (62) forming a shape coupling with the opening (44) of the optical closure (22) for avoiding rotations of the gland body (24/26) around the axial direction thereof when the grounding gland (20) is coupled with the optical closure (22).
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burke et al. in view of Kwai et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Komori (US PG. Pub. 2023/0238158).
Regarding claim 7 – Burke in view of Kwai teach the grounding gland of claim 1, but fail to teach wherein the gland body further comprises a sealing portion configured for sealing the gland body inside the optical closure opening.
Komori teaches a gland body (fig. 2, 30) wherein the gland body (30) further comprises a sealing portion (42 [paragraph 0057] Komori states, “First outer annular protrusions 42 and second outer annular protrusions 43 are formed on the outer periphery of the elastic waterproofing member 30”) configured for sealing the gland body (30) inside the closure opening (see opening shown in module 10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the gland for an optical closure as taught by Burke in view of Kwai with the gland body having a sealing portion for sealing the gland body inside the closure opening as taught by Komori because Komori states, “when the first outer annular protrusions 42 and the second exterior member 62 are joined together, a contractive force acts on the first outer annular protrusions 42 and the second outer annular protrusions 43 of the cylindrical portion 30a. This contractive force acts on the elastic waterproofing member 30 as a force to clamp the slits 36 in the direction of closure” [paragraph 0070]. The sealing portion will promote a waterproof structure.
Regarding claim 8 - Burke in view of Kwai and Komori teach the grounding gland of claim 7, wherein the sealing portion (Komori; fig. 2, 42) comprises one or more annular seats (see annular seats 42 as shown in figures 2 and 4) formed on an external periphery of the gland body (30) and respective annular seals arranged therein.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burke et al. in view of Kwai et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Gajek (US PG. Pub. 2022/0026658).
Regarding claim 9 – Burke in view of Kwai teach the grounding gland of claim 1, but fail to teach wherein the tubular gland body is filled with a hardened resin.
Gajek teaches a tubular gland body (figs. 3G-3H, 36 [paragraph 0049] Gajek states, “fanout tube 36”) wherein the tubular gland body (36) is filled with a hardened resin (70 [paragraph 0054] Gajek states, “a bonding agent 70 may be introduced into the internal passage 66 of the furcation housing 38…In one embodiment, for example, an epoxy resin may be injected into the internal passage 66 via the opening 68 in the second end 64 of the furcation housing 38”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the gland for an optical closure as taught by Burke in view of Kwai with the tubular gland body being filled with a hardened resin as taught by Gajek because Gajek states, “a bonding agent 70 may be introduced into the internal passage 66 of the furcation housing 38 to secure the furcation elements together” [paragraph 0054].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-15 are allowed.
Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lazic (US PG. Pub. 2016/0365717) discloses a cable breakout assembly.
J. Schmitt (US Patent 2312002) discloses an electrical connector.
Kamori et al. (US PG. Pub. 2019/0006834) discloses a seal structure for multicore cable.
Denlinger et al. (US Patent 4676575) discloses a sealing member for bulkhead connector.
Paddick (US PG. Pub. 2022/0413242) discloses a multi-port gland for an optical closure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN T SAWYER whose telephone number is (571)270-5469. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5pm.
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/STEVEN T SAWYER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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