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
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) 1-8 are as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoshida (US 8657624).
As per claim 1: Yoshida discloses a connector 20 comprising: a rod-shaped terminal 40; a terminal holder 60 configured to hold the terminal 40; and a housing 70 to which the terminal holder 60 is mounted, wherein the terminal holder 60 includes a plurality of locking portions (as shown in fig. 2, the hook-shaped portions that protrude towards the axial center 66 are formed at the forward end of the tubular forward end portion 61. An aperture, whose diameter matches the outside diameter of the base 42 of the above-mentioned male terminal 40, opens in the axial central portion surrounded by the hook-shaped portions 66) wherein arranged in a circumferential direction of the terminal 40, the plurality of locking portions being elastically displaceable in a radial direction of the terminal 40 and being capable of engaging with the terminal to restrict movement of the terminal in the radial direction and an axial direction (see Abstract), and the housing 70 includes one or more first pressing portions 71 that press the plurality of locking portions (as shown in figs. 3-4) of the terminal holder 60 inward in the radial direction (as shown in figs.3-4), and a second pressing portion 75/92 that presses the terminal 40 inward in the radial direction (see Abstract, wherein an end of the retaining sleeve (60) is reduced in diameter by being pressed by constricting tapered portions).
As per claims 2-4, and 6-8: Yoshida discloses the connector 20, wherein the plurality of locking portions of the terminal holder 60 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the terminal 20 (as shown in fig. 2, wherein the tubular forward end portion 61 is partitioned by four narrow score lines 64 extending in the axial direction; the four score lines 64 are formed such that the central angles located about the axial center of the retaining sleeve 60 are each equal to 90 degrees); and wherein each of the plurality of locking portions (as shown in fig. 2-3) includes a locking protrusion ( extending toward the terminal 20 (as shown in fig. 15); and wherein each of the plurality of locking portions has a cantilever shape (not label, as shown in fig. 15, wherein there are anchors at the end of the tubular forward end portion 61).
As per claim 5: Yoshida discloses a connector 20 comprising: a rod-shaped terminal 40; a terminal holder 60 configured to hold the terminal 40; and a housing 70 to which the terminal holder 60 is mounted (as shown in figs. 3-4), wherein the terminal holder 60 includes a plurality of locking portions (as shown in fig. 2, the hook-shaped portions that protrude towards the axial center 66 are formed at the forward end of the tubular forward end portion 61. An aperture, whose diameter matches the outside diameter of the base 42 of the above-mentioned male terminal 40, opens in the axial central portion surrounded by the hook-shaped portions 66) arranged in a circumferential direction of the terminal 40 (as shown in fig. 3), the plurality of locking portions being elastically displaceable in a radial direction of the terminal 40 and being capable of engaging with the terminal 40 to restrict movement of the terminal 40 in the radial direction and an axial direction (wherein a result of elastic deformation of the tubular forward end portion 61 partitioned by the score lines 64, during which the side connected to the tubular intermediate portion 63 serves as a base, the diameter of the forward end of the tubular forward end portion 61 can be expanded and shrunk in a radial direction. Furthermore, hook-shaped portions that protrude towards the axial center 66 are formed at the forward end of the tubular forward end portion 61. An aperture, whose diameter matches the outside diameter of the base 42 of the above-mentioned male terminal 40, opens in the axial central portion surrounded by the hook-shaped portions 66), the housing 70 includes one or more first pressing portions 71 that press the plurality of locking portions of the terminal holder 60 inward in the radial direction (as shown in fig. 4), the terminal holder 60 includes a third pressing portion 61(wherein the diameter of the forward end of the tubular forward end portion 61 can be expanded and shrunk in a radial direction) that presses the terminal 40 inward in the radial direction, and the first pressing portion 71 and the third pressing portion 61 are disposed to be offset from each other in the circumferential direction of the terminal 40 (as shown in fig. 4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-0288. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T.H.N/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
