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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 4, “a securement tab” was mentioned on line 3. Therefore, the limitation should be changed to - - the securement tab - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TW I243519 B (herein TW319) in view of Shao 5239610.
In reference to claim 1, TW319 teaches a housing (100; fig. 3) enclosing electrical circuitry for powering electronic equipment.
However TW319 does not teach the housing comprising a slot for receiving a securement tab; and a securement tab configured to slidably engage within the slot on the housing, wherein the securement tab includes an aperture therethrough for receiving a screw to attach and secure the transformer to a wall outlet.
Shao teaches the housing comprising a slot (53-1; fig. 3) for receiving a securement tab (23; fig. 5); and a securement tab (23) configured to slidably engage within the slot on the housing (i.e. 71; fig. 6 engages 53-1), wherein the securement tab includes an aperture (69) therethrough for receiving a screw to attach and secure the transformer to a wall outlet (shown in fig. 7).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teachings of Shao to modify TW319 in order to surely mount and secure the plug-in transformer to the wall outlet.
In reference to claim 4, TW319 substantially teaches the claimed invention.
However TW319 does not teach wherein the securement tab comprises a protruding button configured to frictionally engage with a wall of the slot when inserted to retain the securement tab within the slot.
Shao teaches wherein the securement tab comprises a protruding button (72; fig. 6. See col. 4, lines 63-66 which mentions that 72 helps maintain leg within hole 53. For the purpose of examination, this is seen to frictionally engage with the wall of the slot) configured to frictionally engage with a wall of the slot when inserted to retain the securement tab within the slot.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teachings of Shao to modify TW319 in order to surely mount and secure the securement tab to the plug-in transformer.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 5-7 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: (Claim 8) the housing comprising a “T” shaped slot for receiving a securement tab; and a “T” shaped securement tab configured to slidably engage within the slot on the housing.
(Claim 14) the housing comprising a “T” shaped slot for receiving a securement tab; and a “T” shaped securement tab configured to slidably engage within the slot on the housing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAVIS SLOAN CHAMBERS whose telephone number is (571)272-6813. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m..
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/TRAVIS S CHAMBERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 09/21/2026
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