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.
The following title is suggested: “ CONNECTOR AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH LOCKING PROTRUSION”
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 1 recites the limitation "the front side" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Therefore, claims 2-10 are also rejected due to dependency.
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) 1-4, and 8 are as best understood and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2019/0229463).
As per claim 1: :Lee et al. discloses a connector 100 having a housing (not label, see fig. 2), and that can be fitted from a front side to a mating connector 200 (as shown in figs. 2-3), the housing 110 comprising: a housing body 110 that stores terminal 312; and an elastic locking part 120 connected to the housing body 110 (see figs. 2-3), and for engaging with the mating connector 200; the elastic locking part 120 comprising: a rear connecting part (not label, see attached figure 3) connected to the housing body 110; a front connecting part (not label, see attached figure 3) connected to the housing body 110; and a beam part (not label, see attached figure 3) connecting the rear connecting part and the front connecting part; the beam part comprising: a front elastic part (not label, see attached figure 3) having an engaging part (not label, see attached figure 3) for engaging with the mating connector 200 formed therein; and a rear elastic part (not label, see attached figure 3) formed toward the rear of the front elastic part; wherein the front elastic part and the rear elastic part are elastically deformable so that the engaging part moves toward the housing body 110; the rear elastic part has a first extending part, a first curved part, and a second extending part (not label, see attached figure 3); the first extending part extends from a front part of the first curved part in a direction away from the housing body 110; and the second extending part extends from a rear part of the first curved part in a direction away from the housing body 110 (as shown in attached figure 3).
PNG
media_image1.png
339
531
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As per claims 2-4, and 8: Lee et al. discloses the connector, wherein the rear connecting part extends from a first end part of the rear connecting part connected to the housing body 110 in a direction away from the housing body 110 (as shown in figs. 2-3); and the rear elastic part has a second curved part that connects a second end part of the rear connecting part and a second end part of the second extending part (not label, see attached figure 3); and wherein the rear connecting part is located rearward of the first extending part, the first curved part, and the second extending part (as shown in attached figure); and wherein the beam part has an operating part located between the front elastic part and the rear elastic part (as shown in attached figure above); and wherein the beam part is located outside in the left-right direction with regard to the side surface of the housing body 110 (as shown in attached figure above).
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.
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, 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.
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.
/T.H.N/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
