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 .
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Drawings
Color photographs and color drawings are not accepted in utility applications unless a petition filed under 37 CFR 1.84(a)(2) is granted. Any such petition must be accompanied by the appropriate fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(h), one set of color drawings or color photographs, as appropriate, if submitted via the USPTO patent electronic filing system or three sets of color drawings or color photographs, as appropriate, if not submitted via the via USPTO patent electronic filing system, and, unless already present, an amendment to include the following language as the first paragraph of the brief description of the drawings section of the specification:
The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
Color photographs will be accepted if the conditions for accepting color drawings and black and white photographs have been satisfied. See 37 CFR 1.84(b)(2).
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.
Claims 4, 7-8 and 9-15 are 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 4, the limitation "the lever joint" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, “the lever joint” is treated as the positively recited “joint” from claim 1.
Additionally, in line 6, it is recited “a completion portion extends through an opening of the housing wall”. It is unclear if the opening referred to in claim 4 is separate from the previously claimed “an opening of a wall” (claim 1). Are these the same wall and opening from claim 1? Are they separate limitations entirely? For the purpose of examination, it will be understood that claim 4’s “opening” and “housing wall” are the same as the opening and wall claimed previously in claim 1.
Claims 7 and 9-14 are dependent on claim 4 and are therefore rejected for depending upon a rejected base claim.
Regarding claim 8, the claim recites “wherein the concave or circular shape has a part, notably rounded, that protrudes within a non-final part”. The phrase “notably rounded” renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether the recited part is required to be rounded or whether “notably rounded” merely describes a preferred or optional characteristic that is not required by the claim. As a result, the metes and bounds of claim cannot be determined because it is unclear whether a part that is not rounded would fall within the scope of the claim.
Regarding claim 15, the claim recites “preferably with a continuation of a mating course of the contacts”. The term “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the continuation of the mating course along an overlap course is a required step of the claimed method or merely an optional or preferred one. It cannot be determined whether a method omitting the continuation along an overlap course would fall within the scope of the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taguchi (US 5,647,752).
Regarding claim 1, Taguchi discloses a connector (lever-type connector A, Fig. 1) configured to be mated to a counter-connector, comprising: a connector housing (outer housing 10A, Fig. 1) carrying one or more electrical contacts so as to ensure a connection of the contacts with one or more electrical counter-contacts carried by the counter-connector (Col. 2, line 15, “a plurality of male terminals (not shown) are provided within this connector housing”); and at least one lever (retaining lever 1, Fig. 1) arranged to assist with mating the connector with the counter-connector (Fig. 6), the lever comprising at least one lever arm that is linked with the connector housing by a joint (pivot axis P, Fig. 6), so as to be movable in regard to the connector housing, between at least: an open position (Fig. 6), in which the counter-connector can be at least partially mated to the connector, and a closed position (Fig. 7), in which the counter-connector is fully mated to the connector, wherein the lever further comprises a securing portion (flanged projection 2, Fig. 1) that extends towards and through (support shaft portion 2A, Fig. 1) an opening (receiving groove 11, Fig. 1) of a wall of the connector housing for providing a securing interaction between the lever and the housing (Col. 5, line 40-42, “the flanged projection 2 at the innermost end of the receiving groove 11, thereby retaining the retaining lever 1 in a manner to allow the pivotal movement of the retaining lever”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-15 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.
Claims 4, 7, and 9-14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 2, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art of record not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the connector according to claim 1, wherein the lever comprises a driving portion with a shape configured to provide a contact cooperation with the counter-connector that enables a movement of the lever toward the closed position to bring the connector and counter-connector close to each other and wherein the securing portion has a contact surface that is arranged for, along at least one part of the closing movement, providing a completion action by pushing on the electrical contacts of the connector so as to enhance connection between the contacts and the counter-contacts, thus working as a completion portion, as recited in claim 2. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record. Claims 3-15 are dependent on claim 2 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 4, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art of record not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the connector according to claim 2, wherein the lever joint with the housing defines a pivot hole crossed by a pivot shaft that bears and drives the driving portion wherein the contact surface working as a completion portion enforces the completion action along a completion direction that is more off-center than a driving direction of the driving portion, and wherein the contact surface working as a completion portion extends through an opening of the housing wall that is separate from the pivot hole, as recited in claim 4. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination. Claims 7 and 9-14 are dependent on claim 4 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yamashita (US 6,666,697) discloses a connector assembly comprising a slider and a lever that urges two mating connectors together.
Vasbinder et al. (US 8,197,270) discloses a connector having a lever with teeth drawing two mating connectors together.
Endo et al. (US 20180183180) discloses a lever-type connector including a first and second connector and a lever used to draw the first connector to the second in a camming motion.
Lesniak et al. (US 20180309237) discloses a connector with a lever and a sliding teeth for drawing the two connectors closed.
Masuda et al. (US 20190296485) discloses a connector having a front holder and a lever configured to fit with a mating connector.
Fischer et al. (US 20220190520) discloses a connector with a lever and a connection aid engageable with the mating housing and a position assurance element.
Wallenstenier et al. (US 20230087250) discloses a plug connector having a lever used to draw down the first connector into the second connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jeffrey Mountain whose telephone number is (703)756-1939. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 6:30pm ET.
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/JEFFREY MOUNTAIN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
