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 . Claims 1-21 are pending in the current application.
Claim Objections
Regarding Claim 5, the last line, perhaps the term “the” should be changed to “a.”
Regarding Claim 6, the 3rd to the last line, perhaps the term “the” should be changed to “a.”
Regarding Claim 7, the 3rd to the last line, perhaps the term “the” should be changed to “a.”
Regarding Claim 9, the last line, perhaps the term “combinations” should be changed to “combination.”
Regarding Claim 18, the last line, perhaps the language “the aid” should be changed to “aid.”
Regarding Claim 20, the 2nd to the last line, perhaps the language “the clamping” should be changed to “the first or second clamping.”
Regarding Claim 20, the 2nd to the last line, perhaps the language “the one” should be changed to “one.”
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.
Claims 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Specifically, Claim 1 is rejected since there is no antecedent basis for the language “the first clamping fingers” recited in the 6th to the last line. Additionally, there is no antecedent basis for the language “second clamping fingers” recited in the 5th to the last line.
Regarding Claim 20, it is not clear what is meant by the term “acts.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. Eguchi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,538) discloses a terminal connecting device has a plurality of movable contacts which are biased toward each other by springs, and Connell (U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0176017 A1) discloses a switching electrical power contactor having a bi-blade type switch utilizing a wedge, but the prior art fails to teach, disclose, or suggest, either alone or in combination a slide-in clamping device for removably connecting a first electrical terminal of a withdrawable low-voltage circuit breaker to a corresponding second electrical terminal of a respective stationary base in a withdrawable low-voltage circuit breaker unit, the slide-in clamping device comprising at least one displaceable spacer assembly having a displaceable spacer member, wherein the displaceable spacer member is displaceable between an active position, in which the displaceable spacer member contacts first clamping fingers or second clamping fingers, and an inactive position in which the displaceable spacer member does not apply any force to first clamping fingers or second clamping fingers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY R. JIMENEZ whose telephone number is 313-446-6518. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 1030am - 9pm.
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, Renee Luebke, can be reached at (571) 272-2009. 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.
/ANTHONY R JIMENEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights