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 .
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, 2, 9, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2011111949 A2.
In regard to claim 1, WO 2011111949 A2 discloses an electrical connector assembly (fig. 4), comprising:
a connector housing 42 defining a cavity in which an electrical terminal (terminals connected the cell modules 41 together) is disposed; and
a cover 43 that is configured to enclose the cavity, thereby protecting the electrical terminal and thermally manage heat within the cavity, the cover 43 having a thermal management mechanism 60, 70, 80 including a plurality of pneumatic ports 43a, 90 configured to direct an air flow though the cavity.
In regard to claim 2, WO 2011111949 A2 discloses the thermal management mechanism is integral with the cover 43.
In regard to claim 9, WO 2011111949 A2 discloses the plurality of pneumatic ports 43a, 90 comprises an air flow inlet port 43a configured to enter the air flow into the cavity and an air flow outlet port 90 configured to exhaust the air flow from the cavity.
In regard to claim 10, WO 2011111949 A2 discloses the air flow inlet port 43a and the air flow outlet port 90 are integrally formed with the cover 43.
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cavallieri et al. (US 9192075 B1).
In regard to claim 1, Cavallieri et al. discloses an electrical connector assembly 10, comprising:
a connector housing (col. 3, line 57) defining a cavity in which an electrical terminal (col. 3, lines 60-62) is disposed; and
a cover 20 that is configured to enclose the cavity, thereby protecting the electrical terminal and thermally manage heat within the cavity (col. 3, lines 60-64), the cover 20 having a thermal management mechanism (see figures 3, 6 and 7) including a plurality of pneumatic ports 56 configured to direct an air flow though the cavity (col. 5, lines 5-14).
In regard to claim 2, Cavallieri et al. discloses the thermal management mechanism 56 is integral with the cover 20.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13, 15-18 are allowed.
Claims 3-8 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that the broadest reasonable interpretation of a "a connector housing defining a cavity in which an electrical terminal is disposed" is not satisfied by the WO '949 battery tray that holds prismatic cell modules and does not disclose a terminal disposed in the cavity of a connector housing.
Contrary to applicant’s argument, WO '949 discloses a connector housing 42 defining a cavity in which an electrical terminal (terminals connected the cell modules 41 together). Further, one skill in the art would recognize that the cell modules in the housing 42 would not be electrically connected without terminals.
In response to applicant’s argument that Cavallieri's wire dress cover 20 is not the claimed cover enclosing a cavity defined by a connector housing in which an electrical terminal is disposed.
Contrary to applicant’s argument, Cavallieri et al. discloses a connector housing (col. 3, line 57) defining a cavity in which an electrical terminal (col. 3, lines 60-62) is disposed; and a cover 20 that is configured to enclose the cavity, thereby protecting the electrical terminal and thermally manage heat within the cavity (col. 3, lines 60-64), the cover 20 having a thermal management mechanism (see figures 3, 6 and 7) including a plurality of pneumatic ports 56 configured to direct an air flow though the cavity (col. 5, lines 5-14). (NOTE: Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because applicant did not address all of the above bold/underlined provide by Examiner in the last Office Action).
Further, even though Cavallieri et al. does not disclose the term “pneumatic”, one skill in the art would recognize that a process involving heat disclosed by Cavallieri et al. could be part of a pneumatic system.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Tdt
8/9/2026
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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