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 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.
Claims 1-6, 10-12, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2000150049 A (herein JP049).
In reference to claim 1, JP049 a photovoltaic connector (shown in figure 8), comprising a socket (35; fig. 4, 8) and at least one plug (1; fig. 1, 8) that is configured to be connected to the socket by insertion, wherein the plug is provided with at least one photovoltaic cable (33; fig. 8), and the at least one photovoltaic cable is configured to be electrically connected to the socket (35); and the socket is configured to be connected to at least two plugs (2; fig. 1) by insertion, and/or the at least one plug (2; fig. 1) is provided with at least two photovoltaic cables (33).
Regarding the limitation photovoltaic connector, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 2, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 1, wherein in a case that the at least one plug is provided with at least two photovoltaic cables, the at least two photovoltaic cables of at least one plug are both positive photovoltaic cables, and/or the at least two photovoltaic cables are both negative photovoltaic cables, and/or at least one of the at least two photovoltaic cables is a positive photovoltaic cable and at least another one of the at least two photovoltaic cables is a negative photovoltaic cable.
Regarding the limitation “the at least two photovoltaic cables of at least one plug are both positive photovoltaic cables, and/or the at least two photovoltaic cables are both negative photovoltaic cables, and/or at least one of the at least two photovoltaic cables is a positive photovoltaic cable and at least another one of the at least two photovoltaic cables is a negative photovoltaic cable”, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 3, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug comprises a plug housing (14; fig. 2) and a pin (4; fig. 1) provided in the plug housing, and the plug housing is configured to be inserted into the socket; one end of the pin is electrically connected to the photovoltaic cable in a fixed manner (see fig. 1), the other end of the pin is configured to be electrically connected to the socket (see fig. 8); and the pin and the plug housing are connected in an insulated manner (see fig. 8).
In reference to claim 4, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 3, wherein the pin is configured to be electrically connected to a conductive member of the socket (see fig. 9) in a sheathing manner, and/or the photovoltaic cable is connected to the plug housing in a sealed manner (7; fig. 9).
In reference to claim 5, JP049 the photovoltaic connector according to claim 3, wherein the plug comprises a core (2; fig. 2) fixed in the plug housing (14), the core is provided with a mounting hole (opening of 2 that receives contact 4), the pin is located in the mounting hole, and the pin is configured to cooperate with the core in a position-limited manner along an axial direction of the pin.
In reference to claim 6, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 5, wherein the core (2) is connected to the plug housing by snap fit (i.e. 27 snaps onto 28; fig. 2).
In reference to claim 10, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 1, wherein the socket is provided with a slot (i.e. the opening of 35; fig. 8 that receives 14) and a conductive member (38; fig. 4, 8), the plug is configured to be inserted into the slot, and the photovoltaic cable (33)is configured to be electrically connected to the conductive member.
In reference to claim 11, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 10, wherein the slot is in one- to-one correspondence to the plug, and/or the photovoltaic cable is in one-to-one correspondence to the conductive member.
In reference to claim 12, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 10, wherein one end of the conductive member is located in the slot, and the other end of the conductive member extends out of the slot from a bottom end of the slot.
In reference to claims 16, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 2, wherein the socket comprises a base (i.e. the body of 35) that is configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, and the plug is configured to be inserted into the base.
Regarding the limitation configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 17, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 3, wherein the socket comprises a base (i.e. the body of 35) that is configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, and the plug is configured to be inserted into the base.
Regarding the limitation configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 18, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 4, wherein the socket comprises a base (i.e. the body of 35) that is configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, and the plug is configured to be inserted into the base.
Regarding the limitation configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 19, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 5, wherein the socket comprises a base (i.e. the body of 35) that is configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, and the plug is configured to be inserted into the base.
Regarding the limitation configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 20, JP049 teaches the photovoltaic connector according to claim 6, wherein the socket comprises a base (i.e. the body of 35) that is configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, and the plug is configured to be inserted into the base.
Regarding the limitation configured to be fixedly connected to a case in a sealed manner, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9, 13-15 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.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A 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.
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/TRAVIS S CHAMBERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 08/28/2026
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