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
Preliminary Amendment
1. Applicant's amendments, filed August 13, 2024 are respectfully acknowledged and have been fully considered.
Claims 1-9 are amended.
Claims 1-9 are pending.
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 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mase et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20020193011 A1, hereinafter “Mase”).
Regarding Claim 1 (Currently Amended), Mase teaches a connector (par 0032 connector of Fig 1), comprising:
a housing body including a terminal accommodation chamber (par 0032 Fig 1 housing body 10 comprising a terminal accommodation chamber cavity 12);
a female terminal fitting to be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber from behind the housing body (par 0036 Fig 4 terminal fittings 30 are inserted into cavities 12 of housing 10 from behind, inserting leftward in Fig 4); and
a terminal holding member to be attached to the housing body to cover a front surface of the housing body (par 0034 Figs 1,2 retainer [terminal holding member] 40 is attached as it moves along portions 18 to cover a front portion including opening edges of the accommodating space 14),
the terminal holding member holding the female terminal fitting in the terminal accommodation chamber to prevent any further forward movement (par 0041 Figs 1-4, terminal fittings 30 reach proper insertion positions where the front ends thereof abut against the rear surface of the front wall 42 of retainer 40),
the housing body being formed with a locking lance to be resiliently deformed due to interference with the female terminal fitting in an insertion process of the female terminal fitting (par 0041 Fig 6 upper walls of the rectangular tubes 31 of terminal fittings 30 contact [interference with] the locks [locking lances] 13 and deform the locks 13 upwardly),
the locking lance retaining the female terminal fitting inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber (par 0041 Fig 6 terminal fittings 30 reach proper insertion positions where the front ends thereof abut against the rear surface of the front wall 42 and locks 13 are restored resiliently and engage the first engaging portions 33 from behind, preventing the terminal fittings 30 from coming out of the cavities 12),
the terminal holding member being formed with:
a jig insertion hole, a jig for disengaging the locking lance from the female terminal fitting being inserted into the jig insertion hole (par 0039 Figs 2,6 jig insertion holes 51 align transversely with the locks 13 when the retainer 40 is at the partial locking position; par 0046 A long narrow jig J can be inserted into the jig insertion hole 51 to engage a front end 13A of the lock 13 from below. The lock 13 then is deformed and disengages from the first engaging portion 33 of the terminal fitting 30);
a tab insertion hole, a tab of a male terminal fitting being inserted into the tab insertion hole from front of the terminal holding member (par 0039 Figs 3,7 front wall 42 of retainer 40 is formed with substantially rectangular tab holes 50; par 0044 tabs T of the mating connector pass from front of the retainer 40 through the tab holes 50 and into the rectangular tubes 31 for connection with the terminal fittings 30); and
a guiding surface for guiding the tab into the tab insertion hole (par 0044 Fig 7 inclined guiding surfaces forward in the insertion path of holes 50 are shown as provided to guide insertion of tab T), and
the tab insertion hole and the jig insertion hole being arranged side by side in a width direction intersecting a resilient deformation direction of the locking lance (par 0039 Fig 2 tab insertion hole 50 and jig insertion hole 51 arranged side by side in a horizontal width direction intersecting a resilient deformation vertical direction of the locking lance 13).
Regarding Claim 2 (Currently Amended), Mase teaches the connector of claim 1, wherein
the terminal holding member includes a retaining portion for preventing a rearward movement of the female terminal fitting in the terminal accommodation chamber (par 0038 Fig 3 step-shaped second engaging portions 49 [of retainer 40] are displaced to the left with respect to insertion paths of the corresponding terminal fittings 30 when the retainer 40 is at the partial locking position and enter the insertion paths of the terminal fittings 30 when the retainer 40 is at the full locking position to engage the second engaging portions 34 from behind).
Regarding Claim 3 (Currently Amended), Mase teaches the connector of claim 1, wherein:
the locking lance is formed with a jig contact portion to be contacted by the jig (par 0046 Fig 6 jig J can be inserted into the jig insertion hole 51 to engage a front end [jig contact portion] 13A of the lock 13 from below),
the terminal holding member (par 0026 Fig 5 retainer [terminal holding member] 40) is movable between
a temporary locking position where insertion of the female terminal fitting is allowed (par 0025 Fig 4 retainer [terminal holding member] 40 is shown moved to a partial locking position) and
a complete locking position where the female terminal fitting is retained (par 0026 Fig 5 retainer [terminal holding member] 40 is shown moved to a full locking position), and
the jig insertion hole is arranged at a position separated from the jig contact portion in a front view of the terminal holding member when the terminal holding member is at the complete locking position (par 0039 Fig 3 jig insertion holes 51 that align transversely with the locks 13 [and their jig contact portions 13A] when the retainer 40 is at the partial locking position and are displaced to right from the locking portions 13 when the retainer 40 is at the full locking position).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 4, 5, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mase (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20020193011 (par 0000 Fig A1) in view of Nakamura et al. (Japan Patent Application Publication JP2003022865A, hereinafter “Nakamura”).
Regarding Claim 4 (Currently Amended), Mase teaches the connector of claim 1, wherein:
the locking lance is formed with a jig contact portion to be contacted by the jig (par 0046 Fig 6 jig J can be inserted into the jig insertion hole 51 to engage a front end [jig contact portion] 13A of the lock 13 from below).
However, Mase appears not to expressly teach
the jig contact portion is arranged in a region outward of an outer side surface of the female terminal fitting in the width direction.
Nakamura teaches
the jig contact portion is arranged in a region outward of an outer side surface of the female terminal fitting in the width direction (par 0028 Fig 13 the side wall [jig contact portion] 26A of the lance 26 which contacts with release portion 51 of the jig J is shown to be disposed in a region outside of the outside surface of the female terminal fitting 10).
Mase and Nakamura are analogous art as they each pertain to connectors. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the connector of Mase with the inclusion of the jig contact portion arrangement of Nakamura. The motivation would have been in order provide a terminal release mechanism that prevents damage to the terminal and lance lock surfaces (Nakamura par 0028).
Regarding Claim 5 (Currently Amended), Mase teaches the connector of claim 1, wherein:
the locking lance is formed with a jig contact portion to be contacted by the jig (par 0046 Fig 6 jig J can be inserted into the jig insertion hole 51 to engage a front end [jig contact portion] 13A of the lock 13 from below),
the jig insertion hole is formed with a guide surface (par 0039 Fig 6 jig insertion holes 51 have wall surfaces that necessarily guide the jig pin in the insertion direction). However, Mase appears not to expressly teach
the guide surface is inclined to an insertion direction of the tab into the tab insertion hole in a plan view of the terminal holding member when viewed in the same direction as the resilient deformation direction of the locking lance.
Nakamura teaches
the guide surface is inclined to an insertion direction of the tab into the tab insertion hole in a plan view of the terminal holding member when viewed in the same direction as the resilient deformation direction of the locking lance (par 0021 annotated Fig 7 below the guide surface [rearward portion] is shown/suggested to be inclined to an insertion direction of the tab T into the tab insertion hole 47).
Mase and Nakamura are analogous art as they each pertain to connectors. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the connector of Mase with the inclusion of the tab guide surface of Nakamura. The motivation would have been in order provide more accurate insertion direction of the jig.
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Regarding Claim 8 (Currently Amended), Mase as modified teaches the connector of claim 5, wherein
a front end of the guide surface is located outward of an outer side edge of the locking lance in the width direction (Nakamura par 0028 Fig 13 the side wall [jig contact portion] 26A of the lance 26 which contacts with release portion 51 of the jig J is shown to be disposed in a region outside of the outside surface of the female terminal fitting 10; similarly the jig insertion hole, and thus its wall surfaces that necessarily act as a guide for the jig J, also are disposed in a region outside of the outside surface of the female terminal fitting 10).
Mase and Nakamura are analogous art as they each pertain to connectors. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the connector of Mase with the inclusion of the jig insertion hole arrangement of Nakamura. The motivation would have been in order provide a terminal release mechanism that prevents damage to the terminal and lance lock surfaces (Nakamura par 0028).
Regarding Claim 9 (Currently Amended), Mase teaches the connector of claim 1. However, Mase appears not to expressly teach wherein
an opening dimension in the width direction at a rear end of the jig insertion hole is smaller than that at a front end of the jig insertion hole.
Nakamura teaches wherein
an opening dimension in the width direction at a rear end of the jig insertion hole is smaller than that at a front end of the jig insertion hole (par 0021 annotated Fig 7 above, an opening dimension in the width direction at a rear end of the jig insertion hole 47 is shown to be smaller than that at a front end of the jig insertion hole 47).
Mase and Nakamura are analogous art as they each pertain to connectors. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the connector of Mase with the inclusion of the jig insertion hole dimensions of Nakamura. The motivation would have been in order provide increasingly more accurate insertion direction of the jig as the jig is further inserted.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 7 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, and rewritten to overcome any objections thereto.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 6:
While closest prior art Mase (20020193011 A1) and Nakamura (JP 2003022865 A) teach portions of the limitations of Claim 6, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of Claim 6, namely "the guide surface is formed on an inner side surface distant from the tab insertion hole, out of a pair of inner side surfaces facing each other in the width direction, in the jig insertion hole" in combination with all other limitations of the claim.
Claim 7:
While closest prior art Mase (20020193011 A1) and Nakamura (JP 2003022865 A) teach portions of the limitations of Claim 6, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of Claim 7, namely "the jig insertion hole is formed with a straight surface facing the guide surface in the width direction and parallel to the insertion direction of the tab into the tab insertion hole" in combination with all other limitations of the claim.
Conclusion
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/MARK EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624
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