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 1-5 are pending.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Electrical Connector Comprising an Assembly Member Having a Plurality of Assembly Modes.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masahide (JPH08298162A) in view of Matsuura et al. (US 20180226744), hereinafter Matsuura.
Regarding claim 1, Masahide discloses a connector (Fig. 1), comprising: a base member (housing 10, Fig. 1); an assembly member (lever 30, Fig. 1) assemblable with the base member in a plurality of different assembly modes (Par. 0031, “The lever 30 is rotatable between an unlocked position (see Figure 5) in which its operating portion 31 is positioned on the front side of the female housing 10, and a fitted position (see Figure 6)”).
However, Masahide fails to disclose a base identifier disposed on the base member; and a plurality of assembly identifiers disposed on the assembly member, the plurality of assembly identifiers respectively corresponding to the plurality of assembly modes of the assembly member, the base identifier and the assembly identifier corresponding to the assembly mode of the assembly member being adjacent to each other to configure an identifier corresponding to the assembly mode with the assembly member assembled with the base member.
Matsuura teaches a base identifier (first identification mark S1, second identification mark S2, Fig. 1-2) disposed on the base member (connector body C, Fig. 1); and a plurality of assembly identifiers (first mark M1, second mark M2, Fig. 1) disposed on the assembly member, the plurality of assembly identifiers respectively corresponding to the plurality of assembly modes of the assembly member, the base identifier and the assembly identifier corresponding to the assembly mode of the assembly member being adjacent to each other to configure an identifier corresponding to the assembly mode with the assembly member assembled with the base member (Par. 0055, “the first mark M1 of the wire cover 30 is set to correspond to the first identification mark S1 of the connector body C” and Par. 0056, “the second mark M2 of the wire cover 30 is set to correspond to the second identification mark S2 of the connector body C”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Matsuura to modify the invention of Masahide to provide a lever-type connector comprising a base identifier disposed on the base member and a plurality of assembly identifiers disposed on the assembly member wherein the respective identifiers correspond to each other in a plurality of assembly modes that the connector can be configured to be in. One would be motivated to make this modification to help the user identify when the connector is in a specific assembly mode based on which identifiers are aligned to each other.
Regarding claim 2, Masahide discloses the connector according to claim 1, wherein the base member is a housing (housing 10, Fig. 1) to be connected to a mating connector (Par. 0021, “The lever-type connector of this embodiment consists of a male housing (not shown), a female housing 10 that can be mated to the male housing, and a lever 30 supported by the female housing 10 for mating with the male housing.”), and the assembly member is a lever to be assembled with the housing rotatably between an initial position and a connection completion position (Par. 0031, “The lever 30 is rotatable between an unlocked position (see Figure 5) in which its operating portion 31 is positioned on the front side of the female housing 10, and a fitted position (see Figure 6)”).
Regarding claim 3, Masahide discloses the connector according to claim 2, wherein: the plurality of assembly modes include a first assembly mode (unlocked position, see Figure 5) and a second assembly mode (fitted position, see Figure 6) different from the first assembly mode.
However, Masahide fails to disclose an outer surface of the housing includes a base identification surface disposed with the base identifier, the lever has a first assembly identification surface facing the same side as the base identification surface when the lever is assembled with the housing in the first assembly mode and a second assembly identification surface facing the same side as the base identification surface when the lever is assembled with the housing in the second assembly mode, and the plurality of assembly identifiers include a first assembly identifier disposed on the first assembly identification surface and corresponding to the first assembly mode and a second assembly identifier disposed on the second assembly identification surface and corresponding to the second assembly mode.
Matsuura teaches an outer surface of the housing includes a base identification surface disposed with the base identifier (Par. 0049, “The first identification mark S1 is provided on a left surface of the connector body C (one of both side surfaces), and the second identification mark S2 is provided on a right surface (the other surface)”, see Fig. 2), the lever has a first assembly identification surface facing the same side as the base identification surface when the lever is assembled with the housing in the first assembly mode and a second assembly identification surface facing the same side as the base identification surface when the lever is assembled with the housing in the second assembly mode (Par. 0049, “The connector body C is provided with a first identification mark S1 and a second identification mark S2 corresponding to the first mark M1 and the second mark M2, respectively”, see Fig. 2), and the plurality of assembly identifiers include a first assembly identifier disposed on the first assembly identification surface and corresponding to the first assembly mode (Par. 0055, “the wire cover 30 is set such that the first mark M1 is located at the upper side and the second mark M2 is located at the lower side and such that the wall portion 32 is disposed at a side of the first identification mark S1 of the connector body C.”) and a second assembly identifier disposed on the second assembly identification surface and corresponding to the second assembly mode (Par. 0056, “the wire cover 30 is set such that the second mark M2 is located at the upper side and the first mark M1 is located at the lower side and such that the wall portion 32 is disposed at a side of the second identification mark S2 of the connector body C”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Matsuura to modify the invention of Masahide to provide a lever-type connector comprising a base identifier disposed on the base member and a plurality of assembly identifiers disposed on the assembly member wherein the respective identifiers correspond to each other in a plurality of assembly modes that the connector can be configured to be in. One would be motivated to make this modification to help the user identify when the connector is in a specific assembly mode based on which identifiers are aligned to each other.
Claim(s) 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Masahide (JPH08298162A), in view of Matsuura (US 20180226744) and further in view of Masayuki (JP 04266348A).
Regarding claim 4, Masahide and Matsuura disclose the connector according to claim 3.
However, Masahide and Matsuura fail to disclose wherein the lever includes a first rotation indicator indicating a rotation direction when the lever is assembled in the first assembly mode and a second rotation indicator indicating a rotation direction when the lever is assembled in the second assembly mode.
Masayuki teaches wherein the lever (lever 1, Fig. 3a-d) includes a first rotation indicator (indicator 3a, Fig. 3a-d) indicating a rotation direction when the lever is assembled in the first assembly mode and a second rotation indicator (indicator 3b, Fig. 3a-d) indicating a rotation direction when the lever is assembled in the second assembly mode.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Masayuki to modify the combination of Masahide and Matsuura to provide a lever-type connector wherein the lever includes rotation indicators indication a rotation direction when the lever is in an assembly mode. One would be motivated to make this modification to provide visual information for the user to know at a glance what assembly mode the lever is in and which direction to rotate the lever if desired by the user.
Regarding claim 5, Masahide and Matsuura disclose the connector according to claim 4.
However, Masahide and Matsuura fail to disclose wherein the first rotation indicator is disposed on the first assembly identification surface and the second rotation indicator is disposed on the second assembly identification surface.
Masayuki teaches wherein the first rotation indicator (indicator 3a, Fig. 3a-d) is disposed on the first assembly identification surface (display member 3, Fig. 3) and a second rotation indicator (indicator 3b, Fig. 3a-d).
Regarding the limitation of the second rotation indicator disposed on a second assembly identification surface, therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to try disposing the second rotation indicator on a second assembly identification surface as shown in the instant application. One would find this to be a mere design choice that would have no unexpected results from rearranging which surface of the lever the rotation indicator is located. Modifying which surface the rotation indicators would be disposed would not have modified the operation of the device and would amount to a mere design choice. See MPEP 2144.04(VI)(C) In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Di et al. (US 20200381863) discloses a connector housing assembly comprising a housing and a handle for connecting two mating connectors to each other.
Norbert et al. (EP 3955395A1) discloses a connector assembly with sealed symmetrical split lever configured to move between a connected status and disconnected status with a mating connector.
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/JEFFREY MOUNTAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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