DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the anticipatory rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jaag US 6109952. Regarding claim 1, Jaag discloses a push-in terminal block configured for use with an electronic module (52, 53), wherein the electronic module has one or more terminal pins 53, the push-in terminal block comprising:
an electrically insulative housing 12, the electrically insulative housing including:
one or more wire receiving apertures (15a, 15b) on a first side (labeled S1 below) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more wire receiving
apertures is configured to accommodate an electrical wire (50a,b) optionally extending into a corresponding wire receiving aperture;
one or more test probe apertures (19a) on a second side of the electrically
insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture;
one or more terminal pin apertures (at 17b) on a third side (labeled S3 below) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more terminal pin apertures configured to accept a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins of the electronic module optionally extending into a corresponding terminal pin aperture;
one or more electrical terminals 30 housed by the electrically insulative housing,
each of the one or more electrical terminals configured to:
releasably receive an electrical wire that is optionally pushed into a
corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
provide one or more electrical test pads that are accessible through a
corresponding one of the one or more test probe apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
releasably receive a corresponding one of the one or more terminal
pins of the electronic module that is optionally pushed into a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pin apertures of the electrically insulative housing; and
wherein each of the one or more electrical terminals is configured to electrically connect a corresponding electrical wire when present, the corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins when present and the corresponding one of the one or more
electrical test pads.
PNG
media_image1.png
1000
1048
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Per claim 3, each of the one or more test probe apertures on the second side of the electrically insulative housing is at least substantially orthogonal to the corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures on the first side of the electrically insulative housing.
Per claim 4, each of the one or more terminal pin apertures on the third side of the electrically insulative housing is at least substantially orthogonal to the corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures on the first side of the electrically insulative housing and substantially parallel with the corresponding one of the one or more test probe apertures on the second side of the electrically insulative housing.
Per claim 5 the first side of the electrically insulative housing further includes a placard region (labeled PLR above) adjacent to the one or more wire receiving apertures to accommodate (i.e., capable of accommodating) one or more labels that identify each
of the one or more electrical terminals.
Per claim 6 the electrically insulative housing further comprises a grasping flange (labeled GRFL above) adjacent the second side of the electrically insulative housing to facilitate (i.e. capable of facilitating) grasping and removal of the push-in terminal block from the electronic module.
Per claim 8 the electrically insulative housing comprises (see figure 6) a plurality of wire receiving apertures, a plurality of test probe apertures, a plurality of terminal pin apertures, and electrically insulative housing houses a plurality of electrical terminals.
Per claim 9 each of the one or more electrical terminals housed by the electrically insulative housing defines a spring clip (32a) that is configured to mechanically and electrically engage a corresponding electrical wire that is pushed into the corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures of the electrically insulative housing.
Per claim 10 each of the one or more electrical terminals housed by the electrically insulative housing includes a first conductive extension (34a) that is electrically coupled with a corresponding spring clip to form a corresponding electrical test pad that is accessible through the corresponding one of the one or more test probe apertures of the electrically insulative housing.
Per claim 11 each of the one or more electrical terminals housed by the electrically insulative housing includes a second conductive extension (33b, 36b) that is configured to form a slidable mechanical connection with the corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins of the electronic module.
Claims 13, 15, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mastel US 12614865.
Per claim 13, Mastel discloses a push-in terminal block (see e.g., figures 3-6) configured for use with an electronic module, wherein the electronic module has one or more terminal pins, the push-in terminal block comprising:
an electrically insulative housing 2, the electrically insulative housing defining: one or more wire receiving apertures (at 6) on a side wall (labeled S1 below) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more wire receiving apertures is configured to accommodate an electrical wire optionally extending into a corresponding wire receiving aperture;
one or more terminal pin apertures (at 7) on a bottom side (labeled S3 below) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more terminal pin apertures configured to accept a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins of the electronic module optionally extending into a corresponding terminal pin aperture;
one or more release button apertures (labeled RBA below) on a top side (labeled S2 below) of the electrically insulative housing;
one or more electrical terminals 3 housed by the electrically insulative housing,
each of the one or more electrical terminals configured to:
releasably receive an electrical wire that is optionally pushed into a corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures of the electrically insulative housing; releasably receive a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins of the electronic module that is optionally pushed into a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pin apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
one or more release buttons 13 disposed within corresponding ones of the one or more release button apertures; and wherein actuating one of the one or more release buttons releases and allows removal of a corresponding electrical wire that is optionally releasably received by the corresponding one of the one or more electrical terminals.
PNG
media_image2.png
1144
972
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
1146
992
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Per claim 15 the side wall of the electrically insulative housing further includes a placard region (labeled PLR above) adjacent to the one or more wire receiving apertures to accommodate one or more labels that identify each of the one or more electrical terminals.
Per claim 16 the electrically insulative housing further comprises a grasping flange (labeled GRFL above) adjacent the top side of the electrically insulative housing to facilitate grasping and removal of the push-in terminal block from the electronic module.
Per claim 17, each of the one or more electrical terminals housed by the electrically insulative housing defines a spring clip 15 that is configured to mechanically and electrically engage a corresponding electrical wire that is pushed into the corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures of the electrically insulative housing.
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) 7 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jaag.
Regarding claim 7, Jaag does not disclose specific dimensions of the apertures. It would have been obvious to size connector elements larger or smaller as a matter of engineering design choice and routine experimentation, including sizing the connector elements such that each of the one or more wire receiving apertures is configured to accommodate an electrical wire having a conductor with a maximum lateral dimension of at least 2.5 millimeters. In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618 (CCPA 1977). Variations in the sizing of the elements would have been obvious minor adjustments without patentable significance. See In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955)(Where general conditions of the claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover optimal or workable ranges by routine experimentation).
Regarding claim 12, for each of the one or more electrical terminals, the first conductive extension and the second conductive extension are integrally formed and stamped from a common piece of metal, and the corresponding spring clip is secured to the common piece of metal.
Jaag does not disclose that the spring clip is formed separately. It would have been obvious to form the spring clip separately as a matter of engineering design choice. See In re Dulberg, 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349 (CCPA 1961) (The claimed structure, a lipstick holder with a removable cap, was fully met by the prior art except that in the prior art the cap is "press fitted" and therefore not manually removable. The court held that "if it were considered desirable for any reason to obtain access to the end of [the prior art’s] holder to which the cap is applied, it would be obvious to make the cap removable for that purpose."). See In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965) (A claim to a fluid transporting vehicle was rejected as obvious over a prior art reference which differed from the prior art in claiming a brake drum integral with a clamping means, whereas the brake disc and clamp of the prior art comprise several parts rigidly secured together as a single unit. The court affirmed the rejection holding, among other reasons, "that the use of a one piece construction instead of the structure disclosed in [the prior art] would be merely a matter of obvious engineering choice."). The examiner further takes Official notice that it was well known in the art to construct the spring and bussing terminal out of separate pieces. It would have been obvious to do so. The reason, for example, would be to make the spring out of more resilient metal, such as spring steel, and make the immovable portion out of more conductive metal, such as copper, as was well known in the art.
Claims 1, 2, 14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mastel US 12614865 in view of Jaag. Regarding claim 1, Mastel discloses a push-in terminal block configured for use with an electronic module wherein the electronic module has one or more terminal pins, the push-in terminal block comprising:
an electrically insulative housing 2, the electrically insulative housing including:
one or more wire receiving apertures (at 6) on a first side (labeled S1 above) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more wire receiving apertures is configured to accommodate an electrical wire optionally extending into a corresponding wire receiving aperture;
one or more terminal pin apertures (at 7) on a third side (labeled S3 above) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more terminal pin apertures configured to accept a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins of the electronic module optionally extending into a corresponding terminal pin aperture;
one or more electrical terminals 3 housed by the electrically insulative housing,
each of the one or more electrical terminals configured to (i.e., is capable of):
releasably receive an electrical wire that is optionally pushed into a
corresponding one of the one or more wire receiving apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
(inherently) provide one or more electrical test pads that are accessible through a
corresponding one of the one or more test probe apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
releasably receive a corresponding one of the one or more terminal
pins of the electronic module that is optionally pushed into a corresponding one of the one or more terminal pin apertures of the electrically insulative housing; and
wherein each of the one or more electrical terminals is configured to electrically connect a corresponding electrical wire when present, the corresponding one of the one or more terminal pins when present and the corresponding one of the one or more
electrical test pads.
Mastel does not disclose one or more test probe apertures on a second side (labeled S2 above) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture.
Jaag discloses one or more test probe apertures 19a on a second side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture.
It would have been obvious to provide test probe apertures, as taught in Jaag at 19a, on a second side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture. For example, it would have been obvious to test probe aperture at the location labeled APT above, to facilitating testing whether the connector is electrically live as was well known in the art.
Per claim 2, Mastel discloses one or more release button apertures (labeled RBA above) on the second side (labeled S2 above) of the electrically insulative housing;
one or more release buttons 13 disposed within a corresponding one of the one or more release button apertures; and wherein engaging one of the one or more release buttons releases and allows removal of a corresponding electrical wire that is releasably received by the corresponding one of the one or more electrical terminals.
Regarding claim 14, Mastel does not disclose one or more test probe apertures on a second (top) side (labeled S2 above) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture.
Jaag discloses one or more test probe apertures 19a on a second (top) side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture.
It would have been obvious to provide test probe apertures, as taught in Jaag at 19a, on a second (top) side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture. For example, it would have been obvious to test probe aperture at the location labeled APT above, to facilitating testing whether the connector is electrically live as was well known in the art.
Regarding claim 18, Mastel discloses an electronic module, comprising:
a push-in terminal block for engaging a plurality of terminal pins, the push-in terminal block comprising:
an electrically insulative housing 2, the electrically insulative housing including:
a plurality of wire receiving apertures (6) on a side wall (labeled S1 above) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the plurality of wire receiving apertures is
configured to accommodate a corresponding electrical wire optionally extending into a
corresponding wire receiving aperture;
a plurality of terminal pin apertures (at 7) on a bottom side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the plurality of terminal pin apertures for releasably accepting a corresponding one of the plurality of terminal pins extending into a corresponding terminal pin aperture;
a plurality of release button apertures (labeled RBA above) on the top side of
the electrically insulative housing;
a plurality of electrical terminals 30 housed by the electrically insulative housing, each of the plurality of electrical terminals configured to: releasably receive an electrical wire that is optionally pushed into a corresponding one of the plurality of wire receiving apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
and (inherently) provide an electrical test pad that is accessible through a
corresponding test probe apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
releasably receive a corresponding one of the plurality of terminal pins of the electronic module that is pushed into a corresponding one of the plurality of terminal pin apertures of the electrically insulative housing;
a plurality of release buttons 13 disposed within corresponding ones of the
plurality of release button apertures; and actuating each of the plurality of release buttons releases and allows removal of a corresponding electrical wire that is
optionally releasably received by the corresponding one of the
plurality of electrical terminals.
Mastel does not disclose a module. Jaag discloses a module including a module housing including a body 52, and a plurality of terminal pins 53 accessible from outside of the body. It would have been obvious to connect the Mastel device to a module, such as the module taught in Jaag. The reason would have been to connect an electrical circuit between the module and an electrical element connected through the Mastel device as was known in the art.
Mastel does not disclose one or more test probe apertures on a second (top) side (labeled S2 above) of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture.
Jaag discloses one or more test probe apertures 19a on a second (top) side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture.
It would have been obvious to provide test probe apertures, as taught in Jaag at 19a, on a second (top) side of the electrically insulative housing, each of the one or more test probe apertures configured to accommodate an electrical testing probe optionally extending into a corresponding test probe aperture. For example, it would have been obvious to test probe aperture at the location labeled APT above, to facilitating testing whether the connector is electrically live as was well known in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19-20 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 ROSS GUSHI whose telephone number is (571)272-2005. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30 - 5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached on 571-272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ROSS N GUSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights