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 Objections
Claim 1 recites the limitation "internal passage assembly" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This issue also occurs in line 4 of claim 7.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moore US PAT 5667009 in view of Altimas US 2005/0053485.
As for claim 1, Moore discloses a permanent downhole plug-in connector (connector 23) assembly comprising: an external connector body (outer sleeve 104) with an internal passage (passage within 104, Fig 9), wherein the internal passage assembly (passaged within 104) configures to receive twisted conductor pair cable (electrical conductor means 11’ Fig 11) rubber boot members (female boot 120 and male boot 122, col 14 ln 11-28, Fig 9-11) that defines said internal passage (boots 120 and 122 define internal passage, see Fig 9-11); a filling part connector (insulation 113) that acts as a protective tubing for said twisted conductor pair cable (tubing for electrical connector means 11’, see Fig 11 and col 15 ln 34-42).
Moore teaches that other known means of connectors may be used (see col 13 ln 53 through col 14 line 3) but is silent to teaching using a twisted pair connector. Altimas teaches the use of a twisted pair connector (0028, 0055). It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to substitute a twisted pair connector, such as that of Altimas, in with Moore to provide an alternate, well-known connector type to facilitate with making the electrical connection in Moore.
With regard to having an electrical socket with a receptacle to receive a twisted conductor pair, Moore at least suggest an equivalent structure to the claimed connection means for the purpose of electrically and mechanically coupling the connection assembly, see col 13 ln 53 through col 14 line 3 where Moore teaches that the connectors described can be reversed or replaced with other known means of connectors, since In re Williams, 36 F.2d 436, 438 (CCPA 1929) ("It is a settled principle of law that a mere carrying forward of an original patented conception involving only change of form, proportions, or degree, or the substitution of equivalents doing the same thing as the original invention, by substantially the same means, is not such an invention as will sustain a patent, even though the changes of the kind may produce better results than prior inventions.") MPEP 2144.05 II A. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to recognize Moore’s structure as an equivalent structure for purpose of facilitating a connection between the connector and socket portion.
As for claim 2, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 1, Moore further teaches wherein the boot member (120, 122) comprises an external rubber boot member (see female boot member 120) to secure the intermediate section of said twisted conductor pair cable (secures at least some intermediate section of 11’, see Fig 9-11).
As for claim 3, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 1, Moore further teaches wherein the boot member comprises a pair of internal rubber boots disposed within said external rubber boot (teaches internal rubber boot 122 within 120). With regard to having a pair of internal rubber boots disposed within said external rubber boot, Moore at least suggest an equivalent structure to the claimed connection means for the purpose of securing the female and male boot with respect to one another (see col 14 ln 11 through col 15 ln 16), since In re Williams, 36 F.2d 436, 438 (CCPA 1929) ("It is a settled principle of law that a mere carrying forward of an original patented conception involving only change of form, proportions, or degree, or the substitution of equivalents doing the same thing as the original invention, by substantially the same means, is not such an invention as will sustain a patent, even though the changes of the kind may produce better results than prior inventions.") MPEP 2144.05 II A. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to recognize Moore’s structure as an equivalent structure for purpose of facilitating connecting the female and male boot to facilitate having a sealed connector.
As for claim 4, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 1, Moore further teaches said filling part connector (insulation 113) is disposed within said external rubber boot member (see Fig 9 and 11).
As for claim 6, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 1, Moore further teaches comprising a coaxial feedthrough connector (see Fig 9, male connector 116) coupled to said plug- in connector assembly, wherein said conductor pair cable of the downhole gauge or a splice connection (see claim 1 regarding conducting pair 11’) extends through the feedthrough connector to the electrical socket (feeds make connector 116 to socket 114).
As for claim 7, Moore discloses a permanent downhole plug-in connector (connector 23) assembly comprising: an external connector body (outer sleeve 104) formed with an internal passage (see passage within 104, Fig 9), wherein the internal passage assembly (passage within 104) configures to receive twisted conductor pair cable (electrical conductor means 11’ Fig 11); rubber boot members (female boot 120 and male boot 122, col 14 ln 11-28, Fig 9-11) that defines said internal passage (boots 120 and 122 define internal passage, see Fig 9-11); a filling part connector (insulation 113) acts as a protective tubing for said twisted conductor pair cable (tubing for electrical connector means 11’, see Fig 11 and col 15 ln 34-42).
With regard to having an electrical socket with a receptacle to receive the electrical plug, Moore at least suggest an equivalent structure to the claimed connection means for the purpose of electrically and mechanically coupling the connection assembly, see col 13 ln 53 through col 14 line 3 where Moore teaches that the connectors described can be reversed or replaced with other known means of connectors, since In re Williams, 36 F.2d 436, 438 (CCPA 1929) ("It is a settled principle of law that a mere carrying forward of an original patented conception involving only change of form, proportions, or degree, or the substitution of equivalents doing the same thing as the original invention, by substantially the same means, is not such an invention as will sustain a patent, even though the changes of the kind may produce better results than prior inventions.") MPEP 2144.05 II A. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to recognize Moore’s structure as an equivalent structure for purpose of facilitating a connection between the plug and a connector/socket.
As for claim 9, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 7, Moore further teaches the said external connector body (outer sleeve 104) is configured to couple the permanent downhole cable to another permanent downhole cable or to a downhole gauge (can be connected to cable or down hole gauge, see col 13 ln 62-72, col 14 ln 45+).
As for claim 10, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 7, Moore further teaches comprising a coaxial feedthrough connector (see Fig 9, male connector 116) coupled to said plug-in connector assembly, wherein said wire of the downhole gauge or a splice connection extends through the feedthrough connector to the electrical socket (see claim 1 regarding conducting pair 11’; feeds male connector 116 to socket 114).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moore US PAT 5667009 in view of Altimas US 2005/0053485, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Campbell US 2014/0097001.
As for claim 5, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 1, but fail to further teach said the electrical socket (Fig 11, socket 114) disposed within the filling part connector (insulation 113). Campbell teaches a socket 305 disposed within an insulating sleeve 313 (see paragraph 0075). It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to look to Campbell and utilize the socket 305 disposed within an insulating sleeve 313 with Moore in view of Altimas for applications where providing insulating protection around the socket is desired.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moore US PAT 5667009 in view of Altimas US 2005/0053485, and further in view of Nicholson US 2005/0042903.
As for claim 8, Moore in view of Altimas teach the plug-in connector assembly of claim 7, the combination fails to further teach said electrical sockets body configured with two separate channels such that each conductor pair wire is coupled to one of the electrical sockets. Nicholson teaches the concept of having said electrical sockets body configured with two separate channels such that each conductor pair wire is coupled to one of the electrical sockets (paragraph 0011). It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling of the claimed invention to look to the teachings of Nicholson and configure the device with two separate channels where having a connector with two separate channels is desired.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. EMERSON US’873 discloses a connector for electrically and mechanically connecting insulated conductor wires encapsulated in protective tubing. Embodiments of the connector provide a protective outer sheathing that circumscribes the conductive and insulating structures within the connector. ANTONINI US’497 teaches an electrical connector with a sealing boot. SCHERB US’704 discloses a connection between a first line of a traveling wave tube and a second line of a voltage supply unit for the traveling wave tube includes a plug which is connected to an end section of the first line or of the second line by a crimp connection, and a socket which is connected to an end section of the other line by a crimp connection
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/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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