DETAILED ACTION
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ZHANG (US Patent Application Publication 20140315439 A1).
As per claim 1, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), comprising: a housing 2 in which a connector 100 is provided; and a circuit board (see paragraph 4) which transmits information (see paragraph 4) from an electronic device (see paragraph 2) fixed inside the housing 2, wherein the connector 100 has a seal packing (7 along 51) for waterproofing (see paragraph 5), a first connection terminal 32 to be connected to an external circuit (along 100), a second connection terminal 33 to be connected to the circuit board (see paragraph 4), a fastening portion 62 to the housing 2, and a position setting (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) determination portion to determine a set position (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) relative to the housing 2, the housing 2 has a fit-in hole (along the board, see paragraph 20) into which an end of the connector 100 is fitted, a fastening portion 62 to the connector 100, and a positioning portion (along 51) to determine a placement position (7 along 51) of the connector 100 on the housing 2, and the connector 100 is fixed by being fitted into the fit-in hole (along the board, see paragraph 20) of the housing 2 with the seal packing (7 along 51) interposed therebetween, and a position of the connector 100 relative to the housing 2 is set by the position setting (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) determination portion of the connector 100 and the positioning portion (along 51) of the housing 2.
As per claim 2, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), wherein the position setting (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) determination portion of the connector 100 includes at least two positioning holes or positioning pins (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62), and the positioning portion (along 51) of the housing 2 has at least one flat surface for positioning the connector 100.
As per claim 3, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), wherein the connector 100 has a flange (between 51 and 522) and at least two slope portions 524, for positioning to the housing 2.
As per claim 4, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), wherein the position setting (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) determination portion of the connector 100 has at least two positioning protrusions (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) for positioning to the housing 2, and the positioning protrusions (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) have surfaces to oppose the positioning portion (along 51) of the housing 2.
As per claim 5, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), wherein the connector 100 has a pressing surface (along 100) which is to be pressed by an external force (along 100) and which is different from the position setting (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) determination portion, and the connector 100 is positioned by the pressing surface (along 100) being pressed by the external force (along 100).
As per claim 6, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), wherein the connector 100 has, as the position setting (shown in figure 5, adjacent to 62) determination portion, a contact surface (along 7) to contact with a seal surface (along 7) of the fit-in hole (along the board, see paragraph 20), at a cylindrical part (see paragraph 18) of the connector 100.
As per claim 7, ZHANG teaches a connector device (along 100, see paragraph 16), further comprising a bracket 6 formed as a separate member (along 6) or integrally molded with the connector 100, the bracket 6 having a leg portion (along 6), wherein the bracket 6 is placed with the leg portion (along 6) opposing the positioning portion (along 51) of the housing 2, and the bracket 6 is fixed by the positioning portion (along 51) of the housing 2.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (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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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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