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
This correspondence is in response to Applicant’s Reply filed on 6/25/2026. Claims 9, 14 and 16-20 are canceled, Claims 21-27 are newly added, Claims 1-8, 10-13, 15 and 21-27 are pending. THIS ACTION HAS BEEN MADE FINAL.
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 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 21-23 and 25-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent No. 7,614,593 to McClure et al. (McClure).
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Regarding Claim 21: McClure discloses a clamp for a cable comprising: a first clamp portion (See Annotated Fig. A) having a first cable groove (See Annotated Fig. A) for receiving the cable; a second clamp portion (See Annotated Fig. A) having a second cable groove (See Annotated Fig. A) cooperating with the first cable groove to receive the cable; and a keeper clamp portion (See Annotated Fig. A) being moveable relative to the first and the second clamp portions to provide sequential clamping of the cable, wherein the keeper clamp portion is moveable between an open keeper position (See Figure 2) and a closed keeper position (See Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 22: McClure discloses a clamp of claim 21, wherein the keeper clamp portion (See Annotated Fig. A) is pivotally connected (See Annotated Fig. A) at least one of the first (See Annotated Fig. A) or second clamp portions.
Regarding Claim 23: McClure discloses a clamp of claim 22, wherein the keeper clamp portion (See Annotated Fig. A) pivots independent (See Annotated Fig. A) of the first clamp portion or second clamp portion.
Regarding Claim 25: McClure discloses a clamp of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first or second clamp (See Annotated Fig. A) portions has a keeper window (See Annotated Fig. A) sized to receive the keeper clamp portion.
Regarding Claim 26: McClure discloses a clamp of claim 21, further comprising at least one keeper fastener (See Annotated Fig. A) extending through the keeper clamp portion (See Annotated Fig. A) to hold the keeper clamp portion in the first clamped position.
Regarding Claim 27: McClure discloses a clamp of claim 21, further comprising a pair of inserts (See Annotated Fig. A) positioned between the first and second clamp portions (See Annotated Fig. A) for cushioning the cable and dampening vibrations.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments, see Reply filed 6/25/2026, with respect to Claims 1-3, 11, 12 and 14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous rejection is withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8, 10-13 and 15 are allowed.
Claim 24 is 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.
Reasons for Allowable Subject Matter
None of the cited prior art, considered alone or in combination, discloses or teaches, in addition to the limitations of Claim 21, a third cable groove to hold the cable when the keep clamp portion is closed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERET C MCNICHOLS whose telephone number is (571)270-7363. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 5:00 (Eastern).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ERET C. MCNICHOLS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3632
/ERET C MCNICHOLS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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