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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Information disclosure statement filed 12/26/2024 has been considered.
Response to Amendment
Claim amendment filed 12/06/2024 has been entered. Claims 31-41 are now pending.
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.
Claim(s) 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2019/209645 A1 (hereinafter “WO’645”).
WO’645 discloses an optical terminal comprising a rectangular housing (e.g. 801 in Fig. 35) for enclosing optical components (e.g. see Fig. 14), the housing including at least one optical port (see Fig. 14-15), the housing including a front and a rear separated by a depth, the housing also including a first and second sides separated by a width, the housing further including first and second ends separated by a length (i.e. clearly shown in Fig. 35) the rear of the housing (e.g. 950 in Fig. 43) including a mechanical connection arrangement adapted for connecting to a mounting bracket (e.g. 910 in Fig. 43), the mechanical connection arrangement including a stop formed by a centrally located cross rail that extends across the width of the housing (not explicitly labeled- see annotated Fig. 43 below), the mechanical connection arrangement also including a first hook located between the cross rail and the first end of the housing (958 in Fig. 43), the mechanical connection arrangement further including a second hook located between the cross rail and the second end of the housing (958 in Fig. 43).
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Claim(s) 32-35, 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0025005 A1 to Smith et al. (hereinafter “Smith”).
Regarding claim 32, Smith discloses a cable spooling device for holding a cable in one or more coils, the cable spooling device comprising: a cable support structure (74 + 22 in Fig. 13) defining a cable spooling axis (15 in Fig. 13) about which the cable can be coiled, the cable support structure defining a cable support surface facing outwardly from the cable spooling axis (74+22 defines support surface facing outwardly); and a tie support (220 in Fig. 13; paragraph [0065]) coupled to the cable support structure so that the tie support extends outwardly beyond the cable support surface (Fig. 13), the tie support defining an opening extending along a passage axis that is angled relative to the cable spooling axis (220 in Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 33, Smith discloses wherein the passage axis is generally transverse to the cable spooling axis (Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 34, Smith discloses wherein the tie support is one of a plurality of tie supports coupled to the cable support structure (i.e. 220 and 220 in Fig. 13), each tie support defining a respective opening extending along a respective passage axis that is angled relative to the cable spooling axis (Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 35, Smith discloses wherein the tie support includes a tab (220 is a tab) cantilevered off the cable support structure (Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 39, Smith discloses wherein the cable support structure includes a mounting structure (300 in Fig. 15) for attaching the cable support structure to a pole, a vertical wall, or other installation location (i.e. other location such a floor; various other locations additionally disclosed in paragraph [0065]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 36-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith in view of US Patent Application Publication No. US 2011/0024544 A1 to Smrha et al. (hereinafter “Smrha”).
Smith discloses a cable spooling device as discussed above regarding claim 32. However, it does not explicitly disclose the cable support surface being one of a plurality of cable support surfaces in different directions, oppositely facing surfaces, or defining non-circular cable winding path, as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such cable support surfaces are known in the art. For example, Smrha discloses a cable spooling device comprising plurality of support surfaces (44 in Fig. 1) facing different directions (Fig. 1), including oppositely facing surfaces (44 in Figs. 1, 3, 5), or defining non-circular cable winding path (paragraph [0023]). One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize such cable support surfaces as advantageous and desirable since it would allow for a construction of minimum bend radius maintaining fiber spool support surfaces that require significantly less component material compared to continuous cable support surfaces of the prior art. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the invention of Smith to have the cable spooling device comprising plurality of cable support surfaces in different directions, oppositely facing surfaces, or defining non-circular cable winding path, as claimed in the present application.
Claim(s) 40-41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith.
Smith discloses the cable spooling device of claim 32 and 39 as already discussed above. However, it does not explicitly disclose wherein the mounting structure defines fastener openings or the cable support structure forming part of a terminal mounting bracket as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, the use of a mounting fastener and fastener openings, as well as terminal mounting bracket are both well known and common in the optical fiber cable art. Such mounting fastener and fastener openings and terminal mounting brackets allow optical fiber cable spooling device to be easily mounted to telecommunications cablets and/or racks commonly used in the industry. Such fastening mechanisms and brackets would increase the usability of the cable spooling device of Smith to wide range of industry standard telecommunications cabinets and racks. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Smith to have the mounting structure defining fastener openings or the cable support structure forming part of a terminal mounting bracket as claimed in the present application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNG H PAK whose telephone number is (571)272-2353. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7AM- 5PM.
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/SUNG H PAK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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