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 § 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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20150349557 A1) in view of Nishio (US 20060105603 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a hand-driving movable body (trolley, fig.2) comprising: a base (frame of trolley, fig.2); at least three wheels (wheels on trolley as seen in figure 2) coupled to the base; a connector (30, figs.1-8) with housing (35), front male plugs (31, figs.1-8) that can connect to female sockets (32, figs.1-8) or charging unit (50, figs.1-8). Chen fails to disclose the terminal/plugs moving with respect to the base.
Nishio discloses a floating connector (1, figs.1-6) with a terminal (connector 2 has a terminal, figs.1-6) that moves in a first direction (linear motion along the length of the shafts 41, figs.1-6); and a support portion (base 4 with cover 45, figs.1-6) that movably supports the terminal in the first direction (figs.1-6) and a direction intersecting the first direction (there are gaps between connector 2 in opening 46 and between shafts 41 in openings 32, which would allow the connector 2 to move in directions orthogonal to the first direction, figs.1-6).
Chen and Nishio are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of electrical connectors. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chen with the floating connector of Nishio with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have combined prior art elements yielding predictable of the floating connector to more easily align to make connecting easier, prevent damage to connectors, and allow for more tolerance when building.
Regarding claim 2, Chen in combination with Nishio, Nishio discloses wherein the support portion supports the first connector so as to be movable with respect to the base in the first direction (linear motion along the length of the shafts 41, figs.1-6) and the direction intersecting the first direction (there are gaps between connector 2 in opening 46 and between shafts 41 in openings 32, which would allow the connector 2 to move in directions orthogonal to the first direction, figs.1-6).
Regarding claim 3, Chen in combination with Nishio, Nishio discloses wherein the support portion includes an elastic member (springs 5, figs.1-6) that generates an elastic force pushing the first connector in a direction opposite to the first direction (figs.1-6).
Regarding claim 4, Chen in combination with Nishio, Nishio discloses wherein the first connector (connector 2 of floating connector 1, fig.1-6) includes a supported portion (connecting portion 3, figs.1-6), the supported portion is provided with a through hole (through holes 32, figs.1-6) penetrating the supported portion in the first direction, the support portion includes: two fixing portions (cover 45 and base 4, figs.1-2) separated from each other in the first direction; a shaft (41, figs.1-6) extending in the first direction and inserted into the through hole, the shaft extending over the two fixing portions; and the elastic member (springs 5, figs.1-6), and the elastic member is interposed between the fixing portion on the first direction side of the two fixing portions and the supported portion (figs.1-6).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art not relied upon but considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure is included in the 892 form. The art included has features related to claim limitations, the general structural of the invention, teachings, and other analogous art to the invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN BRYCE SHELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00.
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, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303)-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/IAN BRYCE SHELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
Prosecution Insights