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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-17 in the reply filed on 5/27/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from consideration at this time.
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) 1 and 4-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cech 2014/0194007.
Regarding claim 1, Cech discloses a system (100, Figs 1-13), comprising: a base (104, Fig 4) comprising one or more slots (receiving slot at ‘X’ and/or ‘Y’, Fig 6) configured to receive one or more protrusions (protrusion part of ‘X’ and/or ‘Y’, Fig 6) of a circuit (121 and/or 121’, Figs 6a, 6b) of an input/output (I/O) module (103, Fig 6); the I/O module, wherein the I/O module comprises a first locking mechanism (114, Fig 6) configured to couple to the base (see Figs 5, 6); and a terminal block (106, Figs 4a, 4) comprising: a coupling element (end at 107, Figs 4a, 4) configured to couple to a cylindrical element of the base (see cylindrical element at/near 112, Figs 5a, 5), wherein the terminal block is configured to rotate about an axis (S1, Figs 5a, 5) defined by the cylindrical element via the coupling element (see Figs 4a, 5a); and a second locking mechanism (116, Figs 4a, 5a) configured to couple to the I/O module and secure the terminal block to the I/O module (see Fig 4a with respect to Fig 5a).
Regarding claim 4, Cech discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first locking mechanism comprises a lever (flat/vertical portion of 114, Figs 4a, 5a) integrally formed with a housing of the I/O module (integrally formed at ‘F’, Fig 5a), wherein the lever comprises one or more raised portions (see raised portion/bump along interior of 114, Fig 5a) and a latch (114b, Fig 4a) configured to interface with a slot (at 115b, Figs 4a, 5a) formed in an additional housing (upper right part housing of 105, Fig 6) of the base (Figs 5a, 6), wherein the one or more raised portions of the lever is configured to angle the latch into the slot (raised portion of ‘F’ acts as fulcrum tilting 114b, Figs 4-5) .
Regarding claim 5, Cech discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the second locking mechanism comprises an arm (arm portion of 116a, Fig 5a) configured to pivot in a first direction (pivotable at least partially in horizontal left direction to latch, Fig 5a) to position an extension of the arm (166, Fig 5a) into a slot (slot on 103 where 166 meant to lodge closed position– not labeled, Figs 5, 5a) formed in a housing (housing exterior of 103, Fig 5) of the I/O module to prevent relative motion between the terminal block and the I/O module (when in closed position, Figs 4, 4a).
Regarding claim 6, Cech discloses the system of claim 5, wherein the arm is configured to pivot in a second direction to remove the extension from the slot to allow relative motion between the terminal block and the I/O module second direction (pivotable at least partially in horizontal right direction to release, Fig 5a).
Regarding claim 7, Cech discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a bus (117, Fig 4) configured to couple to a power source (voltage/power, par 0075), wherein the one or more slots comprise a bus connector (118, Fig 4) configured to couple the I/O module to the power source (par 0075).
Regarding claim 8, Cech discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the one or more slots comprise a connector (131, Fig 6) configured to communicatively couple the I/O module to the base (via portion 121, Fig 6).
Regarding claim 9, Cech discloses a base (100, Fig 2), comprising: one or more slots (receiving slot at ‘X’ and/or ‘Y’, slots where 117/118 disposed, Fig 6) configured to couple to a circuit (121, Fig 6) of an I/O module (102, Figs 4a, 6); a connector (connector 104, Fig 4) configured to couple to an additional base (configured to couple base of ‘neighboring module’, see par 0075); and a locking mechanism (114 and/or including 116, Figs 4a, 5a) configured to limit relative motion between the base and the additional base (by securing engagement therebetween, par 0088).
Regarding claim 10, Cech discloses the base of claim 9, comprising a bus (portion 105 including bus connectors, Fig 4a) configured to couple to a power source (see par 0067), wherein the one or more slots comprise a bus connector (117, Fig 4) configured to couple the 1/0 module to the power source (see par 0067, 0075).
Regarding claim 11, Cech discloses the base of claim 10, wherein the bus comprises protrusions (protrusions 118, Fig 4) on a first side of the base (side where 118 locates, Fig 4) and indentations on a second side of the base (indentations from neighboring module on other side – not shown, but see par 0075, Fig 3), wherein the protrusions are configured to be inserted into additional indentations of the additional base (par 0075, 0086), and wherein the indentations are configured to receive additional protrusions of the additional base (indentations where 118 connects within adjacent module once connected, par 0075, 0086).
Regarding claim 12, Cech discloses the base of claim 9, wherein the connector comprises a protrusion (117, Fig 4) on a first side of the base (side where 117 locates, Fig 4) and a receptacle on a second side of the base (receptacle or receiving portion for 117/118 on other side – not shown, but see par 0075, Fig 3), wherein the protrusion is configured to be inserted into an additional receptacle of the additional base (117/118 configured to be received on other side, par 0075) , and wherein the receptacle is configured to receive an additional protrusion of the additional base (see par 0075, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 13, Cech discloses the base of claim 9, comprising a billboard feature configured to rotate to a position extending away from a surface of the base (see Fig 4 with respect to Fig 5 how top portion pivots relative to the below portion – billboard feature), wherein the billboard feature is configured to remain in the position (see Fig 5).
Regarding claim 14, Cech discloses the base of claim 9, comprising one or more latches (recessed portion underneath forms latch connecting around 101, Fig 2) configured to couple the base to a DIN rail (101, Fig 2).
Regarding claim 15, Cech discloses the base of claim 9, comprising a cylindrical element (see cylindrical element at/near 112 or 113, Figs 5a, 5) configured to couple to a coupling element (at/near S1, Figs 5a, 5) of a terminal block (106, Figs 4a, 4), wherein the terminal block is configured to rotate about an axis (axis parallel R1, Figs 5a, 5) defined by the cylindrical element via the coupling element (see Fig 5a).
Regarding claim 16, Cech discloses the base of claim 9, comprising a housing (105, Fig 3) comprising a plurality of grooves (grooves formed where 117 is disposed, Fig 4) configured to interlock with a plurality of indentations formed in an additional housing of the I/O module (indentation interlocking via communication bus connector 118 neighboring module, see par 0075).
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) 2-3 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cech 2014/0194007 in view of Suzuki 6,172,875.
Regarding claim 2, Cech discloses the system of claim 1, except wherein the base comprises a third locking mechanism configured to couple the base to an additional base, wherein the third locking mechanism comprises a pin disposed within a track formed in a housing of the base, wherein the pin is configured to extend through an opening at an end of the track and interface with a groove on a corresponding end of the additional base.
Suzuki, however, teaches wherein a base (30, Fig 7) comprises a third locking mechanism (108 and/or including 98, Figs 7, 11) configured to couple the base to an additional base (adjacent base of 22, Figs 1-3), wherein the third locking mechanism comprises a pin (126, Fig 7) disposed within a track (124, Fig 7) formed in a housing (28, Figs 1, 7) of the base (Fig 1), wherein the pin is configured to extend through an opening (opening where124 exits, Figs 3, 6-8) at an end of the track (end of 124 where 126 exposed, Fig 8) and interface with a groove on a corresponding end of the additional base (124 of adjacent module once assembled, Figs 3, 8).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the base of Cech to include a third locking mechanism including the pin and track in the manner as claimed, and, as taught by Suzuki, in order to facilitate a secured connection between adjacent modules in order to tolerate industrial environments with substantial vibration, thereby improving reliability. While additionally, including a third locking mechanism, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 3, Cech in view of Suzuki discloses the system of claim 2, Suzuki teaches wherein the base comprises a connector (150 and/or including 100, 82, Figs 4, 11) configured to couple to the additional base (as in Figs 2, 3), wherein the connector comprises a protrusion (152, Fig 2) on a first side of the base (side where 152 protrudes, Figs 1, 2) and a receptacle (at 82, Fig 4) on a second side of the base (side where 82 locates, Fig 4), wherein the protrusion is configured to be inserted into an additional receptacle of the additional base (see Figs 1-3), and wherein the receptacle is configured to receive an additional protrusion of the additional base (see Figs 1-3).
Regarding claim 17, Cech discloses the base of claim 16, except wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pin disposed within a track formed in the housing, wherein the pin is configured to extend through an opening at an end of the track and interface with a groove on a corresponding end of the additional base.
Suzuki, however, teaches wherein a locking mechanism (108 and/or including 98, Figs 7, 11) comprises a pin (126, Fig 7) disposed within a track (124, Fig 7) formed in a housing (28, Figs 1, 7), wherein the pin is configured to extend through an opening (opening where124 exits, Figs 3, 6-8) at an end of the track (end of 124 where 126 exposed, Fig 8) and interface with a groove on a corresponding end of an additional base (124 of adjacent module once assembled, Figs 3, 8).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the locking mechanism of Cech to include a pin and track in the manner as claimed, and, as taught by Suzuki, in order to facilitate a secured connection between adjacent modules in order to tolerate industrial environments with substantial vibration, thereby improving reliability.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Berger - US 8986033 B2, Figs 1a-13b. Teaches similar I/O module structure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHEN E MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-8852. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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, Imani Hayman can be reached at 571-270-5528. 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.
/RASHEN E MORRISON/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights