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 Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 4 line 1 recites “wherein the at least a portion of the sacrificial member.” This recitation is somewhat unclear, is Applicant referring to the same portion in claim 1 line 6? If so, it may be better to recite "at least the portion of the sacrificial member." In order to advance compact prosecution, examiner will interpret as such. Appropriate action necessary.
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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipate by Abe 2009/0088020.
Regarding claim 1, Abe discloses a connector assembly (10 including 7, Fig 3) comprising: a housing (exterior housing of the assembly shown in Figs 1, 2 for example); a printed circuit board (PCB) (6, Fig 2) provided inside the housing (see Figs 1, 2); a terminal (8, Fig 1) electrically connected to the PCB (see par 0038) and formed of a first material (such as gold plated brass, last sentence par 0038) such that at least a portion of the terminal is exposed to an outside of the housing (exposed outside of 4 or 7, Figs 1, 2); and a sacrificial member (portion 16 and/or including 17-19, Figs 1, 18) of which at least a portion is adjacent to the terminal (as in Fig 1) and exposed to the outside of the housing (exposed outside of 4 or 7, Figs 1, 2), wherein the sacrificial member is formed of a second material (such as zinc, among other materials, see par 0057) having higher reactivity than the first material (note, materials such as gold in first material [par 0038] are considered stable and less reactive, more immune to gases, than second material(s) which is more chemically reactive for trapping gases, for example, [par 0054, 0057;Abstact]).
Regarding claim 2, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial member is electrically connected to the terminal through moisture entering the housing (note corrosive gases/vapor/moisture from sacrificial member 17 and the resulting corrosion products electrically connect to terminal 8, see par 0060).
Regarding claim 3, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first accommodation part (10, Fig 3) formed by a rib (rib/leg of portion 9, Fig 3) provided to surround an outer peripheral side of the terminal on an outer side of one surface of the housing in which the terminal is disposed (see where 9, 10 connects on outer peripheral side of terminal 8, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 4, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least a portion of the sacrificial member is provided to be disposed in the first accommodation part (sacrificial member considered disposed in first accommodation part once connected, as depicted in Fig 3).
Regarding claim 5, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a potting part (par 0063) provided on an inner side of one surface of the housing in which the terminal is disposed (inner side surface of housing where portion 17 is disposed, for example, Fig 11).
Regarding claim 6, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the housing further including a second accommodation part (exterior of portion 7, Figs 1, 2) formed by a rib (protruding part of 7, Fig 1) provided to surround an outer peripheral side of the potting part provided on the inner side of one surface of the housing in which the terminal is disposed (Fig 11).
Regarding claim 7, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the sacrificial member is provided to be disposed in the second accommodation part (Figs 2, 11).
Regarding claim 8, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial member is riveted to the housing, insert-injection-molded with the housing, coupled to the housing by a fastening member, or press-fitted to the housing (at least portion 17 of sacrificial member is considered coupled/fixed to the housing by mordant, par 0063).
Regarding claim 9, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial member includes: an extension extending from one end side of the sacrificial member (straight structured of portion 15 extending from 7 to 3, Fig 1, 2) disposed outside the housing (outside at 7, Figs 1, 2) to an inside of the housing (inside at 3, Figs 1, 2); and an auxiliary sacrificial member (structure of right angled portion of 15, Fig 3) fixedly provided inside the housing and directly connected to the extension (Fig 3).
Regarding claim 10, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary sacrificial member is formed of any one of the second material, a third material having higher reactivity than the second material, and a fourth material having higher reactivity than the first material and lower reactivity than the second material (sacrificial member 16 is said to comprise second material as noted in claim 1; note, auxiliary sacrificial member is considered at least partly connected to 16, 17 and therefore at least partially formed of second material also, Fig 2).
Regarding claim 11, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary sacrificial member is formed to have a greater volume than the sacrificial member (see Fig 3).
Regarding claim 12, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the extension is disposed in a potting part (par 0063) provided on an inner side of one surface of the housing (inner side surface of portion 7, Fig 11) in which the terminal is disposed (Fig 11).
Regarding claim 13, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a third accommodation part (10, Fig 3) formed by a rib (rib/leg of portion 9, Fig 3) provided to surround an outer peripheral side of the auxiliary sacrificial member on an inner side of one surface of the housing (inner side surface of portion 9, Fig 3) in which the auxiliary sacrificial member is disposed (see where 9, 10 connects on outer peripheral side of terminal 8, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 14, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 13, wherein the housing includes an auxiliary potting part (in the form of portion 11, Fig 3 for example) provided in the third accommodation part to surround at least a portion of the auxiliary sacrificial member (see Fig 3).
Regarding claim 15, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the sacrificial member is integrally formed with the auxiliary sacrificial member and provided to be insert-injection-molded with the housing (see 2nd sentence par 0031; par 0007).
Regarding claim 16, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial member includes: an extension (structure of portion 15, Fig 1, 2) extending from one end side of the sacrificial member disposed outside the housing (outside at 7, Figs 1, 2) to an inside of the housing (inside at 3, Figs 1, 2); and a PCB connector (32, Fig 1) electrically connected to the PCB (par 0038) at an end portion side of the extension (see Figs 1, 2).
Regarding claim 17, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 16, wherein the sacrificial member is integrally formed with the extension and the PCB connector (see Figs 1, 2) and formed of a conductive metal (in the form of metal 19, par 0057).
Regarding claim 18, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 17, wherein the PCB is provided to output a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) or block power when disconnected from the PCB connector (note, if the PCB connector 32 is disconnected, power is disabled, Figs 1, 2).
Regarding claim 19, Abe discloses the connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: the first material includes Cu (in the form of brass, note, brass has copper in it; par 0038); and the second material includes Zn (3rd sentence, par 0057).
Regarding claim 20, Abe discloses a vehicle electronic control unit (see par 0029), comprising a connector assembly (10 including 7, Fig 3), wherein the connector assembly includes: a housing (exterior housing of the assembly shown in Figs 1, 2 for example); a printed circuit board (PCB) (6, Fig 2) provided inside the housing (see Figs 1, 2); a terminal (8, Fig 1) electrically connected to the PCB (see par 0038) and formed of a first material (such as gold plated brass, last sentence par 0038) such that at least a portion of the terminal is exposed to an outside of the housing (exposed outside of 4 or 7, Figs 1, 2); and a sacrificial member (portion 16 and/or including 17-19, Figs 1, 18) of which at least a portion is adjacent to the terminal (as in Fig 1) and exposed to the outside of the housing (exposed outside of 4 or 7, Figs 1, 2), wherein the sacrificial member is formed of a second material (such as rubber or resin, among other materials, see par 0053) having higher reactivity than the first material (note, materials such as gold in first material [par 0038] are considered stable and less reactive, more immune to gases, than second material(s) which is more chemically reactive for trapping gases, for example, [par 0054, 0057;Abstact]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Ozaki - US 6997051 B2 – Figs 1-10. Teaches similar ECU device for vehicles including PCB, terminal.
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/RASHEN E MORRISON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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