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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for provisional priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e). The provisional application being filed December 20, 2023, as Application No. 63/612,951.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed April 23, 2025 & November 22, 2024 have been submitted for consideration by the Office. They have been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings were received on November 22, 2024. These drawings are approved.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words. It is important that the abstract not exceed 150 words in length since the space provided for the abstract on the computer tape used by the printer is limited. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc.
Extensive mechanical and design details of apparatus should not be given.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because in line 1, the abstract recites the terms “In an example……”, which is improper language for the abstract. The applicant should delete the terms, to provide the abstract with proper language. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-8, 11-15, and 18-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Darcy (Pat Num 5,416,272). Darcy discloses an insulation shrinkage prevention device (Figs 1-4), which locks the insulation of a cable directly on a prepared end of the cable, while also allowing the size of the prepared end free for any special adjustment to accommodate an item of equipment that it is to be connected to (Cols 1-2, lines 65-68 & 1-2, respectively). Specifically with respect to claim 1, Darcy discloses an anti-shrink back device (left 10) positionable at least partially around insulation (3) of an electrical conductor (5) at an end of the insulation (3) adjacent to an uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5), wherein the anti-shrink back device (10) comprising a band (11) mechanically tightenable at least partially around the insulation (3) at the end of the insulation (3) adjacent to the uninsulated segment (located at 7) to secure or inhibit movement of the end of the insulation (3) longitudinally relative to the electrical conductor (5, Col 3, lines 1-6). With respect to claims 2-4, Darcy discloses that after being mechanically tightened at least partially around the insulation (3), the anti-shrink back device (10) is electrically insulated from the electrical conductor (5, ie device surrounds insulation 3, Fig 1) and not mechanically secured directly to the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1) and is mechanically secured directly to the insulation (3) exclusive of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1). With respect to claim 5, Darcy discloses that the band (11) comprises a circular band (Fig 2). With respect to claim 6, Darcy discloses that the device (Fig 1) further comprises a second band (right 10) mechanically tightenable at least partially around second insulation (4) at an end of the second insulation (4) adjacent to the uninsulated segment of the electrical conductor (6) at an opposite end of the uninsulated segment (located at 7) from the insulation (3) and a connector (8) that couples the band (left 10) and the second band together (right 10), the connector (8) having a length in excess of a length of the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1). With respect to claim 7, Darcy discloses that the band (11) is circular and defines a plurality of openings (left and right insertion holes) that extend radially through the band (11, Fig 2). With respect to claim 8, Darcy discloses that the device (10) further comprising one or more protrusions (located at top and bottom 12) that extend radially inward from the band (11, Fig 1). With respect to claim 11, Darcy discloses that the band (11) is integrally formed with or coupled to a compression lug (16, Fig 2). With respect to claim 12, Darcy discloses a system (Figs 1-4) comprising an electrical conductor (5) including an insulated segment (located at 3) surrounded by insulation (3) and an uninsulated segment (located at 7) extending from the insulated segment (3), wherein the uninsulated segment (located at 7) not surrounded by the insulation (3) and an anti-shrink back device (left 10) comprising a band (11) is mechanically tightened at least partially around the insulation (3) in the insulated segment (3) at an end of the insulation (3) adjacent to the uninsulated segment (located at 7) to secure or inhibit shrink back of the end of the insulation (3) longitudinally relative to the electrical conductor (5, Col 3, lines 1-5). With respect to claim 13, Darcy discloses that after being mechanically tightened at least partially around the insulation (3), the anti-shrink back device (10) is electrically insulated from the electrical conductor (5, ie device surrounds insulation 3, Fig 1) and not mechanically secured directly to the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1) and is mechanically secured directly to the insulation (3) exclusive of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1). With respect to claim 14, Darcy discloses that the device (Fig 1) further comprises a second band (right 10) mechanically tightenable at least partially around second insulation (4) at an end of the second insulation (4) adjacent to the uninsulated segment of the electrical conductor (6) at an opposite end of the uninsulated segment (located at 7) from the insulation (3) and a connector (8) that couples the band (left 10) and the second band together (right 10), the connector (8) having a length in excess of a length of the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1). With respect to claim 15, Darcy discloses that the band (11) is circular or semi-circular and defines a plurality of openings into which the insulation (3) partially protrudes (located at 12, Fig 1). With respect to claim 18, Darcy discloses that the device (10) further comprising a compression lug (16) that electrically couples the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5) to a second uninsulated segment (located at 7) of a second electrical conductor (6), wherein the compression lug (16) defines a first crimp channel (7) within which the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5) is positioned (Fig 1), wherein the first crimp channel at least partially crimped around the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5); wherein the compression lug (16) defines a second crimp channel within which the second uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the second electrical conductor (6) is positioned (Fig 1), wherein the second crimp channel (right side) at least partially crimped around the second uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the second electrical conductor (6), the anti-shrink back device (10) is integrally formed with or coupled to the compression lug (16) and the band (11) of the anti-shrink back device (10) defines a third crimp channel (located at 12) that extends from the first crimp channel (left end channel) and the end of the insulation (3) adjacent to the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5) is positioned in the third crimp channel (located at 12), wherein the third crimp channel (left end channel) at least partially crimped around the end of the insulation (3) adjacent to the uninsulated segment (located at 70 of the electrical conductor (5). With respect to claim 19, Darcy disclose that the device (10) further comprises at least one of an overmold (9) that surrounds both the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5) and the anti-shrink back device (10, Fig 1). With respect to claim 20, Darcy discloses an anti-shrink back device (10) comprising a band (11) positionable on an end of insulation (3) that surrounds an electrical conductor (5) on an insulated segment (3) of the electrical conductor (5), wherein the end of the insulation (3) in the insulated segment (3) adjacent to an uninsulated segment (located at 70 of the electrical conductor (5); wherein the band (11) is mechanically tightenable on the end of the insulation (3) to lock the insulation (3) longitudinally in place with respect to the electrical conductor (5); and wherein the band (11) is not electrically coupled to the uninsulated segment (located at 7) of the electrical conductor (5, Fig 1). With respect to claim 21, Darcy discloses a method, comprising stripping insulation (3) from an end of a drop line (5) to expose an end of a drop line conductor (5) included in the drop line; mechanically tightening a first band (11) of a first anti-shrink back device (left 10) around an end of the insulation (3) of the drop line (5) that is adjacent to the exposed end (located at 7) of the drop line conductor (5) to inhibit movement of the end of the insulation (3) of the drop line (5) longitudinally relative to the drop line conductor (5, Col 3, lines 1-5), stripping insulation (4) from an intermediate segment of a feeder cable (6) to expose an intermediate segment of a feeder cable conductor (6) included in the feeder cable (6) mechanically tightening a second band (11) of a second anti-shrink back device (right 10) around an end of the insulation (4) of the feeder cable (6) that is adjacent to the intermediate segment of the feeder cable conductor (6) to inhibit movement of the end of the insulation (4) of the feeder cable (6) longitudinally relative to the feeder cable conductor (6); electrically coupling the exposed end of the drop line conductor (5) to the exposed intermediate segment of the feeder cable conductor (6); and forming a mold structure (9) that surrounds the first and second anti-shrink back devices (left and right 10) and the electrically coupled exposed end (5) and the exposed intermediate segment (6). With respect to claim 22, Darcy disclose that mechanically tightening the first band (11) comprises crimping the first band (11) around the end of the insulation (3) of the drop line (5, Fig 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Darcy (Pat Num 5,416,272). Darcy discloses an insulation shrinkage prevention device (Figs 1-4), which locks the insulation of a cable directly on a prepared end of the cable, while also allowing the size of the prepared end free for any special adjustment to accommodate an item of equipment that it is to be connected to (Cols 1-2, lines 65-68 & 1-2, respectively), as disclosed above with respect to claims 1 & 12.
While Darcy discloses the device comprising a plurality of protrusions extending radially inward, Darcy doesn’t necessarily disclose the plurality of protrusions extending radially outward (claim 9).
With respect to claim 9, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art of cables, at the time the invention was made to modify the plurality of protrusions to comprise the plurality of protrusions to extend radially outward, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70
Claim(s) 10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Darcy (Pat Num 5,416,272) in view of Parmigiani et al (Pat Num 4,698,458, herein referred to as Parmigiani). Darcy discloses an insulation shrinkage prevention device (Figs 1-4), which locks the insulation of a cable directly on a prepared end of the cable, while also allowing the size of the prepared end free for any special adjustment to accommodate an item of equipment that it is to be connected to (Cols 1-2, lines 65-68 & 1-2, respectively), as disclosed above with respect to claims 1 & 12.
Darcy doesn’t necessarily disclose the band at least partially encloses an area, the anti-shrink back device further comprising a separator that extends from the band and divides the area into two separate areas (claim 10), nor the band at least partially encloses an area, the anti-shrink back device further including a separator that extends from the band and divides the area into separate first and second areas; the separator and a first portion of the band that define the first area are mechanically tightened at least partially around the insulation in the insulated segment at the end of the insulation adjacent to the uninsulated segment of the electrical conductor; the system further comprises a second electrical conductor that includes a second insulated segment surrounded by second insulation and a second uninsulated segment extending from the second insulated segment; and the separator and a second portion of the band that define the second area are mechanically tightened at least partially around the second insulation in the second insulated segment at an end of the second insulation adjacent to the second uninsulated segment of the second electrical conductor (claim 17).
Parmigiani teaches an anti shrink back device (Figs 1-2) that obviates the phenomenon connected with such shrinkings, while increasing the reliability of the joints (Col 4, lines 50-60). Specifically, with respect to claims 10 & 17, Parmigaini teaches an anti-shrink back device (10) comprising a separator 22) joining the anti shrink device two ends (left and right 21) to each other.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art of cables at the time the invention was made to modify the anti-shrinkable device of Darcy to comprise separator configuration as taught by Parmigani because Parmigani teaches that such a configuration provides an anti shrink back device (Figs 1-2) that obviates the phenomenon connected with such shrinkings, while increasing the reliability of the joints (Col 4, lines 50-60).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the enclosed PTO-892 form for the citation of pertinent art in the present case, all of which disclose various anti-shrinkable devices.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM H MAYO III whose telephone number is (571)272-1978. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Thurs (5:30a-3:00p) Fri 5:30a-2p (w/alternating Fridays off).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani Hayman can be reached on (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 an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/William H. Mayo III/
William H. Mayo III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
WHM III
October 1, 2026
