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 § 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.
Claims 1 – 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanai (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0199823).
Regarding claim 1, in Figure 1, Kanai discloses an exterior member comprising: a tube (1) that is configured for passing a wire (W/H) therethrough, wherein: the tube includes: a first bellows portion (2, Figures 1 and 2) in which first ridge portions and first valley portions are alternately arranged in an axial direction of the tube; and a second bellows portion (7, Figure 1) in which second ridge portions and second valley portions are alternately arranged in a peripheral direction of the tube, and the tube is made of an elastic material (the grommet 1 is integrally molded from a rubber or an elastomer, paragraph [0040]).
Regarding claim 2, Kanai discloses wherein: the tube includes a first tube portion having a quadrate transverse section, the first tube portion includes a pair of first walls and a pair of second walls via which the pair of first walls are coupled, the pair of first walls are provided with the first bellows portion, and the pair of second walls are provided with the second bellows portion (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Kanai discloses wherein: the second bellows portion is provided at an intermediate portion in each of the pair of second walls, and the first bellows portion extends to an end of each of the pair of second walls located on an exterior side with respect to the second bellows portion (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 4, Kanai discloses wherein ends of the first valley portions join to the second valley portions (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Kanai discloses wherein ends of the first ridge portions join to the second ridge portions (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Kanai discloses wherein the tube includes a second tube portion provided with only the second bellows portion out of the first bellows portion and the second bellows portion (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Kanai discloses wherein the second bellows portion is provided throughout the entire tube in an axial direction (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 8, Kanai discloses a wire harness comprising: the exterior member according to claim 1; a wire passed through the tube; and a connector provided at an end of the wire (Figure 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREMESHA W BURNS whose telephone number is (571)270-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 4:30 pm EST.
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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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