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 § 112
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
As to claim 6, a contact switch 30 that is activated by the shaft 20 pressing the switch (per Para 47) necessarily results in the shaft not being “movable up to a predetermined distance from an outer most end of the one end portion of the body” (italics added, claim 1) because the shaft cannot move beneath the sensor 30. Understand, the contact sensor is blocking the shaft 20 from moving below the sensor 30. No example is provided of a contact switch that will permit for such, no reference is provided, no manner of experimentation is apparent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As to claim 1, the preamble calls for a device”, but the body of the claim states that the “a positioning device” is “disposed at the body” (line 4), and thus not connected to remaining claim limitations. The phrase “disposed at” does not suggest a connection.1 As such, it’s not clear if this claim is directed to a device or a list of unconnected parts.
As to claim 1, the preamble calls for a device”, but the body of the claim states that the “a sensor” is “disposed at the body”, and thus not necessarily connected to remaining claim limitations. Is this claim a device, or maybe a system, or something else?
As to claim 17, this claim refers to “a third indicator” when there is never any reference to - - a second indicator - - . As such, it’s not clear how many indicators are in claim 17. Should this claim have depended upon claim 16?
As to claim 18, this claim refers to “one or more fourth indicators” when there is never any reference to either second or third indicators. As such, it’s not clear how many indicators are in claim 17.
As to claim 18, “indicates” (line 1) to - - indicate - - .
Prior Art cited/ Not Applied
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Swanberg ‘7990 (listed 1449) teaches a connector inspection device comprising:
a body (36 or 34) including one end portion and another end portion, the one end portion including a hollow portion to receive
a shaft 38 disposed in the body and movable toward the one end portion of the body, the shaft movable up to
a sensor 46C disposed at the body, wherein, when the shaft is positioned at the
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
1 Specification employs terms such as connection and connect, so the phase ”disposed at” means something else.
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