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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on December 4, 2024 and April 22, 2025 have been considered by the Examiner.
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, 3, 6-9 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Alcatel (EP 844687; cited in the IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Alcatel discloses a power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1) comprising: a power cable (1) having: a conductor (11, 13; see paragraph 0015 and 0016; see figure 1), and an electrical insulation layer (7,9; see figure 1) arranged around the conductor (11 and 13), wherein the electrical insulation layer (7, 9) has a main section (see figure 4) and an end section (45, 47; see figure 4), the end section (45, 47) having a smaller diameter than the main section (see figure 4); a fastening device (cylindrical sections 54,56; see figures 1 and 4) engaging with the electrical insulation layer (7) in the end section (see figures 1 and 4), and a connector (21) extending around the end section of the electrical insulation layer (see figures 1 and 4), the connector (21) being mechanically connected to the conductor (11,13), wherein the connector (21) has an inner surface provided with a structure that engages with the fastening device (54;56; see figures 1 and 4) to maintain an axially fixed position between the connector (21) and the electrical insulation layer (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 3, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the connector (21) has an outer surface which is in level with an outer surface of the main section of the electrical insulation layer (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 6, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the electrical insulation layer (7) has a first circumferential groove, wherein the fastening device (54,56) is arranged in the first circumferential groove (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 7, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the structure of the inner surface of the connector (21) is a second circumferential groove, wherein the fastening device (54,56; see figures 1 and 4) is arranged in the second circumferential groove (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 8, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the fastening device (54,56) comprises a locking ring (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 9, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the fastening device (54,56) comprises fasteners (see figure 4) screwed radially through the connector (21) into mechanical engagement with the locking ring (see figure 4; paragraph 0016).
Regarding claim 13, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the power cable accessory assembly is a cable joint (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 14, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the power cable accessory assembly is a cable termination system (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 15, Alcatel discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the connector (21) has an outer surface which is in level with an outer surface of the main section of the electrical insulation layer (see figures 1 and 4).
4. Claims 1-9 and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Stagi et al (US 7,544,105; hereinafter Stagi).
Regarding claim 1, Stagi discloses a power cable accessory assembly (100) comprising: a power cable (see figure 2) having: a conductor (114, 115), and an electrical insulation layer (116, 117) arranged around the conductor (114,115), wherein the electrical insulation layer (116,117) has a main section (see figure 2) and an end section (120; see figure 2), the end section (120) having a smaller diameter than the main section (column 3 lines 51-67); a fastening device (122) engaging with the electrical insulation layer (116,117) in the end section (120), and a connector (108,110) extending around the end section of the electrical insulation layer (see figure 2), the connector (108,110) being mechanically connected to the conductor (114,115), wherein the connector (108,110) has an inner surface provided with a structure that engages with the fastening device (122) to maintain an axially fixed position between the connector and the electrical insulation layer (see figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 2, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the fastening device (122) and the connector (108,110) are connected by means of a bayonet connection (see figures 2 and 4; column 7 lines 25-34).
Regarding claim 3, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the connector (108,110) has an outer surface which is in level with an outer surface of the main section of the electrical insulation layer (see figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 4, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the end section (120) of the electrical insulation layer has a rounded end section edge (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 5, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the connector (108, 110) has a connector end (see figure 2) facing the end section of the electrical insulation layer (116,117), wherein the connector end has a rounded connector end edge (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 6, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the electrical insulation layer (116,117) has a first circumferential groove (124), wherein the fastening device (122) is arranged in the first circumferential groove (see figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 7, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the structure of the inner surface of the connector (108, 110) is a second circumferential groove (see figure 2), wherein the fastening device (122) is arranged in the second circumferential groove (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 8, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the fastening device (122) comprises a locking ring (see figures 1 and 6).
Regarding claim 9, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (see figure 1), wherein the fastening device (400) comprises fasteners (402) screwed radially through the connector (108, 110; or 308, 310) into mechanical engagement with the locking ring (see figure 6).
Regarding claim 13, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the power cable accessory assembly (100) is a cable joint (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 14, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the power cable accessory assembly (100) is a cable termination system (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 15, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the connector (108,110) has an outer surface which is in level with an outer surface of the main section of the electrical insulation layer (116,117; see figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 16, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the end section (120) of the electrical insulation layer (116,117) has a rounded end section edge (see figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 17, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the connector (108, 110) has a connector end (see figures 2 and 4) facing the end section of the electrical insulation layer (116, 117), wherein the connector end has a rounded connector end edge (see figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 18, Stagi discloses the power cable accessory assembly (100), wherein the electrical insulation layer (116,117) has a first circumferential groove (124), wherein the fastening device (122) is arranged in the first circumferential groove (see figures 2 and 4).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stagi et al (US 7,544,105; hereinafter Stagi) in view of Henan Huamin (CN 114498533; cited in the IDS; hereinafter Henan).
Regarding claim 10, Stagi discloses the claimed invention except for the fasteners being spring biased radially outwards. Henan teaches a power cable assembly (100) comprising: a power cable having: a conductor and an electrical insulation layer arranged around the conductor (see figure 3) and a fastening device (8) engaging with the electrical insulation layer (see figure 3), wherein the fastening device (8) comprises fasteners (15) spring biased radially outwards. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide to Stagi with a spring biased radially outwards fastener as taught by Henan to provide alternative means for securing the fastening device with the locking ring.
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 11 and 12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance: The primary reason for the indication of the allowability of claims 11 and 12 is:
Regarding claims 11 and 12, the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest in combination with the other claimed limitations the power cable accessory assembly, wherein the fastening device comprises a plurality of pins, each pin extending in a tangential direction of the conductor inside the electrical insulation layer, wherein each end of each pin protrudes from the electrical insulation layer, and wherein each end is received by the structure in the inner surface of the connector.
This limitation is found in claims 11 and 12, and is neither disclosed nor taught by the prior art of record, alone or in combination.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Palmer et al (US 9,979,177), Cox et al (US 9,905,942), Stagi et al (US 7,723,611), Bertini et al (US 7,195,504) and Stagnitti (US 5,466,890) disclose a cable accessory assembly
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Angel R. Estrada at telephone number (571) 272-1973. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:30am -5:00pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani N. 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.
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July 30, 2026
/ANGEL R ESTRADA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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