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.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4721331, Lemelshtrich.
In regards to claim 1, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses a waterway connection assembly comprising: a male fitting (6) comprising a recess (near 32 in Figure 3); a female fitting (4) comprising a saddle (18) and a first aperture (22) and a second aperture (22) within opposing sidewalls of the female fitting; a clip (8) comprising a first leg (30) and a second leg (30) extending from a seat wherein the first leg has a first tab extending in an axial direction; wherein the clip is mountable on the female fitting with the clip being in a first position wherein the male fitting is secured within the female fitting; wherein a base (22b) of the first leg has a first tapered surface disposed opposite a base of the first aperture (22) and the second leg has a second tapered surface (22b) disposed opposite a base of the second aperture (22) and wherein the first aperture extends axially to form a first locking recess (see Fig. 2 below); wherein, in the first position, a portion of the first leg extends through the first aperture of the female fitting into the recess of the male fitting and a portion of the second leg extends through the second aperture of the female fitting into the recess of the male fitting to thereby secure the male fitting within the female fitting, and the first tab is disposed within the first locking recess to secure the clip on the female fitting; and wherein, the portion of the first leg extending through the first aperture of the female fitting into the recess of the male fitting remains in the recess of the male fitting and the portion of the second leg extending through the second aperture of the female fitting into the recess of the male fitting remains in the recess of the male fitting and the clip continues to thereby secure the male fitting within the female fitting when the clip is biased into a position where the clip is fully seated in the saddle of the female fitting (see Fig. 4a).
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: rect][AltContent: connector][AltContent: rect][AltContent: textbox (Locking Recess)][AltContent: textbox (Saddle)]
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In regards to claim 2, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses the clip is fully seated in the saddle of female fitting in the first position.
In regards to claim 4, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses the second leg has a second tab (32) extending in the axial direction, the second aperture extends axially to form a second locking recess and, in the first position, the second tab is disposed within the second locking recess to secure the clip on the female fitting.
In regards to claim 5, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses the base of the first aperture extends into the first locking recess and the first tapered surface of the first leg extends onto the first tab; andthe base of the second aperture extends into the second locking recess and the second tapered surface of the second leg extends onto the second tab.
In regards to claim 6, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses the first tab is configured to travel about an exterior of the first sidewall of the opposing sidewalls of the female fitting and the second tab is configured to travel about an exterior of the second sidewall of the opposing sidewalls of the female fitting as the first leg and the second leg are moved into position overtop the respective first aperture and the second aperture where the first tab enters into the first locking recess and the second tab enters into the second locking recess.
In regards to claim 7, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses the clip is U-shaped and symmetrical about a plane dividing the first leg from the second leg.
In regards to claim 8, in Figures 2-4B and paragraphs detailing said figures, Lemelshtrich discloses after the clip has secured the male fitting within the female fitting, removal of the male fitting from the female fitting requires the use of a tool or destruction of the clip.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-14 are allowed.
Claim 3 is 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON M DUNWOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-7080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at 571-270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON M DUNWOODY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
