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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17 and 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.
Claim 17 recites the limitations “the first pin receiving portion” in lines 3-4 and “the second pin receiving portion” in lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Claim 11, from which claim 17 depends, does not recite “a first pin receiving portion” or “a second pin receiving portion”. For purposes of examination, claim 17 is being construed as depending from claim 12 which does recite these limitations.
Claim 18 depends from claim 17 and is therefore also indefinite for the reasons set forth above with respect to claim 17.
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.
Claims 11, 15, 16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0322275 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Li discloses a cable splicing device having connecting portions that are configured to be rotated relative to one another to permit adjustment of a relative orientation of the connecting portions (FIG. 1 of Li, rotatable coaxial adapter), comprising: a first portion having a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion opposite the first proximal end portion, the first proximal end portion having a first connecting portion structurally configured to connect to a first communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, first mounting block #1A and first joining tube #3A); a second portion having a second proximal end portion and a second distal end portion opposite the second proximal end portion, the second distal end portion having a second connecting portion structurally configured to connect to a second communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, second mounting block #17A and second joining tube #171A); wherein the first distal end portion is structurally configured to couple to the second proximal end portion (FIG. 1 of Li, first mounting block #1A coupled to second mounting block #17A); wherein the first portion and the second portion are structurally configured to electrically couple the first communication cable with the second communication cable (FIG. 4, [0002] of Li, adaptor used to link coaxial cables together); and wherein the second portion is structurally configured to rotate relative to the first portion to adjust an angular orientation of the second connecting portion relative to the first connecting portion so as to permit adjustment of an angular orientation of the first connecting portion relative to the second connecting portion and improve installation versatility and electrical performance (Abstract of Li, adaptor is rotatable and would necessarily allow adjustment of angular orientation of the first and second joining tubes #3A #171A; [0005] of Li, adaptor reduces damage to coaxial cables during movement and would therefore necessarily improve versatility and electrical performance).
Regarding claim 15, Li discloses that the second proximal end portion of the second portion is structurally configured to be received within a coupling port of the first distal end portion of the first portion (FIG. 4 of Li, first and second mounting blocks coupled together via a rotatable connection or port).
Regarding claim 16, Li discloses that the second proximal end portion is structurally configured to be retained within the coupling port by a retaining portion (FIG. 4 of Li, second mounting block retained by threaded ring).
Regarding claim 19, Li discloses that the first proximal end portion has a first longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending along first joining tube #3A) and the first distal end portion has a second longitudinal axis that extends at an angle in the range of 80 degrees to 100 degrees from the first longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending perpendicular to first mounting block #10 defining the axis of rotation of the adaptor).
Regarding claim 20, Li discloses that the second portion is structurally configured to rotate relative to the first portion about the second longitudinal axis (FIG. 4 of Li, second mounting block #17A configured to rotate with respect to first mounting block #1A).
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.
Claims 12, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Kooiman (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0092317 A1) and Huber et al. (European Patent Publication No. EP 3 869 634 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Li does not specifically disclose that the first connecting portion includes a first female port and a first pin receiving portion structurally configured to couple to a first male end portion of the first communication cable and the second connecting portion includes a second female port and a second pin receiving portion structurally configured to couple to a second male end portion of the second communication cable. Kooiman, however, discloses a mating component #14 for a coaxial connector comprising a female port and a pin receiving portion configured to couple to a male end portion of a coaxial cable (FIG. 1 of Kooiman, mating component #14 and male connector #10). Huber discloses a coaxial connector configured to connect two of the same types of coaxial cables together (FIG. 1 of Huber). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adaptor of Li with mating components comprising a female port and pin receiving portion as disclosed by Kooiman since Kooiman establishes that such mating components were known and Huber establishes that it was known to provide coaxial connectors with two of the same port types. Moreover, as set forth in the MPEP, the rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (MPEP § 2143 I A). The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods, and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately. One of ordinary skill in the art also would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 17, Li does not specifically disclose that the first portion includes a first conducting portion having a first proximal end structurally configured to electrically couple to the first pin receiving portion and a first distal end portion opposite the first proximal end portion; and wherein the second portion includes a second conducting portion having a second distal end portion structurally configured to electrically couple to the second pin receiving portion and a second proximal end portion opposite the second distal end portion. Li, however, discloses conducting portions connecting the contact recess #91A of the first joining tube to the contact pin #21A of the second joining tube (FIG. 4 of Li). Since the modified adaptor has a second pin receiving portion in place of the pin, these conducting portions would connect the first and second pin receiving portions of the modified adaptor.
Regarding claim 18, Li suggests that the first distal end portion of the first conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the second proximal end portion of the second conducting portion (FIG. 4 of Li, conducing portions connect pin to pin recess; pin replaced by pin recess in modified adaptor).
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Rottmann (German Patent Publication No. DE 42 31 080 C1, cited in IDS submitted April 9, 2025, machine language translation provided and cited below).
Regarding claim 13, Li does not specifically disclose the cable splicing device further comprising a locking portion structurally configured to resist rotation of the second portion relative to the first portion. Rottmann, however, discloses a rotatable coupling for coaxial cables which includes a lock nut #2 to allow the adjustment of the exit directions of the coupler to any angle between 0 and 360 degrees (Abstract, [0020] of Rottmann). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adaptor of Li with a lock nut. One of skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the adjustment of the exit directions of the coupler to any angle between 0 and 360 degrees as taught by Rottmann (Abstract, [0020] of Rottmann).
Regarding claim 14, Rottmann discloses that the locking portion includes a stop portion associated with the second portion and structurally configured to engage the first portion to prevent rotation of the second portion relative to the first portion (FIG. 1 of Rottmann).
Claims 5-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Kooiman and Huber.
Regarding claim 5, Li discloses a cable splicing device having connecting portions that are structurally configured to rotate relative to one another to permit adjustment of a relative orientation of the connecting portions (FIG. 1 of Li, rotatable coaxial adapter), comprising: a first portion having a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion opposite the first proximal end portion, the first proximal end portion having a first connecting portion structurally configured to connect to a first communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, first mounting block #1A and first joining tube #3A); a second portion having a second proximal end portion and a second distal end portion opposite the second proximal end portion, the second distal end portion having a second connecting portion structurally configured to connect to a second communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, second mounting block #17A and second joining tube #171A); wherein the first distal end portion is structurally configured to couple to the second proximal end portion (FIGS. 1 and 4 of Li, first mounting block #1A coupled to second mounting block #17A); wherein the first portion and the second portion are structurally configured to electrically couple the first communication cable with the second communication cable (FIG. 4, [0002] of Li, adaptor used to link or electrically couple coaxial cables together); wherein the second portion is structurally configured to rotate relative to the first portion to adjust an angular orientation of the second connecting portion relative to the first connecting portion so as to permit adjustment of an angular orientation of the first connecting portion relative to the second connecting portion and improve installation versatility and electrical performance (Abstract of Li, adaptor is rotatable and would necessarily allow adjustment of angular orientation of the first and second joining tubes #3A #171A; [0005] of Li, adaptor reduces damage to coaxial cables during movement and would therefore necessarily improve versatility and electrical performance).
Li does not specifically disclose that the first connecting portion includes a first female port and a first pin receiving portion structurally configured to connect to a first male end portion of the first communication cable; wherein the second connecting portion includes a second female port and a second pin receiving portion structurally configured to connect to a second male end portion of the second communication cable. Kooiman, however, discloses a mating component #14 for a coaxial connector comprising a female port and a pin receiving portion configured to couple to a male end portion of a coaxial cable (FIG. 1 of Kooiman, mating component #14 and male connector #10). Huber discloses a coaxial connector configured to connect two of the same types of coaxial cables together (FIG. 1 of Huber). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adaptor of Li with mating components comprising a female port and pin receiving portion as disclosed by Kooiman since Kooiman establishes that such mating components were known and Huber establishes that it was known to provide coaxial connectors with two of the same port types. Moreover, as set forth in the MPEP, the rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (MPEP § 2143 I A). The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods, and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately. One of ordinary skill in the art also would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Li also does not specifically disclose that the first portion includes a first conducting portion having a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion opposite the first proximal end portion; wherein the first proximal end portion of the first conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the first pin receiving portion; wherein the second portion includes a second conducting portion having a second proximal end portion and a second distal end portion opposite the second proximal end portion; wherein the second distal end portion of the second conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the second pin receiving portion; and wherein the first distal end portion of the first conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the second proximal end portion of the second conducting portion. Li, however, discloses conducting portions connecting the contact recess #91A of the first joining tube to the contact pin #21A of the second joining tube (FIG. 4 of Li). Since the modified adaptor would have a second pin receiving portion in place of the contact pin of the Li device, these conducting portions would connect the first and second pin receiving portions of the modified adaptor.
Regarding claim 6, Li discloses that the first proximal end portion has a first longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending along first joining tube #3A) and the first distal end portion has a second longitudinal axis that extends at an angle in the range of 80 degrees to 100 degrees from the first longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending perpendicular to first mounting block #1A defining the axis of rotation of the adaptor).
Regarding claim 7, Li discloses that the second portion is structurally configured to rotate relative to the first portion about the second longitudinal axis (FIG. 4 of Li, second mounting block #17A configured to rotate with respect to first mounting block #1A).
Regarding claim 8, Li discloses that the second distal end portion has a third longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending perpendicular to second mounting block #17A defining the axis of rotation of the adaptor) and the second proximal end portion has a fourth longitudinal axis that extends at an angle in the range of 80 degrees to 100 degrees from the third longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending along second joining tube #171A which is perpendicular to axis of rotation of adaptor).
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses that the second proximal end portion of the second portion is structurally configured to be received within a coupling port of the first distal end portion of the first portion (FIG. 4 of Li, first and second mounting blocks coupled together via a rotatable connection or port), and wherein the second proximal end portion is structurally configured to be retained within the coupling port by a retaining portion (FIG. 4 of Li, second mounting block retained by threaded ring).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Kooiman and Huber as applied to claim 5 above and further in view of Rottmann.
Regarding claim 9, Li does not specifically disclose the cable splicing device further comprising a locking portion that is structurally configured to resist rotation of the second portion relative to the first portion. Rottmann, however, discloses a rotatable coupling for coaxial cables which includes a lock nut #2 to allow the adjustment of the exit directions of the coupler to any angle between 0 and 360 degrees (Abstract, [0020] of Rottmann). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adaptor of Li with a lock nut. One of skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the adjustment of the exit directions of the coupler to any angle between 0 and 360 degrees as taught by Rottmann (Abstract, [0020] of Rottmann).
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Kooiman, Huber and Rottmann.
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a cable splicing device having cable interface ports that are configured to be rotated relative to one another to permit adjustment of a relative orientation of the cable interface ports (FIG. 1 of Li, rotatable coaxial adaptor), comprising: a first portion having a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion opposite the first proximal end portion, the first proximal end portion structurally configured to connect to a first communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, first mounting block #1A and first joining tube #3A); a second portion having a second proximal end portion and a second distal end portion opposite the second proximal end portion, the second distal end portion structurally configured to connect to a second communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, second mounting block #17A and second joining tube #171A); wherein the first portion and the second portion are structurally configured to electrically couple the first communication cable with the second communication cable (FIG. 1 of Li, first mounting block #1A coupled to second mounting block #17A; FIG. 4, [0002] of Li, adaptor used to link coaxial cables together); wherein the second proximal end portion of the second portion is structurally configured to be received within a coupling port of the first distal end portion of the first portion (FIG. 4 of Li, first and second mounting blocks coupled together via a rotatable connection or port); wherein the second proximal end portion is configured to be retained within the coupling port by a retaining portion (FIG. 4 of Li, second mounting block retained by threaded ring); and wherein the second portion is structurally configured to rotate relative to the first portion to adjust an angular orientation of the second female port relative to the first female port so as to permit adjustment of an angular orientation of the first female port relative to the second female port and improve installation versatility and electrical performance (Abstract of Li, adaptor is rotatable and would necessarily allow adjustment of angular orientation of the first and second joining tubes #3A #171A; [0005] of Li, adaptor reduces damage to coaxial cables during movement and would therefore necessarily improve versatility and electrical performance).
Li does not specifically disclose that the first proximal end portion includes a first female port and a first pin receiving portion structurally configured to connect to a first male end of the first communication cable and that the second distal end portion includes a second female port and a second pin receiving portion structurally configured to connect to a second male end of the second communication cable. Kooiman, however, discloses a mating component #14 for a coaxial connector comprising a female port and a pin receiving portion configured to couple to a male end portion of a coaxial cable (FIG. 1 of Kooiman, mating component #14 and male connector #10). Huber discloses a coaxial connector configured to connect two of the same types of coaxial cables together (FIG. 1 of Huber). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adaptor of Li with mating components comprising a female port and pin receiving portion as disclosed by Kooiman since Kooiman establishes that such mating components were known and Huber establishes that it was known to provide coaxial connectors with two of the same port types. Moreover, as set forth in the MPEP, the rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (MPEP § 2143 I A). The prior art included each element claimed, although not necessarily in a single prior art reference, with the only difference between the claimed invention and the prior art being the lack of actual combination of the elements in a single prior art reference. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods, and that in combination, each element merely performs the same function as it does separately. One of ordinary skill in the art also would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Li also does not specifically disclose that the first portion includes a first conducting portion having a first proximal end portion and a first distal end portion opposite the first proximal end portion; wherein the first proximal end portion of the first conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the first pin receptacle; wherein the second portion includes a second conducting portion having a second proximal end portion and a second distal end portion opposite the second proximal end portion; wherein the second distal end portion of the second conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the second pin receptacle; wherein the first distal end portion of the first conducting portion is structurally configured to electrically couple to the second proximal end portion of the second conducting portion; wherein the first distal end portion of the first conducting portion includes a recessed portion structurally configured to receive the second proximal end portion of the second conducting portion. Li, however, discloses conducting portions connecting the contact recess #91A of the first joining tube to the contact pin #21A of the second joining tube (FIG. 4 of Li). Since the modified adaptor would have a second pin receiving portion in place of the contact pin of the Li device, these conducting portions would connect the first and second pin receiving portions of the modified adaptor.
Li also fails to disclose the device comprising a locking portion structurally configured to resist rotation of the second portion relative to the first portion; wherein the locking portion includes a stop portion threadedly coupled to the second portion and structurally configured to engage the first portion to prevent rotation of the second portion relative to the first portion. Rottmann, however, discloses a rotatable coupling for coaxial cables which includes a lock nut #2 to allow the adjustment of the exit directions of the coupler to any angle between 0 and 360 degrees (Abstract, [0020] of Rottmann). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the adaptor of Li with a lock nut. One of skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the adjustment of the exit directions of the coupler to any angle between 0 and 360 degrees as taught by Rottmann (Abstract, [0020] of Rottmann).
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses that the first proximal end portion has a first longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending along first joining tube #3A), the first distal end portion has a second longitudinal axis that extends at an angle in the range of 80 degrees to 100 degrees from the first longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending perpendicular to first mounting block #1A defining the axis of rotation of the adaptor), the second distal end portion has a third longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending perpendicular to second mounting block #17A defining the axis of rotation of the adaptor), and the second proximal end portion has a fourth longitudinal axis that extends at an angle in the range of 80 degrees to 100 degrees from the third longitudinal axis (FIG. 1 of Li, axis extending along second joining tube #171A which is perpendicular to axis of rotation of adaptor).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses that the second portion is structurally configured to rotate relative to the first portion about the second longitudinal axis (FIG. 4 of Li, second mounting block #17A configured to rotate with respect to first mounting block #1A).
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses that the second longitudinal axis and the fourth longitudinal axis are coaxial (FIG. 1 of Li, axes extending perpendicular to first second mounting blocks each define the axis of rotation of the adaptor and are therefore coaxial).
Conclusion
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CHRISTOPHER W. RAIMUND
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1746
/CHRISTOPHER W RAIMUND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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