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 .
Priority
This application is a CON of PCT/JP2023/038319 October 24, 2023.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted January 2, 2025, is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-4 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.
In regard to claim 1:
-“a plurality of trunk line side connectors but later states: “mechanically and electrically connected to the trunk line side connector”. The statements cause ambiguity because the singular form is ambiguous. It is unclear whether each branch line side first connector is connected to one corresponding trunk line side connector or to all of the trunk line side connectors.
The examiner suggests amending the claim to read:
“a branch line side first connector mechanically and electrically connected to a respective one of the plurality of trunk line side connectors”
-The claim states: “all of the routing materials extend without a branching point from the branch line side first connector to a branch line side second connector”. This is unclear because an individual wire normally does not have a branching point. It is also uncertain whether the claim excludes:a splice between the two connectors; a connector having multiple terminals; a branch occurring inside either connector; or branching caused by a shield, drain wire, ground wire, or common conductor.
The examiner suggests amending the claim to read: “each routing material forms a continuous, non-branched conductive path between the branch line side first connector and the branch line side second connector, without an intermediate splice or electrical junction.”
- the phrase “Entire branching points including the trunk line module and the branch line modules are concentrated in the joint parts” is unclear/inconsistent. The phraseappears to state that the branching points include the modules themselves
The examiner suggests amending the claim to read:“all branching points of the wire harness are provided at the joint parts of the wiring pattern, and no branching point is provided in the branch line modules.”
The examiner will interpret claim 1 to read:
1. A wire harness comprising:
a trunk line module including:
a flexible printed circuit board;
a plurality of trunk line side connectors mounted at an end portion of the flexible printed circuit board; and
a wiring pattern provided on the flexible printed circuit board, the wiring pattern including a plurality of conductor circuit portions and a plurality of joint portions; and
a plurality of branch line modules, each branch line module including:
a plurality of conductive routing materials;
a branch line side first connector electrically and mechanically connected to corresponding first terminals of the plurality of conductive routing materials and to a corresponding one of the plurality of trunk line side connectors; and
a branch line side second connector electrically connected to corresponding second terminals of the plurality of conductive routing materials
wherein each conductor circuit portion is electrically connected to at least one of the conductive routing materials through a corresponding trunk line side connector and a corresponding branch line side first connector,
wherein each joint portion electrically connects at least two of the conductor circuit portions,
wherein each conductive routing member of each branch line module forms a continuous, non-branched conductive path extending between the branch line side first connector and the branch line side second connector without an intermediate splice or electrical junction, and
wherein each electrical branching point of the wire harness is provided at one of the joint portions of the wiring pattern, such that no electrical branching point is provided in any of the branch line modules.
In regard to claims 3 and 4:
-“Placed on” is interpreted broadly. If the module is fixed to the structural member, use:
“secured to” or “supported by.”
-It is also unclear whether “provided inside an instrument panel” modifies the structural member, the trunk line module, or the vehicle. The examiner suggests amending the claim to read: “a structural member disposed inside an instrument panel of a vehicle and extending in a vehicle-width direction, the trunk line module being secured to the structural member.”
Allowable Subject Matter
The following claims 1 as drafted by the examiner and considered to distinguish patentably over the art of record in this application, are presented to applicant for consideration:
1. A wire harness comprising:
a trunk line module including:
a flexible printed circuit board;
a plurality of trunk line side connectors mounted at an end portion of the flexible printed circuit board; and
a wiring pattern provided on the flexible printed circuit board, the wiring pattern including a plurality of conductor circuit portions and a plurality of joint portions; and
a plurality of branch line modules, each branch line module including:
a plurality of conductive routing materials;
a branch line side first connector electrically and mechanically connected to corresponding first terminals of the plurality of conductive routing materials and to a corresponding one of the plurality of trunk line side connectors; and
a branch line side second connector electrically connected to corresponding second terminals of the plurality of conductive routing materials
wherein each conductor circuit portion is electrically connected to at least one of the conductive routing materials through a corresponding trunk line side connector and a corresponding branch line side first connector,
wherein each joint portion electrically connects at least two of the conductor circuit portions,
wherein each conductive routing member of each branch line module forms a continuous, non-branched conductive path extending between the branch line side first connector and the branch line side second connector without an intermediate splice or electrical junction, and
wherein each electrical branching point of the wire harness is provided at one of the joint portions of the wiring pattern, such that no electrical branching point is provided in any of the branch line modules..
The closest prior art:
Masuko et al. (US 4, 974,121) teaches
A wire harness comprising:
a trunk line module (10) including:
a printed circuit board (H);
a plurality of trunk line side connectors (5d) mounted at an end portion of the printed circuit board (H); and
a wiring pattern (20) provided on the printed circuit board (H), the wiring pattern (20) including; and
a plurality of branch line modules (wire harnesses extending from connectors 5), each branch line module including:
a plurality of conductive routing materials (see wires extending from connectors 5) and a plurality of conductor circuit parts (20).
Masuko et al. does not teach:
The circuit board is flexible, and a plurality of joint portions a branch line side first connector electrically and mechanically connected to corresponding first terminals of the plurality of conductive routing materials and to a corresponding one of the plurality of trunk line side connectors; and a branch line side second connector electrically connected to corresponding second terminals of the plurality of routing materials, wherein each conductor circuit portion is electrically connected to at least one of the routing materials through a corresponding trunk line side connector and a corresponding branch line side first connector, wherein each joint portion electrically connects at least two of the conductor circuit portions,
wherein each routing materials of each branch line module forms a continuous, non-branched conductive path extending between the branch line side first connector and the branch line side second connector without an intermediate splice or electrical junction, and
wherein each electrical branching point of the wire harness is provided at one of the joint portions of the wiring pattern, such that no electrical branching point is provided in any of the branch line modules.
Nakayama (DE 3534653) teaches a flexible circuit board a branch line side first connector (11) electrically and mechanically connected to corresponding first terminals (contact edge) of the plurality of conductive routing materials (3) and to a corresponding one of the plurality of trunk line side connectors (10); wherein each conductor circuit portion (3) is electrically connected to at least one of the routing materials (12) through a corresponding trunk line side connector (10) and a corresponding branch line side first connector (11),
Neither Masuko et al. or Nakayama (DE 3534653) teach each joint portion electrically connects at least two of the conductor circuit portions, wherein each routing materials of each branch line module forms a continuous, non-branched conductive path extending between the branch line side first connector and the branch line side second connector without an intermediate splice or electrical junction, and wherein each electrical branching point of the wire harness is provided at one of the joint portions of the wiring pattern, such that no electrical branching point is provided in any of the branch line modules.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Aoki et al. (US 6,504,262) teaches a wire harness distribution structure for vehicles. Daugherty et al. (US 2015/0329069) teaches a conductor harness assembly having a flexible sheath and branch connectors. Tsukamoto (US 2018/0118137).
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRYSTAL ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-9258. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached on (571)-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRYSTAL ROBINSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2848
Prosecution Insights