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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mimura (JP 2006/320161; English Machine Translation provided with Office Action) in view of Hara (US 2017/0271052 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Mimura (JP 2006/320161; English Machine Translation provided with Office Action) discloses a grommet (Fig 1-3,5) comprising: a main body unit (about 12-14) which is fitted into a through hole (page 4, first paragraph; “a through-hole H provided in a vehicle body panel P”) penetrating an attachment target along an axial direction (left-right direction in Fig 1) to water stop (page 1, third paragraph; “a vehicle body panel that separates the vehicle compartment from the outside (engine room) to prevent water from entering the indoor side”) the through hole, and into which a routing material (30-33) is insertable along the axial direction; and an accommodating unit (16-17) which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions (up-direction in Fig 1 and down-direction in Fig 1) intersecting with the axial direction (left-right direction in Fig 1), and accommodates a branch unit (where 31 separates into 32-33) of the routing material, wherein the accommodating unit includes: a first opening end (opening at an end of 16-17 towards 32) from which a first routing material (32) branching to one of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in an accommodated state (see Fig 3) in which the accommodating unit accommodates the branch unit (32); a second opening end (opening at an end of 16-17 towards 33) from which a second routing material (33) branching to the other of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in the accommodated state (see Fig 3); and a lid-like unit (E) that enables opening and closing of a slit (see Fig 5 at opening or slit between 16 and 17; see also Fig 4 for analogous structure of slit between 16,17) formed from the first opening end to the second opening end, and is formed so as to cover (see Fig 3) the branch unit (where 31 separates into 32-33) in a state where the slit is closed (see Fig 5 (B)) in the accommodated state, and the lid-like unit (E) includes a locking hole (21) locked with respect to a locking protrusion (20) provided on (20 and 21 are integrally on 10 and thus also on the main body unit, 12-14) the main body unit.
Mimura does not disclose the accommodating unit which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions intersecting with the axial direction and different from each other.
Hara (US 2017/0271052 A1) teaches of a grommet (Fig 7,1-5) comprising: a main body unit (11-13) which is fitted into a through hole ([0034]) penetrating an attachment target along an axial direction (up-down direction in Fig 2) to water stop ([0040]) the through hole, and into which a routing material (W) is insertable along the axial direction; and an accommodating unit (21-22) which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions (see Fig 7) intersecting with the axial direction and different from each other (as seen in Fig 7, directions are almost perpendicular to one another), and accommodates a branch unit (W,W from W at the lower end of Fig 2) of the routing material, wherein the accommodating unit includes: a first opening end (end at left side of Fig 7) from which a first routing material (W) branching to one (towards left side of Fig 7) of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in an accommodated state (see Fig 7; W is accommodated in grommet) in which the accommodating unit accommodates the branch unit; a second opening end (towards right side of Fig 7) from which a second routing material branching to the other of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in the accommodated state; and a lid-like unit (21,22) that enables opening (see Fig 5) and closing (see Fig 7) of a slit formed from the first opening end to the second opening end, and is formed so as to cover the branch unit in a state where the slit is closed (Fig 7) in the accommodated state.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grommet as disclosed by Mimura, wherein the accommodating unit which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions intersecting with the axial direction and different from each other as taught by Hara, in order to allow for a bent state, allow wires to be branched into two directions, (Hara, [0005-0006,0041-0045,0064]), and furthermore this would provide more design and routing freedom to a user for mounting wires within a vehicle, and thus accommodate vehicle equipment while still allowing wire routing.
Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mimura (JP 2006/320161; English Machine Translation provided with Office Action) in view of Hara (US 2017/0271052 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Lepper (US 2006/0207068 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Mimura in view of Hara teaches the limitations of the preceding claim.
Mimura does not disclose the grommet according to claim 1, wherein the locking protrusion includes: a locking unit locked to the locking hole; and a rib formed to extend in an extending direction of the locking protrusion from the locking unit, the rib being insertable into the locking hole prior to the locking unit.
Lepper (US 2006/0207068 A1) teaches of a fastener (Fig 1-4) wherein a locking protrusion (10) includes: a locking unit (24,26) locked to a locking hole ([0028]); and a rib (60,62; shown raised or elongated protrusion; see Fig 1,4) formed to extend in an extending direction (extends upward in Fig 1-4) of the locking protrusion from the locking unit (24,26), the rib (60,62) being insertable into the locking hole ([0028]) prior to the locking unit (24,26).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grommet as taught by Mimura in view of Hara, wherein the locking protrusion includes: a locking unit locked to the locking hole; and a rib formed to extend in an extending direction of the locking protrusion from the locking unit, the rib being insertable into the locking hole prior to the locking unit as taught by Lepper, in order to allow for a fastener to be removed after assembly and to accommodate a tool to engage the fastener (Lepper, Abstract, [0006-0011]).
Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mimura (JP 2006/320161; English Machine Translation provided with Office Action) in view of Kiuchi (US 2020/0276943 A1) and Hara (US 2017/0271052 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Mimura (JP 2006/320161; English Machine Translation provided with Office Action) discloses a wire harness (Fig 1-3,5) comprising: a routing material (30-33); and a grommet (110) provided on the routing material (30), wherein the grommet (10) includes: a main body unit (about 12-14) which is fitted into a through hole (page 4, first paragraph; “a through-hole H provided in a vehicle body panel P”) penetrating an attachment target along an axial direction (left-right direction in Fig 1) to water stop (page 1, third paragraph; “a vehicle body panel that separates the vehicle compartment from the outside (engine room) to prevent water from entering the indoor side”) the through hole, and into which a routing material (31) is insertable along the axial direction; and an accommodating unit (16-17) which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit (12-14) in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions (up-direction in Fig 1 and down-direction in Fig 1) intersecting with the axial direction (left-right direction in Fig 1), and accommodates a branch unit (where 31 separates into 32-33) of the routing material, the accommodating unit includes: a first opening end (opening at an end of 16-17 towards 32) from which a first routing material (32) branching to one of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in an accommodated state (see Fig 3) in which the accommodating unit accommodates the branch unit (32); a second opening end (opening at an end of 16-17 towards 33) from which a second routing material (33) branching to the other of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in the accommodated state (see Fig 3); and a lid-like unit (E) that enables opening and closing of a slit (see Fig 5 at opening or slit between 16 and 17; see also Fig 4 for analogous structure of slit between 16,17) formed from the first opening end to the second opening end, and is formed so as to cover (see Fig 3) the branch unit (where 31 separates into 32-33) in a state where the slit is closed (see Fig 5 (B)) in the accommodated state, and the lid-like unit (E) includes a locking hole (21) locked with respect to a locking protrusion (20) provided on (20 and 21 are integrally on 10 and thus also on the main body unit, 12-14) the main body unit.
Mimura does not explicitly disclose a routing material having conductivity and does not disclose the accommodating unit which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions intersecting with the axial direction and different from each other.
Kiuchi (US 2020/0276943 A1) teaches of a wire harness (Fig 1-3) comprising: a routing material (W) having conductivity ([0012,0028]); and a grommet (10) provided on the routing material (W).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grommet as disclosed by Mimura, wherein the routing material having conductivity as taught by Kiuchi, in order to provide electrical connection between devices, connection within a vehicle, provide power supply or provide signal communication (Kiuchi, [0012,0028]).
Hara (US 2017/0271052 A1) teaches of a grommet (Fig 7,1-5) comprising: a main body unit (11-13) which is fitted into a through hole ([0034]) penetrating an attachment target along an axial direction (up-down direction in Fig 2) to water stop ([0040]) the through hole, and into which a routing material (W) is insertable along the axial direction; and an accommodating unit (21-22) which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions (see Fig 7) intersecting with the axial direction and different from each other (as seen in Fig 7, directions are almost perpendicular to one another), and accommodates a branch unit (W,W from W at the lower end of Fig 2) of the routing material, wherein the accommodating unit includes: a first opening end (end at left side of Fig 7) from which a first routing material (W) branching to one (towards left side of Fig 7) of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in an accommodated state (see Fig 7; W is accommodated in grommet) in which the accommodating unit accommodates the branch unit; a second opening end (towards right side of Fig 7) from which a second routing material branching to the other of the two directions from the branch unit is led out in the accommodated state; and a lid-like unit (21,22) that enables opening (see Fig 5) and closing (see Fig 7) of a slit formed from the first opening end to the second opening end, and is formed so as to cover the branch unit in a state where the slit is closed (Fig 7) in the accommodated state.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grommet as taught by Mimura in view of Kiuchi, wherein the accommodating unit which protrudes out from one end portion of the main body unit in the axial direction, is formed toward two directions intersecting with the axial direction and different from each other as taught by Hara, in order to allow for a bent state, allow wires to be branched into two directions, (Hara, [0005-0006,0041-0045,0064]), and furthermore this would provide more design and routing freedom to a user for mounting wires within a vehicle, and thus accommodate vehicle equipment while still allowing wire routing.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Braun (US 5,277,459), also in the field of cables and automobiles (Column 1, lines 19-39), teaches of a Y-shaped branching device (See Fig 11). This could be used in a future 103 Rejection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROSHN K VARGHESE whose telephone number is (571)270-7975. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 900 am-300 pm.
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/ROSHN K VARGHESE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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