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 listing of references in the specification is not a proper information disclosure statement. 37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered; such as IP65.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 200, D1. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The specification recites “stopping flange 120” and “stopping flange 111”; however, both statements cannot be correct.
The specification recites, “[i]n particular, the nut 125 engages a second side 311 of the panel 302, opposite the first side 309”; however, this statement is a direct contradiction from what is illustrated in the drawings.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-9 and 17 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 1 recites the limitations “the aperture” and “the panel”; claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites, “…the external threaded section being received through the aperture, the first connection interface being positioned at a first side of the panel, and the second connection interface being positioned at a second side of the panel opposite the first side when the through-wall connector is installed in the panel…”. The original disclosure recites:
Some examples of the present disclosure provide a through-wall connector including a body, a first connection interface, a second connection interface, an external threaded portion, a radial protrusion, and a threaded nut. The body can define an outer surface, a first distal end, a second distal end, and an interior channel. The first connection interface can be positioned at the first distal end, and can define a first opening. The second connection interface can be positioned at the second distal end, and can define a second opening. The interior channel can be defined between the first opening and the second opening. The external threaded section can provided along the outer surface. When the through-wall connector is installed in a pane, the external threaded section can be received through the aperture, the first connection interface can be positioned at a first side of the panel, and the second connection interface can be positioned at a second side of the panel opposite the first side. The radial protrusion can extend outwardly from the outer surface.
For instance, FIG. 2 illustrates an example through-wall connector 100 for use in a liquid entry system (e.g., the liquid entry systems 200 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). As shown, the through-wall connector 100 includes a tubular body 102 extending between a first distal end 104 and a second distal end 106. Through-wall connectors can include connection interfaces to allow for connection of hosing and piping with the through-wall connector. A connection interface can include fittings and components to allow for integration with fluid connection systems. For example, a connection interface can include a tri-clamp fitting (e.g., a flange compatible with a tri-clamp connection system), quick-disconnect ports, or other port types that can integrate with known systems or standards for fluid connections. In the illustrated example, a first opening 108 is defined in the first distal end 104, and a second opening 110 is defined in the second distal end 106. The first and second openings 108, 110 can be openings provided in respective connection interfaces to allow the flow of a fluid through the through-wall connector 100. In this way, the tubular body 102 defines a channel between the first opening 108 and the second opening 110, the channel configured to allow the flow of fluid (e.g., water, a coolant) through the tubular body 102 between the first opening 108 and the second opening 110. In the illustrated example, the tubular body 102 has a sheath 111 that substantially surrounds a portion of the tubular body 102. The sheath 111 can be made of a thermoplastic material (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), etc.) and defines an exterior surface, having a first diameter D1 along the exterior surface of the tubular body 102 (i.e., an outer diameter)…In some cases, the body of a through-wall connector can be an injection-molded plastic.
The original disclosure clearly distinguishes that through-wall connector is not a panel. The Examiner is unable to determine the metes and bounds of the claim.
Claims 8 and 17 recite “an IP65 seal”; however, it is not clear to the Examiner exactly what this means within the context of the claims.
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, 6-9, 16, 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 6183021, Walsh.
In regards to claim 1, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses a through-wall connector (14) comprising: a body defining an outer surface, a first distal end (24), a second distal end (16), and an interior channel (18); a first connection interface (32) at the first distal end, the first connection interface defining a first opening; a second connection interface (near 14.4) at the second distal end, the second connection interface defining a second opening, the interior channel being defined between the first opening and the second opening; an external threaded section (30) provided along the outer surface, the external threaded section being received through the aperture (97), the first connection interface being positioned at a first side of the panel (15), and the second connection interface being positioned at a second side of the panel opposite the first side when the through-wall connector is installed in the panel; a radial protrusion (34) extending outwardly from the outer surface; and a threaded nut (102) sized to receive the threaded section, wherein when the through-wall connector is installed in the panel, the threaded nut threadably engages the external threaded section, the threaded nut contacts the first side of the panel, and the protrusion contacts the second side of the panel.
In regards to claim 6, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses the radial protrusion comprises a flange that extends along a whole circumference of the body.
In regards to claim 7, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses the body is formed from an injection-molded plastic (col. 3, lines 25-28).
In regards to claim 8, as best understood, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses an engagement between the radial protrusion and the panel provides at least an IP65 seal against the entry of dust and liquids through the aperture.
In regards to claim 9, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses an O-ring (42) is provided between the radial protrusion and the panel.
In regards to claim 16, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses a liquid entry system including: an enclosure (col. 2, lines 34-35) including a panel (15), the panel defining a first side disposed within the enclosure, and a second side positioned external to the enclosure, the panel having a panel aperture; a through-wall connector (14) configured to be installed within the panel, including: a tubular body defining an interior channel and an outer surface, the outer surface defining a first diameter, an outer threaded section defining a second diameter, the threaded section extending outwardly from the outer surface, and the second diameter being greater than the first diameter, wherein, when the through-wall connector is installed in the panel, the outer threaded section extends through the panel aperture, and a stopping flange extending radially along a circumference of the tubular body, the stopping flange (34) being adjacent to the outer threaded section, the stopping flange contacting the second side of the panel when the through-wall connector is installed within the panel; a threaded nut, wherein when the through-wall connector is installed within the panel, the threaded nut threadably engages the threaded section and the threaded nut contacts the first side of the panel.
In regards to claim 17, as best understood, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses the engagement of the stopping flange and the panel provides at least an IP65 seal against the entry of dust and liquids into the enclosure.
In regards to claim 20, in Figure 1 and paragraphs detailing said figure, Walsh discloses an O-ring between at least one of the threaded nut and the panel and the stopping flange and the panel.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-15 are allowed.
Claims 18 and 19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because it illustrates the claimed invention.
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