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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Steffka et al. (10,666,031) [Steffka].
Re Claim 1, Steffka – a power distribution box assembly – discloses a box-shaped body [10] comprising: a case [12] having a tubular peripheral wall [16]; and a cover [14] assembled to the peripheral wall to cover an opening end of the case [Fig. 6], wherein the cover includes a plurality of engaging portions [50, 54] extending in an attachment direction in which the cover is attached to the case the case includes a plurality of engaged portions [52, 56] configured to be engaged with the engaging portions [Col. 5 Lines 16-20 and 23-29], respectively each of the plurality of engaged portions includes a guide portion configured to guide the engaging portion toward an engaged structure configured to be engaged with the engaging portion; and at least one of the plurality of engaging portions has a length longer than a length of another engaging portion in the attachment direction [Fig. 7], and is guided by the guide portion of the engaged portion prior to the other engaging portion when the case and the cover are assembled [50, Fig. 7].
Re Claim 2, Steffka discloses at least two of the plurality of engaging portions have a length longer [50] than a length of another engaging portion in the attachment direction; a part of the at least two engaging portions is provided to extend from a predetermined surface of the cover; and the other part of the at least two engaging portions [54] is provided on another surface of the cover which has a surface direction different from a surface direction of the predetermined surface [Fig. 7].
Re Claim 3, Steffka discloses the at least one of the engaging portions has a groove portion [50, unnumbered slot, Col. 5 Lines 16-20] configured to guide a tool that releases engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion [intended use].
Re Claim 4, Steffka discloses when assembly of the case and the cover is completed, the plurality of engaging portions and the plurality of engaged portions are engaged respectively [Col. 5 Lines 16-20 and 23-29]
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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892 Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J HICKS whose telephone number is (571)270-1893. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Orlando Aviles-Bosques can be reached at 571-270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT J HICKS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
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