DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-17 were filed with the application on 02/23/2025.
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 information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/19/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 14 (Fig 2).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 12 objected to because of the following informalities: in both claim 2 and claim 12, the term “par” should be changed to “part.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-4, 6-14, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0319558 (“Tiberghien”).
With regard to claim 1, Tiberghien discloses a liquid-cooling plug connector (2, para [0046]) comprising: a plugged body (2d+2a+ body shown in Figs, see annotated Figs) having a hollow area (interior portion) in the plugged body, the hollow area extending toward a front end (near 4, left end in Fig 1) of the plugged body (2d+2a+ body shown in Figs, see annotated Figs) to form a socket (opening at 4), the plugged body (2d+ body shown in Figs, see annotated Figs) having at least one operating hole (hole within plugged both containing 2b1, see annotated Figs) relative to a periphery of the socket (opening at 4); an unlocking assembly (2b, para [0047])) elastically (by spring shown, but not labeled in Figs, see annotated Figs) adapted to sheathe outside the plugged body (2b outside of plugged body, see annotated Figs); a backstop assembly (10+60) arranged in the hollow area (see Fig 1) and elastically (via spring shown, but not labeled in Fig 1, see annotated Figs) blocked between the socket (opening at 4) and the hollow area (interior); and at least one locking component (ball 2b1) movably (compare Figs 1 and 5 showing different movement positions of ball) arranged in the operating hole (see Figs 1 and 5) and having a limiting part (top part of 2b1) located outside the operating hole (outside of hole in at least position of Fig 1), a fixing part (bottom part of 2b1) extended from the limiting part downward (see annotated Figs) to move along an axial direction (moves up and down within hole, compare Figs 1 and 5) in the operating hole, an operating surface (left surface of 2b1 facing 3) on the fixing part (bottom part) and extending into the socket through the operating hole (extends into the socket at least in position in Fig 5), and a fixing surface (right surface 2b1) opposite to the operating surface (left surface of 2b1), wherein the unlocking assembly (2b) has a stopping surface (right interior groove surface, see annotated Figs) in the unlocking assembly (2b), the stopping surface (right interior groove surface, see annotated Figs) is elastically (via spring shown in Figs 1 and 5) abutted against the limiting part (top part of 2b1) to cause the locking component to move outward along the axial direction in the operating hole (see Fig 1).
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With regard to claim 2, Tiberghien discloses that the plugged body (2d+2a+ body shown in Figs, see annotated Figs) includes a body part (2a+see annotated Figs) and a pipe-connecting part (2d); the hollow area (interior portion) is in the body part (see annotated Figs); the pipe-connecting part (2d) is sleeved on the body part (2a+see annotated Figs) and closes the hollow area (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 3, Tiberghien discloses that the backstop assembly (10+60) includes a piston (10; see abstract: “device (10) comprises a valve or a valve actuation piston”) and a backstop member (obturator 60) blocked and arranged on the piston (10, see Fig 1); the piston (10) is pushed by an elastic force (spring shown, but not labeled in Fig 1) and is blocked together with the backstop member (60) between the socket (opening near 4) and the hollow area (interior) (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 4, Tiberghien discloses that the locking component (2b1) is in plural numbers and the operating hole is in corresponding plural numbers (plural “balls” disclosed para [0078] [0051] which inherently require respective plural operating holes).
With regard to claim 6, Tiberghien discloses an abutment surface (top right surface of 2b1) is arranged on the limiting part (top part of 2b1) and cooperates with and abuts against the stopping surface (right interior groove surface, see annotated Figs).
With regard to claim 7, Tiberghien discloses that the stopping surface (right interior groove surface, see annotated Figs) is an annular surface (see Fig 1, annular/circular structure).
With regard to claim 8, Tiberghien discloses a connecting apparatus (1, para [0046]) comprising: a mating connector (3); and a liquid-cooling (“notably of a circuit of a liquid for cooling a mold” para [0019]) plug connector (2) plugged by the mating connector (3) and comprising: a plugged body (2d+2a+ annotated portion, see annotated Figs) having a hollow area (interior) in the plugged body, the hollow area extending toward a front end (left end) of the plugged body to form a socket (opening facing 4), the plugged body (2d+2a+ annotated portion) having at least one operating hole (hole in plugged body holding 2b1, see annotated Figs) relative to a periphery of the socket (opening facing 4); an unlocking assembly (2b, para [0047])) elastically (via spring shown, but not labeled in Figs, see annotated Figs) adapted to sheathe outside the plugged body (see Figs 1 and 5); a backstop assembly (10+60) arranged in the hollow area (interior) and elastically (via spring shown, but not labeled in Figs 1 and 5, see annotated Figs) blocked between the socket (opening facing 4) and the hollow area interior); and at least one locking component (ball 2b1) movably (compare movement between Figs 1 and 5) arranged in the operating hole and having a limiting part (top part of 2b1) located outside the operating hole (outside of hole in at least position of Fig 1), a fixing part (bottom part of 2b1) extended from the limiting part downward to move along an axial direction in the operating hole (compare movement Figs 1 and 5), an operating surface (left surface of 2b1) on the fixing part (bottom part 2b1) and extending into the socket (opening facing 4) through the operating hole (extends into in at least position in Fig 5), and a fixing surface (right surface of 2b1) opposite to the operating surface (left surface of 2b1) (see annotated Figs), wherein when the mating connector (3) inserts into the socket (opening facing 4) of the plugged body (2d+2a+annotated body), the operating surface (left surface of 2b1) is pushed to cause the locking component (2b1) to slide (see Fig 5) and the fixing surface (right surface of 2b1) latches the mating connector (see Fig 5); the unlocking assembly (2b) has a stopping surface (right interior surface of groove in 2b, see annotated Figs) in the unlocking assembly (2b); the stopping surface is elastically (via spring shown, not labeled at 2b, see annotated Figs) abutted against the limiting part (top part of 2b1) to cause the locking component (2b1)to move outward along the axial direction in the operating hole (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 9, Tiberghien discloses that the mating connector (3) comprises a mating body (3a+3d) and a closure kit (8+3f) arranged in the mating body (3a+3d) (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 10, Tiberghien discloses that the mating body (3a+3d) comprises a base part (3d) and a mating part (3a) extended along the axial direction from the base part (3d); the closure kit (8+3f) is arranged in the mating part (3a) (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 11, Tiberghien discloses a pushing part (left outer surface of groove 3c) is provided on an outer ring (outer groove 3c) of the mating part (3a); the pushing part (left outer surface of 3c) has a pushing surface which is inclined and used to push against the operating surface (left surface 2b1) (see annotated Figs) (best shown in Fig 5).
With regard to claim 12, Tiberghien discloses that the plugged body (2d+2a+ annotated portion, see annotated Figs) includes a body part (2a+annotated body portion) and a pipe-connecting part (2d); the hollow area (interior) is in the body part (2a+annotated body portion, see annotated Figs); the pipe-connecting part (2d) is sleeved on the body part (sleeved over 2a at least) and closes the hollow area (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 13, Tiberghien discloses that the backstop assembly (10+60) includes a piston (10; see abstract: “ device (10) comprises a valve or a valve actuation piston”) and a backstop member (60) blocked and arranged on the piston (10) (see Fig 1); the piston (10) is pushed by an elastic force (force from spring shown, not labeled in Fig 1, see annotated Figs) and is blocked together with the backstop member (60) between the socket (opening facing 4) and the hollow area (interior) (see Fig 1).
With regard to claim 14, Tiberghien discloses that the locking component is in plural numbers and the operating hole is in corresponding plural numbers (plural “balls” disclosed para [0078] [0051] which inherently require respective plural operating holes).
With regard to claim 16, Tiberghien discloses an abutment surface (top right surface of 2b1) is arranged on the limiting part (top part of 2b1) and cooperates with and abuts against the stopping surface (right interior surface of groove in 2b).
With regard to claim 17, Tiberghien discloses that the stopping surface (right interior surface of groove in 2b) is an annular surface (groove is annular/part of annular structure).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 15 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for indicating allowable subject matter: the prior art fails to disclose or render obvious “a size of the fixing part along a radial direction of the operating hole is smaller than a size of the limiting part along the radial direction of the operating hole” in combination with the other limitations set forth in the independent claims.
The closest prior art references of record are U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0319558 (“Tiberghien”) and U.S. Pat. No. 11,530,768 (“Wada”). Neither reference teaches or suggest a size of the fixing part along a radial direction of the operating hole is smaller than a size of the limiting part along the radial direction of the operating hole. It would not have been obvious to modify the size of the fixing part relative to the limiting part without improper hindsight reasoning.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 11,530,768 (“Wada”) discloses a pipe coupling with a backstop member and locking component.
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/JESSICA CAHILL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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