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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wojciechowskie et al. (U.S. 2004/0042871).
As for Claim 1, Wojciechowski discloses a connector stud comprising:
a head component (20) including a head portion (22) and a neck portion (28) extending from a first side of the head portion, the head portion having a regular polygonal shape (see Figs. 1-2), wherein the head component includes an annular groove (38) in the first side of the head portion, the annular groove being configured to receive a protrusion of a connector dock (see Fig. 5).
Re: Claim 2. The connector stud of claim 1, wherein the annular groove encircles the neck portion (see Fig. 3).
Re: Claim 3. The connector stud of claim 1, further comprising a circular boss (26) which protrudes from a second side of the head portion, the second side being opposed to the first side.
Re: Claim 4. The connector stud of claim 1, further comprising an exit slot (slot defined by 42 and 44) which forms a discontinuity in a radially outer wall of the annular groove (see Fig. 1), the exit slot configured to allow withdrawal of the protrusion of the connector dock from the annular groove.
Re: Claim 5. The connector stud of claim 1, further comprising a base component including a base plate (52) and a spacer (70) which projects away from the base plate (see Fig. 5), wherein at least one of the spacer and the neck portion includes a base attachment interface configured to attach the head component to the base component (see Fig. 5).
Re: Claim 6. The connector stud of claim 5, wherein:
the base attachment interface is formed by one of the spacer and the neck portion including a recess (58), and the other of the spacer and the neck portion including a complementary protrusion (end portion of 28) which is received by the recess (see Fig. 5), the recess and the protrusion are configured to prevent rotation of the head component relative to the base component (see para [0019-0020]), and the base component includes a threaded insert (see para [0015]) which sits at least partially within a thickness of the spacer and is configured to receive a screw which passes through the neck portion of the head component to fasten the head component to the base component (see para [0015]).
Re: Claim 7. A device comprising the connector stud of claim 1 (see Fig. 1, para [0019]).
Re: Claim 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the device is an electronic device (see Fig. 1, para [0019]).
Re: Claim 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the electronic device is a mobile communications device (see Fig. 1, para [0019]).
Claim(s) 10-15 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ryder. (U.S. 5,103,538).
As for Claim 10, Ryder discloses a connector dock comprising:
a receiving portion (44) configured to receive a head portion of a connector stud, the head portion having a regular polygonal shape; and
a cantilevered tab (106) provided at a front of the receiving portion (see Fig. 4), the tab having a protrusion (protrusion defined by recess 50) which projects from a rear surface of the tab and extends towards a rear of a retaining portion (see Figs. 4 and 5), wherein the protrusion is configured to engage an annular groove formed in a first side of the head portion of the connector stud.
Re: Claim 11. The connector dock of claim 10, wherein the receiving portion further includes a front curved surface (upper curved surface defining opening 44) which is configured to support a neck portion of the connector stud extending from the first side of the head portion.
Re: Claim 12. The connector dock of claim 11, wherein the front curved surface is formed by a pair of front shoulders (two upper shoulders of surface defining opening 44).
Re: Claim 13. The connector dock of claim 10, wherein the receiving portion further includes a rear curved surface (lower curved surface defining opening 44) which is configured to support a circular boss which protrudes from a second side of the head portion, the second side being opposed to the first side.
Re: Claim 14. The connector dock of claim 13, wherein the rear curved surface is formed by a pair of rear shoulders (two lower shoulders of surface defining opening 44).
Re: Claim 15. The connector dock of claim 14, wherein the cantilevered tab is disposed between the pair of front shoulders (see Fig. 3).
Re: Claim 20. The connector dock of claim 10, wherein the protrusion includes an inclined inner surface and an upright outer surface (see Fig. 5 disclosing an inclined and upright surface defining recess 50).
As for Claim 21, Ryder discloses connector system comprising:
a connector stud (22) including a head component including a head portion (48) and
a neck portion (38) extending from a first side of the head portion, the head portion having a regular polygonal shape, wherein the head component includes an annular groove (grooved defined between head and neck 38, see Fig. 5) in the first side of the head portion, the annular groove being configured to receive a protrusion of a connector dock (see Fig. 5); and
connector dock (34) including a receiving portion (44) and a cantilevered tab (106), the receiving portion configured to receive a head portion of the connector stud (see Fig. 5), the head portion having a regular polygonal shape (see Fig. 1), the cantilevered tab provided at a front of the receiving portion (see Fig. 4), the tab having a protrusion (protrusion defining recess of 50) which projects from a rear surface of the tab and extends towards a rear of a retaining portion (see Fig. 5), wherein the protrusion is configured to engage an annular groove formed in a first side of the head portion of the connector stud (see Fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-19 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:
Couillais et al. (U.S. 2004/0086355)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M UPCHURCH whose telephone number is (571)270-7957. The examiner can normally be reached 6AM-3PM EST M-F.
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/DAVID M UPCHURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677
