DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 status of the claims for this application is as follows.
Claims 1-9 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/04/2025 was considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 06/04/2025.
Specification
The recitation(s) “a push-in member” is/are not identified in the descriptive portion of the specification by reference to the drawing in accordance with MPEP § 608.01 (o). These recitation in claim(s) must also be addressed accordingly.
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, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Okada (US 2008/0136163).
Re Clm 1: Okada discloses a quick connector (see Figs. 1-9), comprising:
a housing (12) into which a pipe (14) having a spool portion (15) is inserted;
a retainer (16) mounted within the housing (12), and having a claw portion (26a) that restrains the spool portion of the pipe that has been inserted; and
a push-in member (28) mounted at an outer peripheral portion (the portions containing the 32as and 32bs) of the housing (see Figs. 2-9), the push-in member (28) being pushable inward from a first position to a second position (such as illustrated in figs. 2-9), along a direction intersecting an insertion direction of the pipe (such as illustrated in Figs. 2-9),
when the pipe is inserted as far as a restraint position (see Fig. 5) at which the spool portion is restrained by the claw portions (see Fig. 5),
wherein at each of respective side surfaces (of 12) of the outer peripheral portion (the portions containing the 32as and 32bs, see Fig. 1), a plurality of first fit-together portions (32as and 32bs) are provided in the insertion direction, and catching holes (between respective 32as and 32bs, see Fig. 5, the internal holes that the 31s can penetrate) are provided, and
the push-in member has a base portion (29), a pair of leg portions (the angled portions of 30a and 30b abutting 29) extending from the base portion and nipping the outer peripheral portion at sides that include the respective side surfaces (see Figs. 2-9),
a plurality of second fit-together portions (the straight portions of 30a and 30b abutting the ends containing the 31s respectively) respectively provided at the pair of leg portions and respectively fitting together with the plurality of first fit-together portions movably in the intersecting direction (such is made to or is capable of moving in the intersecting direction because of the gaps), and
hook portions (the ends containing the 31s respectively) provided at the pair of leg portions and entering into the housing from the catching holes and being pushed out from the catching holes by the spool portion when the pipe is inserted as far as the restraint position (see Figs. 2-5).
Re Clm 6: Okada discloses wherein the hook portions are provided at distal end portions of, and at central portions in the insertion direction of the leg portions (see Fig. 1 and 3-7).
Re Clm 7: Okada discloses wherein recesses at which the catching holes catch are provided at inner surfaces of the hook portions (see Fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 8, and 9 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. The following documents have structural features (tubes retained with a transverse holding member) which are similar to the applicant’s claimed invention; US-20190390807-A1, US-20030160448-A1, and US-20030218335-A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES A LINFORD whose telephone number is (571)270-3066. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
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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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JAMES ALBERT LINFORD
Examiner
Art Unit 3679
06/10/2026
/Matthew Troutman/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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