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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the engagement mechanism comprising a ball (claim 3) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Note: the specification discloses a spherocylinder component, not a ball.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 abstract of the disclosure is objected to because there appears to be an extraneous period after the paragraph. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 7, “electrical contacts configured” should be --electrical contacts are configured--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 2, 4, 10, 13, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yandle et al. (US 2012/0000575).
Regarding independent claims 1 and 13:
Yandle discloses a docking system and method comprising:
moving two in-space structures (e.g. Fig 1), the first structure having a first connector including a first housing (54) and an engagement mechanism (space created by 76 and 54), the second structure including a second connector including a second housing including base (38) and connection member (e.g. 46); and
engaging the connection mechanism within the engagement mechanism (e.g. Fig 3, the prong is inserted into the space created by the engagement mechanism), wherein the connection member is fixed in position on the second structure (the housing lacks any springs or other movable mountings relative to the craft).
Regarding claim 2:
The discussion above regarding claim 1 is relied upon.
Yandle discloses the engagement mechanism configured to engage the connection member when the connection member is in a recess (between 58 and 74) defined by a sleeve (74).
Regarding claim 4, 10, and 18:
The discussion above regarding claims 1 and 13 is relied upon.
Yandle discloses each connector having fluid valves at the end (as seen in Figs 2 and 3, male valve assembly on the right engages female assembly on the left) to enable fluid transfer (denoted by 72; [0022]) and electrical contacts (48 and 82) for power and data ([0028]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yandle et al. (US 2012/0000575).
The discussion above regarding claim 2 is relied upon.
Yandle discloses engaging two connectors, but does not disclose a biased-ball or actuator-activated engagement mechanism.
The examiner takes Official Notice that such engagement members are well-known in the art.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Yandle to use a biased-ball or actuator-actuated engagement mechanism as the examiner takes Official Notice that such engagement members (e.g. detents) are well-known in the art for providing a secure connection to reduce accidental decoupling of components, either in a passive (biased) or active (actuated) manner.
Claim(s) 6-8 and 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yandle et al. (US 2012/0000575) in view of Okamoto et al. (US 5 005 786).
Regarding claims 6-8 and 14-16:
The discussion above regarding claims 1 and 13 is relied upon.
Yandle discloses a docking system, but does not disclose a latching system on the second structure for engaging a slot in an end plate of the first connector.
Okamoto teaches a docking system having a latch arm (3 or 111), holder (mount), and biasing device (113) projecting outward from the second in-space structure (e.g. Figs 2 or 9) for engaging an end plate of the first connector (e.g. Fig 1) for locking the components together once joined (col 4, lines 30-34).
Further, the examiner takes Official Notice that latches engaging slots are well-known in the art.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have modified Yandle to use a latch system as taught by Okamoto for the predictable advantage of locking the components once joined to prevent accidental decoupling, and as the examiner takes Official Notice that latches engaging slots are well-known in the art to provide a more secure locking arrangement by engaging a slot rather than a flat plate.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 11, 12, 17, 19, and 20 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not teach or render obvious a cam ring arrangement or a movable first housing relative to the first structure, in combination with the other limitations of the claim(s). Particularly, Yandle provides for internally movable components, thus negating the need for movable housings.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joseph W Sanderson whose telephone number is (571)272-6337. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 6-3 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna Momper can be reached at 571-270-5788. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH W SANDERSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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