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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1-2 “wherein, in a case where a thickness direction….” (claim 1 line 13) and “wherein in a case where a direction….” (claim 2 lines 22-23) renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
For the purpose of examination, examiner will use
claim 1: “wherein,
Claim 2: “wherein
Claims 3-6 are included due to their dependency on claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai et. al (WO 2015076091 A1) hereafter referred to as Sakai in view of Kobayashi (US 20220376428 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Sakai teaches an electrical connection unit (10 relay box) comprising:
a first electronic component (30 relays) having a terminal (30a and 30brelay, connection terminal pg.3, third full paragraph);
a base member (12 main body) including a flat surface portion (38 rear surface) having a plate shape or sheet shape (pg.3, third full paragraph, Fig 3)
and having a first surface (side of 38 rear surface with receiving grooves 40, shown in Fig 3)
and a second surface located on a side opposite to the first surface (14 surface);
a first bus bar (46b busbar) electrically connected to the first terminal of the first electronic component (pg. 3, 5th full paragraph);
and a second bus bar (46a1 busbar) electrically connected to the second terminal of the first electronic component or a second electronic component (pg. 3, 5th full paragraph),
wherein, in a case where a thickness direction of the flat surface portion is a first direction (see annotated Fig 4 below),
PNG
media_image1.png
413
584
media_image1.png
Greyscale
the base member includes a first accommodation portion (40b busbar accommodation groove) that is recessed in the first direction or penetrates the flat surface portion in the first direction (pg. 3 3rd full paragraph, Fig 4)
and in which at least a part of the first bus bar is accommodated in a state of being exposed to the first surface side (pg. 3 3rd full paragraph);
a second accommodation portion (40a2 busbar housing groove) that is recessed in the first direction or penetrates the flat surface portion in the first direction (pg. 3 3rd full paragraph, Fig 4)
and in which at least a part of the second bus bar is accommodated in a state of being exposed to the first surface side (pg. 3 3rd full paragraph, Fig 4);
and an insulating wall (60 partition walls)
that is provided on the first surface at a position between the first accommodation portion and the second accommodation portion (60 partition walls are in between 40a1 and 40b, pg 4 ¶3).
Sakai fails to teach the first electronic component has two terminals which are connected to a busbar. However, Kobayashi teaches
the first electronic component (21 connecting members)
has two terminals (12 plurality of terminals)
which are connected to a busbar (50 busbar).
Sakai and Kobayashi are both in the industry of electrical connection devices, therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Sakai to include the multiple terminals of Kobayashi in order to electrically connect multiple devices together (Kobayashi ¶26)
Regarding claim 2, Sakai in view of Kobayashi teaches the electrical connection unit according to claim 1,
wherein in a case where a direction intersecting the first direction is a second direction (see annotated Fig 3 below, longitudinal direction)
PNG
media_image2.png
393
655
media_image2.png
Greyscale
the first bus bar (46b busbar) includes a first straight portion (portion of busbar that is “extending in a rectangular cross-section”, Pg. 3 4th full paragraph) that is accommodated in the first accommodation portion (40b receiving groove) in a state of being exposed to the first surface side and that linearly extends in the second direction (Fig 3, pg. 3 4th full paragraph),
the second bus bar (46a1 busbar) includes a second straight portion (portion of busbar that is “extending in a rectangular cross-section”, Pg. 3 4th full paragraph) that is accommodated in the second accommodation portion (40a1 receiving groove) in a state of being exposed to the first surface side and that linearly extends in parallel with the first straight portion, (Pg. 3 4th full paragraph)
and the insulating wall (60 insulating partition walls) is disposed between the first straight portion and the second straight portion (pg. 4 ¶3) and extends in parallel with the first straight portion and the second straight portion when viewed from the first direction (pg 4 ¶3, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 3, Sakai in view of Kobayashi teaches the electrical connection unit according to claim 1.
Sakai in view of Kobayashi fail to teach
a first connection component that is connected to the first bus bar and electrically connects the first bus bar to a third electronic component or a first external device; and
a second connection component that is connected to the second bus bar and electrically connects the second bus bar to a fourth electronic component, the first external device, or a second external device, wherein a part of the insulating wall is disposed between the first connection component and the second connection component in the combination of claim 1.
However, Kobayashi further teaches
a first connection component (one of 12 terminals)
that is connected to the first bus bar (50 busbar, connected via 52 busbar tab, ¶52)
and electrically connects the first bus bar to a third electronic component or a first external device (¶52);
and a second connection component (another one of 12 terminals)
that is connected to the second bus bar (50 busbar)
and electrically connects the second bus bar to a fourth electronic component, the first external device, or a second external device (¶52),
wherein a part of the insulating wall (31 partition walls) is disposed between the first connection component and the second connection component (¶57).
Sakai and Kobayashi are both in the industry of electrical connection devices, therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Sakai to include connection component structure of Kobayashi in order to electrically connect multiple devices together through different terminals (Kobayashi ¶26-27)
Regarding claim 4, Sakai in view of Kobayashi teaches the electrical connection unit according to claim 1.
Sakai in view of Kobayashi fail to teach a first connection component that is attached to the first bus bar and electrically connects the first bus bar to the first terminal of the first electronic component; and a second connection component that is attached to the second bus bar and electrically connects the second bus bar to the second terminal of the first electronic component wherein a part of the insulating wall is disposed between the first connection component and the second connection component.in the combination of claim 1. However, Kobayashi teaches
a first connection component (one of 12 terminals) that is attached to the first bus bar (50 busbar, connected via 52 busbar tab, ¶52) and electrically connects the first bus bar to the first terminal of the first electronic component (¶52);
and a second connection component (another one of 12 terminals) that is attached to the second bus bar (50 busbar) and electrically connects the second bus bar to the second terminal of the first electronic component (¶52)
wherein a part of the insulating wall (31 partition walls) is disposed between the first connection component and the second connection component (Fig 9).
Sakai and Kobayashi are both in the industry of electrical connection devices, therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Sakai to include connection component with an insulating wall in between structure of Kobayashi in order to electrically connect multiple devices together through different terminals, while being electrically insulated (Kobayashi ¶26-27, ¶57)
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakai in view of Kobayashi, and further in view of Makino (WO 2004102746 A1)
Regarding claim 5, Sakai in view of Kobayashi teaches the electrical connection unit according to claim 4.
Sakai in view of Kobayashi fail to teach the first electronic component includes a rib located between the first terminal and the second terminal, and the insulating wall has an engagement portion that is engaged with the rib. However, Makino teaches
the first electronic component (225 joint connector block) includes a rib (224 guide rib) located between the first terminal and the second terminal (233 multiple terminals, Fig 20),
and the insulating wall (229 partition wall) has an engagement portion (224 guide rib) that is engaged with the rib (Fig 20).
Sakai, Kobayashi, and Makino are all in the industry of electrical connectors, therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Sakai and Kobayashi to include the guide rib structure of Makino in order to position the insulating wall to properly shield the terminal from each other (Makino pg. 3 ¶3)
Regarding claim 6, Sakai in view of Kobayashi and further in view of Makino teaches the electrical connection unit according to claim 5, wherein the engagement portion (224 guide rib) has a recess (formed in between 247 side end and 248 front end) into which the rib is inserted (pg. 15, last full paragraph).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure
Ikeda et. al (JP 2024037492 A) also teaches a electrical connection box with terminals electrically connected to busbars
Uki et. al (US 20260180270 A1) also teaches a terminal electrically connected to component bodies.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELISA SASSERATH whose telephone number is (703)756-5847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Parker can be reached at (303) 297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/E.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights