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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species B in the reply filed on 04/20/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 2-4 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/20/26.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 01/23/26 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
Specification
The status of the nonprovisional parent application (whether patented or abandoned) needs to be included in the cross reference to related applications at the start of the specification. If a parent application has become a patent, the expression “now Patent No. _____” should follow the filing date of the parent application. If a parent application has become abandoned, the expression “now abandoned” should follow the filing date of the parent application.
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 and 5-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Schröter (US 2021/0396336 A1).
As to claim 1, Schröter discloses a fluid line quick connector, comprising: a housing (112) having a main passage and a pass-through (Fig. 4); a primary latch (120) insertable through said pass-through; a secondary latch (128) locatable adjacent said primary latch (Fig. 4), said secondary latch having an open position (Fig. 5) and a closed position (Fig. 7); and a data matrix (116); wherein, when said secondary latch is in the open position, said data matrix is at least partially concealed, and when said secondary latch is in the closed position, the at least partial concealment is absent (refer to [0052] - [0060]).
As to claim 5, Schröter discloses the fluid line quick connector as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a slide (118), said data matrix residing on said slide, said primary latch or secondary latch at least partially obstructing said data matrix when said secondary latch is in the open position, the at least partial obstruction absent when said secondary latch is in the closed position. Refer to [0052] - [0060] and Figs. 5-7.
As to claim 6, Schröter discloses the fluid line quick connector as set forth in claim 5, wherein said slide is prompted to move when said secondary latch is brought to the closed position. Refer to [0052] - [0060] and Figs. 5-7.
As to claim 7, Schröter discloses the fluid line quick connector as set forth in claim 5, wherein said secondary latch has a ramped surface (134/140), said ramped surface making abutment with said slide when said secondary latch is brought to the closed position, the abutment urging movement of said slide (Fig. 6).
As to claim 8, Schröter discloses the fluid line quick connector as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a slide (118), said data matrix residing on said slide, said primary latch (120/122) having a slot (122) for receipt of said slide, said slide moving relative to said slot when said secondary latch is brought to the closed position (see [0052] - [0060]).
As to claim 9, Schröter discloses a fluid line quick connector, comprising: a housing (112) having a main passage; a retainer assembly carried by said housing, said retainer assembly including a primary latch (120/122) and a secondary latch (128), said secondary latch having an open position (Fig. 5) relative to said primary latch and having a closed position (Fig. 7) relative to said primary latch (see [0052] - [0060]); a slide (118) having a first position and a second position, said slide prompted to move from the first position to the second position via impingement by said retainer assembly when said secondary latch is brought to the closed position (see [0052] - [0060]); and a data matrix (116) residing on said slide, said data matrix at least partially concealed when said slide is in the first position, and said data matrix readable when said slide is in the second position (see [0052] - [0060]).
As to claim 10, Schröter discloses the fluid line quick connector as set forth in claim 9, wherein said slide is received in a slot of said primary latch and moves in said slot from the first position and to the second position via impingement by said retainer assembly when said secondary latch is brought to the closed position. Refer to [0052] - [0060] and Figs. 5-7.
As to claim 11, Schröter discloses the fluid line quick connector as set forth in claim 9, wherein said secondary latch has an extension (138), and said slide is prompted to move from the first position to the second position via impingement by said extension when said secondary latch is brought to the second position.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ignaczak et al discloses a fluid line connector and assembly with an RFID tag (see Figs. 7-11).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James M Hewitt II whose telephone number is (571)272-7084. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-930pm, mid-day flex 2-4pm.
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/JAMES M HEWITT II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
James M. Hewitt II
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3679
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