`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
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`15/950,796
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`04/11/2018
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`Kuniyuki OGAWA
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`20296.0058USC1
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`4388
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`53148
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`759°
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`”18/2018
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`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON RC.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
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`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
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`LUKS' JEREMY AUSTIN
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`ART UNIT
`2837
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`09/18/2018
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
`PTOMail@hsml.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`
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`Off/09 A0170” Summary
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`Application No.
`15/950,796
`Examiner
`JEREMY A LU KS
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`Applicant(s)
`OGAWA, Kuniyuki
`Art Unit
`AIA Status
`2837
`Yes
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`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 4/11/18.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`5—13 is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11). The drawing(s) filed on 4/11/18 is/are: a). accepted or b)[:j objected to by the Examiner.
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`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)D Some”
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`C)D None of the:
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`1.[:]
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2..
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. 14/778,608.
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`3.[:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1) C] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date m.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180913
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
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`2.
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`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.
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`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.
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`3.
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`Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second
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`paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the
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`subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AlA the applicant regards
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`as the invention. Although the claimed “conductive member” is not in the Specification,
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`it appears Applicant is referring to lead #12 in Figures 1a-c as the conductive member.
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`Regarding claim 13, there does not appear to be disclosure for “conductive members”
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`(i.e. more than one conductive member), let alone conductive members having different
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`diameters. Therefore, this claim is indefinite as it is unclear what Applicant is referring
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`to.
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`If the Examiner’s interpretation of lead #12 being the claimed “conductive member”
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`is incorrect, then Applicant should make clear what component is being referred to, as
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`the claim language is not present elsewhere in the disclosure.
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`4.
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`Claim 13 recites the limitation "the conductive members" in line 1. There is
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`insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
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`Page 3
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`5.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to NA 35
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`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
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`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
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`the same under either status.
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`6.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
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`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`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.
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`7.
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`Claims 5-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`AAPA (Applicant’s Admitted Prior Art, Figures 4A-7C, Specification, [0001]—[0012]) in
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`view of Kumakura (2009/0269970).
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`With respect to Claim 5, AAPA teaches a motor which is connected to a
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`conductive member (Figures 4A-C, #22 or 6A-C, #21 or 24) having a connecting part
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`(22a/21a/24a) and having a first wire (20) having an end (20a); wherein the end (20a) of
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`the first wire (20) and the connecting part (22a/21a/24a) of the conductive member
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`(22/21/24) are inserted into a connection terminal (25) having a crimping part (25a), and
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`the end (20a) of the first wire (20) and the connecting part (22a/21a/24a) of the
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`conductive member (22/21/24) are crimped by the crimping part (25a), and wherein the
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`conductive member (22/21/24) has a diameter greater than a diameter of the first wire
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`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
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`Page 4
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`(20), and when crimped, the first wire (20) and the conductive member (22/21/24) are
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`electrically connected. AAPA fails to teach the first wire having an end for folding,
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`comprising: the end folded at least once in the first wire; wherein the folded end of the
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`first wire and the connecting part of the conductive member are crimped by the crimping
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`part. Kumakura teaches wherein it is known to provide a end (Figures 1-3, #5) of a wire
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`(1) to be crimped in a connection terminal part (3/11), includes the first wire (1) having
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`an end (5/9/10) for folding (9) at least once in the first wire (1); wherein the folded end
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`(5/9/10) of the first wire (1) and the connecting part of the conductive member (when
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`combined as detailed above) are crimped by the crimping part (when combined as
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`detailed above), such that the contact area between the core wire (i.e. first wire) and the
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`crimping member can be increased, and accordingly, the fixing force of the electric wire
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`connection portion can be increased, and the electric resistance thereof can be reduced
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`and stabilized.
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the apparatus of AAPA, with the
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`apparatus of Kumakura such that the fixing force of the electric wire connection portion
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`can be increased, and the electric resistance thereof can be reduced and stabilized.
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`With respect to Claim 6, AAPA and Kumakura teach wherein when crimped, the
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`first wire (AAPA, #20, Kumakura, #1) and the conductive member (AAPA, #22/21/24)
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`have a predetermined amount of distortion.
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`With respect to Claim 7, AAPA and Kumakura are relied upon for the reasons
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`and disclosures set forth above. AAPA and Kumakura fail to explicitly teach wherein
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`the conductive member is a copper. However, it would have been obvious to one of
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`ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide wherein the
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`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
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`Page 5
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`conductive member is a copper, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a
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`worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended
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`use as a matter of obvious design choice.
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`In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Further, the
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`Examiner considers it to be well known to use copper as a material for conductive
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`parts/wires
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`With respect to Claim 8, AAPA teaches wherein the conductive member
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`(22/21/24) is a wire.
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`With respect to Claim 9, Kumakura teaches wherein the first wire (1/5) includes
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`at least one of a copper wire, an aluminum wire, and a copper-clad aluminum wire
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`q0044D.
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`With respect to Claim 10, AAPA teaches wherein each of the first wire (20) and
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`the conductive member (21) is a single wire.
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`With respect to Claim 11, AAPA teaches wherein the first lead (24) is a twisted
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`wire.
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`With respect to Claim 13, AAPA teaches, wherein the conductive members have
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`different diameters.
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`8.
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`Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AAPA
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`(Applicant’s Admitted Prior Art, Figures 4A-7C, Specification, [0001]-[0012]) in view of
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`Kumakura (2009/0269970), as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Woodard
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`(5,984,711).
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`With respect to Claim 12, AAPA and Kumakura are relied upon for the reasons
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`and disclosures set forth above. Kumakura further teaches the first wire (1) having an
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`end (5/9/10) for folding (9) at least once in the first wire (1). AAPA and Kumakura fail to
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`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
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`Page 6
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`explicitly teach wherein the end of the first wire is folded at least twice. Woodard
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`teaches a similar wire having an end for folding (See Figures 5A-C), wherein the end of
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`the wire is folded at least twice (Figure 50) so as to increase the wire gauge.
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`It would
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`have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the
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`claimed invention to combine the apparatus of AAPA as modified, with the apparatus of
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`Woodard so as to increase the gauge of the wire, as will be appreciated by those skilled
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`in the art.
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`Conclusion
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`9.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to JEREMY AUSTIN LUKS whose telephone number is
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`(571)272-2707. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00-4:30).
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
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`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
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`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on 571-272—3985. The fax phone number for
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`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
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`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
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`Page 7
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
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`/JEREMY A LUKS/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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`