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www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`
`15/950,796
`
`04/11/2018
`
`Kuniyuki OGAWA
`
`20296.0058USC1
`
`4388
`
`53148
`
`759°
`
`”18/2018
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON RC.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`LUKS' JEREMY AUSTIN
`
`ART UNIT
`2837
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`09/18/2018
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`PTOMail@hsml.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/950,796
`Examiner
`JEREMY A LU KS
`
`Applicant(s)
`OGAWA, Kuniyuki
`Art Unit
`AIA Status
`2837
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`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).
`
`Status
`
`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
`
`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`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.
`
`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.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
`
`5—13 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
`
`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`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
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 4/11/18 is/are: a). accepted or b)[:j objected to by the Examiner.
`
`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).
`
`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:
`
`a). All
`
`b)D Some”
`
`C)D None of the:
`
`1.[:]
`
`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2..
`
`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. 14/778,608.
`
`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)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1) C] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`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
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180913
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
`
`1.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
`
`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
`
`2.
`
`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.
`
`3.
`
`Claim 13 is 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 pre-AlA the applicant regards
`
`as the invention. Although the claimed “conductive member” is not in the Specification,
`
`it appears Applicant is referring to lead #12 in Figures 1a-c as the conductive member.
`
`Regarding claim 13, there does not appear to be disclosure for “conductive members”
`
`(i.e. more than one conductive member), let alone conductive members having different
`
`diameters. Therefore, this claim is indefinite as it is unclear what Applicant is referring
`
`to.
`
`If the Examiner’s interpretation of lead #12 being the claimed “conductive member”
`
`is incorrect, then Applicant should make clear what component is being referred to, as
`
`the claim language is not present elsewhere in the disclosure.
`
`4.
`
`Claim 13 recites the limitation "the conductive members" in line 1. There is
`
`insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
`
`Page 3
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`5.
`
`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to NA 35
`
`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
`
`correction of the statutory basis 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.
`
`6.
`
`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.
`
`7.
`
`Claims 5-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`AAPA (Applicant’s Admitted Prior Art, Figures 4A-7C, Specification, [0001]—[0012]) in
`
`view of Kumakura (2009/0269970).
`
`With respect to Claim 5, AAPA teaches a motor which is connected to a
`
`conductive member (Figures 4A-C, #22 or 6A-C, #21 or 24) having a connecting part
`
`(22a/21a/24a) and having a first wire (20) having an end (20a); wherein the end (20a) of
`
`the first wire (20) and the connecting part (22a/21a/24a) of the conductive member
`
`(22/21/24) are inserted into a connection terminal (25) having a crimping part (25a), and
`
`the end (20a) of the first wire (20) and the connecting part (22a/21a/24a) of the
`
`conductive member (22/21/24) are crimped by the crimping part (25a), and wherein the
`
`conductive member (22/21/24) has a diameter greater than a diameter of the first wire
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
`
`Page 4
`
`(20), and when crimped, the first wire (20) and the conductive member (22/21/24) are
`
`electrically connected. AAPA fails to teach the first wire having an end for folding,
`
`comprising: the end folded at least once in the first wire; wherein the folded end of the
`
`first wire and the connecting part of the conductive member are crimped by the crimping
`
`part. Kumakura teaches wherein it is known to provide a end (Figures 1-3, #5) of a wire
`
`(1) to be crimped in a connection terminal part (3/11), includes the first wire (1) having
`
`an end (5/9/10) for folding (9) at least once in the first wire (1); wherein the folded end
`
`(5/9/10) of the first wire (1) and the connecting part of the conductive member (when
`
`combined as detailed above) are crimped by the crimping part (when combined as
`
`detailed above), such that the contact area between the core wire (i.e. first wire) and the
`
`crimping member can be increased, and accordingly, the fixing force of the electric wire
`
`connection portion can be increased, and the electric resistance thereof can be reduced
`
`and stabilized.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the apparatus of AAPA, with the
`
`apparatus of Kumakura such that the fixing force of the electric wire connection portion
`
`can be increased, and the electric resistance thereof can be reduced and stabilized.
`
`With respect to Claim 6, AAPA and Kumakura teach wherein when crimped, the
`
`first wire (AAPA, #20, Kumakura, #1) and the conductive member (AAPA, #22/21/24)
`
`have a predetermined amount of distortion.
`
`With respect to Claim 7, AAPA and Kumakura are relied upon for the reasons
`
`and disclosures set forth above. AAPA and Kumakura fail to explicitly teach wherein
`
`the conductive member is a copper. However, it would have been obvious to one of
`
`ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide wherein the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
`
`Page 5
`
`conductive member is a copper, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a
`
`worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended
`
`use as a matter of obvious design choice.
`
`In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Further, the
`
`Examiner considers it to be well known to use copper as a material for conductive
`
`parts/wires
`
`With respect to Claim 8, AAPA teaches wherein the conductive member
`
`(22/21/24) is a wire.
`
`With respect to Claim 9, Kumakura teaches wherein the first wire (1/5) includes
`
`at least one of a copper wire, an aluminum wire, and a copper-clad aluminum wire
`
`q0044D.
`
`With respect to Claim 10, AAPA teaches wherein each of the first wire (20) and
`
`the conductive member (21) is a single wire.
`
`With respect to Claim 11, AAPA teaches wherein the first lead (24) is a twisted
`
`wire.
`
`With respect to Claim 13, AAPA teaches, wherein the conductive members have
`
`different diameters.
`
`8.
`
`Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AAPA
`
`(Applicant’s Admitted Prior Art, Figures 4A-7C, Specification, [0001]-[0012]) in view of
`
`Kumakura (2009/0269970), as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Woodard
`
`(5,984,711).
`
`With respect to Claim 12, AAPA and Kumakura are relied upon for the reasons
`
`and disclosures set forth above. Kumakura further teaches the first wire (1) having an
`
`end (5/9/10) for folding (9) at least once in the first wire (1). AAPA and Kumakura fail to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
`
`Page 6
`
`explicitly teach wherein the end of the first wire is folded at least twice. Woodard
`
`teaches a similar wire having an end for folding (See Figures 5A-C), wherein the end of
`
`the wire is folded at least twice (Figure 50) so as to increase the wire gauge.
`
`It would
`
`have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the
`
`claimed invention to combine the apparatus of AAPA as modified, with the apparatus of
`
`Woodard so as to increase the gauge of the wire, as will be appreciated by those skilled
`
`in the art.
`
`Conclusion
`
`9.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to JEREMY AUSTIN LUKS whose telephone number is
`
`(571)272-2707. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:00-4:30).
`
`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, Shawki Ismail can be reached on 571-272—3985. The fax phone number for
`
`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/950,796
`Art Unit: 2837
`
`Page 7
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`/JEREMY A LUKS/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
`
`

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