Appeal No. 2006-1149
Application No. 10/296,406
buckle 11 enables full insertion of the plug-in connector 4 into recess 16 at which point the
prongs of plug-in connector 4 engage axial seal 7 to seal the inner portions of the connector
from the external environment. At the point of full insertion, spring buckle 11 passes over
the protruding portion of plug-in connector 4 and snaps back to its original diameter, thereby
fixing adapter 1 securely to plug-in connector 4. As argued by appellant, supra, after full
insertion spring buckle 11 contracts inwardly so that it obstructs a path for sliding plug-in
connector 4 in a reverse direction away from the adapter 1, this orientation essentially
locking the adapter into place.
The examiner asserts that the lower portion of adapter 1 (i.e., the small square portion
shown in Fig. 1 directly below spring buckle 11 with the same hatching as the upper portion
of adapter 1) does not appear to be connected to the adapter and that the specification does
not indicate that it is.
However, we agree with appellant that even though the connection of the lower
portion of the adapter to the upper portion of the adapter is not shown in Fig. 1, it would be
appreciated by one skilled in the art that the lower portion is connected to the adapter at a
side of the adapter not shown in the drawings since the relevant portions of the specification,
as discussed supra, indicate that spring buckle 11 secures the adapter to the plug-in
connector.
The examiner further argues that the width of the lateral protrusion of plugin
connector 4 is larger than the internal width of the lower portion of adapter 1, as shown in
Fig. 1, and this would appear to prevent plugin connector 4 (attached to the fuel injector)
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