DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/11/2026 has been entered.
Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Non-Final Office Action is in Reply to the amendment/request for continued examination (hereinafter “Response”) dated 03/11/2026. Claim(s) 1 and 5-7 are presently pending. Claim(s) 1 is/are amended. Claim(s) 2-4 is/have been cancelled.
Response to Amendment
The rejection of claim(s) 1 and 5-7 is/are withdrawn in light of the submitted amendment to the claims and in light of applicant’s arguments, which are found to be persuasive (see Response of 03/11/2026 and Interview Summary of 03/05/2026). However, upon further consideration and as necessitated by the newly claimed subject matter, a new rejection is present of claim(s) 1 and 5-7 as being unpatentable over Xie (TWM332741U) in view of Suga (JP2001174509A), Duan (U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2021/0194161 A1), and Mori (U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0203300 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xie (TWM332741U) in view of Suga (JP2001174509A), Duan (U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2021/0194161 A1), and Mori (U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0203300 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Xie discloses a fan frame electrical connector structure configured for correspondingly assembling to a motherboard (40) of an electronic device (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 4, para. 1-3), comprising: a fan (centrifugal fan 3) including a frame (assembly of sidewall 30, base 31, and upper boundary wall of the frame, as seen in Fig. 4) having a base seat (31) and a sidewall (30) and a circuit substrate (circuit board 32) disposed on the base seat of the frame (see Fig. 3-4), the circuit substrate having multiple pin connectors (33) provided thereon (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 6; wherein the circuit substrate (circuit board) and stator are provided on the base seat (base) of the frame, with pins protruding from the circuit substrate); the pin connectors being provided on the base seat of the frame to project into an outer side of the frame (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 4, para. 2; here the pins extend onto and through the base seat), and the motherboard of the electronic device being provided with at least one metal contact (41) at a location corresponding to the pin connectors (see Fig. 3-4), such that when the base seat is positioned adjacent the motherboard, the solid pins of the pin connectors are positioned on and electrically connected to the corresponding at least one metal contact (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 4, para. 2-3). Xie also discloses that the pin connectors are electrically connected to the circuit substrate at one end (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 6 and pg. 4, para. 3; here Xie teaches that the pin connectors are electrically connected to the circuit substrate, and it is clear from Fig. 6 that this connection occurs at a connecting end).
Xie fails to teach that the pin connectors are pogo pin connectors, each including a main body which internally defines a single receiving space and has a connecting end electrically connected with the circuit substrate, a part of the main body protruded out of the base seat of the frame, the receiving space having a single solid plunger and a single spring provided therein, the solid plunger having an end projected beyond the receiving space of the main body and protruded out of the base seat of the frame and another end pressed against the spring such that the solid plunger is reciprocatingly movable in the receiving space relative to the main body; wherein a portion of the solid plunger having an axial length is limited to move within the receiving space, the axial length being greater than a height of the main body protruding from a surface of the base seat of the frame so that a length of the spring is smaller than a thickness of the base seat and the axial length; and the axial length being greater than a length of a protruding portion of the solid plunger exposed outside the receiving space; and when the base seat is positioned adjacent the motherboard, the solid plunger of the at least one pogo pin connector is positioned on and electrically connected to the at least one metal contact.
Suga exhibits a pogo-pin electrical connector configuration (see Fig. 1-2) for electrically connecting two electrical devices (a BGA/IC inspection device and an inspection/testing circuit board) and thereby allowing signal transmission between them (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, [0012-0018]). Suga teaches that the electrical connector structure may include a plurality of pogo-pin connectors (probes 10) (see Fig. 2) provided on a base seat/frame (socket base 11) to project into an outer side of the base seat/frame (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, [0012-0018]), wherein each pogo-pin connector may include a main body (assembly of cylindrical tube 2 and its connecting end contact, which is referred to as “plunger 4” in the description of Suga but is fixed to the cylindrical tube 2, as is depicted in Fig. 1 and described in English Translation, [0015], thus forming an end wall of the cylindrical tube 2) which internally defines a single receiving space (chamber bounded by the side walls of hollow cylindrical tube 2 and the inner end wall of the connecting end contact/plunger 4, within which the BGA-facing plunger 1 and inner coil spring 3 are contained) and has a connecting end (end facing the inspection/testing circuit board 12, comprising the connecting end contact/plunger 4) able to be electrically connected with a circuit substrate (circuit board) of a first electrical device (the inspection/testing circuit board 12, see annotated Fig. 1 below, Fig. 2, and [0012-0016]), a part of the main body protruded out of the base seat/frame (see Fig. 1), the receiving space having a single solid plunger (BGA-facing plunger 1, see annotated Fig. 1 below, Fig. 2, and English Translation, [0012-0016] – note that the connecting end contact/plunger 4 is interpreted as a static portion of the main body, and not as a plunger contained within the receiving space, as described above) and a single spring (inner coil spring
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3) provided therein, the solid plunger having an end (BGA facing end) projected beyond the receiving space of the main body and protruded out of the base seat (see Fig. 1-2) and another end (spring facing end) pressed against the spring such that the plunger is reciprocatingly movable in the receiving space relative to the main body (see Fig. 1-2 and [0012-0016]), wherein a portion of the solid plunger having an axial length is limited to move within the receiving space (see Fig. 1), the axial length being greater than a height of the main body protruding from a surface of the base seat of the frame so that a length of the spring is smaller than a thickness of the base seat (see Fig. 1), and the axial length being greater than a length of a protruding portion of the solid plunger exposed outside the receiving space (see Fig. 1). Suga teaches that a spring-loaded pogo-pin can always maintain a state of being pressed against the electrical contacts of the electrical device(s) to which they are connected, thereby providing the advantage of ensuring a stable, reliable electrical connection between the electrical devices via the pin (see [0002], ln 13-15, [0003-0005], [0016], ln 10-13, and [0018]).
Based on these teachings of Suga, which are directly relevant to the problem addressed by Xie of electrically connecting the circuit substrate of a fan with a motherboard via a suitable electrical pin connection configuration, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pin connections of Xie to be formed as pogo pin connections according to the pogo pin connector configuration taught by Suga, wherein each of the electrical pin connectors include a main body which internally defines a single receiving space and has a connecting end electrically connected with the circuit substrate, a part of the main body protruded out of the base seat of the frame, the receiving space having a single solid plunger and a single spring provided therein, the solid plunger having an end projected beyond the receiving space of the main body and protruded out of the base seat of the frame and another end pressed against the spring such that the solid plunger is reciprocatingly movable in the receiving space relative to the main body, wherein a portion of the solid plunger having an axial length is limited to move within the receiving space, the axial length being greater than a height of the main body protruding from a surface of the base seat of the frame so that a length of the spring is smaller than a thickness of the base seat, and the axial length being greater than a length of a protruding portion of the solid plunger exposed outside the receiving space, as taught by Suga, and such that when the base seat of the fan is positioned adjacent the motherboard, the solid plunger of each pogo pin connector is positioned on and electrically connected to a corresponding metal contact in the same manner that the solid pins of Xie do, since such spring-loaded pogo-pins can always maintain a state of being pressed against the electrical contacts of the electrical device(s) to which they are connected, thereby providing the advantage of ensuring a stable, reliable electrical connection between the electrical devices via the pin, as described by Suga (see [0002], ln 13-15, [0003-0005], [0016], ln 10-13, and [0018]). Such would clearly be advantageous over the solid pin configuration of Xie, which is not elastically biased in this manner to ensure reliable electrical contact.
While Suga does not teach that a length of the spring is smaller than the axial length, it is well known within the art that the relative length of the spring of a pogo-pin connector, as compared to the length of the portion of the plunger which is limited to move within the receiving space, represents a design variable that is routinely selected by one of ordinary skill in the art in response to the thickness requirements of the base seat into which the pin is designed to be embedded (and therefore the overall length requirement of the pin) and/or to the spring tension requirements of the pogo-pin connector. For example, Duan exhibits a pogo-pin configuration (10) for use in an environment wherein the base seat (20) is relatively thin, as can be seen by the extremely snub length to width ratio of the pogo-pins (see Fig. 2-6D), thus requiring that the spring (shrapnel 16, or coil spring 16’) have a length smaller than the axial length of the portion of the plunger (body 13 of the plunger 11, excluding protruding contact head 12) which is limited to move within the receiving space of the pin (see Fig. 2-6D, [0052-0060], and [0064-0065]). Mori also exhibits a pogo-pin configuration (10) in which the spring (31) is selected to have a length smaller than the axial length of the portion of the plunger (large diameter portion 22 of plunger 20) which is limited to move within the receiving space of the pin (see Fig. 2 and [0027-0030]). Further, it is well known within the art (evident from Hooke’s Law) that for a given spring that may be available to the manufacturer, such as a coil spring of certain spring constant and relaxed length, the spring tension provided by the spring which resists retraction of the plunger may be increased by placing the spring under greater compression within the pin – i.e. by reducing the length of the spring within the receiving space. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the claimed invention to implement the pogo-pin connector of the proposed combination by sizing the plunger and spring in accordance with thickness requirements of the base seat (and therefore length requirements of the pin) and/or spring tension requirements that may result in the length of the spring being smaller than the axial length of the portion of the plunger which is limited to move within the receiving space, as exemplified by Duan and Mori, as a matter of routine design optimization, wherein the length of the spring represents one of many variables, including plunger length, that may be tailored in order to satisfy spring tension and overall length constraints (which may be driven by base seat thickness) which may limit the design of the pogo-pin connector. See MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding claim 5, Xie further discloses that the frame is provided with a wind inlet and a wind outlet (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 6; here it is apparent from the wind directional arrows of the figures and description of the cited text that the fan includes a wind inlet provided on the upper cover (upper boundary wall of the frame in Fig. 4) of the frame and a wind outlet provided at a lateral side of the frame), and is internally provided with a rotor (34) and stator (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Xie further discloses that the frame is a frame of a centrifugal fan (blower, see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 6) and includes an upper cover (upper boundary wall of the frame, as seen in Fig. 4); the wind inlet being provided on the upper cover (see Fig. 4), and the wind outlet being provided at a lateral side of the frame (see Fig. 4); and the wind inlet and the wind outlet being oriented to two directions perpendicular to each other (see Fig. 3-4 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 6; here it is apparent from the win directional arrows of the figures and description of the cited text that the fan includes a wind inlet provided on the upper cover (upper boundary wall of the frame in Fig. 4) of the frame and a wind outlet provided at a lateral side of the frame).
Regarding claim 6, Xie further discloses an axial fan embodiment of the fan frame electrical connector structure configured for correspondingly assembling to a motherboard (20) of an electronic device (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 2, para. 4 – pg. 3, para. 5), comprising: an axial fan (1) which is internally provided with a rotor (14) and stator (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 2, para. 4 and pg. 3, para. 4) and comprises a frame (assembly of base 11, the four sidewall portions of casing 10, and the top and bottom surfaces of casing 10, see Fig. 1-2) for the axial fan, having a base seat (11) and a sidewall (10) and a circuit substrate (12) disposed on the base seat of the frame (see Fig. 1), the circuit substrate having multiple pin connectors (13) provided thereon (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 2, para. 4 – pg. 3, para. 3; hear it is clear that the circuit substrate (circuit board) and stator are disposed on the base seat (base), with pin connectors protruding from the circuit substrate) and being provided with a wind inlet on an upper side of the frame (see Fig. 1-2) and a wind outlet provided on a lower side of the frame (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 4; here it is apparent from the figures and cited text that air flows axially through the fan from an upper side to a lower side, therefore a wind inlet and outlet must exist at these locations, respectively); the pin connectors being provided on the base seat of the frame to project into an outer side of the frame (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 4; here the pins extend through large openings in the base seat, and are provided on the base seat via the circuit substrate, which is mounted on the base seat), and the motherboard of the electronic device being provided with at least one metal contact at a location corresponding to the pin connectors (21) (see Fig. 2); and the pin connectors being electrically connected to the metal contact (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 3, para. 5). Xie also discloses that the pin connectors are electrically connected to the circuit substrate (circuit board) at one end (see Fig. 1-2 and English Translation, pg. 2, para. 4).
This axial fan embodiment of Xie does not disclose that the pin connectors are pogo pin connectors, each including a main body which internally defines a single receiving space and has a connecting end electrically connected with the circuit substrate, a part of the main body protruded out of the base seat of the frame, the receiving space having a single solid plunger and a single spring provided therein, the solid plunger having an end projected beyond the receiving space of the main body and protruded out of the base seat of the frame and another end pressed against the spring such that the solid plunger is reciprocatingly movable in the receiving space relative to the main body; wherein a portion of the solid plunger having an axial length is limited to move within the receiving space, the axial length being greater than a height of the main body protruding from a surface of the base seat of the frame so that a length of the spring is smaller than a thickness of the base seat; and when the base seat is positioned adjacent the motherboard, the solid plunger of the at least one pogo pin connector is positioned on and electrically connected to the at least one metal contact.
In the same manner and for the same reasons given above in re claim 1 for the centrifugal embodiment of Xie, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pin connections of Xie to be formed as pogo pin connections according to the pogo pin connector configuration taught by Suga, wherein each of the electrical pin connectors include a main body which internally defines a single receiving space and has a connecting end electrically connected with the circuit substrate, a part of the main body protruded out of the base seat of the frame, the receiving space having a single solid plunger and a single spring provided therein, the solid plunger having an end projected beyond the receiving space of the main body and protruded out of the base seat of the frame and another end pressed against the spring such that the solid plunger is reciprocatingly movable in the receiving space relative to the main body, wherein a portion of the solid plunger having an axial length is limited to move within the receiving space, the axial length being greater than a height of the main body protruding from a surface of the base seat of the frame so that a length of the spring is smaller than a thickness of the base seat, and the axial length being greater than a length of a protruding portion of the solid plunger exposed outside the receiving space, as taught by Suga, and such that when the base seat of the fan is positioned adjacent the motherboard, the solid plunger of each pogo pin connector is positioned on and electrically connected to a corresponding metal contact in the same manner that the solid pins of Xie do. Upon such a modification, the axial fan embodiment of Xie as modified by Suga exhibits all of the required structures of claim 6.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Eric A Lange whose telephone number is (571)272-9202. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30am-noon and 1pm-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chelsea Stinson can be reached on (571) 270-1744. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC A LANGE/Examiner, Art Unit 3783
/CHELSEA E STINSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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