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 .
This office action is a response to the restriction requirement filed on 11/4/2025.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, Species D, claims 18-19, in the reply filed on 11/4/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-17 and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/4/2025.
Claim Objections
Claims 18 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re. claim 18: The phrase “the PCBA” as recited in line 17 appears to be --the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA)--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 18 and 19 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Re. claim 18: The phrase “the removal tool having elongated shafts” as recited in lines 10-11 renders the claim vague and indefinite. It is unclear as to whether the elongated shafts are the same as the electrical connecting pins as recited in line 7 or not.
The phrase “the PCBA” as recited in line 17 lacks antecedent basis.
Re. claim 19: The phrase “a press mechanism” as recited in line 2 renders the claim vague and indefinite. It is confused whether this press mechanism is the same press mechanism as recited in line 3 of claim 1 or not.
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.
Claims 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasircoglu et al. (US PAT. 7,377,028) in view of Luoma (US PAT. 6,775,873).
Hasircoglu et al. teach an apparatus for a controlled extraction of an electronic connector from an electronic circuit board, comprising: a device including a press mechanism (110, Fig. 3) being positionable in spaced relation to a base fixture of the device, and the press mechanism being couplable to the base fixture (124, 126, Fig. 2), wherein the base fixture has a location to couple an electronic circuit board (106, Fig. 2) including a connector (104, Fig. 2) removable coupled to the electronic circuit board, wherein the connector has a series of opening (Fig. 7) for receiving electrical connecting pins (182, Fig. 3), wherein the device is couplable to the base fixture as shown in Figs. 2 and 9 (col. 4, lines 4-63); wherein the press mechanism has a removal tool being couplable to the base fixture, and the removal tool is in spaced relation to the connector, wherein the removal tool has elongated shafts (182, Fig. 3) being alignable for insertion into the series of openings, wherein respectively, the shafts are insertable into the openings in response to applying a downward force to the removal tool as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 9 (col. 5, lines 29-52)
However, Hasircoglu et al. silent capturing elements on the shafts being actuable to removably couple the capturing elements to a wall defining the openings of a plurality of the series of openings while removably coupling the removal tool to the base fixture, to remove the connector from a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) in response to applying an upward force to the removal tool. Luoma teach a removing tool (10) having a shaft (12, Fig. 1) such that the shaft includes capturing elements (20) on the shafts being actuable to removably couple the capturing elements to a wall defining the openings of a plurality of the series of openings while removably coupling the removal tool to a base fixture as shown I Figs. 3-5 (col. 2, lines 1-26). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify an apparatus for a controlled extraction of an electronic connector from an electronic circuit board of Hasircoglu et al. by capturing elements on the shafts being actuable to removably couple the capturing elements as taught by Luoma in order to securely hold the removable element and remove the element while the element is attached to the capturing elements. It is noted that even though the capturing elements of Luoma does not teach to remove the connector from the PCBA, it is however generally known to the person skilled in the art that both features (i.e. capturing elements) are equivalent and can be interchanged with one another where circumstances make it desirable. Therefore, since such a modification would have been an obvious design consideration that is within the purview of one having ordinary skill in the art to provide the well-known benefit of removing a desirable element. Since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable rangers involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.04 (il-A).
Re. claim 19: Hasircoglu et al., modified by Luoma, teach that the capturing elements are actuable using the press mechanism positioned above the removal tool and contactable with the removal tool to actuate the capturing elements.
The Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Aoki (US PAT. 7,017,259), Hopfer, III et al. (US PAT. 6,537,082), and Malone (US PAT. 6,409,526) are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to mechanism for use in insertion and extraction of a first printed circuit board (PCB).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM.
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/PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729