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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I (claims 1-10) in the reply filed on 8/14/25 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that no serious burden on the examiner exists in examining claims of groups I-III inventions together or the restriction as to Groups II and (I/III) are process versus apparatus. This is not found persuasive because Group II invention directed to a method and Group I/III directed to an apparatus and the patentability of a method invention does not depend on the apparatus. Since, the apparatus as claimed can be used to practice another and materially different process. (see MPEP § 806.05(e, j)). In this case the apparatus of Invention can be used to practice another and materially different process other than invention II. Further, a single search for a number of distinction (3) inventions would not be made by a single search. Moreover, if the number of (3) inventions were searched concurrently the search would be burdensome because examination and search burden for these patentably distinct (3) inventions due to their mutually exclusive characteristics. The (3) inventions require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search queries); and/or the prior art applicable to one invention (method) would not likely be applicable to another invention; and/or the invention are likely to raise different non-prior art issues under 35 U.S.C. 101 and/or 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph. Therefore, the requirement mailed on or about 7/9/25 is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Applicants are required to cancel all non- elected invention II-III (claims 11-20) or take other appropriate action.
Noted that a number of requirement election of species IA1-2-IB1-2are still existed in the elected Group I above but no burden at this point of time. However, it appears that claims 1-10 directed to the system as shown in Fig. 2 and claims will be rejected accordingly.
An OA on the merits of claims 1-10 as follows:
Drawings
Since a number of difference embodiment existed in the Drawings, therefore, it is not known exactly which one of the embodiments related (e.g., Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 or Fig. 4, Fig or Fig. 6) is/are directed to the subject matters of the pending elected claims 1-10. Since, the Figs above represented a number distinctive inventions in terms of embodiments. Please be more specific.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The abstract should be updated to reflect an elected “system invention”.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
The preamble of the claim directed to “An electronic component alignment system comprising:” which is clearly directed to Fig. 2. However, claim also recited a number of outside elements /entities includes the electrical component (e.g., transistor), PCB and component wire pin) operatively associated with the system which made scope of the claim unclear.
In formulate the rejection on the merit the Examiner presumes that the claims directed to a system as shown in details in Fig. 2 and claims will be rejected accordingly.
It is unclear as to exactly what being referring to as “carrier portion” (claim 1, line 2) since specification discloses “a carrier “(130/230) therefore, it is not known exactly what portion of the carrier is being referring as a “carrier portion”. 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 1-10 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.
Since the scope of the claims directed to an “alignment system” therefore, only the structures that directed to the system is/are being considered on the rejection (see also claim objection above) because the outside associated elements (e.g., component pcb, wire pin) is/are not part of the claimed system.
The recites “a carrier portion” (claim 1, line 2) should be updated to: --” a carrier”.
whether or not the “an electronic component” (claim 1, line 2-3) as same as that as previous cited in claim 1, line 1?
whether or not the claimed “a printed circuit board having a conical extraction including a second hole at an apex of the conical extraction” (claim 1, lines 7-9) is a part of the system?
Since the scope of the claims clearly directed to a system (see claims 1-10, line 1). Therefore, the Examiner only relies on the system structure limitations (not the electric component) and claims will be rejected accordingly.
whether or not “ a product enclosure”(claim 3, line 1-2) is a part of the system ? since it is clearly an outside product that associated with the system
Scope of the claim directed to the system and claims 4-6 scope is directed to outside element which does not further limit the claimed system.
Similar to claim 6 above applied to claims 7 -8.
Claim 10 directed to material structures which do not seem to further limit the claimed system since no further inventive feature existed therefrom.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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) 1-5, 7-8 as best understood is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1 as being anticipated by DE 102011086896A1 hereinafter the ‘986. In an alternative as best understood is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the DE 102011086896A1(hereinafter the ‘986).
The ‘986 discloses the claimed electronic component alignment system comprising:
a carrier portion 8 having a first side and a second side configured to receive an electronic component 4 on the first side, wherein the electronic component 4 includes a wire pin connection, and wherein the wire pin connection passes through a first hole in the carrier portion from the first side to the second side via a conical extrusion on the second side (see Fig. 1);
a clamping portion 22/32 configured to clamp the wire pin connection to the first side (see Fig. 1, 4; and
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a pin alignment portion 34/40 mechanically coupled to a printed circuit board 6 having a conical extraction including a second hole at an apex of the conical extraction wherein the second hole is aligned with a through hole in the printed circuit board (see Fig. 1). Therefore, the broadly claimed features above is/are met by the ‘986.
Limitations of claims 2-3 as best understood is/are also met by the ‘986 (see Figs. 1 and 4).
As applied to claims 4-5 refers to Fig. 1 where area 52 represented the component body affixed to the carrier 8, and further the clamping portion such as 22 is clamped the first segment of the wire pin 14 (see Fig. 1)
As applied to claims 7-8 refer to translation provided filed on IDS dated 5/20/24 about page 3, (see second ¶ from the bottom] for teaching of solder connection of pin to PCB and that as in claim 8, respectively.
As applied to claim 9, refers to Fig. 4 where the carrier included the funnel area to house the pin portion 16 which readable as a guide extraction and where the alignment portion 34/ 40 including a guide extrusion (see Fig. 2)
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Claims 4-6, 10 as best understood is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the DE 102011086896A1 (hereinafter the ‘986).
As applied to claim 4 appears to be met by the above since no further inventive features existed in claim 4 and it appears that component 4 of the reference as broadly as readable on the associated component as claimed by the instant invention. Since component is a transistor is not a part of the claimed system (structural form). Also, regarding
As applied to claims 5-6, refer to component is a transistor and that as in claim 6 where the component is a MOSFET clearly not part of the system (see claim objection and 112 above).
As applied to claim 7, similar to claim 5-6 above applied to claim 7, since PCB and the interconnection between the pin and PCB is not an inventive structure features because they directed to the outside associated with the system and are not a part of the system.
As applied to claim 10, regarding the materials including material in claim above. Further, regarding claim 10, it would have been obvious to one having skill in the art to incorporate the claim limitation since it was known in the art that selecting a material from a host of group of available materials on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Claim(s) 1-3, 9 as best understood is/are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1 as being anticipated by Jordan et al (US 4847449)
Jordan et al discloses the claimed the claimed electronic component alignment system comprising:
a carrier portion 16 having a first side and a second side configured to receive an electronic component 14 on the first side, wherein the electronic component 14 includes a wire pin connection, and wherein the wire pin connection passes through a first hole in the carrier portion from the first side to the second side via a conical extrusion on the second side (see Fig. 1);
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a clamping portion 38 configured to clamp the wire pin connection to the first side (see Figs. 1,3-8); and
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a pin alignment portion 136 mechanically coupled to a printed circuit board 18 having a conical extraction including a second hole at an apex of the conical extraction wherein the second hole is aligned with a through hole in the printed circuit board (see Fig. 5).
Note that the phrase: ”configured to receive an electronic component 14 on the first side, wherein the electronic component 14 includes a wire pin connection, and wherein the wire pin connection passes through a first hole in the carrier portion from the first side to the second side via a conical extrusion on the second side” is intended used which does not further limit the claimed system.
As applied to claims 2-3 as best understood is/are also met by the Jordan et al (see Fig. 5, 136) and limitation of claim 3 (see Fig. 2 where 10 representing the product enclosure and the attachment associated thereto).
Claim 3 does not further limit the claimed system since the enclosure is an outside associated element which is not a part of the system.
As applied to claim 9, refer to related embodiments (see Figs. 3, 4, which depicts the features such as wherein the carrier portion 16/32 further includes a guide extraction 36 and wherein the pin alignment portion includes a guide extrusion 42 for providing an initial alignment between the carrier portion and the pin alignment portion before the conical extrusion).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH N TRINH whose telephone number is (571)272-4569. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH ~5:00-3:30.
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/MINH N TRINH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729 mt