Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/170,237

Electric Assembly Having a Contact Body Comprising or Consisting of an Elastically Flexible and Electrically Conductive Material

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Feb 16, 2023
Examiner
BURGOS-GUNTIN, NELSON R
Art Unit
2831
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Te Connectivity Germany GmbH
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
92%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 11m
To Grant
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 92% — above average
92%
Career Allow Rate
536 granted / 581 resolved
+24.3% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 11m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
597
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
26.3%
-13.7% vs TC avg
§102
69.4%
+29.4% vs TC avg
§112
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 581 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Drawings The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 52. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 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. Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kamei et al. (US Patent Application Publication 20150072557 A1). As claim 1, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, comprising: a carrier device (232, see paragraph 31) having an electrical conductor element (215, 220); and a contact body (251, 252) including an elastically flexible (along 215-220 and 261-262, see paragraph 53) and electrically conductive material (see paragraph 54), the contact body (251, 252) connected to the electrical conductor element (215, 220). As claim 2, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the elastically flexible (along 215-220 and 261-262, see paragraph 53) and electrically conductive material (see paragraph 54) is an electrically conductive elastomer (see paragraph 54). As claim 3, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) protrudes (shown in figure 2G) from a surface of the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31). As claim 4, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31) is at least partially received in the contact body (251, 252). As claim 5, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31) is at least partially embedded in the contact body (251, 252). As claim 6, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) is formed on a carrier element (along 232) attached to the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31). As claim 7, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) is directly formed onto the electrical conductor element (215, 220). As claim 8, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) is fixedly attached to the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31). As claim 9, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) is molded to the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31). As claim 10, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, further comprising a mating contact (end portions of 215, 220), the contact body (251, 252) is an interface (between 110 and 120) between the electrical conductor element (215, 220) and the mating contact (end portions of 215, 220). As claim 11, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) has a contacting surface larger than a contact surface (along 254-255) of the electrical conductor element (215, 220). As claim 12, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the carrier device (232, see paragraph 31) is one of a circuit board (see paragraph 55), a stripped wire (along 232, shown in figure 2G-H), an electric cable 120, and a shielding housing (along 200, see paragraph 47). As claim 13, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) is at least one of a sealing gasket (see paragraph 51), a contact pad (254, 255), and a shielding. (along 200, see paragraph 47) As claim 14, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, further comprising a receptable (along 251, 252, shown in figure 1) having a bottom wall (along 231), the contact body (251, 252) is received in the receptable (along 251, 252, shown in figure 1) in an elastically deformed state (see paragraph 50) in which the bottom wall (along 231) is sealed (along 251, 252, see paragraph 50) by the contact body (251, 252). As claim 15, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, further comprising an activation element 207 having a press-on surface (shown in figure 2H), a width (shown in figure 2G) of the press-on surface (shown in figure 2H) is less than a width (shown in figure 2G) of the receptacle (along 251, 252, shown in figure 1). As claim 16, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the receptacle is limited by at least two different components of the electric assembly 100. As claim 17, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein an electric signal (see paragraph 28) is activated by an electric bridge (along 251, 252) formed by the contact body (251, 252) indicating an elastically deformed state (see paragraph 50) of the contact body (251, 252). As claim 18, Kamei teaches an electric assembly 100, wherein the contact body (251, 252) is a seal (along 251, 252, see paragraph 50), a grounding contact (along 251, 252, see paragraph 48), and a shielding contact (along 251, 252, shown in figure 2B). As claim 19, Kamei teaches a contact body (251, 252), comprising: an elastically flexible (along 215-220 and 261-262, see paragraph 53) and electrically conductive material (see paragraph 54) forming a contact interface (between 110 and 120) between a carrier device (232, see paragraph 31) and a mating contact (end portions of 215, 220). As claim 20, Kamei teaches a contact body (251, 252), comprising: an elastically flexible (along 215-220 and 261-262, see paragraph 53) and electrically conductive material (see paragraph 54) that is a sealing gasket (see paragraph 51) and/or a part of a shielding (along 200, see paragraph 47). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday. 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, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (571)270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 16, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 11, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
92%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+4.6%)
1y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 581 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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