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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argument regarding, a contact body including an elastically flexible and electrically conductive material, the contact body connected to the electrical conductor element.
Examiner respectfully disagrees, Kamei teaches, a contact body (251, 252, shown in figure 2H, along 254, 255) including an elastically flexible (when pressed along exposed surfaces of 215, 220, shown in figure 2C and 2D, see paragraph 50) and electrically conductive material (see paragraph 32 and 54), the contact body (251, 252, shown in figure 2H, along 254, 255) connected to the electrical conductor element (215, 220, shown along 2G).
Applicant argument regarding, an electrically conductive elastomer.
Examiner respectfully disagrees, Kamei teaches, electrically conductive material (see paragraph 32 and 54) is an electrically conductive elastomer (see paragraph 54 and 61).
Applicant argument regarding, at least one of a sealing gasket, a contact pad, and a shielding.
Examiner respectfully disagrees, Kamei teaches, the contact body (251, 252, shown in figure 2H, along 254, 255) is at least one of a sealing gasket (see paragraph 50 and 51), a contact pad (254, 255, shown in figure 2H), and a shielding (along 200, see paragraph 2 and 47).
Applicant argument regarding, a receptable having a bottom wall, the contact body is received in the receptable in an elastically deformed state.
Examiner respectfully disagrees, Kamei teaches, a receptable (335 along 251, 252, shown in figure 1 and figure 2G) having a bottom wall (along 231, seen in figure 2B), the contact body (251, 252, shown in figure 2H, along 254, 255) is received in the receptable (335 along 251, 252, shown in figure 1 and figure 2G) in an elastically deformed state (see paragraph 50, shown in figure 2H).
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) 1-16 and 18-20 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 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).
Claim(s) 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hedler et al. (US Patent Application Publication 20020094707 A1).
As claim 21, Hedler teaches an electric assembly (shown in figure 15-18), comprising: a carrier device (9, see paragraph 2) having an electrical conductor element 4; and a contact body (along 1) consisting of an elastically flexible (along 3, see figure 15 and 16) and electrically conductive material 8, the contact body (along 1) fixedly (along 7) and electrically connected (see paragraph 2) to the electrical conductor element 4, the contact body (along 1) adapted to be electrically connected to (see paragraph 2), and elastically deformed by (along 3, see figure 15 and 16), a mating contact 101 as the mating contact 101 is moved into electrical connection (see paragraph 2) with the contact body (along 1).
As claim 22, Hedler teaches an electric assembly (shown in figure 15-18), a wherein the contact body (along 1) comprises a cross-section larger than that of a part (shown in figure 15) of the electrical conductor element 4 covered by the contact body (along 1) in a plane parallel (along arrows in figure 15) to a mating surface (along 11) wherein the contact body (along 1) contacts the electrical conductor element 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As per claim 17, The prior art does not disclose or suggest: wherein an electric signal is activated by an electric bridge formed by the contact body indicating an elastically deformed state of the contact body.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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.
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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.
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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights