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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/06/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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 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, 17 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. [CN 111370901 A] in view of Gladd et al. [US 20040206542 A1] in further view of Leroyer et al. [US 20120052750 A1].
Regarding Claim 1, Wang discloses an electrical contact sleeve (110, Fig 5) comprising: a contact spring (112) extending in a longitudinal direction from a base (111) to an end of the electrical contact sleeve (110) on a connector side, the contact spring (112) has a recess (see annotated Figure 5) and a plurality of spring legs (112a and 112b) adjoining the recess in a circumferential direction, the spring legs (112a and 112b) unite to form a free end of the contact spring (112).
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Wang does not explicitly disclose a ring at the end on the connector side having a pair of ring segments and extending around a receptacle, the pair of ring segments circumferentially extend around the receptacle and are separable from each other at both a seam and a slot, the ring segments jointly close the ring at the slot in a non-contacting relaxed initial state and are spaced from one another at the slot in a deflected contacting state.
However, Gladd discloses a ring (see annotated Figure 1) at the end on the connector side having a pair of ring segments (see annotated Figure 1) and extending around a receptacle (see annotated Figure 1), the ring segments circumferentially extend around the receptacle and are separable at a of seam and a slot (see annotated Figure 1).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang as suggested by Gladd to provide a ring at the end on the connector side having a pair of ring segments and extending around a receptacle, the pair of ring segments circumferentially extend around the receptacle and are separable from each other at both a seam and a slot, the ring segments jointly close the ring at the slot in a non-contacting relaxed initial state and are spaced from one another at the slot in a deflected contacting state. Doing so would serve to align the contact sleeve with a mating electrical connector and prevent inappropriate aligned insertion. Furthermore, the contact sleeve being separable at a pair of seams extending from one end of the contact sleeve to the other, allows the invention to be to be easily assembled.
Wang and Gladd do not explicitly disclose the ring segments jointly close the ring at the slot in a non-contacting relaxed initial state.
However, Leroyer discloses a pair of ring segments (segments separated by slit 104, see annotated Figure 2) separable from each other at a slot (104) the ring segments jointly close the ring at the slot (104) in a non-contacting relaxed initial state (see Figure 3C). The ring is tightened by a tightening ring 108 reducing its diameter where the slit 104 is at the connecting end 102 allowing for it to close in a non-contacting relaxed initial state.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang in view of Glad as suggested by Leroyer to provide the ring segments to jointly close the ring at the slot in a non-contacting relaxed initial state. Having the reduced diameter at the connecting end of the ring in a non-contacting relaxed initial state allows the ring to be able to expand from the reduced diameter in the initial state to a larger diameter during mating which generates lower insertion force while maintaining a tight connection as recognized by Leroyer.
Regarding Claim 2, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang further discloses the electrical contact sleeve (110) of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal direction runs parallel to an axis (central axis) of symmetry of the contact spring (112).
Regarding Claim 3, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang further discloses the electrical contact sleeve (110) of claim 1, wherein the recess (see annotated Figure 5) extends from the base (111) toward the free end of the contact spring (112).
Regarding Claim 4, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang further discloses the electrical contact sleeve (110) of claim 1, wherein the recess tapers in a direction away from the base (see annotated Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 5, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang further discloses the electrical contact sleeve (110) of claim 1, wherein the spring legs (112a and 112b) have a uniform width along the recess (clearly seen in Figure 5).
Regarding Claim 17, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang further discloses the electrical contact sleeve (110) of claim 1, wherein the contact spring (112) extends along an opening (see annotated Fig 5) of the contact sleeve (110).
Regarding Claim 19, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Gladd further discloses the slot and the seam are arranged diametrically with respect to one another (see annotated Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 20, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer discloses the claimed invention except for the contact sleeve (110) having a material thickness of at least 0.3 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide the contact sleeve with a material thickness of at least 0.3 mm., since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980). Doing so would increase the contact normal force ensuring a stronger mechanical connection.
Claim(s) 10-16 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. [CN 111370901 A] in view of Gladd et al. [US 20040206542 A1] in further view of Leroyer et al. [US 20120052750 A1] and in further view of De Cloet et al. [US 20070190868 A1].
Regarding Claim 10-12, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer do not explicitly disclose at least one of the ring segments has a contact curvature projecting into the receptacle in a radial direction, the pair of ring segments are formed on a plurality of end faces of a plurality of spring arms that extend away from a common base and are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the spring arms are connected by a common ring segment.
However, De Cloet further discloses at least one of the ring segment has a contact curvature (134, see annotated Fig 19) projecting into the receptacle in a radial direction, the of ring segment (130) are formed on a plurality of end faces of a plurality of spring arms (140) that extend away from a common base (see annotated Fig 19) and are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the spring arms (140) are connected by a common ring segment (130).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang and Gladd in view of Leroyer as suggested by De Cloet to provide at least one of the ring segments has a contact curvature projecting into the receptacle in a radial direction, the pair of ring segments are formed on a plurality of end faces of a plurality of spring arms that extend away from a common base and are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the spring arms are connected by a common ring segment. Doing so would improve contact reliability and mechanical stability as radially projecting contact curvatures ensure consistent engagement, while the circumferentially spaced spring arms distribute mechanical stresses evenly and allow for controlled flexing during connector insertion and removal.
Regarding Claim 13, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer disclose all the limitations of claim 1, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer do not explicitly disclose the contact spring is spaced from the ring segments.
However, De Cloet discloses contact springs (120, Fig 7) spaced from the ring segments (130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang, Gladd and Leroyer as suggested by De Cloet to provide the contact spring is spaced from the ring segments. Doing so would partially delimit the ring (130) reducing mechanical stress on the connector as well as guide during misalignment or partial insertion as recognized by De Cloet.
Regarding Claim 14-16, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer and De Cloet disclose all the limitations of claim 12, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer do not explicitly disclose the contact spring is spaced from the ring segments, the contact spring and the spring arms extend away from the common base and are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the contact spring is shorter than the spring arms.
However, De Cloet further discloses the contact spring (120) is spaced from the ring segment (130), the contact spring (120) and the spring arms (140) extend away from the common base and are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the contact spring (120) is shorter than the spring arms (140).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wang and Gladd in view of Leroyer as suggested by De Cloet to provide the contact spring spaced from the ring segments, the contact spring and the spring arms extend away from the common base and are spaced from one another in the circumferential direction, the contact spring is shorter than the spring arms. Doing so would improve contact and reduce the insertion force, as placing the shorter contact spring separately from the ring segments and between the longer spring arms allows it to flex more efficiently, apply pressure where needed, and reduce the overall force required to insert the connector.
Regarding Claim 22, Wang, Gladd and Leroyer and De Cloet disclose all the limitations of claim 11, De Cloet further discloses spring arms (140, Fig 8) form an arc with the ring segments (130), which, together with the base (see annotated Figure 19), enclose an opening (110), the contact spring (120) extends into the opening (110).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21 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.
Regarding Claim 21, the prior art of record do not explicitly disclose that the slot extends through the ring such that the slot and the opening are in communication with each other, along with all other limitations of claim 21, 17 and 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THASLIMUR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5831. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-6pm.
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/T.R./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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