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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure. The abstract should be in narrative form (i.e. not claim form) and generally limited to a single paragraph (i.e. not a single sentence) on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(h)(2) because they include elements in the same view that are not proportional with each other. Please note that Fig. 5 should be two separate figures. See also Fig. 6. When separated, the section/enlargement lines should refer to the view number of the Figure where it is shown.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Quickel et al. (US 5,391,089).
Regarding claim 1, Quickel discloses an electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing (12) having a mating cavity (28); a plurality of contacts (14, 16) including a row of upper contacts (16) and a row of lower contacts (14) secured in the insulative housing, the row of upper contacts and the row of lower contacts having respective contacting portions (18, 20) exposed to the mating cavity; and a lifter (46, 48) operable relative to the insulative housing to move the row of lower contacts upwardly.
Regarding claim 6, Quickel discloses the mating cavity enclosed by an upper wall and a lower wall of the insulative housing, the lower wall having a slot (above 34) to expose the row of lower contacts, and the lifter extends into the slot.
Regarding claim 7, Quickel discloses the lifter has a ramp surface (at 48) to bear against the row of lower contacts.
Regarding claim 8, Quickel discloses each of the lower row of contacts having an inclined portion (under 18a) connected to an associated contacting portion, and the ramp surface of the lifter operable to abut against lower surfaces of the inclined portions of the row of lower contacts and lift the contacting portions of the row of lower contacts upward.
Claims 1-4 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aksu et al. (US 3,329,926).
Regarding claim 1, Aksu discloses an electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing (23/75) having a mating cavity (24); a plurality of contacts (36/85) including a row of upper contacts and a row of lower contacts (Fig. 2 and 6) secured in the insulative housing, the row of upper contacts and the row of lower contacts having respective contacting portions (39) exposed to the mating cavity; and a lifter (22/92) operable relative to the insulative housing to move the row of lower contacts upwardly.
Regarding claim 2, Aksu discloses an elastic member (part of 36/86) for biasing the lifter upon operated.
Regarding claim 3, Aksu discloses the elastic member comprising a pair of springs arranged at intervals (Figs. 2, 5 and 6).
Regarding claim 4, Aksu discloses the insulating housing forming a pair of holes for accommodating the pair of springs (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, Aksu discloses the mating cavity enclosed by an upper wall and a lower wall of the insulative housing, the lower wall having a slot (lower half of cavity) to expose the row of lower contacts, and the lifter extends into the slot.
Regarding claim 7, Aksu discloses the lifter has a ramp surface (98) to bear against the row of lower contacts.
Regarding claim 8, Aksu discloses each of the lower row of contacts having an inclined portion (tip of 89a) connected to an associated contacting portion, and the ramp surface of the lifter operable to abut against lower surfaces of the inclined portions of the row of lower contacts and lift the contacting portions of the row of lower contacts upward.
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 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aksu in view of Little et al. (US 11,322,894).
Regarding claim 9, Little teaches a plurality of contracts include another row of upper contacts and another row of lower contacts having respective contacting portions exposed to the mating cavity and behind the contacting portions of the row of upper contacts and the contacting portions of the row of lower contacts, respectively (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 10, Little teaches a pair of side metallic plates (at 140) to assemble the row of upper contacts, the row of lower contacts, said another row of upper contacts, and said another row of lower contacts together in position.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a second row of contacts and metallic plates to retain the contact together, as taught by Little, in order to increase the number of connections and improve shielding of the contacts.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833