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 .
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 (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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 10, 11, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yeh et al. (US 20140266280) .
Regarding claim 10, Yeh teach An electro-conductive contact pin module, (Note Fig. 5) comprising:
a support frame including connecting portions; (22, Fig. 5, par. 0040) and
electro-conductive contact pins (11, par. 0041, Fig. 4B) provided in the support frame through the connecting portions, (Note holding structure 22) wherein each of the electro-conductive contact pins comprises:
a pin body (10, Fig. 3) including first and second end portions and an intermediate portion between the first and second end portions;
an insulating coating formed on a surface of the intermediate portion of the pin body; (Note annotated Fig. 3 below) and a functional coating formed on a surface of the first end portion of the pin body.(Note annotated Fig. 3 below)
Regarding claim 12, Yeh et al. teach An electro-conductive contact pin, (Note 11, Fig. 3 below) comprising:
a pin body including first and second end portions and an intermediate portion between the first and second end portions; (Note annotated Fig. 3 below) an insulating coating formed on a surface of the intermediate portion of the pin body; (Note annotated Fig. 3 below) and a functional coating formed on a surface of the first end portion of the pin body. (Note annotated Fig. 3 below)
Regarding claim 20, Yeh et al. teach An electro-conductive contact pin, (Note 11, Fig. 3 below) comprising a pin body including first and second end portions and an intermediate portion between the first and second end portions, (Note 11, Fig. 3 below) wherein the first end portion is further provided with a functional coating on a surface thereof in addition to a material constituting the second end portion, (Note 11, Fig. 3 below) and the intermediate portion is further provided with an insulating coating on a surface thereof in addition to a material constituting the first end portion. (Note 11, Fig. 3 below)
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Regarding claim 11, Yeh et al. teach wherein the functional coating is formed on at least a portion of the support frame. (Note probe 11 containing functional coating is connected to the holding structure 22 which is interpreted as being formed on a portion of the support frame.)
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 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yeh et al. (US 20140266280) in view of Campbell et al. (US 20050134298)
Yeh et al. teach the instant invention except the following claim limitations.
Regarding claim 13, Yeh et al. does not teach wherein the functional coating is continuously formed on the surfaces of the intermediate portion and the first end portion of the pin body, and is not formed on a surface of the second end portion.
Campbell et al. teach wherein the functional coating is continuously formed on the surfaces of the intermediate portion and the first end portion of the pin body, and is not formed on a surface of the second end portion. (Note annotated Fig. 10 below and par. 0038)
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Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yeh et al. to include the teaching of wherein the functional coating is continuously formed on the surfaces of the intermediate portion and the first end portion of the pin body, and is not formed on a surface of the second end portion to reduce cost by using less material.
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yeh et al. (US 20140266280) in view of Tunaboylu et al. (US 20060027747).
Yeh et a. teach the instant invention except the following claim limitations.
Regarding claim 14, Yeh et al. does not teach wherein the functional coating is formed only on the first end portion.
Tunaboylu et al. teach wherein the functional coating is formed only on the first end portion. (A method of processing a probe element includes (a) providing a probe element comprising a first conductive material, and (b) coating only a tip portion of the probe element with a second conductive material.) Note abstract.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yeh et al. to include the teaching of wherein the functional coating is formed only on the first end portion provide increased hardness and wear protection while minimizing cost. (Note Tunaboylu et al. par. 0017)
Regarding claim 15, Yeh et al. does not teach wherein the functional coating is made of Au.
Tunaboylu et al. teach wherein the functional coating is made of Au. (Note par. 0003)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yeh et al. to include the teaching of wherein the functional coating is made of Au to increase the hardness and decrease wear of the probe. (Note Tunaboylu et al. par. 0003)
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yeh et al. (US 20140266280) in view of Eldridge et al. (US 20180299486).
Yeh et al. teach the instant invention except the following claim limitations.
Regarding claim 16, Yeh et al. does not teach wherein a fine trench extending in a thickness direction of the electro-conductive contact pin is provided on a side surface of the second end portion.
Eldridge et al. teach wherein a fine trench (Note gap 132, par. 0036, Fig. 1C) extending in a thickness direction of the electro-conductive contact pin is provided on a side surface of the second end portion.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yeh et al. to include the teaching of a fine trench extending in a thickness direction of the electro-conductive contact pin is provided on a side surface of the second end portion to electrically insulate the secondary structure from the signal structure but sufficiently small to maintain a relatively small loop inductance in applications in which the signal path is utilized as a delivery path for a signal from a signal source. (Note Eldridge et al. par. 0037)
Claims 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yeh et al. (US 20140266280) in view of Tanioka et al. (US 20060082380).
Yeh teach the instant invention except the following claim limitations.
Regarding claim 17, Yeh et al. does not teach wherein a side surface of the second end portion is different in roughness range from a side surface of the first end portion.
Tanioka et al. teach wherein a side surface of the second end portion is different in roughness range from a side surface of the first end portion. (a roughness pattern comprising fine marks is provided on the surfaces of the probe pins on the side having the electric contacts for contacting the electrodes of the semiconductor device to be inspected.) Note abstract. Examiner’s position is that one side of the probe is rough and the other side is not .
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yeh et a. to include the teaching of wherein a side surface of the second end portion is different in roughness range from a side surface of the first end portion to provide higher friction, which helps the probe maintain consistent contact with the workpiece
Regarding claim 18, Yeh et al. does not teach wherein a side surface of the second end portion is different in roughness range from a side surface of the intermediate portion.
Tanioka et al. teach wherein a side surface of the second end portion is different in roughness range from a side surface of the intermediate portion. (a roughness pattern comprising fine marks is provided on the surfaces of the probe pins on the side having the electric contacts for contacting the electrodes of the semiconductor device to be inspected.) Note abstract. Examiner’s position is that the probes has intermediate portion and that one side of the probe is rough (contact side) and the opposite side which also has an intermediate portion is not.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yeh et al. to include the teaching of a side surface of the second end portion is different in roughness range from a side surface of the intermediate portion to provide higher friction, which helps the probe maintain consistent contact with the workpiece.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEMETRIUS R PRETLOW whose telephone number is (571)272-3441. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 5:30-1:30.
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/DEMETRIUS R PRETLOW/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858