Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/284,534

CONNECTION DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 28, 2023
Examiner
FIGUEROA, FELIX O
Art Unit
2831
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Innolight Technology (Suzhou) Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
58%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
73%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 58% of resolved cases
58%
Career Allow Rate
528 granted / 910 resolved
-10.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +15% lift
Without
With
+14.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
53 currently pending
Career history
963
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
53.0%
+13.0% vs TC avg
§102
37.3%
-2.7% vs TC avg
§112
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 910 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The present application discloses,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “comprising,” should be avoided. Additionally, typographical errors should be corrected. Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(h)(1). When an exploded view is shown in a figure which is on the same sheet as another figure, the exploded view should be placed in brackets. See Figures 1 and 2. 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)(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 1-5 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jia et al. (US 2023/0240048). Regarding claim 1, Jia discloses a connection device, comprising a housing (4) and a heat dissipation block (5), wherein the housing is provided with an accommodation cavity for insertion of a plug connector and with a heat dissipation window (402) in communication with the accommodation cavity, the heat dissipation block is disposed on a side of the housing provided with the heat dissipation window, wherein the connection device further comprises an adjustment assembly (6, 7, 501) for adjusting the heat dissipation block so as to make the heat dissipation block close to or distant from the accommodation cavity; and the heat dissipation block comprises a thermally conductive connection state (Fig. 10) in which the heat dissipation block approaches to abut against the plug connector after the plug connector is inserted in place. Regarding claim 2, Jia discloses the adjustment assembly comprising an inclined guide surface (at 501) and a guide matching part (6), the inclined guide surface is located on the heat dissipation block and is disposed away from the housing, the inclined guide surface is inclined toward the housing in an insertion direction of the plug connector, and the guide matching part is fixedly arranged relative to the housing and is slidingly fitted with the inclined guide surface. Regarding claim 3, Jia discloses an angle between a plane where the inclined guide surface located and the insertion direction of the plug connector is 20-45 degrees. Regarding claim 4, Jia discloses the heat dissipation block comprising a guide hole (501), and a part of a hole wall of the guide hole facing away from the housing forms the inclined guide surface; the connection device comprises a fixed rod fixedly arranged relative to the housing and matched to an inside of the guide hole, and a part of the fixed rod fitted in the guide hole forms the guide matching part. Regarding claim 5, Jia discloses the heat dissipation block comprising a plurality of fins extending in a same direction as the insertion direction of the plug connector, and the guide hole is located on an outermost fin of the fins (Figs. 6 and 7). Regarding claim 11, Jia discloses the adjustment assembly further comprising a protruding part (503) fixed to the heat dissipation block, and the protruding part protrudes into an inside of the accommodation cavity for abutting against the plug connector to push the heat dissipation block when the plug connector is inserted. Regarding claim 12, Jia discloses the connection device further comprising an elastic member (8), and an elastic force of the elastic member enables the heat dissipation block to have a tendency to move away from the housing. Regarding claim 13, Jia discloses the plug connector being an optical module (1). Regarding claim 14, Jia discloses an insertion direction of the plug connector being parallel to a plane where the heat dissipation window is located (Fig. 4). 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. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia in view of Chen et al. (US 7,667,972). Regarding claim 6, Chen teaches an adjustment assembly comprising a horizontal guide surface (at 103a, Fig. 3A) extending in a same direction as the insertion direction of the plug connector, and the horizontal guide surface is connected to an end of the inclined guide surface away from the accommodation cavity. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a horizontal guide surface, as taught by Chen, in order to provide a stable positioning of the heat dissipation block. Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia in view of Reddy et al. (US 10,212,852). Regarding claim 7, Jia discloses substantially the claimed invention except for the position of the include guide surface and the guide matching part. Reddy teaches an adjustment assembly comprising an inclined guide surface (104) and a guide matching part (404), the inclined guide surface is located on the housing and is disposed away from the heat dissipation block, the inclined guide surface is inclined toward the heat dissipation block in a direction opposite to an insertion direction of the plug connector (Fig. 3), and the guide matching part is fixedly arranged relative to the heat dissipation block and is slidingly fitted with the inclined guide surface (Fig. 4). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to rearrange the location of the include guide surface and the guide matching part, as taught by Reddy, in order to meet environmental and design preferences and since rearranging the location of parts are within the skill of ordinary worker in the art. Regarding claim 8, Reddy teaches an angle between a plane where the inclined guide surface located and the insertion direction of the plug connector is 20-45°. Regarding claim 9, Reddy teaches the housing comprising a guide hole (104), and a part of a hole wall of the guide hole facing away from the heat dissipation block forms the inclined guide surface; the connection device comprises a fixed rod (404) fixedly arranged relative to the heat dissipation block and matched to an inside of the guide hole, and a part of the fixed rod fitted in the guide hole forms the guide matching part. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia and Reddy, and further in view of Chen et al. regarding claim 10, Chen teaches an adjustment assembly further comprises a horizontal guide surface (at 103a, Fig. 3A) extending in a same direction as the insertion direction of the plug connector, and the horizontal guide surface is connected to an end of the inclined guide surface away from the heat dissipation block. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a horizontal guide surface, as taught by Chen, in order to provide a stable positioning of the heat dissipation block. 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. 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, 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. 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. /FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 28, 2023
Application Filed
Oct 15, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

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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
58%
Grant Probability
73%
With Interview (+14.9%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 910 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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