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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the reference potential wiring must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: “11b” shown in Figure 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.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the present abstract contains more than 150 words in length. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY PROVIDING HIGH SHIELDING EFFECT AND RELAIA BL REDUCING CROSSTALK.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0060], line 3 describes, “The fitting recess 22”. However, lines 4 and 8 describes, “The mating recess 22”. The applicant should use the same terminology with the same reference consistently throughout the specification for clear understanding. Therefore, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “The fitting recess 22” to -- The mating recess 22 --.
The reference number “21” is described as either “first protruding end part 21” (see Paragraph [0060], line 1) or “first protrusion end 21” (see Paragraph [0060], line 4). Other paragraphs in the specification describe the reference number “21” as either “first protruding end part 21” or “first protrusion end 21”. Therefore, the examiner suggests the applicant to use the same terminology with the reference number 21 consistently throughout the entire specification.
Paragraph [0071], lines 5-6 “first ground end connecting parts 71” should be -- first ground end connecting parts 72 --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 9, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “this islet” to -- the islet --.
Claim 3, lines 1-2, it seems that “as viewed in plan view” should be -- as viewed in plain view --.
Claim 7, line 4, the examiner suggests the applicant to change “this second mating guide part” to -- the second mating guide part --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1-4 recite the claimed invention to be “A first connector”, which comprises various elements where each element was labeled with the word “first”. However, claims 1-4 do not recite “A second connector” or any element that is a second element. It seems that the claimed invention of claims 1-4 do not have any second connector and any second element. Therefore, it is not clear why all the elements are labeled with the word “first”. The examiner suggests the applicant to delete the word “first” from claims 1-4.
Claim 1, line 1 recites, “A first connector comprising”. It is not clear whether the connector of the claimed invention is a mechanical connector, or an electrical connector, or a combination of both mechanical and electrical connector because many different types of connectors are already existing in the world.
Claim 1, Paragraph (b) recites that the first connector body includes a first side wall part extending in the longitudinal direction that demarcates both sides of the first recessed part. Therefore, this limitation states that the first side wall part forms two parallel side walls in the longitudinal direction. However, claim 1 does not recite a side wall on a width direction. Is there a side wall in the width direction that connects with the side wall in the longitudinal direction?
In claim 1, Paragraph (c) recites that a plurality of the first terminals forms a pair of parallel terminal group rows, each of the terminal group rows includes at least a part of a first ground member. However, claim 1 does not recite what the remaining part of the each of the terminal group row is made of and how the first ground member is arranged with or structurally related with the element making up the remaining part of the each of the terminal group row.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the longitudinal direction" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the mounting surface" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the center" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Also, it is not clear where this center is.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the width direction" in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 14 recites, “reference potential wiring” and “the center”. It is not clear where these two elements come from or to what these two elements belong to because the wiring is commonly provided on a flat surface and the center is a position on an object.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the first ground connecting part" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites, “a counterpart connector, which mates with the first connector”. Since the counterpart connector is mating with the first connector, is the counterpart connector a second connector?
Claims 5-8 recite, the claimed invention to be “A second connector”, which comprises various elements where each element was labeled with the word “second”. However, claims 1-4 do not recite “A first connector”. Therefore, it is not clear how the second connector can exist without the first connector. What is the first connector.
Claim 5, Paragraph (b) recites that the second connector body includes a pair of second side wall parts extending in the longitudinal direction of the second connector body. Therefore, this limitation states that the first side wall part forms two parallel side walls in the longitudinal direction. However, claim 1 does not recite a side wall on a width direction. Is there a side wall in the width direction that connects with the side wall in the longitudinal direction?
In claim 5, Paragraph (c) recites that a plurality of the second terminals forms a pair of parallel terminal group rows, each of the terminal group rows includes at least a part of a second ground member. However, claim 5 does not recite what the remaining part of the each of the terminal group row is made of and how the second ground member is arranged with or structurally related with the element making up the remaining part of the each of the terminal group row.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the mounting surface" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the center" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Also, it is not clear where this center is.
Claim 5, line 11 recites, “reference potential wiring” and “the center”. It is not clear where these two elements come from or to what these two elements belong to because the wiring is commonly provided on a flat surface and the center is a position on an object.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the second ground connecting part" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites, “a counterpart connector, which mates with the second connector”. Since the counterpart connector is mating with the second connector, is the counterpart connector a first connector?
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen (US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0212635 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a first connector 200 comprising:
(a) a first connector body 5, and a first terminal 6, 711 mounted to the first connector body 5, wherein
(b) the first connector body 5 includes: a first recessed part 55, a first side wall part 52 extending in the longitudinal direction (see Fig. 6) that demarcates both sides of the first recessed part 55, an islet 54 extending in the longitudinal direction inside the first recessed part 55, and
a first recessed groove part (not labeled, see Figs. 2 and 6) formed between this islet 54 and the first side wall part 52, and
(c) a plurality of the first terminals 6, 711 are arranged along each first recessed groove part forming a pair of parallel terminal group rows (see Fig. 6), each of the terminal group rows includes at least a part of a first ground member 711, the first ground member 711 is exposed on the mounting surface 51 of the first connector body 5 and connected by solder (see Paragraphs [0025]-[0026]) to reference potential wiring positioned to the center as well as to the outside in the width direction of the first connector body 5.
Regarding claim 2, a portion of the first ground member 711 included in each of the terminal group rows is a first ground terminal 6, 711, and each of the first ground terminals 711 included in each of the terminal group rows are arranged in a position facing each other and connected via the first ground connecting part 71, 72.
Regarding claim 3, as viewed in plain view, the first connector 200 further has a shield member 7 that continuously surrounds the first connector main body 5, and said shield member 7 is connected to reference potential wiring at a plurality of solder (see Paragraphs [0025]-[0026]) locations positioned on the exterior of the first connector body 5.
Regarding claim 4, Chen discloses a connector pair 100, 200, comprising: the first connector 200 and a counterpart connector 100 which mates with the first connector 200.
Regarding claim 5, Chen discloses a second connector 100 comprising:
(a) a second connector body 1, and a second terminal 2 mounted to the second connector body 1,
(b) the second connector body 1 includes a second recessed groove part 14 and a pair of second side wall parts 12 extending in a longitudinal direction (see Fig. 4) of the second connector body 1, arranged in parallel demarcating both sides of the second recessed groove part 14 (see Fig. 4), wherein
(c) a plurality of the second terminals 2 are arranged along each second side wall part 12 forming a pair of parallel terminal group rows (see Fig. 4),
each terminal group row includes at least a part of a second ground member 203, and
the second ground member 201 is exposed on the mounting surface 11 of the second connector body 1 and is connected by solder (see Paragraph [0021]) to reference potential wiring positioned to the center as well as to the outside of the second connector body 1.
Regarding claim 6, a portion of the second ground member 201 included in each of the terminal group rows is a second ground terminal 201, and the second ground terminals 201 included in each of the terminal group rows 53 are arranged in a position facing each other and connected via the second ground connecting part 36 (see Paragraph [0028]).
Regarding claim 7, the second connector body 1 includes a second mating guide part 13 formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction thereof and a second reinforcement fitting 35 connected to the second ground member 201 is mounted to this second mating guide part 13.
Regarding claim 8, Chen discloses a connector pair, comprising: the second connector 100 and a counterpart connector 200 which mates with the second connector 100.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAE MOON HYEON whose telephone number is (571) 272-2093. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at 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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/hmh/
/Hae Moon Hyeon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831