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 .
The previous Final Office Action has been withdrawn. A new Final Office Action is following.
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 Takasakill 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, 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Takasaki et al. (US 2022/0094089).
Regarding claim 1, Takasaki et al. disclose a connection terminal (15) for an electrical connector, comprising:
a main body part (52, 55, 56, 64) configured to be installed inside an insulating housing (12) of the electrical connector; a
soldering leg (54, 61) adapted to be soldered on a circuit board (90) so as to electrically connect the connection terminal to the circuit board, the soldering leg and the main body part having different widths; and
a transition section (53) extending from the main body part to the soldering leg, the transition section having a changing width that decreases continuously and uniformly from the main body part to the soldering leg.
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Regarding claim 4, Takasaki et al. disclose the connection terminal is a one-piece structure.
Regarding claim 5, Takasaki et al. disclose the main body part has a first width, the soldering leg has a second width less than the first width, and the width of the transition section decreases from the first width to the second width.
Claims 1-2, 8-10, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Antaya et al. (US 2004/0018782).
Regarding claim 1, Antaya et al. disclose a connection terminal (10) for an electrical connector (not shown), comprising:
a main body part (14);
a soldering leg (12) adapted to be soldered on a surface so as to electrically connect the connection terminal to the circuit board, the soldering leg and the main body part having different widths; and
a transition section (22, 22a) extending from the main body part to the soldering leg, the transition section having a changing width that decreases continuously and uniformly from the main body part to the soldering leg.
Antaya et al. substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the terminal is being used to solder on a circuit board and is configured to be installed inside an insulating housing of the electrical connector.
It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitation. Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987).
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Regarding claim 2, Antaya et al. disclose the entire transition section is bent (see Fig 3).
Regarding claim 8, Antaya et al. disclose the at least a portion of the transition section is a bent section (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Antaya et al. disclose the bent section comprises an arc-shaped section.
Regarding claim 10, Antaya et al. disclose the entire transition section is bent and has a changing width.
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 6, 8, 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takasaki et al. (US 2022/0094089) in view of Antaya et al. (US 2004/0018782).
Regarding claims 6 and 8, Takasaki et al. substantially disclosed the claimed invention except a portion or entire transition section is bent.
Antaya et al. teach a portion or entire transition section (22, 22a) is bent.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a bending section into Takasaki’s transition section, as taught by Antaya et al. for stress relief.
Regarding claim 12, in the modified connection terminal, Takasaki et al. disclose the main body part extends at least partially in a first direction, and the soldering leg extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
Regarding claim 13, in the modified connection terminal, Takasaki et al. disclose the bent section is bent from a portion extending in the first direction to a portion extending in the second direction.
Regarding claim 14, in the modified connection terminal, Takasaki et al. disclose the entire transition section is bent and has a changing width.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2011/0021088) in view of Takasaki et al. (US 2022/0094089).
Regarding claim 16, Chen et al. disclose an electrical connector, comprising:
an insulating housing (11);
a signal terminal (22a, 22b) arranged in the housing; and
a ground terminal (22c) arranged in the housing, at least one of the signal terminal or the ground terminal including:
a main body part (222);
a soldering leg (226) adapted to be soldered on a circuit board so as to electrically connect the connection terminal to the circuit board, the soldering leg and the main body part having different widths; and
a transition section (221, 223, 224) extending from the main body part to the soldering leg, the transition section having a changing width.
Chen et al. substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the transition section decrease continuously and uniformly.
Takasaki et al. teaches a transition section (53) decrease continuously and uniformly.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide the transition section decrease continuously and uniformly, as taught by Noda et al. for similar impedance.
Regarding claim 17, in the modified connector, Chen et al. disclose the signal terminal and the ground terminal are arranged at an interval in their width direction; and one or more ground terminals are provided between adjacent signal terminals, or one or more signal terminals are provided between adjacent ground terminals.
Regarding claim 18, in the modified connector, Chen et al. disclose the electrical connector further includes a ground shielding plate, the ground terminal extending from the ground shielding plate to the circuit board.
Regarding claim 19, in the modified connector, Chen et al. disclose the main body part of the ground terminal includes a bent portion extending from the ground shielding plate.
Regarding claim 20, in the modified connector, Chen et al. disclose the electrical connector comprises a high-speed input and output connector (see Paragraph 0028).
Claims 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2011/0021088) in view of Takasaki et al. (US 2022/0094089) and further in view of Antaya et al. (US 2004/0018782).
Chen et al. in view of Takasaki et al. substantially disclosed the claimed invention except entire transition section is bent and the soldering leg is extending only in the second direction.
Antaya et al. teach a portion or entire transition section (22, 22a) is bent.
Takasaki et al. teach the soldering leg is extending only in the second direction.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a bending section into Chen’s transition section, as taught by Antaya et al. for stress relief.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide a soldering leg of Chen’s terminal extending only to the second direction, as taught by Takasaki et al. for strongly secure the terminal.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2, 4-6, 8-10, 12-14, 16-22 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRUC T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2011. The examiner can normally be reached monday-friday (7-4).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M. Koehler can be reached at 5712723560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRUC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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