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
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 1-2 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rothenberger (5,498,166).
Regarding claim 1, Rothenberger discloses an interposer, comprising:
an insulative member (20 and 21, Fig. 2) comprising a first surface (pointed at 24, Fig. 2), a second surface (23, Fig. 4) parallel to the first surface, and a plurality of openings (not labeled, Fig. 2) through the insulative member, the insulative member further comprising a shelf (50, Fig. 4) in an inner wall (an inner wall of 23, Fig. 6) and a protuberance (38, Fig. 4) extending from the inner wall (the inner wall of 25, Fig. 6) within each the plurality of openings; and
a plurality of electrical contacts (26, Fig. 6) disposed within respective openings of the plurality of openings, each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts comprising a base (an arear between 55 and 57, Fig. 6), a first contact portion (27, Fig. 6) extending from the base toward the first surface (Fig. 6) and a second contact portion (28, Fig. 6) extending from the base toward the second surface,
wherein, for each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts, the base is captured between the shelf and the protuberance within a respective opening of the plurality of openings (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 6 shows the insulative member comprises, for each of the plurality of openings, a void (pointed at 36) adjacent the protuberance and between the first surface and a top surface of the protuberance.
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 6 shows a volume of the void defined between the first surface and the top surface of the protuberance and beyond a path of a continuous surface of a wall of the corresponding opening of the plurality of openings is same as a volume of a portion of the protuberance inside the path of the continuous surface of the wall of the corresponding opening.
Regarding claim 7, Fig. 6 shows the first contact portion comprises a first beam (56) configured to extend through the first surface in an uncompressed state.
Claims 1, 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ou et al. (11,309,646).
Regarding claim 1, Ou et al. disclose an interposer, comprising:
an insulative member (2, Fig. 10) comprising a first surface (a top surface), a second surface (a bottom surface) parallel to the first surface, and a plurality of openings (21) through the insulative member, the insulative member further comprising a shelf (214, Fig. 9) in an inner wall and a protuberance (other 214) extending from the inner wall (other wall) within each the plurality of openings; and
a plurality of electrical contacts (1, Fig. 10) disposed within respective openings of the plurality of openings, each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts comprising a base (121, 122, another 121 and 132, Fig. 6), a first contact portion (123, Fig. 6) extending from the base toward the first surface (Fig. 7) and a second contact portion (133, Fig. 6) extending from the base toward the second surface (Fig. 9),
wherein, for each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts, the base is captured between the shelf and the protuberance within a respective opening of the plurality of openings (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 3, each of the plurality of the plurality of openings comprises an inner surface (an inner surface of 213, Fig. 9); and each of the plurality of electrical contacts comprises a projection (113) engaging the inner surface.
Regarding claim 5, Fig. 9 shows the inner surface comprises a groove (214A); and the projection extends into the groove.
Claims 1 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dai (11,251,557).
Regarding claim 1, Dai discloses an interposer, comprising:
an insulative member (1, Fig. 1) comprising a first surface (a top surface), a second surface (a bottom surface) parallel to the first surface, and a plurality of openings (11, Fig. 1) through the insulative member, the insulative member further comprising a shelf (111, Fig. 5) in an inner wall and a protuberance (not labeled or a protrusion on an inner wall of opposite side wall, Fig. 5) extending from the inner wall within each the plurality of openings; and
a plurality of electrical contacts (21, Fig. 4) disposed within respective openings of the plurality of openings, each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts comprising a base (23, 211, 25 and other 211, Fig. 5), a first contact portion (27, Fig. 5) extending from the base toward the first surface and a second contact portion (28, Fig. 5) extending from the base toward the second surface,
wherein, for each electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts, the base is captured between the shelf and the protuberance within a respective opening of the plurality of openings (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8, Fig. 5 shows the shelf and the protuberance within each the plurality of openings are monolithic and integral.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10 and 12-18 are allowed.
Claim 4 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3 and 5-8 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdul 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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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 02/12/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov
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