DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the RCE filed on 1/5/2026.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/5/2026 has been entered.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JAPAN 2022-119130, filed on 07/27/2022.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 8, 13, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jin (US 20190363473).
Regarding claim 1, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) a connector comprising: a contact pin (see figure 6), including: a contact point portion (414) formed on a front end of the contact pin (see figure 6) and defining an opening (411a) receiving a mating contact (mating contact that inserts into 231 and connects with contact pin in figure 6), the contact point portion (414) including a first side wall (412b) and a second side wall (wall in opposite side of 412b) opposite the first side wall (412b), and a bottom wall (411), a lance abutting portion (417), and a jig abutting portion (412z) opposite the lance abutting portion (417); a wire connecting portion (42b) formed on a back end of the contact pin (see figure 6) and adapted to connect to a wire (see figure 2; Wa and Wb); and an engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) defined between an open end of the contact point portion (414) and the wire connecting portion (42, 42b) wherein the engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) passes through the first side wall (412b) and the second side wall (wall in opposite side of 412b) without passing through the bottom wall (411; see figure 6, engagement portion passes through every wall except for 411); a housing (2) into which the contact pin (see figure 6) is inserted in an insertion direction (X1 and X2); and a retainer (3) insertable into the housing (2) in a direction intersecting the direction of insertion (Z1 and Z2) of the contact pin (see figure 6), the retainer (3) adapted to be inserted into the housing (2; see figure 2) and engage with the engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) of the contact pin (see figure 6) to secure the contact pin (see figure 6) within the housing (2), a height of the jig abutting portion (412z) in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction (Z1 and Z2 in figure 6) is greater (i.e. height of 412z is greater than height of 417 as seen in figure 6) than a height of the lance abutting portion (417) in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction (Z1 and Z2 in figure 6).
Regarding claim 2, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) has a shape opened (see shape between 42a and 412z in figure 6) to the inside and outside of the contact point portion (414).
Regarding claim 5, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) has a shape (shape where the sides of 416 are in contact with in figure 6) passing through the contact point portion (414).
Regarding claim 8, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact point portion (414) has a substantially rectangular cross section (cross section of 414 in figure 6 is substantially rectangular).
Regarding claim 13, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) extends only partially through the first side wall (412b) and the second side wall (wall in opposite side of 412b) in a height direction (Z1 and Z2).
Regarding claim 20, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) a contact pin (see figure 6), comprising: a contact point portion (414) formed on a front end of the contact pin (see figure 6) and defining an opening (411a) receiving a mating contact (mating contact that inserts into 231 and connects with contact pin in figure 6), the contact point portion (414) including a first side wall (412b) and a second side wall (wall in opposite side of 412b) opposite the first side wall (412b), and a bottom wall (411), a lance abutting portion (417), and a jig abutting portion (412z) opposite the lance abutting portion (417); and an engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) defined at least partially through the contact point portion (414), wherein the engagement portion (see figure 2; portion that engages with 31) including an opening (see opening between 42a and 412z) formed through the first side wall (412b) and the second side wall (wall in opposite side of 412b), the opening (see opening between 42a and 412z) is not formed through the bottom wall (see figure 6, there is no opening in 411), a height of the jig abutting portion (412z) in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction (Z1 and Z2 in figure 6) is greater (i.e. height of 412z is greater than height of 417 as seen in figure 6) than a height of the lance abutting portion (417) in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction (Z1 and Z2 in figure 6).
Regarding claim 21, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact point portion (414) further includes a top wall (413) opposite the bottom wall (411), the top wall and the bottom wall (413, 411) are perpendicular to the first side wall (412b) and the second side wall (wall in opposite side of 412b).
Regarding claim 23, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing (2) has a lance (25), the lance abutting portion (417) abuts the lance (see figure 2, 417 abuts 25; ¶0037).
Regarding claim 24, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the jig abutting portion (412z) prevents the contact pin (see figure 6) from being improperly inserted in a vertically inverted orientation when being inserted into the housing (2; ¶0037).
Regarding claim 27, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the jig abutting portion (412z) has a U shape (i.e. see figure 6).
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(s) 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin (US 20190363473).
Regarding claim 26, Jin teaches (figures 1 – 9) the connector according to claim 1, wherein the lance abutting portion (417) has a semi- circle shape (i.e. see shape of 417 in figure 6).
While Jin does not explicitly disclose that the lance abutting portion has a semi-circle shape as recited, the faceted arcuate profile taught by Jin approximates a semi-circular form. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the faceted arcuate profile of Jin to a smooth semi-circular shape. Such modification constitutes a predictable variation involving the substitution of one known geometric form for another. (MPEP 2143 - B)
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 17 is allowed.
Regarding claim 17, the prior art of record fails to teach wherein the engagement portion is formed as a through-hole passing through the first side wall and the second side wall without passing through the bottom wall and the top wall in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim.
The closest prior art of record is Jin et al. (US 20190363473), which discloses a contact pin including a through hole passing through the first side wall, the second side wall, and the bottom wall. However, Jin et al. fails to teach or suggest wherein the engagement section is formed as a through-hole passing through the first side wall and the second side wall without passing through the bottom wall and the top wall as recited in claim 17.
Claim 22 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.
Regarding claim 22, the prior art of record fails to teach wherein the engagement portion does not pass through the top wall in combination with the remaining limitations of the claim.
The closest prior art of record is Jin et al. (US 20190363473), which discloses a contact pin including an engagement portion that passes through the first side wall and the second sidewall without passing through the bottom wall. However, Jin et al. fails to teach or suggest wherein the engagement section is formed as a through-hole passing through the first side wall and the second side wall without passing through the top wall. Further, claim 22 requires that the engagement portion does not pass through the top wall, and claim 1, which is the independent claim of this claim set, requires that the engagement portion passes through the first side wall and the second sidewall without passing through the bottom wall. Accordingly, the claim contains allowable subject matter for reasons similar to what was indicated as allowable subject matter in claim 17.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the prior art rejections of claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 8, 13, 17, 20, 21, 22 – 25 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nankou et al. (US 6729904), and Fukatsu et al. (US 7208329) are examples of various contact pins where the height of the jig abutting portion in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction is greater than a height of the lance abutting portion in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Carlos E. Lopez-Pagan whose telephone number is (703)756-5734. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30a - 5:00p.
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/CARLOS E LOPEZ-PAGAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834