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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, Claims 1-20 in the reply filed on April 29, 2026 is acknowledged.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bronk et al. (U.S. Patent No. 6,352,450). Regarding Claim 1, Bronk discloses an electrical connector (10) comprising: an electrical conductor (14); and a housing (18, 100) attached to the electrical conductor, the housing having a first end (top end), a second end (bottom end), a top (top of 10), a bottom (bottom of 100), a first side (left side), a second side (right side), and a shield (left 98), the first side extending from the first end to the second end, the second side extending from the first end to the second end, the shield extending from the first side, away from the second side, and away from the top, the shield having a shield first side (outer side of 98), a shield second side (inner side of 98), a shield first end (top end of 98), and a shield second end (bottom end of 98), the shield first side extending from the shield first end to the shield second end and along the first side of the housing, the shield second side defining a terminal side (side facing 76) of the shield; wherein the shield is disposed at a shield angle (Fig. 5) relative to the first side of the housing that is less than 90 degrees.
Regarding Claim 2, Bronk discloses the housing having a lengthwise axis (Fig. 5) extending from the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing; and wherein the housing has a passageway (Fig. 5) having a central axis that intersects the lengthwise axis.
Regarding Claim 3, Bronk discloses the central axis being disposed orthogonally to the lengthwise axis (Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 4, Bronk discloses the first side of the housing being disposed a first distance (Fig. 5) from the central axis; and wherein the shield second side is disposed a second distance (Fig. 5) from the central axis that is different than the first distance.
Regarding Claim 5, Bronk discloses the second distance being greater than the first distance (Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 6, Bronk discloses the shield first side having a shield first length (Fig. 5); and wherein the shield second side has a shield second length (Fig. 5) that is different than the shield first length.
Regarding Claim 7, Bronk discloses the shield second length being less than the shield first length (Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 8, Bronk discloses the shield first end having a shield first end length (Fig. 5); and wherein the shield second end has a shield second end length (Fig. 5) that is equal to the shield first end length.
Regarding Claim 9, Bronk discloses the shield first end being disposed at an angle (Fig. 5) relative to the first side of the housing that is greater than 90 degrees.
Regarding Claim 10, Bronk discloses the shield second end being disposed at an angle (Fig. 5) relative to the first side of the housing that is greater than 90 degrees.
Regarding Claim 11, Bronk discloses the shield defining a curve (Fig. 5) between the shield first end and the shield second end.
Regarding Claim 12, Bronk discloses the shield second end being disposed on a hypothetical plane (Fig 1) that contains the bottom of the housing.
Regarding Claim 13, Bronk discloses the housing having a flange (96) extending from the first side of the housing and away from the top of the housing.
Regarding Claim 14, Bronk discloses the flange having a flange bottom (Fig. 5); and wherein the shield second end is disposed on a hypothetical plane (Fig. 1) disposed between the top of the housing and the flange bottom.
Regarding Claim 15, Bronk discloses the housing having a passageway (Fig. 5); and wherein the housing has a housing first recess (Fig. 6) and a housing second recess (Fig. 6), each of the housing first recess and the housing second recess extending from the passageway and into the housing.
Regarding Claim 16, Bronk discloses the electrical conductor having an electrical conductor top (top of 14), an electrical conductor bottom (bottom of 76), and an electrical conductor main body (body of 14 and 76) that defines a first recess (inside 14) and a second recess (inside 76), the first recess extending from the electrical conductor top toward the electrical conductor bottom, the second recess extending from the electrical conductor bottom toward the electrical conductor top.
Regarding Claim 17, Bronk discloses the electrical conductor being formed from an electrically conductive material (Claim 22).
Regarding Claim 18, Bronk discloses the housing being formed from an electrically nonconductive material (Claim 20).
Regarding Claim 19, Bronk discloses an electrical connector (10) comprising: an electrical conductor (14); a housing (18, 100) attached to the electrical conductor, the housing having a lengthwise axis (Fig. 5), a first end (top end), a second end (bottom end), a top (top of 10), a bottom (bottom of 100), a first side (left side), a second side (right side), a passageway (Fig. 5) having a central axis that intersects the lengthwise axis, and a shield (left 98), the lengthwise axis extending from the first end to the second end, the first side extending from the first end to the second end, the first side disposed a first distance from the central axis, the second side extending from the first end to the second end; and the shield extending from the first side, away from the second side, and away from the top, the shield having a shield first side (outer side of 98), a shield second side (inner side of 98), a shield first end (top end of 98), and a shield second end (bottom end of 98), the shield first side extending from the shield first end to the shield second end and along the first side of the housing, the shield first side having a shield first side length (Fig. 5), the shield second side defining a terminal side (side facing 76) of the shield and disposed a second distance from the central axis that is different than the first distance, the shield second side having a shield second side length (Fig. 5) that is different than the shield first side length; wherein the shield is disposed at a shield angle (Fig. 5) relative to the first side of the housing that is less than 90 degrees.
Regarding Claim 20, Bronk discloses an electrical connector (10) comprising: an electrical conductor (14); a housing (18, 100) attached to the electrical conductor, the housing having a lengthwise axis (Fig. 5), a first end (top end), a second end (bottom end), a top (top of 10), a bottom (bottom of 100), a first side (left side), a second side (right side), a passageway (Fig. 5) having a central axis that intersects the lengthwise axis, and a shield (left 98), the lengthwise axis extending from the first end to the second end, the first side extending from the first end to the second end, the first side disposed a first distance from the central axis, the second side extending from the first end to the second end; and the shield extending from the first side, away from the second side, and away from the top, the shield having a shield first side (outer side of 98), a shield second side (inner side of 98), a shield first end (top end of 98), a shield second end (bottom end of 98), and defining a curve (Fig. 5) between the shield first end and the shield second end, the shield first side extending from the shield first end to the shield second end and along the first side of the housing, the shield first side having a shield first side length (Fig. 5), the shield second side defining a terminal side (side facing 76) of the shield and disposed a second distance from the central axis that is greater than the first distance, the shield second side having a shield second side length (Fig. 5) that is less than the shield first side length; wherein the shield is disposed at a shield angle (Fig. 5) relative to the first side of the housing that is less than 90 degrees.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses electrical connectors, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having conductors, housings with sides and shields disposed at an angle of less than 90 degrees from the housings.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-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 S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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