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 1.84(h)(3) because section lines in drawings should refer to the view number of the sectional view where it is shown. Figure 10 should have section line 11—11 and 12—12. See also Figure 14, 17 and 22.
The drawings are objected to because they have elements shown in cross section which are not properly crosshatched. Insulating members shown in cross section should be properly crosshatched. See for example connector housing 11 and circuit board body 14/141. It is brought to applicant’s attention that the conventional crosshatch for insulating members shown in cross section consist of lines of two different thicknesses alternatively disposed.
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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
The specification is objected because any abbreviation must be written out initially. Therefore, “FAKRA” should be written out initially.
Claim Objections
Claims 3 and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, “the inner layer” and “the outer layer” lack antecedent basis.
In claim 8, “a conductive component” should be --the conductive component--, per claim 7.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Susuki et al. (US 10, 700,461).
Regarding claim 1, Susuki discloses an electrical connector for joining with a joining component and capable of transmitting a non-grounded signal to the joining component, comprising: an internal terminal (51, Fig. 2), including an internal terminal joining structure (54) and an internal terminal transmitting structure (52); a circuit board (891), including a circuit board body and a non-grounded circuit layer; wherein the internal terminal joining structure is provided to join to the joining component; wherein the internal terminal transmitting structure is electrically connected to the non-grounded circuit layer and the internal terminal joining structure respectively, allowing the non-grounded signal can be transmitted to the joining component via the non-grounded circuit layer and the internal terminal joining structure (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 2, Susuki discloses that a grounded signal can further be transmitted to the joining component, wherein the circuit board further includes a grounded circuit layer (connected to 64), and the electrical connector further comprises: an external terminal (61) including an external terminal joining structure (62, 62a) and an external terminal transmitting structure (64); the external terminal joining structure is provided to join to the joining component; the external terminal transmitting structure is electrically connected to the grounded circuit layer and the external terminal joining structure respectively, allowing the grounded signal can be transmitted to the joining component via the grounded circuit layer and the external terminal joining structure (intended use).
Regarding claim 4, Susuki discloses the external terminal further including an external terminal shielding structure (65) that shields the internal terminal transmitting structure, allowing the external terminal shielding structure can provide electrical shielding for the signal transmission of the internal terminal transmitting structure (intended use).
Regarding claim 5, Susuki discloses the external terminal shielding structure being a U-shaped structure (Figs. 3 and 6a) and can shield the internal terminal transmitting structure in three directions.
Regarding claim 6, Susuki discloses the external terminal further including an external terminal bending structure (65a) and an external terminal body (65), and the external terminal bending structure is placed on the external terminal body for bending the external terminal body to form the external terminal shielding structure.
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 3, 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Susuki in view of Haga et al. (US 11,367,982)
Regarding claim 3, Haga teaches (in Fig. 3) a circuit board with a non-grounded circuit layer located on the inner layer (B2) of the circuit board body and a grounded circuit layer (B1) located on the outer layer of the circuit board body, allowing the grounded circuit layer can provide electrical shielding for the signal transmission of the non-grounded circuit layer (intended use). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a circuit board with an inner non-grounded layer and an outer grounded layer, as taught by Haga, in order to shield the inner layer.
Regarding claim 11, Haga teaches the circuit board including a non-grounded circuit connecting structure (B2) and a grounded circuit connecting structure (B1), and the internal terminal transmitting structure is connected to the non-grounded circuit connecting structure and electrically connected to the non-grounded circuit layer, and the external terminal transmitting structure is connected to the grounded circuit connecting structure and electrically connected to the grounded circuit layer.
Regarding claim 12, Haga teaches the electrical connector further used to connect a connecting component, which is respectively connected to the non-grounded circuit connecting structure and the grounded circuit connecting structure and respectively electrically connected to the non-grounded circuit layer and the grounded circuit layer (Fig. 3).
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Susuki in view of Maki (US 10,601,153).
Regarding claim 7, Susuki discloses a connector housing (11), at least a conductive component (61, 21, 51) and a plugin; wherein the conductive component and the circuit board are plugged into the connector housing separately, and the conductive component includes the internal terminal and the external terminal. Maki teaches the use of a plugin (59B), wherein the conductive component, the plugin and the circuit board are plugged into the connector housing separately, the plugin includes a plugin positioning structure embedded in the conductive component for positioning the conductive component in the connector housing (Figs. 4 and 5C). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a plugin, as taught by Maki, in order to aid shielding of the connector.
Regarding claim 8, Maki teaches at least a conductive component being a plurality of conductive components (four), and the plugin is embedded in the plurality of conductive components for positioning and separating the plurality of conductive components in the connector housing.
Regarding claim 9, Susuki discloses the conductive component including a conductive component housing (21) that separates the internal terminal and the external terminal, and the plugin positioning structure is embedded in the conductive component housing for positioning the conductive component in the connector housing.
Regarding claim 10, Maki teaches the plugin being a metal sheet.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-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 Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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