DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the amendment filed on 5/4/2026.
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 .
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 2023-011652, filed on 01/30/2023.
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) 1 – 3, 5, 10, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lei (US 20220393377) in view of Iwamoto (US 20220385006).
Regarding claim 1, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) an electrical connector (figure 1), comprising:
at least one contact pin (see figure 18);
wherein the at least one contact pin (see figure 18) includes:
a horizontally extending portion (121h, see annotation) which is located in the housing (11) and linearly extends in an insertion and extraction direction (see annotation) of the electrical connector (figure 1),
a connection portion (121c) bent from a base end portion of the horizontally extending portion (121h; see bend in annotation) so as to extend toward a lower side (see annotation),
a downwardly extending portion (121) linearly extending from a lower end portion of the connection portion (121c) toward the lower side (see annotation),
a pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) which respectively extend from an upper surface (see annotation) and a lower surface (see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h) in the housing in a height direction (see annotation), and wherein each protruding portion (see protrusions in 1221) of the pair of protruding portions includes:
a front slope portion (1225) which extends in the insertion and extraction direction (see annotation) and in a direction away from the horizontally extending portion (121h), and
a rear slope portion (see annotation; 1225r) which is formed closer to a base side (see annotation) than the front slope portion (1225) and extends in the insertion and extraction direction (see annotation) and in a direction approaching to the horizontally extending portion (121h).
Lei teaches an insulating housing (11) and a metal housing (43) which contain the contact pin (figure 18) therein, but Lei does not explicitly disclose that a tip end portion of the at least one contact pin protrudes from the housing toward a tip side.
Iwamoto teaches (figure 2) a connector comprising an insulating housing (22) for containing the at least one contact pin (23) therein so that a tip end portion (tip of 23, see figure 2) of the at least one contact pin (23) protrudes from the housing (22) toward a tip side (tip side of 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lei with the connector as disclosed by Iwamoto to provide an insulating housing for containing the at least contact pin therein so that a tip end portion of the at least one contact pin protrudes from the housing toward a tip side, as one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to configure the tip end portion of the contact pin to protrude from the housing toward the tip side, as taught by Iwamoto, to facilitate correction of tilt and shaft misalignment during mating, thereby reducing contact buckling and insertion force (see ¶0009 in Iwamoto).
~ Please see annotation of figure 18 in the Lei reference, where the height direction, insertion direction, the upper surface, the lower surface, the base side, the lower side, the horizontally extending portion 121h, the rear slope portion 1225r, and the connection portion 121c can be seen.
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Regarding claim 2, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein each protruding portion (see protrusions in 1221) of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) further includes a flat portion (see flat portion between 1225 and 1225r) which linearly extends between the front slope portion (1225) and the rear slope portion (1225r) in the insertion and extraction direction (i.e. see annotation).
Regarding claim 3, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein each protruding portion (see protrusions in 1221) of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) further includes: a front connection portion (see front connection portion in 1225 which connects the front slope portion and the flat portion) connecting the front slope portion (1225) and the flat portion (see flat portion between 1225 and 1225r), and a rear connection portion (see rear connection portion in 1225r which connects the rear slope portion and the flat portion) connecting the rear slope portion (1225r) and the flat portion (see flat portion between 1225 and 1225r).
Regarding claim 5, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one contact pin (see figure 18) further includes at least one concave portion (see portion between 1224 and 1225) formed on the horizontally extending portion (121h) at a position adjacent to the front slope portion (1225) of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221), and located on the tip side of the front slope portion (1225).
Regarding claim 10, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one contact pin (see figure 18) further includes an upper concave portion (see upper portion between 1224 and 1225) formed on the upper surface of the horizontally extending portion (121h) on the tip side of an upper one of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) extending from the upper surface (see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h), wherein a base end portion of the rear slope portion (base end portion of 1225r) of the upper one of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) extending from the upper surface (see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h) is connected with the upper surface (see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h), and wherein a tip end portion of the front slope portion (tip end portion of 1225) of the upper one of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) extending from the upper surface of the horizontally extending portion (121h) is continuous with a base end surface of the upper concave portion (see portion between 1224 and 1225 in figure 18).
Regarding claim 11, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least one contact pin (see figure 18) further includes a lower concave portion (see lower portion between 1224 and 1225) formed on the lower surface (i.e. see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h) on the tip side of a lower one of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) extending from the lower surface (i.e. see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h), wherein a base end portion of the rear slope portion (base end portion of lower 1225r) of the lower one of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) extending from the lower surface (i.e. see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h) is connected with the lower surface (i.e. see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h), and wherein a tip end portion of the front slope portion (tip end portion of lower 1225) of the lower one of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) extending from the lower surface (i.e. see annotation) of the horizontally extending portion (121h) is continuous with a base end surface of the lower concave portion (see lower portion between 1224 and 1225).
Claim(s) 4, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lei (US 20220393377) in view of Iwamoto (US 20220385006) and further in view of Phatiwuttipat (US 20210098922).
Regarding claim 4, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein outer surfaces of the front connection portion (see front connection portion in 1225 which connects the front slope portion and the flat portion) and the rear connection portion (see rear connection portion in 1225r which connects the rear slope portion and the flat portion).
However, the outer surfaces of the front connection portion and the rear connection portion in Lei are tapered surfaces rather than curved surfaces.
Phatiwuttipat teaches (figures 1 – 4, annotation) wherein outer surfaces of the front connection portion (annotation; see the point where 4P begins to incline towards 4F on the left) and the rear connection portion (annotation; see the point where 4P begins to incline towards 4R on the right) are curved surfaces (i.e. see figure 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the tapered outer surfaces of Lei to have a curved profile as taught in Phatiwuttipat in order to provide a smoother transition along the outer surface of the connection portion and facilitate connection with a corresponding mating component.
~ Please see annotation of figure 4 in the Phatiwuttipat reference, where each protruding portion 4P, the front slope portion 4F, and the rear slope portion 4R can be seen.
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Regarding claim 6, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 1.
But Lei and Iwamoto do not explicitly disclose wherein a first inclination of the front slope portion with respect to the horizontally extending portion is greater than a second inclination of the rear slope portion with respect to the horizontally extending portion.
Phatiwuttipat teaches (figures 1 – 4, annotation) a connector wherein a first inclination (see inclination from leftmost 4P arrow to 4F) of the front slope portion (4F) with respect to the horizontally extending portion (44) is greater than a second inclination (see inclination from leftmost 4P arrow to 4R) of the rear slope portion (4R) with respect to the horizontally extending portion (44).
Although Phatiwuttipat discloses a terminal protrusion in which the rear slope portion has a greater inclination than the front slope portion, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the relative inclinations of the front and rear portions are design parameters that may be adjusted depending on the desired insertion and extraction characteristics. It would have been obvious to configure the first inclination of the front slope portion with a greater inclination than the second inclination of the rear slope portion in order to increase surface engagement during insertion, facilitating smoother removal of the connector. Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the connector of Lei and Iwamoto with the connector as disclosed by Phatiwuttipat to provide wherein a first inclination of the front slope portion with respect to the horizontally extending portion is greater than a second inclination of the rear slope portion with respect to the horizontally extending portion, to provide improved connector contact reliability during engagement.
Claim(s) 7 – 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lei (US 20220393377) in view of Iwamoto (US 20220385006) and further in view of Blackborn (US 20210408702).
Regarding claim 7, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical connector further comprises a metallic shell (43) for holding the at least one contact pin (see figure 18) and the housing (11; see figure 1).
But Lei does not explicitly disclose wherein the housing includes: a cylindrical portion which linearly extends in the insertion and extraction direction and contains the horizontally extending portion of the at least one contact pin therein, and at least one pressing rib formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion at a position corresponding to a position of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin, wherein the shell includes: a body portion, and an insertion hole which passes through the body portion in the insertion and extraction direction and into which the cylindrical portion of the housing is inserted, wherein when the cylindrical portion of the housing is inserted into the insertion hole of the shell, the at least one pressing rib of the housing is pressed by an inner surface of the insertion hole of the shell, and thereby a portion of the cylindrical portion of the housing where the at least one pressing rib is formed is elastically deformed toward the inner side and is pressed against each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin to lock the at least one contact pin in the housing.
Iwamoto teaches a connector wherein the housing (22) includes: a cylindrical portion (see cylindrical hole of 22 in figure 1) which linearly extends in the insertion and extraction direction (see figure 2) and contains the horizontally extending portion (horizontally extending portion of 23) of the at least one contact pin (23) therein, wherein the shell (21) includes: a body portion (body portion of 21), and an insertion hole (insertion hole in which 23 is installled) which passes through the body portion (body portion of 21) in the insertion and extraction direction (see figure 2) and into which the cylindrical portion (see cylindrical hole of 22 in figure 1) of the housing (22) is inserted.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lei with the connector as disclosed by Iwamoto to provide wherein the housing includes: a cylindrical portion which linearly extends in the insertion and extraction direction and contains the horizontally extending portion of the at least one contact pin therein, wherein the shell includes: a body portion, and an insertion hole which passes through the body portion in the insertion and extraction direction and into which the cylindrical portion of the housing is inserted, as one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide these structures, as taught by Iwamoto, to facilitate correction of tilt and shaft misalignment during mating, thereby reducing contact buckling and insertion force (see ¶0009 in Iwamoto).
However, Iwamoto does not explicitly disclose at least one pressing rib formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion at a position corresponding to a position of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin, wherein when the cylindrical portion of the housing is inserted into the insertion hole of the shell, the at least one pressing rib of the housing is pressed by an inner surface of the insertion hole of the shell, and thereby a portion of the cylindrical portion of the housing where the at least one pressing rib is formed is elastically deformed toward the inner side and is pressed against each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin to lock the at least one contact pin in the housing.
Blakborn teaches (figures 1 – 5, annotation) a connector comprising at least one pressing rib (17R) formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion (surface where 17R is protruding from) at a position corresponding to a position of each protruding portion (14) of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin (see figure 4)
wherein when the cylindrical portion (see cylindrical portion in figure 3) of the housing (housing of 17) is inserted into the insertion hole (hole of 6 where 17 is inserted to) of the shell (6), the at least one pressing rib (17R) of the housing (housing of 17) is pressed by an inner surface of the insertion hole (¶0079; “…in order to electrically insulate the at least one inner-conductor contact element with respect to the outer-conductor assembly and mechanically fix said at least one inner-conductor contact element within the outer-conductor assembly…” if it is fixed to the outer conductor assembly, it is pressed by a surface inside of 6 so it stays fixed to the outer conductor assembly) of the shell (6), and thereby a portion of the cylindrical portion (see cylindrical portion in figure 3) of the housing (housing of 17) where the at least one pressing rib (17R) is formed is elastically deformed (i.e. 17R presses housing where 6 is pointing to in figure 2 so it stays fixed within) toward the inner side and is pressed against each protruding portion (14) of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin (see figure 4) to lock the at least one contact pin (see figure 4) in the housing (housing of 17; ¶0137).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the connector of Lei and Iwamoto with the connector as disclosed by Blakborn to provide at least one pressing rib formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion at a position corresponding to a position of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin, wherein when the cylindrical portion of the housing is inserted into the insertion hole of the shell, the at least one pressing rib of the housing is pressed by an inner surface of the insertion hole of the shell, and thereby a portion of the cylindrical portion of the housing where the at least one pressing rib is formed is elastically deformed toward the inner side and is pressed against each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions of the at least one contact pin to lock the at least one contact pin in the housing, to provide a high shielding action against environmental factors, and a low transition resistance.
~ Please see annotation of figure 3 in the Blakborn reference, where the at least one pressing rib 17R can be seen.
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Regarding claim 8, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 7.
But Lei and Iwamoto do not explicitly disclose wherein an inner surface of the portion of the cylindrical portion of the housing where the at least one pressing rib is formed contacts with a base end surface of the rear slope portion of the at least one protruding portion of the at least one contact pin from the base side to lock the at least one contact pin in the housing.
Blakborn teaches (figures 1 – 5, annotation) a connector wherein an inner surface of the portion of the cylindrical portion (inner surface of cylindrical portion in figure 3) of the housing (housing of 17) where the at least one pressing rib (17R) is formed contacts with a base end surface (base end surface of one of the contact elements 14) of the rear slope portion (i.e. rear slope portion of one of the contact elements 14) of each protruding portion of the pair of one protruding portions (14) of the at least one contact pin (see figure 4) from the base side (i.e. see figure 5) to lock the at least one contact pin (see figure 4) in the housing (housing of 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the connector of Lei and Iwamoto with the connector as disclosed by Blakborn to provide wherein an inner surface of the portion of the cylindrical portion of the housing where the at least one pressing rib is formed contacts with a base end surface of the rear slope portion of the at least one protruding portion of the at least one contact pin from the base side to lock the at least one contact pin in the housing, to provide improved mechanical stability, high shielding action against environmental factors, and a low transition resistance.
Regarding claim 9, Lei teaches (figures 1 – 20, annotation) the electrical connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions (see protrusions in 1221) further includes a flat portion (see flat portion between 1225 and 1225r) which linearly extends between the front slope portion (1225) and the rear slope portion (1225r) in the insertion and extraction direction (i.e. see annotation).
But Lei and Iwamoto do not explicitly disclose wherein an outer surface of the flat portion of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions contacts with an inner surface of at least one insertion hole passing through the cylindrical portion of the housing in the insertion and extraction direction.
Blackborn teaches (figures 1 – 5, annotation) a connector wherein an outer surface of the flat portion (see flat portion 14) of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions (14) contacts with an inner surface of at least one insertion hole (insertion hole of 17) passing through the cylindrical portion (inner surface of cylindrical portion in figure 3) of the housing (housing of 17) in the insertion and extraction direction (see figure 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the connector of Lei and Iwamoto with the connector as disclosed by Blakborn to provide wherein an outer surface of the flat portion of each protruding portion of the pair of protruding portions contacts with an inner surface of at least one insertion hole passing through the cylindrical portion of the housing in the insertion and extraction direction, to provide improved mechanical stability, high shielding action against environmental factors, and a low transition resistance.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 8 – 17, filed on 5/4/2026, with respect to the objection to the specification and the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the objection to the specification and the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the prior art rejections of claim(s) 1 – 9 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds 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 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
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