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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: --ELECTRICAL CARD CONNECTOR APPLYING UNIFORM INSERTION FORCE--.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: on page 7 line 23, word “space13” should read --space 13--. On page 8 lines 2 and 19, the word “space13” should read --space 13--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 objected to because of the following informalities: in claim 6 line 1, the phrase “claim 4” should read --claim 5”, since claim 6 introduces a second retaining portion and a second tail portion without claiming a first retaining portion and a first tail portion, which are introduced in claim 5. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 4, and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (CN104600495A).
With regard to claim 1, Lin teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “An electrical card connector 100, comprising: an insulating base 11, 12, and 13 having a bottom wall 11, two side walls 13 being disposed on the bottom wall 11 and being opposite to each other, an accommodation space 15 and a card insertion port (where 60 is inserted in 10 in figure 2); the accommodation space 15 and the card insertion port being defined by the bottom wall 11 and the side walls; each side wall 13 being provided with an sliding surface (outer surfaces of 131 in figure 3) facing the accommodation space 15 and an opening 124 far away from the card insertion port; a plurality of first conductive terminals (lower-left row of terminals 20 in figure 2) being arranged in a first row and being retained in the bottom wall 11; each first conductive terminal having a first elastic arm 22, which is adjacent to the card insertion port and at least a portion of which extends into the accommodation space 15; a plurality of second conductive terminals (upper-right row of terminals 20 in figure 2) being arranged in a second row and being retained in the bottom wall 11; each second conductive terminal having a second elastic arm 22, which is far away from the card insertion port and at least a portion of which extends into the accommodation space 15; and a pair of balance terminals 30 being retained in the side walls; each balance terminal including a fixed end 31, an elastic pressure arm 32 and a sliding portion 33 disposed in sequence; the fixed end 31 being adjacent to the card insertion port; the elastic pressure arm 32 being bent and extending along the corresponding side wall, and the elastic pressure arm 32 at least partially extending into the accommodation space 15; wherein, the elastic pressure arms 32 of the pair of balance terminals 30 are used to clamp two side edges of an electronic card 200 and exert a clamping force on the electronic card 200 when the electronic card 200 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 and touches the first elastic arms 32; wherein, the sliding portions 33 of the pair of balance terminals 30 are used to slide along the sliding surfaces of the corresponding side walls 13 when the elastic pressure arms 32 clamp the electronic card 200 and the electronic card 200 continues to be inserted; wherein, the sliding portions 33 of the pair of balance terminals 30 are capable of entering the corresponding openings 613 and allowing the elastic pressure arms 32 to release at least a portion of the clamping force on the electronic card 200 when the electronic card touches the second elastic arms 22 (when the card is fully inserted, the elastic pressure arms will snap into the openings and release at least a portion of the clamping force)”.
With regard to claim 4, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the first conductive terminals of the first row and the second conductive terminals of the second row are disposed in parallel; and the first elastic arm 22 and the second elastic arm 22 are arranged in two parallel rows”.
With regard to claim 6, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 4”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the second conductive terminal has a second retaining portion 21 and a second tail portion 23; the second retaining portion 21 is straight and is used to retain the second conductive terminal 20 in a second terminal-retaining groove 111 of the bottom wall 11; the second tail portion 23 is vertically bent downward from one end portion of the retaining portion 21 and extends out of a bottom surface of the bottom wall 11; the second elastic arm 22 is an inverted V-shaped structure formed by U-shaped bending upward from the other end portion of the retaining portion 21, and the inverted V- shaped structure has a second contact portion (upper portion of 23 in figure 2) protruding toward the accommodation space 15 and being used to electrically contact the electronic card 200”.
With regard to claim 7, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 1” as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the fixed end of the balance terminal 30 is retained in a third terminal-retaining groove 131 of the side wall 13; the elastic pressure arm 32 is L-shaped; the sliding portion 33 is a protrusion toward the sliding surface”.
With regard to claim 8, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the insulating base includes a retaining wall 12 disposed on the bottom wall 11 and perpendicular to the side walls 13; the retaining wall 12 and the card insertion port are disposed opposite to each other; the accommodation space 15 is defined by the bottom wall 11, the side walls 13 and the retaining wall 12 together”.
With regard to claim 9, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 8”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the electrical card connector further comprises a terminal module, a bearing seat 10 and 70, a card ejection mechanism 50 and a shell 70; the terminal module includes the insulating base, the first conductive terminals, the second conductive terminals and the balance terminals 30; and the terminal module is retained in the bearing seat 10; the bearing seat 10 has a top wall 70 above the accommodation space 15 to define the accommodation space 15; the card ejection mechanism 50 is mounted to the bearing seat 10 and at least includes a push rod 51 and 54 and an elastic member 55; one end of the push rod is connected to the elastic member 55, passes through a through hole of the retaining wall 12, extends into the accommodation space 15 and faces a front edge of the electronic card 200; and the other end of the push rod extends out of the bearing seat 10; the shell 70 is used to cover the bearing seat 10”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (CN104600495A).
With regard to claim 2, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the opening 124 is adjacent to the sliding surface (top end of the sliding surface in figure 3)”.
Lin does not teach: “and the sliding surface includes an arc surface adjacent to the opening”. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the shape of the sliding surface to have an arc surface adjacent the opening in order to put less stress on the sliding portions. Also, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
With regard to claim 3, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 2”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 1-6: “wherein the side wall 13 has a near position (lower position in figure 3) adjacent to the card insertion port, an intermediate position (approximately where 32 are disposed on 13 in figure 3) and an end position (upper position in figure 3) far away from the card insertion port; the opening 124 is disposed on the end position, or between the intermediate position and the end position”.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (CN104600495A) in view of Oosaka et al. (2021/0305735).
With regard to claim 5, Lin teaches: “The electrical card connector according to claim 4”, as shown above.
Lin does not teach: “wherein the first conductive terminal has a first retaining portion and a first tail portion; the first retaining portion is U-shaped and is used to retain the first conductive terminal in a first terminal-retaining groove of the bottom wall; the first tail portion is vertically bent downward from one end portion of the retaining portion and extends out of a bottom surface of the bottom wall; the first elastic arm is a hooked structure formed by U-shaped bending upward from the other end portion of the retaining portion, and the hooked structure has a first contact portion protruding toward the accommodation space and being used to electrically contact the electronic card”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Oosaka teaches, as shown in figures 1-12: “wherein the first conductive terminal 300 has a first retaining portion 320 and 322 and a first tail portion 321; the first retaining portion is U-shaped and is used to retain the first conductive terminal 300 in a first terminal-retaining groove 284 of the bottom wall 202; the first tail portion 321 is vertically bent downward from one end portion of the retaining portion and extends out of a bottom surface of the bottom wall 202; the first elastic arm 327 is a hooked structure formed by U-shaped bending upward from the other end portion of the retaining portion, and the hooked structure has a first contact portion (upper portion of 327 in figure 12) protruding toward the accommodation space and being used to electrically contact the electronic card 201”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Oosaka with the invention of Lin in order to press-fit the terminal in the space (Oosaka, paragraph 122).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN M KRATT whose telephone number is (571)270-0277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A 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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/JUSTIN M KRATT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831