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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 4, 7, 12, 13, 15 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4 lines 3-4 recite, “from the first plane to the second plane,” claim should be amended to recite –from the second plane to the first plane--.
Claim 7 line 3 recites, “from the first second plane,” claim should be amended to recite –from the second plane--.
Claim 12 line 1 recites, “the second row of electrical contact,” claim should be amended to recite –the second row of electrical contacts--.
Claim 13 line 1 recites, “the electrical contact,” claim should be amended to recite –the second row of electrical contacts--.
Claim 15 lines 1 and 2 recite, “the second row connector contacts,” claim should be amended to recite –the second row of electrical contacts--. Claim 16 line 2 has the same issue, please amend accordingly.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 17, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shiu [US 6,953,350].
Regarding claim 1, Shiu discloses a connector for an electronic device, comprising: a first row of electrical contacts (fig. 1; 40 row) located on a first plane (fig. 1; plane of 40) of the connector (fig. 1; 1); a second row of electrical contacts (fig. 1; 30 row) located on a second plane (figs. 4-5; plane of 30) of the connector (1), the second plane (plane of 30) being above the first plane (plane of 40); and a connector contact (fig. 1; 20) causing the second row of electrical contacts (30 row) to move from the second plane (plane of 30) toward the first plane (plane of 40, see figs. 4-5; 36 and 38 moves toward 40) in response to an edge connector (figs. 4-5; 50) of an electronic component contacting a surface (fig. 1; 222) of the connector contact (20).
Regarding claim 17, Shiu discloses a connector, comprising: a first row of contact means (40 row) having a first elevation (position of 40); a second row of contact means (30 row) having a second elevation (position of 30) that is greater (position of 30 is higher than 40) than the first elevation (position of 40); and contact row pivoting means (20, 20 causes 36 of 30 to rotate with respect to 34 of 30, see figs. 1, 4 and 5), the contact row pivoting means (20) causing the second row of contact means (30 row) to move from a first position (fig. 4) to a second position (fig. 5) in response to an edge connector (50) of an electronic component being inserted into an opening (fig. 1; space between 14) defined by the connector (1).
Regarding claim 19, Shiu discloses wherein the second row of contact means (30 row) is at least partially contained within a housing (fig. 1; 12) of the connector (1) when in the first position (fig. 4) and at least partially extends from the housing (36 extends from 12) when in the second position (fig. 5).
Regarding claim 20, Shiu discloses wherein a surface (fig. 4; surface of 2844) of the contact row pivoting means (20) is located at a third elevation (position of 2844) that is lower than the first elevation (position of 40) and the second elevation (position of 30).
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-12, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Phillips et al. [US 2019/0280420].
Regarding claim 1, Phillips discloses a connector for an electronic device, comprising: a first row of electrical contacts (fig. 4; 206) located on a first plane (plane of 206) of the connector (fig. 1; 104); a second row of electrical contacts (fig. 4; 204) located on a second plane (plane of 204) of the connector (104), the second plane (plane of 204) being above the first plane (plane of 206); and a connector contact (fig. 4; 300) causing the second row of electrical contacts (204) to move from the second plane (plane of 204) toward the first plane (plane of 206, see Par [0044] Ln 8-10: 202 includes 204 moving inward toward 206) in response to an edge connector (fig. 4; 120) of an electronic component contacting a surface (fig. 6; 304) of the connector contact (300).
Regarding claim 2, Phillips discloses a housing (fig. 4; 210, 110) defining an opening (fig. 4; 116) for receiving the edge connector (120) of the electronic component, wherein the second row (204) of electrical contacts (204) is at least partially contained within the housing (110, 210; 224 is free from 110, 210) when the second row of electrical contacts (204) is located on the second plane (plane of 204) of the connector (104).
Regarding claim 3, Phillips discloses wherein the second row of electrical contacts (204) extend from the housing (110, 210) as the second row of electrical contacts (204) move from the second plane (plane of 204) toward the first plane (plane of 206).
Regarding claim 4, Phillips discloses wherein: the second row of electrical contacts (204) contact a second row of connection pins (fig. 4; 128 on the top of 120) on the edge connector (120) of the electronic component when the second row of electric contacts (204) move from the first plane (plane of 204) to the second plane (plane of 206); and wherein the first row of electrical contacts (206) contact a first row of connection pins (128 on the bottom of 120) on the edge connector (120) of the electronic component when the second row of electrical contacts (204) contact the second row of connection pins (128 on the top of 120) on the edge connector (120) of the electronic component.
Regarding claim 6, Phillips discloses wherein the second row of electrical contacts (204) move toward the second plane (plane of 204) in response to the edge connector (120) of the electronic component being removed from the connector (104; see Par [0044] Ln 8-10; 120 drives 202 inward during mating, therefore it is suggested that during disconnection 300 will drive 202 outward to 202 original positions).
Regarding claim 7, Phillips discloses wherein the edge connector (120) of the electronic component contacts a first surface (fig. 6; 304) of the connector contact (300) and wherein a second surface (fig. 6; 342) of the connector contact (300) pushes the second row of electrical contacts (204) from the first second plane (plane of 204) toward the first plane (plane of 206).
Regarding claim 8, Phillips discloses wherein the connector contact (300) extends from a first side (fig. 1; left side of 110) of a housing (110, 210) of the connector (104) to a second side (right side of 110) of the housing (110, 210) of the connector (104).
Regarding claim 9, Phillips discloses a high density connector, comprising: a housing (110, 210) defining an opening (fig. 4; 116, 150) for receiving an edge connector (120) of an electronic component, the edge connector (120) having a first row of connection pins (128 on the top of 120) and a second row of connection pins (128 on the bottom of 120) behind the first row of connection pins (128 on the top of 120); a first row of electrical contacts (206) located at a first elevation (area of 206) within the housing (110, 210); a second row of electrical contacts (204) located at a second elevation (area of 204) within the housing (110, 210), the second elevation (area of 204) being above the first elevation (area of 206); and a connector contact (300) provided within the housing (110, 210) and moveable between a first position (figs. 4 and 9) and a second position (figs. 10 and 11), wherein the second row of electrical contacts (204) moves from the second elevation (area of 204) toward the first elevation (area of 206) in response (Par [0044] Ln 8-10: 202 includes 204 moving inward toward 206) to the connector contact (300) moving from the first position (figs. 4 and 9) to the second position (figs. 10 and 11).
Regarding claim 10, Phillips discloses wherein the connector contact (300) moves from the first position (figs. 4/9) to the second position (figs. 10/11) in response to the edge connector (120) of the electronic component being inserted into the opening (116, 150).
Regarding claim 11, Phillips discloses wherein the first row of electrical contacts (206) are exposed (front part of 206) within the opening (116, 150) and wherein the second row of electrical contacts (204) are at least partially contained within the housing (section of 204 that 210 holds).
Regarding claim 12, Phillips discloses wherein the second row of electrical contacts (204) moves toward the second elevation (area of 204) from the first elevation (area of 206) in response to the edge connector (120) of the electronic component being removed from the connector (104).
Regarding claim 15, Phillips discloses wherein the second row of connector contacts (204) contact the second row of connection pins (top 128) when the second row of connector contacts (204) moves toward the first elevation (area of 206).
Regarding claim 16, Phillips discloses wherein the first row of connection pins (top 128) are uncontactable by the second row of connector contacts (204) when the edge connector (120) is inserted into the opening (116, 150, see fig. 4).
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) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Phillips et al. [US 2019/0280420] in view of Ashibu [US 9,698,509].
Phillips discloses all of the claim limitations except wherein the connector contact at least partially rotates about an axis in response to the edge connector of the electronic component contacting the surface of the connector contact.
However, Ashibu teaches the connector contact (fig. 4; 70) at least partially rotates about an axis (fig. 4; axis of 71) in response to the edge connector (fig. 6; 80) of the electronic component contacting the surface (fig. 4; 72a) of the connector contact (70).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the connector contact at least partially rotates about an axis in response to the edge connector of the electronic component contacting the surface of the connector contact as suggested by Ashibu for the benefit of providing improved actuation of electrical contacts in order to avoid damage during the mating process.
Claim(s) 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Phillips et al. [US 2019/0280420] in view of DE 10201076176.
Phillips discloses all of the claim limitations except wherein the electrical contact rotates about an axis when moving from the first position toward the second position.
However, DE ‘176 teaches the electrical contact (fig. 3; 46) rotates about an axis (fig. 6; axis of 74) when moving from the first position (fig. 5) toward the second position (fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the electrical contact rotates about an axis when moving from the first position toward the second position as suggested by DE ‘176 for the benefit of providing a smoother transition for the electrical contacts from the initial state to the connected state to avoid breakage.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiu [US 6,953,350] in view of DE 10201076176.
Shiu discloses all of the claim limitations except the contact row pivoting means pivots, at least partially, about an axis when moving the second row of contact means from the first position to the second position.
However, DE ‘176 teaches the contact pivoting means (fig. 3; 56) pivots, at least partially, about an axis (fig. 6; axis of 74) when moving the second contact means (46) from the first position (fig. 5) to the second position (fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the contact row pivoting means pivots, at least partially, about an axis when moving the second row of contact means from the first position to the second position as suggested by DE ‘176 for the benefit of providing a smoother transition for the electrical contacts from the initial state to the connected state to avoid breakage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
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/MARCUS E HARCUM/Examiner, Art Unit 2831