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 Fig. 3, claims 1, 4 and 7 in the reply filed on 02/09/2026 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.
Claim(s) 1, 4 and 7 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamoto (US 2018/0335447 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto at fig. 3 (see below), ¶0050 discloses a contact probe 3 for transmitting a signal by connecting longitudinal ends thereof to different electrodes, comprising: a first plunger 10 including a tip end 11a/10/12/15 configured to be contact with one of the electrodes 8a, and a flange 13a that is continuous to the tip end; and a coil spring 40 configured to be joined to the first plunger 10, wherein the tip end includes: a tip contact 11a including a tip configured to be contact with the one of the electrode 8a; a first base portion 10/12 that is columnar [as shown], the first base portion being provided to a base end side of the tip contact [base of 11a], and including a lateral side surface [surface of 10/12] extending along a longitudinal axis of the first plunger [as shown]; and a second base portion 15 provided to an end of the first base portion, the end being on a side opposite to the tip contact [as shown], the second base portion 15 including an inclined lateral side [truncated-cone portion, see 0050] inclined in a manner approaching the longitudinal axis of the first plunger [as shown], as the inclined lateral side extends toward the flange [as shown].
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Regarding claim 4, Yamamoto at fig. 3, ¶0050 discloses the contact probe according to claim 1, wherein the first base portion 12/10 has a cylindrical shape [as shown, see “cylinder portion 11”], and the second base portion 15 has a truncated cone shape [truncated-cone portion, see 0050].
Regarding claim 7, as further explain/stated above for rejection of claim 1, Yamamoto at fig. 3, ¶0050 discloses all the elements including the probe unit 1B [see fig. 3] comprising: a contact probe 3 including: a first plunger 10 including a tip end configured to be contact with one of electrodes, and a flange that is continuous to the tip end; and a coil spring 40 connected to the first plunger; and a probe holder 5 including a holder hole [hole for 3] configured to hold the contact probe, wherein the tip end includes a tip contact including a tip configured to be contact with the one of the electrodes; a first base portion that is columnar, the first base portion being provided to a base end side of the tip contact, and including a lateral side surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the first plunger; and a second base portion provided to an end of the first base portion, the end being on a side opposite to the tip contact, and including an inclined lateral side inclined in a manner approaching the longitudinal axis of the first plunger, as the inclined lateral side extends toward the flange.
Conclusion
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/PARESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
March 26, 2026
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