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 as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 47, as shown in figure 5. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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 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: --SHIELDED RIGHT-ANGLE TERMINAL WITH TWO-PART OUTER CONDUCTIVE SHIELD--.
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 and 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoyack et al. (2020/0194944).
With regard to claim 1, Hoyack teaches, as shown in figures 1A-1E and taught in paragraphs 33 and 40: “A shielded terminal 100, comprising: a first outer conductor 102 having a cylindrical main body portion 112; and a second outer conductor 103 having a recess (interior of 103 in figure 1B) into which the first outer conductor 102 is to be fitted, wherein when a direction (left-to-right in figure 1B) in which the first outer conductor 102 is fitted into the recess is frontward, the first outer conductor 102 includes a locking portion 168 provided on an outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 112, and a protruding piece 116 extending frontward from a front end of the main body portion 112, and the locking portion 168 and a front end portion of the protruding piece 112 are in contact with an inner surface of the recess”.
With regard to claim 3, Hoyack teaches: “The shielded terminal according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Hoyack also teaches, as shown in figures 1A-1E: “wherein the first outer conductor 102 includes, in addition to the locking portion 168, a plurality of contact portions (upper and lower portions of 116 in contact with 103 in figure 1E) configured to come into contact with the inner surface of the recess”.
With regard to claim 4, Hoyack teaches: “The shielded terminal according to claim 3”, as shown above.
Hoyack also teaches, as shown in figures 1A-1E: “wherein the plurality of contact portions are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 112, and the plurality of contact portions and the locking portion 168 are arranged on the same cross section (shown in figure 1E) intersecting a central axis of the main body portion 112”.
With regard to claim 5, Hoyack teaches: “The shielded terminal according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Hoyack also teaches, as shown in figures 1A-1E: “the protruding piece 116 has a shape that is curved toward an outer periphery as a front end (right end of 103 in figure 1E) is approached, and the second outer conductor 103 has a contact surface configured to come into contact with an intermediate portion of the protruding piece 116”.
With regard to claim 6, Hoyack teaches: “The shielded terminal according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Hoyack also teaches, as shown in figures 1A-1E: “where in a pair (upper and lower halves of 116 in figure 1E) of the protruding pieces 116 are provided on both sides in a radial direction of the main body portion 112”.
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoyack et al. (2020/0194944) in view of Saller et al. (9,515,430).
With regard to claim 2, Hoyack teaches: “The shielded terminal according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Hoyack does not teach: “wherein the second outer conductor has a closing surface configured to close a front side of the recess, and the front end portion of the protruding piece is in contact with the closing surface”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Saller teaches, as shown in figures 1-4: “wherein the second outer conductor 3.1 has a closing surface 3.111 configured to close a front side of the recess 3.110, and the front end portion (bottom portion of 3.2 in figure 3) of the protruding piece is in contact with the closing surface 3.111”. 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 Saller with the invention of Hoyack in order to form a bearing surface on the second outer conductor in the frontward direction (Saller, column 9 lines 45-64).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoyack et al. (2020/0194944) in view of Chou (5,454,736) and Kawakami et al. (EP2393167A2).
With regard to claim 7, Hoyack teaches: “The shielded terminal according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Hoyack does not teach: “wherein the second outer conductor is a die-cast product, and the first outer conductor is a press-molded product”. 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 use die-casting to form the second outer conductor and the first outer conductor by press-molding since both die-casting (see Chou, column 2 lines 21-28) and press-molding (see Kawakami, paragraph 33) are well known in the art for forming conductors and would enable the shape of the first and second outer conductors to be set for producing multiple terminals.
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