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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 7, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7, line 2, recites ‘a plurality of spacers’. Claim 7 depends from claim 1, which recites ‘a spacer’. Therefore it is not clear, if ‘a plurality of spacers’ recited in claim 7 are in addition to ‘a spacer’ recited in claim 1, or the applicant is trying to redefine ‘a spacer’ of claim 1 into ‘a plurality of spacers’ for claim 7.
Claim 16 depends from claim 8, which has been cancelled, therefore the scope of the claim is not clear. Examiner interprets Claim 16 to depend from claim 1. Claim 17 depends from claim 16.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-6, 9-17, and 21, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kimura et al. (US 8,460,010).
Regarding Claim 1, Kimura figures 5, 8, 9, discloses 1an electrical connector, comprising:
an insulation housing (16, 17, 31) having opposite first (bottom side) and second sides (top side);
an array of a plurality of conductive terminals (7, fig. 4C; 20, fig. 8) mounted within the insulation housing, each conductive terminal having a contact segment (68, fig.9) and an opposite solder segment (77, fig. 9), the contact segment being at least partially exposed from the first side of the insulation housing, the solder segment being at least partially exposed from the second side of the insulation housing;
a plurality of solder balls (13) each being connected to the solder segment of a corresponding conductive terminal; and
a spacer (19) disposed on the second side of the insulation housing and having solid parts (55) positioned between adjacent solder balls, the spacer and the insulation housing are assembled together and fixed relative to each other (fig. 9).
Specification in column 7, lines 8-16 describes setting height of flange 32 to be set to height of upper housing 17 and lower housing 16, also lines 32-40 describes the lower housing 16, upper housing 17, and flange 32 (part of frame 31) attached by screw 40; column7, lines 61-67 describes the assembly of frame 31 with the upper spacer 19 by use of the screws 46. Once the screws are tightened, the bottom of flange portion 52 touches the top of element 42, at that time the solder ball 13 is optimally connected to upper portion of the contact 20 (column 7, lines 65-66). See fig. 9, 16 and 18. Thus the spacer and the insulation housing are assembled together and fixed relative to each other.
Regarding Claim 2, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a dielectric member having a dielectric constant greater than air.
Regarding Claim 4, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the spacer (19) is a plate-shaped member having a plurality of receiving holes (where screw 46 is fitted, fig. 6, 7) spaced apart from each other, and each solder ball (13) is received in one of the receiving holes (56, fig. 9) and has a soldering portion exposed and extending from the receiving hole to be soldered onto a circuit board. Please note that the circuit board is not positively recited, in this case, the disclosed device and solder ball are capable of being soldered to a circuit board.
Regarding Claim 5, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the receiving hole (56) comprises a circular hole, a square hole or a polygonal hole penetrating through the plate-shaped member in a thickness direction (see fig. 9).
Regarding Claim 6, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein a portion of each solder ball (13) connected to the solder segment is at least positioned within the receiving hole (56).
Regarding Claim 9, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is detachably connected to the insulation housing (the screw connection makes the spacer connection detachable).
Regarding Claim 10, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein one of the spacer or the insulation housing is provided with a fastening structure (fig.6, 7), and the other one of the spacer or the insulation housing is formed with a connection hole (43) in which the fastening structure is assembled to secure the spacer and the insulation housing together.
Regarding Claim 11, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 10, wherein the insulation housing includes the fastening structure (43, fig. 6) on the second side facing the spacer, and the spacer is formed with the connection hole.
Regarding Claim 12, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein:
the fastening structure includes a rod portion (stem of screw 46) extending from the second side toward the spacer and a head (head 48) located at an end of the rod portion;
the rod portion is inserted through the connection hole (43);
a diameter of the head (48) is larger than that of the connection hole; and
the head is positioned on a side of the spacer (19, fig. 6) facing away from the insulation housing.
Regarding Claim 13, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 12, wherein the fastening structure (43, 46) is provided at an edge position of the second side, and the connection hole is formed at an edge position of the spacer (fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 14, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the fastening structure is formed integrally with the insulation housing (43 is part of housing 18).
Regarding Claim 15, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 12, wherein the side of the spacer (19) facing away from the insulation housing is formed with a recess (where 46 is located) communicating with the connection hole (43) and accommodating the head (48).
Regarding Claim 16, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim (
Regarding Claim 17, Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 16, wherein the fastener comprises a clamp or a threaded connection component (in this case a threaded connection).
Regarding Claim 21, Kimura discloses an electrical connector, comprising:
an insulation housing (16, 17, 18) having opposite first (bottom) and second (top) sides;
an array of a plurality of conductive terminals (7) mounted within the insulation housing, each conductive terminal having a contact segment (68) and an opposite solder (top of 7) segment, the contact segment being at least partially exposed from the first side of the insulation housing (fig. 9), the solder segment being at least partially exposed from the second side of the insulation housing (fig. 9);
a plurality of solder balls (13) each being connected to the solder segment of a corresponding conductive terminal; and
a spacer (19) fixed to the second side of the insulation housing and having:
a plurality of receiving holes (56) spaced apart from each other and receiving respective ones of the plurality of solder balls, each solder ball having a portion extending beyond the receiving hole and the spacer from a side of the spacer opposite the insulation housing; and
solid parts (55) positioned between adjacent solder balls.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mason et al. (US 9,039,448).
Regarding Claim 21, Mason discloses an electrical connector, comprising:
an insulation housing (210) having opposite first (top side) and second (bottom side) sides;
an array of a plurality of conductive terminals (260, 212) mounted within the insulation housing, each conductive terminal having a contact segment (266) and an opposite solder segment (at bottom, fig. 7), the contact segment being at least partially exposed from the first side of the insulation housing (fig. 6), the solder segment being at least partially exposed from the second side of the insulation housing (fig. 7);
a plurality of solder balls (206) each being connected to the solder segment of a corresponding conductive terminal; and
a spacer (232) fixed to the second side of the insulation housing and having:
a plurality of receiving holes (not numbered) spaced apart from each other and receiving respective ones of the plurality of solder balls, each solder ball having a portion extending beyond the receiving hole and the spacer from a side of the spacer opposite the insulation housing; and
solid parts (fig. 7) positioned between adjacent solder balls.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kimura et al. (US 8,460,010) in view of Mason et al. (US 9,039,448).
Regarding Claim 3, Kimura discloses claimed invention, except for the spacer comprises a plastic sheet. Mason et al. discloses a similar electrical connector including a spacer (130, 132 232, fig. 7). Mason, in column 4, lines 47-48, discloses the spacers 130, 132 made of plastic.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the invention to use plastic for the spacer material in Kimura, as suggested by Mason, so as to have a durable material for the electrical connection device. Plastic is also very easily available.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kimura et al. (US 8,460,010) in view of Hashimoto et al. (US 20210126394).
Regarding Claim 7, Kimura discloses claimed invention except for the electrical connector comprises a plurality of the spacers adjacently arranged on the second side of the insulation housing.
Hashimoto, discloses a similar electrical connector. Hashimoto in paragraph 0007, suggests use of a plurality of spacers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a plurality of spacers in Kimura, as suggested by Hashimoto, so as to suppress vertical load on the solder joints (Hashimoto 0007).
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kimura et al. (US 8,460,010) in view of Chang et al. (US 20130237090).
Regarding Claim 18, Kimura discloses claimed invention including spacer and signal terminals (column 14, lines 55-57), but does not disclose a conductive housing positioned between the insulation housing and the spacer (claim 18); ground terminals being connected to the conductive housing (Claim 19) and terminals comprises power terminals (claim 20).
Chang et al. in figure 6, discloses an electrical connector including an insulative housing (1) and a conductive housing (3). Figure 10, also discloses the insulative and conductive housings positioned between top and bottom electronic components. In addition, paragraph 0029 discloses terminal being ground terminals, and in paragraph 0030 discloses the grounding plates 3 to be connected to the grounding route 4.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide an insulative housing and a conductive housing connected to the grounding route in Kimura, as suggested by Chang, in order to provide shielding to each of the conductive terminals and to connect the conductive housing to connect the shielding to the ground so as to properly provide shielding to the terminals.
Although Kimura and Chang does not explicitly disclose power terminals. It would have been obvious to include power terminal in the device of Kimura to power the connected devices.
Claims 1-6, 9-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mason et al. (US 9,039,448) in view of Kimura et al. (US 8,460,010).
Regarding Claim 1, Mason in figures 6, 7, discloses 1an electrical connector, comprising:
an insulation housing (210, Fig. 7) having opposite first (top side) and second sides (bottom side);
an array of a plurality of conductive terminals (212) mounted within the insulation housing, each conductive terminal having a contact segment (top) and an opposite solder segment (bottom), the contact segment being at least partially exposed from the first side of the insulation housing, the solder segment being at least partially exposed from the second side of the insulation housing;
a plurality of solder balls (206) each being connected to the solder segment of a corresponding conductive terminal; and
a spacer (232) disposed on the second side of the insulation housing and having solid parts (not numbered, between solder balls 206) positioned between adjacent solder balls, the spacer and the insulation housing are assembled together.
However, Mason does not explicitly disclose that the spacer and the insulation housing are fixed relative to each other.
Kimura discloses a similar electrical connector with fixing mechanism wherein the spacer 19 and insulating housing 18, 16, 17 (figures 5-9) are fixed together using threaded fasteners.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide fixing mechanism in Mason as suggested by Kimura for fixing the spacer and insulating housing, so that the conductive terminals are compressed and electrical connection is made between the top electronic device and the bottom electronic device though the electrical connector.
Regarding Claim 2, Mason discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a dielectric member having a dielectric constant greater than air.
Regarding Claim 3, Mason et al. discloses a spacer (130, 132 232, fig. 7) and in column 4, lines 47-48, discloses the spacers 130, 132 made of plastic.
Regarding Claim 4, Mason discloses the claimed electrical connector, including the spacer (232) being a plate shaped member, and the solder ball (206) is received in receiving hole (fig. 7) and soldered to circuit board (204, fig. 5, 6).
Regarding Claim 5, Mason discloses the electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the receiving hole (not numbered, fig. 7) comprises a circular hole, a square hole or a polygonal hole penetrating through the plate-shaped member in a thickness direction.
Regarding Claim 6, Mason discloses the electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein a portion of each solder ball (206) connected to the solder segment is at least positioned within the receiving hole (not numbered).
Regarding Claim 9, Mason and Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is detachably connected to the insulation housing (the screw connection of Kimura makes the spacer connection detachable). One of ordinary skill will be motivated to make the assembly detachable for inspection-when necessary.
Regarding Claims 10 and 11, Mason and Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 1, though Mason does not disclose fastening structure, Kimura discloses one of the spacer or the insulation housing is provided with a fastening structure (Kimura, fig.6, 7), and the other one of the spacer or the insulation housing is formed with a connection hole (43) in which the fastening structure is assembled to secure the spacer and the insulation housing together. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in that art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Mason and provide fastening structure as taught by Kimura, so as to make working device which can transmit signal from one electronic component to the other electronic component.
Regarding Claim 12, Mason discloses the claimed device except for details of fastening structure. Kimura discloses the electrical connector the fastening structure includes a rod portion (stem of screw 46) extending from the second side toward the spacer and a head (head 48) located at an end of the rod portion; the rod portion is inserted through the connection hole (43); a diameter of the head (48) is larger than that of the connection hole; and the head is positioned on a side of the spacer (19, fig. 6) facing away from the insulation housing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in that art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Mason and provide fastening structure with rod, screw, screw head etc. as taught by Kimura, so as to make working device which can transmit signal from one electronic component to the other electronic component.
Regarding Claim 13, Mason discloses the claimed connector except for details of fastening structure. Kimura discloses the electrical connector wherein the fastening structure (43, 46) is provided at an edge position of the second side, and the connection hole is formed at an edge position of the spacer (fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in that art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Mason and provide fastening structure at an edge position and connection hole, etc. as taught by Kimura, so as to make working device which can transmit signal from one electronic component to the other electronic component.
Regarding Claim 14, Mason and Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the fastening structure is formed integrally with the insulation housing (Kimura 43 is part of housing 18).
Regarding Claim 15, Mason and Kimura discloses the electrical connector, wherein the side of the spacer (Kimura, 19) facing away from the insulation housing is formed with a recess (in Kimura, where 46 is located) communicating with the connection hole (Kimura 43) and accommodating the head (Kimura 48).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in that art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Mason and provide fastening structure with recess and connection hole as taught by Kimura, so as to make working device which can transmit signal from one electronic component to the other electronic component.
Regarding Claim 16, Mason and Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim (
Regarding Claim 17, Mason and Kimura discloses the electrical connector according to claim 16, wherein the fastener comprises a clamp or a threaded connection component (in this case a threaded connection disclosed by Kimura).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mason et al. (US 9,039,448) in view of Hashimoto et al. (US 20210126394).
Regarding Claim 7, Mason discloses claimed invention except for the electrical connector comprises a plurality of the spacers adjacently arranged on the second side of the insulation housing.
Hashimoto, discloses a similar electrical connector. Hashimoto in paragraph 0007, suggests use of a plurality of spacers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a plurality of spacers in Mason, as suggested by Hashimoto, so as to suppress vertical load on the solder joints (Hashimoto 0007).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/24/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant on page 7, has argued that the guide plate 19 of Kimura is mounted to the housing 17 by design and thus cannot be considered equivalent to the claimed fixed spacer as recited in the claim 8. It is noted that Claim 8 is now cancelled and the limitation of claim 8 are included in claim 1. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The spacer 19 of Kimura may be movable during the assembly phase, however, column 7 describes the assembly of plate portion 19 and the housing or frame 18. When screw 46 is tightened, the upper surface of element 42, which is part of the housing (figure 6) and lower surface of flange 54 (part of 19) may abut each other and have solder ball or bump 13 and upper part of contact 20 contact each other. At that time, the spacer and the housing are fixed relative to each other, as required by Claim 1.
Cancellation of original claim 8, introduces an error in claim 9 and for that reason, the Examiner has rejected claim 9, 10 under 35 USDC 112 ground. Some other informalities were missed, and therefore, this action is made Non-Final.
Conclusion
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/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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