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 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) 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tziviskos et al. [US 9,966,677].
Regarding claim 1, Tziviskos discloses a connector for display screens, wherein the connector comprises a connector body (fig. 8; 110); the connector body (110) is provided with a connecting slot (fig. 8; slot behind 106) for connecting and fitting; the connecting slot (slot behind 106) is provided with at least one conductive bar (fig. 8; 140) for electrical connection; the connector body (110) is further provided with at least one assembly chamber (fig. 8; 119) corresponding to the at least one conductive bar (140); and the at least one conductive bar (140) is set in the at least one assembly chamber (119).
Regarding claim 2, Tziviskos discloses wherein at least one electrical connecting pin (fig. 10; 142) for electrical connection is formed on one end (rear end) of the at least one conductive bar (140) facing away the connecting slot (slot behind 106); a bulging part (fig. 10; 144) is formed on another end (front end) of the at least one conductive bar (140) facing the connecting slot (slot behind 106); and the bulging part (144) is bulged upwards in a vertical direction (fig. 10; downward direction).
Regarding claim 3, Tziviskos discloses wherein the at least one assembly chamber (119) comprises a plurality of assembly chambers (there is more than one 119); and insulating partitions (sections of 110 separating 119) are set between any two adjacent assembly chambers (119) of the plurality of assembly chambers (119).
Regarding claim 4, Tziviskos discloses wherein an outer side of the connector body (110) is connected to a protective casing (fig. 8; 120); and the protective casing (120) is connected to an upper side (upper surface of 110), a left side (left surface of 110), and a right side (right surface of 110) of the connector body (110).
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) 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tziviskos et al. [US 9,966,677] in view of Zhang [US 2008/0020640].
Regarding claim 5, Tziviskos discloses all of the claim limitations except wherein the connector body is provided with snap parts on the left side and right side of the connector body; the protective casing is provided with snap holes corresponding to the snap parts; and the snap parts are connected to and fitted with the snap holes so that the protective casing is fixedly positioned with the connector body.
However, Zhang teaches the connector body (fig. 1; 1) is provided with snap parts (fig. 1; 132) on the left side and right side (Par [0019] Ln 10-11) of the connector body (1); the protective casing (fig. 1; 3) is provided with snap holes (fig. 1; 331) corresponding to the snap parts (132); and the snap parts (132) are connected to and fitted with the snap holes (331) so that the protective casing (3) is fixedly positioned with the connector body (1).
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 body is provided with snap parts on the left side and right side of the connector body; the protective casing is provided with snap holes corresponding to the snap parts; and the snap parts are connected to and fitted with the snap holes so that the protective casing is fixedly positioned with the connector body as suggested by Zhang for the benefit of improving the mechanical strength between connector parts once assembled.
Regarding claim 6, Tziviskos modified by Zhang has been discussed above. Tziviskos discloses wherein a bottom (fig. 8; area of 126) of the protective casing (120) is provided with mounting pins (126) extending downwards for mounting and connecting.
Regarding claim 7, Tziviskos modified by Zhang has been discussed above. Tziviskos discloses wherein a bottom (bottom of 110) of the connector body (110) is provided with positioning pins (fig. 8; 112) for positioning.
Claim(s) 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tziviskos et al. [US 9,966,677] and Zhang [US 2008/0020640] as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Yang [US 2015/0031241].
Regarding claims 8 and 9, Tziviskos and Zhang disclose all of the claim limitations except wherein the at least one conductive bar is machined and formed from an elastically resettable metal material [claim 8]; wherein the connecting slot is provided with a guiding bevel; and the guiding bevel is arranged obliquely from outside to inside in the direction of the connecting slot [claim 9].
However, Yang teaches the at least one conductive bar (fig. 1; one 11) is machined and formed from an elastically resettable metal material (Par [0024] Ln 17-21); wherein the connecting slot (fig. 7; 41) is provided with a guiding bevel (see mark-up below from fig. 7; GB); and the guiding bevel (GB) is arranged obliquely from outside (outside surface of 4) to inside (inside of slot 41) in the direction of the connecting slot (41).
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Mark-up
Therefore, it would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the at least one conductive bar being machined and formed from an elastically resettable metal material and the connecting slot is provided with a guiding bevel; and the guiding bevel is arranged obliquely from outside to inside in the direction of the connecting slot as suggested by Yang for the benefit of providing improved electrical contact between terminals and an inserted component.
Claim(s) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tziviskos et al. [US 9,966,677], Zhang [US 2008/0020640] and Yang [US 2015/0031241] as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Ho et al. [US 7,074,090].
Tziviskos, Zhang and Yang disclose all of the claim limitations except wherein the connecting slot is in an L-shape; and the connecting slot has an opening at a top of the connecting slot.
However, Ho teaches the connecting slot (fig. 4; 72) is in an L-shape (front of 70 is a L-shape); and the connecting slot (72) has an opening (fig. 4; space above 71) at a top of the connecting slot (72).
Therefore, it would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the connecting slot is in an L-shape; and the connecting slot has an opening at a top of the connecting slot as suggested by Ho for the benefit of optimizing the mating process between an inserted component and the connector body.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-20 are 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS E HARCUM whose telephone number is (571)272-9986. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah 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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/MARCUS E HARCUM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831