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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 7/7/2026 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Based on Applicant’s election of Group I and Species 1, claims 4, 8, 9 and 18-20 remain withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention/species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5- 7, 10 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishio et al. (US 5,938,473) in view of Wright (US 6,340,318).
Regarding claim 1, Nishio discloses an electrical connector comprising: a plurality of terminals (12); a housing (11) holding the plurality of terminals; and a shell (13) disposed outside the housing, the shell comprising a wall (bottom) comprising a mounting face; and a member (15) integrated with the wall and extending from the mounting face in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting face (Figs. 1 and 2); a centerline of the body extending in the direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting face; the body extends from a proximal end connected to the wall to a distal end.
Nishio discloses substantially the claimed invention except for the specific shape of the member. Wright teaches the use of a member (12) comprising a cylindrical body (15) with a hollow core (45), a centerline of the cylindrical body extending through the hollow core and extending in the direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting face, wherein: the cylindrical body extends from a proximal end (13L) connected to the wall to a distal end (bottom of Fig. 2); the cylindrical body comprises a plurality of diameters (see Fig. 2); and the plurality of diameters decrease from the proximal end toward the distal end (see Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a cylindrical body with a hollow core, as taught by Wright, in order to provide easier insertion with a larger surface connecting area.
Regarding claim 2, Nishio discloses the member having a hollow core (between 15 and 15b in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Nishio discloses the member comprising a same material (i.e. metal) as the wall of the shell.
Regarding claim 5, Nishio discloses substantially the claimed invention except for the specific material of the shell. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to form the member comprising at least one of copper, a copper alloy, a zinc alloy, an aluminum alloy, or stainless steel as the preferred material, in order to provide the desired conductivity for the shell, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design preference. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Regarding claim 6, Nishio discloses the member disposed in a central portion of the mounting face (see Fig. 2); and the shell comprising a plurality of tails (13a) disposed around a boundary of the mounting face.
Regarding claim 7, Nishio discloses the wall comprises a pair of beams (not labeled, one shown on side wall in Fig. 1) configured to engage a mating connector; the member comprises a proximal end (top in Fig. 1) connected to the wall; and the proximal end is disposed between the pair of beams.
Regarding claim 10, Nishio discloses the member comprising a base portion (15a), the base portion connected to the wall at a proximal end of the member, a guiding portion (15b) tapering towards a distal end of the member opposite the proximal end of the member, and an intermediate portion connecting the base portion and the guiding portion; and the intermediate portion has a diameter less than a diameter of the base portion at the proximal end of the member.
Regarding claim 14, Nishio discloses an electrical connector (10) comprising: a shell (13) comprising a wall facing the surface of a circuit board and a member (15) extending from the wall, the member comprising a base portion (15a), a distal end (15b), and an intermediate portion connecting the base portion and the distal end, the intermediate portion having a diameter less than a diameter of the base portion; and a subassembly (11, 12) at least partially disposed in the shell, the subassembly comprising a plurality of terminals (12) and a housing (11) holding the plurality of terminals.
Nishio does not disclose the cylindrical shape. Wright teaches a member comprising a base portion (13L) having a cylindrical shape having a diameter and connected to the wall, a distal end (bottom, Fig. 2), and an intermediate portion (14) having a cylindrical shape having a uniform diameter along a centerline of the cylindrical shape (Fig. 2), the intermediate portion connecting the base portion and the distal end, the uniform diameter of the intermediate portion being less than a diameter of the base portion (13L). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the member with a cylindrical shape, as taught by Wright, in order to provide a larger connection area and a more stable surface connection.
Regarding claim 15, Nishio discloses the member of the shell electrically couples the shell to ground structures (20) in the circuit board (14, Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 16, Nishio discloses the shell comprising a pair of side walls extending substantially perpendicular to the wall and a plurality of tails (13a) extending from the pair of side walls into the circuit board.
Regarding claim 17, Nishio discloses the wall comprising a pair of beams (on shown in sidewall of Fig. 1) configured to engage a mating connector; the member comprises a proximal end connected to the wall; and the proximal end is disposed between the pair of beams (Fig. 2).
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishio and Wright, and further in view of Huang et al. (US 7,214,096).
Regarding claim 11, Nishio discloses the wall comprising the mounting face being a lower wall of the shell; the shell comprises an upper wall substantially parallel to the lower wall, a pair of side walls disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall and spaced from each other. Huang teaches each of the pair of side walls comprising a plurality of tails (104A, 105A) extending therefrom in the direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting face. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a plurality of tails and connection portions, as taught by Huang, in order to provide a sturdier shell arrangement.
Regarding claim 12, Huang teaches the shell comprising a rear wall connected with the pair of side walls and the upper wall; and the rear wall comprises a pair of connecting portions (105) each having a hole (lower side) configured to receive a protrusion extending from the pair of side walls, respectively (intended use).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishio and Wright, and further in view of Inoue et al. (US 2004/0242070).
Regarding claim 13, Inoue teaches the housing comprising at least one recess (32); and at least one of the upper wall (28) and the lower wall of the shell comprising at least one beam (30) that engages the at least one recess of the housing. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a beam and recess, as taught by Inoue, in order to provide a secure mounting between the housing and the shell.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. 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, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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