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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-14 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 1 recites the limitation "of sheet type" in Line 17. The term “type” is unclear.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1 and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hashiguchi et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0104824). Regarding Claim , Hashiguchi discloses a connector comprising: a plug contact (13) having a conductive property and including a recessed portion (13c) extending along a fitting axis; an inner contact (15) having a conductive property and inserted in the recessed portion; and a bottom insulator (16) including a projection (16A) extending along the fitting axis and inserted in the recessed portion, wherein the inner contact includes a contact portion (inner surface of 15F) that is elastically displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis and makes contact with the plug contact in the recessed portion, a projection contacting portion (15G) that is elastically displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis and makes contact with a lateral surface of the projection in the recessed portion, and a pressing portion (outer surface of 15F) that is elastically displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis and faces an inner surface of the recessed portion, and a part (21) of a connection object (12) of sheet type having a flexible conductor (21) exposed on at least one surface (top surface) of the connection object is sandwiched between the pressing portion and the inner surface of the recessed portion in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis, the inner surface of the recessed portion makes (electrical) contact (via 21) with a top surface (Fig. 14) of the connection object, and the pressing portion makes (electrical) contact (via 16) with a bottom surface (Fig. 14) of the connection object, whereby the plug contact is electrically connected to the flexible conductor directly when the flexible conductor is exposed on the top surface of the connection object, and the plug contact is electrically connected to the flexible conductor via the inner contact when the flexible conductor is exposed on the bottom surface of the connection object.
Regarding Claim 10, Hashiguchi discloses the plug contact including: a protrusion portion (top part of 13) protruding along the fitting axis; and a flange (13B) extending from a base end of the protrusion portion in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis, and the recessed portion is constituted of an interior of the protrusion portion.
Regarding Claim 11, Hashiguchi discloses the plug contact including: the protrusion portion constituted of a tubular portion (Fig. 6); and the flange in a discoid shape (Fig. 6) extending in a radial direction from an outer periphery of the base end of the tubular portion.
Regarding Claim 12, Hashiguchi discloses the plug contact including: the protrusion portion constituted of a U-shaped portion (Fig. 6); and the flange comprising a pair of flat plate flanges (Fig. 6) extending from opposite ends of the U-shaped portion in opposite directions from each other.
Regarding Claim 13, Hashiguchi discloses a housing (12) having an insulating property and configured to retain the connection object, the plug contact, and the inner contact, wherein the housing includes: a top insulator (12A) provided with a contact through-hole through (Fig. 3) which the protrusion portion of the plug contact is passed; and the bottom insulator, and the top insulator is fixed to the bottom insulator such that the protrusion portion of the plug contact is passed through the contact through-hole and the connection object and the flange are sandwiched between the top insulator and the bottom insulator.
Regarding Claim 14, Hashiguchi discloses a connecting method for connecting the plug contact to the flexible conductor of the connection object by use of the connector, the method comprising: disposing (Fig. 10) the connection object with respect to the plug contact such that the flexible conductor exposed on at least one surface of the connection object is positioned at an opening end portion of the recessed portion of the plug contact; inserting (Fig. 12) the inner contact into the recessed portion while pushing the connection object into the recessed portion such that the contact portion of the inner contact makes contact with the plug contact within the recessed portion and that the connection object is sandwiched between the pressing portion of the inner contact and the inner surface of the recessed portion in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis; and inserting (Fig. 14) the projection of the bottom insulator into the recessed portion such that the lateral surface of the projection makes contact with the projection contacting portion of the inner contact, whereupon the inner surface of the recessed portion makes contact with the top surface of the connection object, and the pressing portion makes contact with the bottom surface of the connection object, whereby the plug contact is electrically connected to the flexible conductor directly when the flexible conductor is exposed on the top surface of the connection object, and the plug contact is electrically connected to the flexible conductor via the inner contact when the flexible conductor is exposed on the bottom surface of the connection object.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses connectors, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having plug contacts, insulators and contact portions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833