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
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 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsuruta et al. (US 20110053404) hereafter Tsuruta.
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Regarding claim 1, Tsuruta, discloses an electrical contact element for a plug connector 10, the electrical contact element 20 comprising: a metal flat contact plug 22 having an insertion-side end face 24 and contact surfaces 23; and a plastic body 26, the plastic body 26 having a plug tip 24 disposed on the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug; and the plug tip 24 having a cross-sectional area including two undulated edge contours EC (see annotated fig.) which extend symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to a center axis of the cross-sectional area (see figs. 2 & 4), and a cross-sectional width between the edge contours EC varies continuously along the plug tip and has at least one local maximum outside of end regions of the plug tip (see figs. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 2, Tsuruta, discloses a transition at the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug between each edge contour of the plug tip and each contact surface of the flat contact plug forms a concave indentation (see fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Tsuruta, , figs. 2 and 4, discloses: a transition at the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug between the plug tip and the flat contact plug is an angular transition in a form of a bevel, a radius, an edge, or a polynomial shape.
Regarding claim 4, Tsuruta, , figs. 2 and 4, discloses the edge contours have a doubly undulated profile.
Regarding claim 5, Tsuruta, , figs. 2 and 4, discloses cross-sectional width between the edge contours has two local maximums MX and a local minimum MN (see annotated fig.) outside of the end regions of the plug tip, the local minimum being between the two local maximums along the plug tip.
Regarding claim 6, Tsuruta, , figs. 2 and 4, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours further has a local minimum LM (see annotated fig.) at the end region of the plug tip adjacent to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug.
Regarding claim 7, Tsuruta, figs. 2 and 4, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours further has a local minimum LM at the end region of the plug tip opposite to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug.
Regarding claim 8, Tsuruta, figs. 2 and 4, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours has a second local minimum MN at the end region of the plug tip adjacent to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug and a third local minimum at the end region of the plug tip opposite to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug. It is to be noted that the area at different location there is different counters, and therefore, it can be consider that there are more than one counters (edge) and the edge at the different area can be considered as local Maximas and different local Minimums.
Regarding claim 9, Tsuruta, figs. 2 and 4, discloses the plastic body 26 further includes two side portions, the side portions of the plastic body resting against longitudinal sides of the flat contact plug.
Regarding claim 10, Tsuruta, figs. 2 and 4, discloses the edge contours extend symmetrically with respect to the center axis of the cross-sectional area.
Regarding claim 11, Tsuruta, discloses A plug connector assembly 10 comprising: an electrical contact element 20 having a metal flat contact plug 22 and a plastic body 26, the flat contact plug 22 including an insertion-side end face and contact surfaces, the plastic body 26 having a plug tip 24 disposed on the insertion-side end face of the metal flat contact plug 22, the plug tip 24 having a cross-sectional area including two undulated edge contours EC which extend symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to a center axis of the cross-sectional area (see figs. 2-4), and a cross-sectional width between the edge contours varies continuously along the plug tip and has at least one local maximum outside of end regions of the plug tip; and a mating contact element 34 having multiple contact slats (see figs. 5 and 7), the contact slats contacting the edge contours of the plug tip as the electrical contact element is partially inserted along an insertion direction into the mating contact element and the contact slats contacting the contact surfaces of the metal flat contact plug as the electrical contact element is fully inserted along the insertion direction into the mating contact element (see fig. 7) (see figs. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 12, Tsuruta, discloses the mating contact element has at least two contact slats (any two transitions) situated in succession along the insertion direction.
Regarding claim 13, Tsuruta, discloses the edge contours EC have a doubly undulated profile (see figs. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 14, Tsuruta, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours has two local maximums MX and a local minimum MN outside of the end regions of the plug tip, the local minimum MN being between the two local maximums MX along the plug tip (upon considering corresponding area of the edge counter EC) (see figs. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 15, Tsuruta, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours further has a local minimum LM at the end region of the plug tip adjacent to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug (see figs. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 16, Tsuruta, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours further has a local minimum LM at the end region of the plug tip opposite to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug (see figs. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 17, Tsuruta, discloses the cross-sectional width between the edge contours has a second local minimum MN at the end region of the plug tip adjacent to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug and a third local minimum at the end region of the plug tip opposite to the insertion-side end face of the flat contact plug (see figs. 2 and 4). It is to be noted that the area at different location there is different counters, and therefore, it can be consider that there are more than one counters (edge) and the edge at the different area can be considered as local Maximas and different local Minimums.
Regarding claim 18, Tsuruta, discloses the edge contours extend symmetrically with respect to the center axis of the cross-sectional area (see figs. 2 and 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO 892.
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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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/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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