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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “comprises,” should be avoided.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(l). Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well- defined. The weight of all lines and letters must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction. This requirement applies to all lines however fine, to shading, and to lines representing cut surfaces in sectional views. Lines and strokes of different thicknesses may be used in the same drawing where different thicknesses have a different meaning.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(h)(5) because modified forms of the same part should not be shown in the same figure. Therefore, Figure 1 should be two independent figures. See also Figure 3.
Additionally, when an exploded view is shown in a figure which is on the same sheet as another figure, the exploded view should be placed in brackets.
The drawings are objected to because they have elements shown in cross section which are not properly crosshatched. Insulating members shown in cross section should be properly crosshatched. See Figs. 3 and 11b. It is brought to applicant’s attention that the conventional crosshatch for insulating members shown in cross section consist of lines of two different thicknesses alternatively disposed.
PNG
media_image1.png
35
156
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 12 and 20 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. The term "type" renders the claims indefinite because the claims include elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "type"), thereby rendering the scope of the claims unascertainable.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morgan et al. (US 10,283,914).
Regarding claim 1, Morgan discloses an electrical connector, comprising: a plurality of signal contacts (166); a plurality of ground contacts (188); a wafer (122) supporting the plurality of signal contacts and the plurality of ground contacts; a first organizer (254/222) attached to the wafer and positioning the plurality of signal contacts; and a second organizer (252) attached to the wafer, the second organizer in electrical contact with and positioning the plurality of ground contacts.
Regarding claim 2, Morgan discloses the first organizer and the second organizer being stacked on each other (Figs. 10 and 11).
Regarding claim 3, Morgan discloses the electrical connector connected to a circuit board (106); the first organizer comprises an electrically insulating material (col. 6, lines 34-41); and the second organizer comprises an electrically conductive material (conductive gasket).
Regarding claim 4, Morgan discloses the second organizer defining a first face (bottom of 252, Fig. 12) opposite the circuit board formed of the electrically conductive material, the plurality of ground contacts in electrical contact with the electrically conductive material.
Regarding claim 5, Morgan discloses the second organizer including: an electrically conductive film (252) formed on the first face; and a molded body (222) supporting the electrically conductive film and comprising an electrically insulating material.
Regarding claim 6, Morgan discloses the first organizer including a plurality of first support portions (222) spaced from each other and supporting the plurality of signal contacts.
Regarding claim 7, Morgan discloses the second organizer including a plurality of second support portions (372) supporting the plurality of ground contacts.
Regarding claim 8, Morgan discloses a plurality of arrangement spaces (370) that pass through a front and a back of the second organizer, the plurality of second support portions and the plurality of arrangement spaces being alternated in a planar direction (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 9, Morgan discloses the first support portion (222) of the first organizer arranged in the arrangement space of the second organizer (Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 10, Morgan discloses each of the plurality of signal contacts being a press-contact type contact (166); and each of the plurality of ground contacts being a press-fit type contact (188).
Regarding claim 11, Morgan discloses a connector assembly, comprising: an electrical connector, including: a signal contact (166); a ground contact (188); a wafer (122) supporting the signal contact and the ground contact; a first organizer (254) attached to the wafer and positioning the signal contact; and a second organizer (252) attached to the wafer, the second organizer in electrical contact with and positioning the ground contact; and a circuit board (106), including a signal electrode (not shown) and a ground electrode (not shown), the signal contact of the electrical connector electrically connected to the signal electrode of the circuit board, and the ground contact of the electrical connector is electrically connected to the ground electrode of the circuit board.
Regarding claim 12, Morgan discloses the circuit board further including: a plurality of pad type signal electrodes (not shown); and a plurality of ground electrodes formed around a through-hole (see Fig. 12) passing through a front and a back of the circuit board; and the signal contact and the ground contact include a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts, respectively.
Regarding claim 13, Morgan discloses the plurality of signal contacts being in press contact with the signal electrodes, and the plurality of ground contacts are press-fitted in the ground electrodes (Figs. 10-12).
Regarding claim 14, Morgan discloses an electrical connector, comprising: a wafer (122) adapted to support a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts; a first organizer (254/222) attached to the wafer and adapted to receive and locate the plurality of signal contacts; and a second organizer (252) attached to the wafer and in electrical contact with the plurality of ground contacts, and responsible for positioning the ground contacts.
Regarding claim 15, Morgan discloses the electrical connector adapted to be connected to a circuit board; the first organizer comprises an electrically insulating material (col. 10, lines 31-44); and the second organizer defines a first face adapted to be positioned opposite the circuit board and comprising an electrically conductive material (conductive gasket) in electrical contact with the plurality of ground contacts.
Regarding claim 16, Morgan discloses the second organizer further including an electrically conductive film (252) formed on the first face opposite.
Regarding claim 17, Morgan discloses the second organizer further including a molded body (222) supporting the electrically conductive film and comprising an electrically insulating material.
Regarding claim 18, Morgan discloses the first organizer including a plurality of first support portions (222) supporting the plurality of signal contacts, the plurality of first support portions being spaced from each other; and the second organizer includes a plurality of second support portions (372) supporting the plurality of ground contacts, and a plurality of arrangement spaces (370) passing through a front and a back of the second organizer, the plurality of second support portions and the plurality of arrangement spaces being alternated in a planar direction (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 19, Morgan discloses the plurality of first support portions of the first organizer are arranged in the plurality of arrangement spaces of the second organizer (Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 20, Morgan discloses each of the plurality of signal contacts being a press-contact type contact; and each of the plurality of ground contacts being a press-fit type contact (Fig. 10).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833