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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/07/2023, 06/05/2024, 08/05/2025 and 11/07/2025 was filed on and after the mailing date of the application. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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, 2 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 110061391.
Regarding claim, CN ‘391 discloses an electrical connector, comprising: a housing (fig. 2; 1), the housing (1) comprising a receiving slot (fig. 2; 11) configured to at least partially receive a mating module (fig. 2; 200) along a first direction (fig. 2; X), and a wall portion (fig. 2; 12) located on at least one side (top) of the receiving slot (11); the wall portion (12) defining a first terminal installation slot (fig. 2; 123) that extends through the wall portion (12) and communicates with the receiving slot (11); a plurality of first conductive terminals (fig. 2; 2), the plurality of first conductive terminals being disposed along a second direction (fig. 2; Y); the plurality of first conductive terminals (2) being at least partially received in the housing (1); a first ground terminal (one 2), the first ground terminal (one 2) comprising a first mating portion (fig. 5; 221) protruding into the receiving slot (11) and an elastic portion (fig. 5; 22, 221) located in the first terminal installation slot (123); the elastic portion (22, 221) being deformable (22 is elastic) when the mating module (200) presses against the first mating portion (221), so that the first mating portion (221) moves along a third direction (fig. 6; Z); each two of the first direction (X), the second direction (Y) and the third direction (Z) being perpendicular to each other; and a first pressing plate (fig. 2; 5), the first pressing plate (5) being fixed to the wall portion (12); the first pressing plate (5) abutting (fig. 6; 55 of 5) against the elastic portion (22, 221) so as to restrict the elastic portion (22, 221).
Regarding claim 2, CN ‘391 discloses wherein the first ground terminal (one 2) comprises a first base portion (fig. 5; 21) on which the first mating portion (221 is formed on 22 which is formed on 21) is formed; the elastic portion (22, 221) comprises a first elastic arm (22) connected to the first base portion (21).
Regarding claim 10, CN ‘391 discloses wherein the first pressing plate (5) and the housing (1) are made separately (5 and 1 are separate) or integrally formed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-20 are allowed.
Claims 3-9 and 11 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.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: regarding claim 12, the prior art of record fails to disclose, teach, provide or suggest ach first ground terminal comprising a first mating portion protruding into the receiving slot and an elastic portion located in the first terminal installation slot; the elastic portion being deformable when the mating module presses against the first mating portion, so that the first mating portion moves along a third direction; each two of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction being perpendicular to each other; and a first pressing plate, the first pressing plate being fixed to the wall portion; the first pressing plate abutting against the elastic portions so as to restrict the elastic portions; wherein the first pressing plate is a metal pressing plate; and the plurality of first ground terminals are connected in series by the metal pressing plate.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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