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
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 § 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 107078426 A.
In regard to claim 1, CN 107078426 A discloses a connector, comprising:
a receptacle unit 10 mounted on a first external board PCB1; and
a plug unit 62 (see fig. 22-24) mounted on a second external board PCB2 and connected to the receptacle unit 10, the connector electrically connecting the first external board PCB1 and the second external board PCB2 by inserting, fitting and connecting the plug unit 62 into the receptacle unit 10 in a first direction Z, wherein
the receptacle unit 10 comprises a plurality of first contacts 20, 22 arranged at predetermined intervals in a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction Z and connected at one end to the first external board PCB1,
the plug unit 62 (see fig. 22-24) comprises a plurality of second contacts 30, 32 corresponding respectively to the first contacts 20, 22 and arranged in the second direction Y, each of the second contacts 30, 32 having one end connected to the other end of the first contact 20, 22 and the other end connected to the second external board PCB2,
the first contacts and the second contacts are configured by arranging a plurality of sets of two ground contacts (20ai, 32 ‘ai) that sandwich a plurality of signal contacts (20bi, 30ai) therebetween corresponding to each channel (see figures 15 and 17), and
at least the plug unit 62 further comprises a plurality of shielding plates 60 that are provided so as to be separated from each other in at least the second direction Y and each correspond to a different channel 62Di, and are respectively electrically connected to a ground of the second external board PCB2.
In regard to claim 2, CN 107078426 A discloses the first contacts and the second contacts are provided in a plurality of rows in a third direction X orthogonal to both the first direction Z and the second direction Y, and the shielding plate 60 is provided between channels adjacent in the third direction X (see fig.23).
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Okuyama et al. (US 10424860 B2).
In regard to claim 1, Okuyama et al. discloses a connector, comprising:
a receptacle unit 1 mounted on a first external board P1; and
a plug unit 2 mounted on a second external board P2 and connected to the receptacle unit 1, the connector electrically connecting the first external board P1 and the second external board P2 by inserting, fitting and connecting the plug unit 2 into the receptacle unit 1 in a first direction (vertical direction in fig. 1), wherein
the receptacle unit 1 comprises a plurality of first contacts 30 arranged at predetermined intervals in a second direction (longitudinal direction as seen in fig. 3(A) orthogonal to the first direction and connected at one end to the first external board P1,
the plug unit 2 comprises a plurality of second contacts 110 corresponding respectively to the first contacts 30 and arranged in the second direction, each of the second contacts 110 having one end connected to the other end of the first contact 30 and the other end connected to the second external board P2,
the first contacts and the second contacts are configured by arranging a plurality of sets of two ground contacts (110G, 30G) that sandwich a plurality of signal contacts (110S, 30S) therebetween corresponding to each channel (see figures 1 and 3(B)), and
at least the receptacle unit 1 further comprises a plurality of shielding plates 80 that are provided so as to be separated from each other in at least the second direction and each correspond to a different channel and are respectively electrically connected to the ground contacts of the corresponding channels.
In regard to claim 2, Okuyama et al. discloses the first contacts and the second contacts are provided in a plurality of rows in a third direction (a direction parallel to the width of body 50) orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction, and the shielding plate 80 is provided between channels adjacent in the third direction.
In regard to claim 4, Okuyama et al. discloses the shielding plate 80 comprises a short strip-like metal plate 81 and a hook portion 83 extending from both ends of one end portion of the metal plate 81, bent into a hook shape toward the other end portion, and grounded.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5-12 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
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Tdt
12/28/2025
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834