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 12/27/2023 and 01/24/2025 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 Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: lines 8-10 recite, “of two contacts,” “a spring piece,” “to another,” “of one contact,” and “a spring piece,” claim should be amended to recite –of the two contacts--, --the spring piece--, --to the another--, --of the one contact-- and –the spring piece--. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-3, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 111987503.
Regarding claim 1, CN ‘503 discloses an impedance adjustment method for adjusting impedance of each contact in a connector where a plurality of contacts (fig. 1; 2) having electrical conductivity are arranged in a row (fig. 1; rows in the y direction) with a predetermined pitch (see mark-up below from fig. 5; PDP), wherein each contact (each 2) is designed in such a way that one contact part (fig. 1; 213) is supported by two spring pieces (fig. 1; 2121) extending apart from each other in a pitch direction (y direction) and parallel to each other and whose both ends (fig. 1; 214, 215) are joined, no conductor is designed to exist between the two spring pieces (2121) of each contact (2), no conductor is designed to exist between two contacts (2) adjacent in the pitch direction (y direction), and a gap (mark-up; G) in the pitch direction (y direction) between, of two contacts (adjacent two 2s in the mark-up below) adjacent in the pitch direction (y direction), a spring piece (mark-up; one 2121 of one 2 facing G) closer to another contact (mark-up; other adjacent 2) out of the two spring pieces (2121) of one contact (one 2) and a spring piece (mark-up; one 2121 of the other 2 facing G) closer to the one contact (one 2) out of the two spring pieces (2121) of the another contact (other 2) is narrowed by separating the two spring pieces (2121) of each contact (2) away from each other in the pitch direction (y direction) while maintaining the predetermined pitch (PDP) and cross-sectional areas and cross-sectional shapes (2121 is identical, so cross-sectional shapes and areas will be the same) of the two spring pieces (2121) of each contact (each contact is identical), thereby reducing impedance of each contact (2) while maintaining the predetermined pitch and elasticity of each contact (2, 2 is configured to perform this action based upon the given structure).
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Mark-up
Regarding claim 2, CN ‘503 discloses a connector for high-speed transmission where a plurality of contacts (2) having electrical conductivity are arranged in a row (y direction row) with a predetermined pitch (mark-up above; PDP), wherein in each contact (2), one contact part (213) is supported by two spring pieces (2121) extending apart from each other in a pitch direction (y direction) and parallel to each other and whose both ends (213, 215) are joined, no conductor exists between the two spring pieces (2121) of each contact (2), no conductor exists between two contacts (2) adjacent in the pitch direction (y direction), and a gap (fig. 1; 2122) in the pitch direction (y direction) between the two spring pieces (2122) of each contact (2) is greater than a gap (mark-up above; G) in the pitch direction (y direction) between, of two contacts adjacent (two adjacent 2) in the pitch direction (y direction), a spring piece (one 2121 of one 2 facing G) closer to another contact (other 2) out of the two spring pieces (2121) of one contact (one 2) and a spring piece (one 2121 of the other 2 facing G) closer to the one contact (one 2) out of the two spring pieces (2121) of the another contact (other contact).
Regarding claim 3, CN ‘503 discloses wherein cross-sectional areas and cross-sectional shapes of the two spring pieces (2121) are equal to each other (2121 is identical, so cross-sectional shapes and areas will be the same).
Regarding claim 5, CN ‘503 discloses wherein each contact (2) is formed symmetrically with respect to a center line (fig. 4; a centerline in the z direction would be the line of symmetry).
Regarding claim 6, CN ‘503 discloses an insulating housing (fig. 1; 1) that holds the plurality of contacts (2), wherein the housing (1) includes a plurality of contact accommodation parts (fig. 1; 13) that accommodate the plurality of contacts (2), respectively, and a plurality of partition walls (walls of 1 that separate 13) that separate the plurality of contact accommodation parts (13), respectively, in the pitch direction (y direction), and a corresponding partition wall is disposed between, of two contacts adjacent (two adjacent 2) in the pitch direction (y direction), a spring piece (one 2121 of one 2 facing G) closer to another contact (other 2) out of the two spring pieces (2121) of one contact (one 2) and a spring piece (one 2121 of the other 2 facing G) closer to the one contact (one 2) out of the two spring pieces (2121) of the another contact (other contact).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 4 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 111987503 in view of Hwang [US 11,264,745].
Regarding claim 4, CN ‘503 discloses wherein the two spring pieces (2121) are a cantilever beam (they are elastic).
CN ‘503 does not disclose the cantilever beam being partially bent in a U-shape.
However, Hwang teaches the cantilever beam (fig. 4; 24) being partially bent in a U-shape (see fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the cantilever beam being partially bent in a U-shape as suggested by Hwang for the benefit of providing improved flexibility of a contact in order to expand the life span of said contact.
Regarding claim 7, CN ‘503 discloses wherein each contact (2) includes a welding part (fig. 1; 216) at an end (bottom) on an opposite side of the contact part (213).
CN ‘503 does not explicitly disclose a soldering part.
However, Hwang teaches a soldering part (fig. 6; 25).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate a soldering part as suggested by Hwang for the benefit of effectively lowering production cost by having less complicated methods of joining metals.
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
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