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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 7/20/2026. These drawings are accepted.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 8-10 and 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gingrich III et al. (US 2024/0145995) hereafter Gingrich in view of Kirk et al. (US 7,581,990) hereafter Kirk.
Regarding claim 1, Gingrich discloses an electrical interconnection system 14 comprising: a housing 20 having a mating end and a mounting end; a plurality of circuit boards 22 extending between the mating end 16 and the mounting end 18 of the housing; a plurality of cavities 84 provided between the plurality of circuit boards 22; electromagnetic absorber members 46 provided in the plurality of cavities; and wherein the electromagnetic absorber members 46 reduce resonance present in the plurality of cavities.
Gingrich, does not disclose the electromagnetic absorber members formed of a base material with a filler material, the filler material having a higher conductivity than the base material.
Kirk, column 10, lines 14-39 discloses he binder or matrix may be any material that will set, cure or can otherwise be used to position the filler material. In some embodiments, the binder may be a thermoplastic material such as is traditionally used in the manufacture of electrical connectors to facilitate the molding of the electrically lossy material into the desired shapes and locations as part of the manufacture of the electrical connector. However, many alternative forms of binder material may be used. Curable materials, such as epoxies, can serve as a binder. Alternatively, materials such as thermosetting resins or adhesives may be used. Also, while the above described binder materials may be used to create an electrically lossy material by forming a binder around conducting particle fillers, the invention is not so limited. For example, conducting particles may be impregnated into a formed matrix material or may be coated onto a formed matrix material, such as by applying a conductive coating to a plastic housing. As used herein, the term "binder" encompasses a material that encapsulates the filler, is impregnated with the filler or otherwise serves as a substrate to hold the filler. (59) Preferably, the fillers will be present in a sufficient volume percentage to allow conducting paths to be created from particle to particle. For example, when metal fiber is used, the fiber may be present in about 3% to 40% by volume. The amount of filler may impact the conducting properties of the material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the electromagnetic absorber members formed of a base material with a filler material, the filler material having a higher conductivity than the base material, as taught by Kirk in order to impact the conducting properties of the base material.
Regarding claim 2, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the plurality of circuit boards are retained in the housing.
Regarding claim 5, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the electromagnetic absorber members extend from the mating end of the housing to the mounting end of the housing.
Regarding claim 6, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the electromagnetic absorber members are provided proximate mating ends of the plurality of circuit boards and mounting ends of the plurality of circuit boards.
Regarding claim 8, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the plurality of circuit boards have first surfaces and second surfaces the electromagnetic absorber members are spaced from one or both of the first surfaces and the second surfaces (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the plurality of circuit boards have first surfaces and second surfaces the electromagnetic absorber members are engage both of the first surfaces and the second surfaces.
Regarding claim 10, Gingrich, discloses an electrical interconnection system comprising: a housing 20; at least one circuit board 22 positioned in the housing 20; at least one cavity 84 positioned proximate the at least one circuit board 22; at least one electromagnetic absorber member 46 positioned in the at least one cavity 84, and wherein the at least one electromagnetic absorber member 46 reduces resonance present in the at least one cavity.
Gingrich, does not disclose the electromagnetic absorber members formed of a base material with a filler material, the filler material having a higher conductivity than the base material.
Kirk, column 10, lines 14-39 discloses he binder or matrix may be any material that will set, cure or can otherwise be used to position the filler material. In some embodiments, the binder may be a thermoplastic material such as is traditionally used in the manufacture of electrical connectors to facilitate the molding of the electrically lossy material into the desired shapes and locations as part of the manufacture of the electrical connector. However, many alternative forms of binder material may be used. Curable materials, such as epoxies, can serve as a binder. Alternatively, materials such as thermosetting resins or adhesives may be used. Also, while the above described binder materials may be used to create an electrically lossy material by forming a binder around conducting particle fillers, the invention is not so limited. For example, conducting particles may be impregnated into a formed matrix material or may be coated onto a formed matrix material, such as by applying a conductive coating to a plastic housing. As used herein, the term "binder" encompasses a material that encapsulates the filler, is impregnated with the filler or otherwise serves as a substrate to hold the filler. (59) Preferably, the fillers will be present in a sufficient volume percentage to allow conducting paths to be created from particle to particle. For example, when metal fiber is used, the fiber may be present in about 3% to 40% by volume. The amount of filler may impact the conducting properties of the material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the electromagnetic absorber members formed of a base material with a filler material, the filler material having a higher conductivity than the base material, as taught by Kirk in order to impact the conducting properties of the base material.
Regarding claim 13, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the at least one circuit board is a plurality of circuit boards and the at one cavity is a plurality of cavities, each cavity of the plurality of cavities is positioned proximate a respective circuit board of the plurality of circuit boards.
Regarding claim 14, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses an electromagnetic absorber member of the at least one electromagnetic absorber member is provided in each of the plurality of cavities.
Regarding claim 15, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses each circuit board of the plurality of circuit boards has a first surface and a second surface, electromagnetic absorber members of the at least one electromagnetic absorber member are spaced from one or both of the first surfaces and the second surfaces.
Regarding claim 16, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses each circuit board of the plurality of circuit boards has a first surface and a second surface, electromagnetic absorber members of the at least one electromagnetic absorber member engage the first surfaces and the second surfaces.
Regarding claim 17, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the at least one circuit board has first contact pads positioned on a mating end thereof and second contact pads positioned on a mounting end thereof.
Regarding claim 18, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses wherein the at least one electromagnetic absorber member extends from proximate the mating end of the at least one circuit board to proximate the mounting end of the at least one circuit board.
Regarding claim 19, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses the at least one electromagnetic absorber member is provided proximate the mating end of the at least one circuit board and the mounting end of the at least one circuit board.
Claims 3, 7, 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gingrich and Kirk, further in view of Lee (US 2021/0313 724).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses all the claimed limitations except for the electromagnetic absorber members include a high dielectric loss material.
Lee, discloses the use high dielectric loss materiel coating on in distal region (see paragraph [0024]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the electromagnetic absorber members include a high dielectric loss material as taught by Lee. (It is to be noted that high dielectric loss material is not an invention of this application and is well known) in order to have noise free data signa communication.
Moreover, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to made the electromagnetic absorber members of a high magnetic loss material, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to use a known material on the basis of its suitability.
Regarding claims 7 and 20, Gingrich as modified by Kirk and Lee, discloses the electromagnetic absorber members have a dielectric loss tangent between greater than 0.1 in the frequency of 20 GHz or greater (see Lee, paragraph [006]).
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gingrich and Kirk, further in view of Zhao et al. (US 2021/0244464) hereafter Zhao.
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Gingrich as modified by Kirk, discloses all the claimed limitations except for the electromagnetic absorber members include a high magnetic loss material.
Zhao, discloses the use of high magnetic loss materiel coating on in distal region (see paragraph [0024].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the electromagnetic absorber members include a high magnetic loss material as taught by Zhao (It is to be noted that high magnetic loss material is not an invention of this application and is well known) in order to have noise free data signa communication.
Moreover, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to made the electromagnetic absorber members of a high magnetic loss material or having coating of such material, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to use a known material on the basis of its suitability.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 07/20/2026 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. Examiner has revised the rejection to address the recent amendment.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARSHAD C PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-8289. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5.00 pm (EST).
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/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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