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 .
Claim5-8 and 16-19 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.
Claim 5 lines 6 7 “ is disposer closer to “ and claim 16 lines 2 3 “ disposed closer to” are unclear If at issue applicant should point out by fig no and numeral as to just how these claims 5 16 features are readable on disclosed device
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 4, 10-17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a, 1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative,under 35 USC 102 as anticipated by Fan or under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Fan (U. S. Patent 12456828).
For claim 1, Fan, figures 3, 13, shows a connector with housing 200, an upper wall at line 201, a lower wall at line 200, a divider 260 to form slots on each side of the dividers first slot at line 220 with channel in each side of first slot see fig 13 four channels for four elements and conductive elements in each slot having mating and mounting ends. There being first elements 400 in first slot and second elements 300 in second slot , the first elements at line 400 wider than the second elements and both sets of elements disposed and curving into in the slots . For claim 2, the first and second elements are for power and signal It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify to provide variants intended to provide necessary values of range and speed for selected use. For claim 4, the Fan first and second contacts are disposed in rows on opposite sides of the slot and contact portions (eight fingers) of first contacts 400 are wider than contacts portions (single finger) of second contacts.
For claim 10, the Fan conductive elements are formed from metal sheets. For claim 11, figure 13, power contacts are shown to be thicker then the signal contacts. If the matter is at issue also obvious to form power cotacts of greater thickness as they carry more current than do signal contacts For claim 12, Fan, figure 2 shows PCB 910 with first and second portion 912 911 and with notches to receive dividers and with signal pads 911 and power pads 912. For claim 13, the Fan figure 3, housing 200 includes a first segment at line 220 and a second segment at line 201 a first plurality of conductive elements 440 in the first segment a second plurality of conductive elements 300 held in the second segments the elements having mating and mounting ends, the first conductive elements spacing greater than that of the second conductive elements. See fig 13 note barriers between first elements For claim 14, elements at 400 are shown to be wider those at 300. But if at issue obvious to so form them as noter above For claim 15, elements 400 are for power those at 300 are for signals. For claim 16, Fan contact fingers at 400. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify to form varied width since such change produces no stated difference. Claim 17, Fan elements as shown in figure 11 includes intermediate portions, straight portions curved portions and mating portions arranged as recited in the claims. For claim 20, Fan figure 2, includes pcb with first and second surfaces, each with a plurality of pads along an edge and power contacts 912, 912 spanning location of plural standard pads. IF at issue also obvious to so form the pads since power pads ate to carry large currents
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan in view of Ramirez.
Fan does not show small contacts between sections of larger power contacts, Ramirez shows this with large (power) contacts at 66 to both sides of signal contact sections 68. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fan device in such manner to avoid arcing by seperarting groups of power contacts.
Claim(s) 5 6 7 16 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over fan in view of Horning11 539154
For claims 5 16 Fan power contacts lack feature of first contact feature and adjacent second contact fingers Horning includes such contacts with second contact fingers 222 222 narrower than first contact finger 220 Obvious to so form Fan power contacts for more reliable engagement to pcb Other recited features of these claims deemed obvious variations
Claims 9 is 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Neil Abrams whose telephone number is (571)272-2089. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TC Patel can be reached at 571-272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NEIL ABRAMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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