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.
The following title is suggested: --CROWN SPRING FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH ALTERNATING SPRING BLADE DESIGN AND CONNECTOR USING THE SAME--.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 6-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (WO2018063928A1).
With regard to claim 1, Lin teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “A crown spring 30, comprising: a plurality of spring blades 38 that are radially deflectable, each of the spring blades 38 extends in an axial direction (along centerline 44 in figure 5) and has a proximal end (left end of 30 in figure 5) and a distal end (right end of 30 in figure 5), each of the spring blades 38 has only one contact section 60b1 and 60b2 contacting a pin contact 22 inserted into the crown spring 30 in the axial direction, the contact section is disposed at a radially most inward portion of the spring blade 38; a proximal ring member 42 extending along a circumferential direction and connecting the proximal ends of the spring blades 38, the circumferential direction extending around the axial direction; and a distal ring member 40 and 50 extending along the circumferential direction and connecting the distal ends of the spring blades 38, the contact sections of the spring blades 38 are arranged in a pair of annular zones that extend around the axial direction and are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, the contact sections in each of the annular zones are located in a same radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction”.
With regard to claim 2, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the annular zones includes a proximal annular zone (where 60b2 is located in figure 5) and a distal annular zone (where 60b1 is located in figure 5), the proximal annular zone is closer to the proximal ring member 42 in the axial direction than the distal annular zone”.
With regard to claim 3, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 2”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein a distance in the axial direction between the distal annular zone and the distal ring member corresponds to a distance in the axial direction between the proximal annular zone and the proximal ring member 42”.
With regard to claim 4, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 3”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the distance in the axial direction between the distal annular zone and the distal ring member 40 corresponds to a distance in the axial direction between the distal annular zone and the proximal annular zone 42”.
With regard to claim 6, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the spring blades 38 having contact sections in the same annular zone are formed identically”.
With regard to claim 7, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein each spring blade 38 has a proximal straight section 56b and that extends from the proximal ring member 40 to the contact section”.
With regard to claim 8, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 7”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein each spring blade 38 has a distal straight section 56a that extends from the distal ring member to the contact section”.
With regard to claim 9, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein at least one of the proximal ring member 42 and the distal ring member has a recess between 54 in figure 4)”.
With regard to claim 10, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 9”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the recess is at an axial end of the at least one of the proximal ring member 42 and the distal ring member facing away from the spring blades 38”.
With regard to claim 11, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 10”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the recess extends in the circumferential direction along less than 75% of a perimeter of the axial end”.
With regard to claim 12, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 11”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the recess is set back in the axial direction towards the spring blades 38”.
With regard to claim 13, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the contact sections in one of the annular zones are located at a same radial distance from a central axis 44 of the crown spring 30 that extends in the axial direction”.
With regard to claim 14, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the contact sections of the spring blades 38 are located at a same radial distance from a central axis 44 of the crown spring 30 that extends in the axial direction”.
With regard to claim 15, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 58: “wherein the crown spring 30 is formed from a stamped and bent metal sheet”.
With regard to claim 16, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the crown spring 30 has an initial state (shown in figure 32A) and a used state (shown in figure 32H) obtained from the initial state once a pin contact 22 has been inserted into the crown spring 30, the crown spring 30 is plastically deformed in the used state”.
With regard to claim 17, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 16”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the crown spring 30, in the initial state, generates a pair of successive insertion peak forces (by 60b1 and 60b2 successively) upon insertion of the pin contact 22”.
With regard to claim 18, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 17”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “wherein the crown spring 30, in the used state, generates a constant insertion resistance force upon insertion of the pin contact 22”.
With regard to claim 19, Lin teaches: “…the crown spring according to claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “An electric connector 20, comprising: the crown spring 30”.
With regard to claim 20, Lin teaches: “The electric connector of claim 19”, as shown above.
Lin also teaches, as shown in figures 4-10 and 26-32H and taught in paragraph 127: “further comprising a socket 1076, the crown spring 30 is inserted into the socket 1076”.
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (WO2018063928A1) in view of Li et al. (2021/0336364).
With regard to claim 5, Lin teaches: “The crown spring of claim 1”, as shown above.
Lin does not teach: “wherein the contact section of one of the spring blades in one of the annular zones is adjacent to two spring blades that have the contact section in the other of the annular zones”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Li teaches, as shown in figures 7-13: “wherein the contact section 321 of one of the spring blades 32 in one of the annular zones is adjacent to two spring blades 31 that have the contact section 311 in the other of the annular zones”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the features of Li with the invention of Lin in order to reduce the insertion force of the mating terminal (Li, paragraph 41).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN M KRATT whose telephone number is (571)270-0277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A 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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/JUSTIN M KRATT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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