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 disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The strap is described as a “ring shape” in [0033], and further it is said that “two ends” of the strap are wrapped around two latches. A ring does not have ends, and this description of the strap as “ring shaped” is not appropriate.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the claimed “bottom wall” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). It is noted that the specification recites that bottom wall 100D is shown in Figure 3, but no such numeral is present in Figure 3.
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 3 – 4, 6 – 8, 10 – 13, and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, line 2, “sequentially having” is awkward, and “the first lateral wall sequentially having a first notch” lacks antecedent basis. It is suggested that “sequentially having” be changed to -sequentially has- or something similar. In line 3, “rectangle” should be rectangular. In line 4, “the maximum distance” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 4, line 2, “sequentially having” is awkward, and it is suggested this be changed to sequentially has. In line 3, “rectangle” should be rectangular.
In claim 6, line 4, “the alignment hole” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 7, line 3, “the whole stopping wall” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 8, “wherein whole of the bottom wall” is awkward and appears to have missing language.
In claim 10, line 4, “the corresponding ramp” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 11, line 1, “base being one piece formed” is awkward. In line 3, “top surface with same height” is awkward. In lines 3 – 4, “the base portion” lacks antecedent basis. In line 5, “portion of vertical gap” appears to be missing language. In lines 6 – 7, “portion of horizontal gap” appears to be missing language.
In claim 12, line 2, “the top surfaces” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 13, line 2, “parallel” should be parallely. Alternatively, “arranged” may be deleted.
In claim 16, the second to last line, “for ensuring at least one of the ramps to be contacted with the cage” is awkward.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. No. 8,870,471 (“Ito”).
Regarding claim 1, Ito discloses a board end connector (Fig. 1), comprising:
a cage (12), having a top wall (the wall near members 12N in Fig. 1), a bottom wall (12BP), a first lateral wall (12RW) and a second lateral wall (12LW), the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall respectively for forming an accommodating space therein (see Fig. 1), the cage having a front opening (opening near portions 12FF, Fig. 1) and a rear opening (12D), the first lateral wall having at least one elastic bridge (12SRF) and at least one alignment hole (12N) at a rear side of the cage, the elastic bridge being recessed toward the accommodating space (12SRF is a bridge member and has the same shape as bridge member 12TF seen in Fig. 12, where it is recessed inwardly), when the elastic bridge is abutted and elastically deformed, a reverse force shall be provided thereby (col. 9, lns. 20 – 25).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. No. 11,569,613 (“Lu”).
Regarding claim 9, Lu discloses a plug (600), comprising:
a base (portion A, see below), having a port facing an insertion direction (see below), the port exposing at least a portion of a terminal set secured therein (see below, and further see Fig. 6B); and
a cable (B, see below), connected with the terminal set within the base and extending away from the base,
two latches (the snap-fit member which includes protrusions 602, see col. 14, lns. 15 – 27), secured on a first side surface and a second side surface of the base respectively (portions 604 and 606 both have latch members), each of the latches having a flexible plate (portion C, see below), a fixed plate (portion D, see below) and two C-shaped connecting portions (portions E, see below) connecting the flexible plate and the fixed plate, each of two latches connected with the base via the fixed plate (see below), the flexible plate having at least two ramps (602).
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Marked up version of Fig. 6C
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pat. No. 8,870,471 (“Ito”) in view of U.S. Pat. No. 11,189,943 (“Zerebilov”).
Regarding claim 2, Ito does not disclose wherein the elastic bridge and the alignment hole of the cage are located on a same surface.
However, Zerebilov discloses a board end connector with a cage, where the cage side walls includes an alignment hole (see 2606, 2620, Fig. 26a). It would have been obvious to include an alignment hole on the side wall, the same sidewall where the bridge is located, because this sidewall hole helps position the inner connector member within the cage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 is allowed, if all applicable claim objections are remedied.
Claims 3 – 8 and 10 – 15 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, and if all applicable claim objections are remedied.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 3, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed board end connector, including wherein the first lateral wall sequentially has a first notch, two alignment holes, and two elastic bridges along a longitudinal direction, the first notch is substantially rectangularly shaped, a width of the first notch is larger than a maximum distance of the two alignment holes, the first notch, the two alignment holes, and the two elastic bridges are arranged in a mirrored configuration across a longitudinal axis, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Regarding Claim 10, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed plug, further including a strap connecting both of the flexible plates of the latches; wherein when the strap is pulled, the strap drives the two latches to elastically deform to change a position of a corresponding ramp, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Regarding Claim 11, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed plug wherein the base formed as one piece and has a left pillar, a right pillar and a base portion connected therebetween, the left pillar and the right pillar having a top surface with a same height, the port is a part of the base, the plug further comprises a metal plate, a vertical portion of the metal plate covers at least a portion of a vertical gap between the left pillar and the right pillar, a horizontal portion of the metal plate covers at least a portion of a horizontal gap between the left pillar and the right pillar, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Regarding Claim 16, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed board end connector, comprising: a cage, the cage having a front opening and a rear opening, the first lateral wall having at least one elastic bridge and at least one alignment hole at a rear side of the cage, the elastic bridge being recessed toward the accommodating space; and a plug, having: a base, having a port; and two latches, secured on a first side surface and a second side surface of the base respectively, each of the latches having a flexible plate, the flexible plate having at least two ramps, wherein, when the plug is plugged into the cage via the rear opening, the ramps enter the alignment holes respectively and the elastic bridge pushes the plug backward ensuring at least one of the ramps contacts the cage, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Ito and Zerebilov do not disclose the sequence of a notch, two alignment holes, and two elastic bridges as required by claim 3. Henry, Phillips, Sun, and Li each disclose plugs with latch members having ramps, and pull straps, but none disclose two latches, or teach a pull strap which will pull two latch members on first and second side surfaces of the plug. Lu, and none of the latch members just mentioned, disclose or teach the plug having the metal plate with the vertical and horizontal portions as required by claim 11. Finally, Lu discloses a cage member 2 which mates with the plug, and the cage member has an elastic portion 21, but the elastic portion is not a bridge and furthermore the plug does not enter the rear of the cage 2 as required by claim 16.
The prior art, when taken alone, or in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D BAILLARGEON whose telephone number is (571)272-0676. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/PAUL D BAILLARGEON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/renee s luebke/ Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2831
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