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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 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.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant recites “a plurality of first terminal modules, each first terminal module comprising…a plurality of first conductive terminals…the plurality of first conductive terminals comprising at least one signal terminal” in lines 5-10. It is unclear whether “the plurality of first conductive terminals” must collectively include at least one signal terminal, or whether “the plurality of first conductive terminals” must each include at least one signal terminal. “[I]f a claim is amenable to two or more plausible claim constructions, the USPTO is justified in requiring the applicant to more precisely define the metes and bounds of the claimed invention by holding the claim unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. §112, second paragraph, as indefinite.” Ex Parte Miyazaki, 89 USPQ2d 1207, 1211 (BPAI 2008). As there are at least two plausible constructions of the pertinent limitations, the limitations and the claim are therefore indefinite.
The claim further recites each of the “metal shielding sheet[s]” being located on a respective “side of the at least one signal terminal.” As the claim recites “a plurality of first terminal modules” each including “a plurality of first conductive terminals,” there must inherently be more than one “at least one signal terminal.” It is therefore unclear which of the “at least one signal terminals” is being referenced by the first through fourth “side[s] of the at least one signal terminal” (i.e., which of the plurality of first terminal modules includes the “at least one signal terminal” that is referred to in context of the metal shielding sheets). It is also conceivable that Applicant meant for each of the plurality of first terminal modules to include a respective first through fourth metal shielding sheet. Thus, the limitations relating to the metal shielding sheets are also indefinite because they may be plausibly interpreted in at least two different manners that are not consistent or compatible with each other.
Claim 19 recites limitations identical to those discussed above; as such, the rejections also apply, mutatis mutandis, to the subject matter recited by claim 19. Claims 2-18 and 20 depend from either of claim 1 or 19, fail to cure the deficiencies of their respective parent claim, and are therefore rejected for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 3, Applicant again recites “the at least one signal terminal” in line 1 of the claim. This limitation is deficient for the same reasons discussed above with respect to the similar limitation found in claim 1. Claims 4-18 depend from claim 3, fail to cure its deficiencies, and are therefore rejected for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 4, Applicant recites “the second direction” in lines 2-3 of the claim as amended. There is no antecedent basis for this limitation as Applicant does not previously recite or even suggest “a second direction.” Claims 5, 6, and 10-13 depend from claim 4, fail to cure its deficiencies or contain the same deficiencies themselves1, and are therefore rejected for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 6, Applicant recites “at least two first elastic engaging portions” in line 2 of the claim. There is no antecedent basis for such a limitation. Claim 1 recites a singular first elastic engaging portion (“the third metal shielding sheet comprising a first elastic engaging portion”) and there is no prior suggestion that the first elastic engaging portion constitutes more than a singular elastic engaging portion. It is therefore unclear whether the “at least two first elastic engaging portions” are meant to reference the previously recited “a first elastic engaging portion” or are instead meant to recite additional elements. As such, claim 6 is also indefinite for this reason.
Regarding claim 8, Applicant again recites “the second direction.” This instance is deficient for the same reasons discussed in the rejection of claim 4, above. Claim 9 depends from claim 8, fails to cure this deficiency, and is therefore rejected for at least the same reason.
Regarding claims 14 and 15, Applicant again recites “the second direction.” This instance is deficient for the same reasons discussed in the rejection of claim 4, above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 6,764,340 (“Toda”), as best understood by Examiner in view of the rejections under §112.
Regarding claim 1, Toda discloses:
An electrical connector (FIG 1), comprising:
an insulating body (2) comprising a mating surface (as seen in FIG 1, partition walls 12 include a surface disposed along the mating direction, the collective surfaces forming a singular “mating surface”) and a mating slot extending through the mating surface (the space between adjacent partition walls 12 may be reasonably construed as “a mating slot”); the mating slot being configured to receive at least part of a mating module along an insertion direction (inherent);
a plurality of first terminal modules (6), each first terminal module comprising a first insulating block (6; see col. 2, ll. 59-67 which generally discuss insulative housing 2 including engagement ribs 6, which may be reasonably interpreted as “terminal modules” because they contain contacts 52, i.e., “terminals”) and a plurality of first conductive terminals (contacts 52) fixed to the first insulating block (see FIG 13); each first conductive terminal comprising a first fixing portion fixed to the first insulating block (inherent; see FIG 13, where contacts 52 are contained within terminal modules 6) and a first elastic arm extending from the first fixing portion (portion including contact portion 52a); the first elastic arm comprising a first contact portion (52a) protruding into the mating slot (see FIG 13); the plurality of first conductive terminals comprising at least one signal terminal (inherent; the background discusses the use of electromagnetic shielding in context of “signal paths;” one of ordinary skill in the art would understand and appreciate the “signal paths” as contemplated by Toda refer to signal terminals or contacts and, thus, would reasonable infer that the contacts 52 of Toda include at least one signal terminal);
a first metal shielding sheet (FIG 7:24; see col. 3, ll. 55-61 which discloses “shield shell 22 is constructed of an upper wall 24) located on a first side of the at least one signal terminal (see FIGS 9 and 10, wherein FIG 10 shows that upper wall 24 would be located on a first side above the at least one signal terminal);
a second metal shielding sheet (FIG 7:28; “shield shell 22 is constructed of…a bottom wall 28) disposed opposite to the first metal shielding sheet; the second metal shielding sheet being located on a second side of the at least one signal terminal (as would be understood from FIGS 9 and 10, bottom wall 28 is disposed on a second side below the at least one signal terminal, the bottom side being opposite the top side);
a third metal shielding sheet (FIG 7:26; “shield shell 22 is constructed of…opposite side walls 26”) disposed between the first metal shielding sheet and the second metal shielding sheet (see FIGS 7 and 8, where both side walls 26 are disposed between and connected to upper and bottom walls 24 and 28); the third metal shielding sheet being located on a third side of the at least one signal terminal (as would be inferred from FIGS 9 and 10, the side walls are disposed to the right and left side of the at least one signal terminal); the third metal shielding sheet comprising a first (FIGS 7 and 9, grounding tongue pieces 38) elastic (inherent; the purpose of grounding tongue pieces 38 is to provide a grounding connection to the mating connector, as would be understood and appreciate by those of ordinary skill; if such tongues were not elastic, they may deform to an extent that they no longer contact the mating connector and, thus, the device would be unsuitable for its intended purpose; as such, it is inherent and those of ordinary skill would reasonably infer that grounding tongue pieces 38 are elastic, at least to some degree, in order to provide a resilient grounding connection to the mating connector when it is inserted in the mating slot) engaging portion protruding into the mating slot (as seen in FIG 9) along a third direction (perpendicular to the insertion direction); and
a fourth metal shielding sheet (FIG 8:36, depicting the side wall 26 opposite to the side wall depicted in FIG 7) disposed between the first metal shielding sheet and the second metal shielding sheet (see FIGS 7 and 8, where both side walls 26 are disposed between and connected to upper and bottom walls 24 and 28); the fourth metal shielding sheet being disposed opposite to the third metal shielding sheet (as shown by FIGS 7-9); the fourth metal shielding sheet being located on a fourth side of the at least one signal terminal (as would be inferred from FIGS 9 and 10, the side walls are disposed to the right and left side of the at least one signal terminal); the fourth metal shielding sheet comprising a second (FIGS 8 and 9, grounding tongue pieces 38) elastic (inherent; the purpose of grounding tongue pieces 38 is to provide a grounding connection to the mating connector, as would be understood and appreciate by those of ordinary skill; if such tongues were not elastic, they may deform to an extent that they no longer contact the mating connector and, thus, the device would be unsuitable for its intended purpose; as such, it is inherent and those of ordinary skill would reasonably infer that grounding tongue pieces 38 are elastic, at least to some degree, in order to provide a resilient grounding connection to the mating connector when it is inserted in the mating slot) engaging portion protruding into the mating slot (as seen in FIG 9) along the third direction (as shown in FIG 9);
wherein the third metal shielding sheet and the fourth metal shielding sheet are configured to play a shielding function (“shield shell 22” inheres the side walls 26 function as a shield) and a grounding function (“grounding tongue pieces 38” are an element of side walls 26, thereby inhering that side walls 26 also provide a grounding function).
Regarding claim 2, Toda discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 1 and further discloses the electrical connector being configured to be mounted on a circuit board (see, e.g., col. 2, ll. 20-25);
each first conductive terminal comprising a first tail portion (FIG 13, the portion of contact 52 which extends above the shaded region comprising engagement rib 6) extending from the first fixing portion (as shown by FIG 13); the first tail portion is configured to be electrically connected to the circuit board (inherent; while Toda does not disclose what the tail end of each terminal is connected to, they are inarguably “configured” to be connected to a circuit board because they must inherently be connected to some electrical circuit in order to function for their intended purpose; moreover, one of ordinary skill would reasonably infer that the tail portion of each terminal is connected to a printed circuit board because the shield shell 22 is explicitly disclosed as being connected to a circuit board and, thus, it logically follows that the terminals would also be connected to the same circuit board);
the third metal shielding sheet comprises a first mounting tail (FIG 7:48) configured to be electrically connected to the circuit board (col. 4, ll. 5-7);
the fourth metal shielding sheet comprising a second mounting tail (FIG 8:46) configured to be electrically connected to the circuit board (col. 4, ll. 5-7).
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) 3-5, 7-9, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toda as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of common knowledge in the art, as best understood by Examiner in view of the rejections under §112.
Regarding claim 3, Toda discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 2 and further discloses the terminals comprising at least a first and a second terminal (see FIG 10, showing at least four terminals 52), wherein all four terminals of each terminal module are arranged adjacent to each other along a first direction (i.e., a vertical axis or direction passing through FIG 10) such that they form a “terminal group,” wherein the first through fourth metal shielding sheets are disposed around2 a periphery of the first fixing portions of the first terminal group (see FIGS 10 and 13; FIG 10 shows the sheets surrounding the terminals collectively, and therefore the sheets must surround a periphery of the fixing portions).
Toda does not disclose the terminals being signal terminals. As discussed in the rejection of claim 1, above, at least one of the terminals must inherently be a signal terminal. Thus, Toda differs from instant claim 3 in that Toda only inherently discloses at least one signal terminal. In order to render the instant claim obvious, one of ordinary skill in the art would therefore need a motivation to make a second terminal of the terminals 52 a signal terminal.
It is well-known in the art that the specific function of a terminal (e.g., ground vs. signal, etc.) is dependent upon the application for the connector. Thus, in an application requiring multiple signal terminals, it would be obvious to those of ordinary skill to modify the generic terminals of Toda to include at least two signal terminals. Examiner therefore finds that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (prior to the effective filing date) to modify Toda to include at least two signal terminals in each of the plurality of first terminal modules for the purposes of making the connector compliant with applications that necessitate at least two signal terminals, such as connectors utilizing paired differential signal terminals.
Regarding claim 4, Toda in view of common knowledge (“the first combination”) discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 3 and further discloses the first direction (i.e., a vertical axis or direction passing through FIG 10) being perpendicular to the insertion direction (i.e., an axis or direction passing into FIG 10, or the axis/direction along which FIG 10 is viewed), the third direction (i.e., a horizontal axis or direction passing through FIG 10) is perpendicular to the first direction (vertical axes/directions are perpendicular to horizontal axes/direction) 3; the first elastic engaging portion and the second elastic engaging portion are configured to be in contact with a first ground pad and a second ground pad of the mating module, respectively (inherent; “grounding tongue pieces 38” would be understood by those of ordinary skill as being grounding elements; thus, when connected to the mating module, the portion of the mating module with which each piece contacts would inherently be a grounding element, contact, or pad; if this were not the case, the “grounding tongue pieces” would not perform a grounding function and, thus, would not be properly named).
Regarding claim 5, the first combination discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 4 and further discloses the third metal shielding sheet (FIG 7) comprising a first elastic simply supported beam (as shown by annotated FIG 7, below, grounding tongue piece 38 may be reasonably interpreted as comprising two portions: a beam portion extending from side wall 36, and an engagement portion which comes into contact with the mating module) and a first slot (opening 36) which provides a space for deformation of the first elastic simply supported beam (as may be inferred from FIGS 7-9, collectively); two ends (a top end and a bottom end) of the first elastic simply support beam are fixed to the third metal shielding sheet (as shown by FIG 7), respectively; the first elastic engaging portion is provided on the first elastic simply support beam (as shown in annotated FIG 7, below); and
wherein the fourth metal shielding sheet comprises a second elastic simply supported beam and a second slot which provides a space for deformation of the second elastic simply supported beam; two ends of the second elastic simply supported beam are fixed to the fourth metal shielding sheet, respectively; the second elastic engaging portion is provided on the second elastic simply supported beam (the analysis of and modifications made in annotated FIG 7 may be equally made to FIG 8, such that the discussion with respect to the third metal shielding sheet above is equally applicable to the fourth metal shielding sheet).
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Regarding claim 7, Applicant recites the first and second signal terminal, collectively “the first terminal group,” constitute a differential signal pair. As noted in the rejection of claim 3, the specific “purpose” of a terminal in a connector is dependent upon the application for the connector. The provision of two signal terminals was found to be an obvious modification for the purposes of making the connector compatible with applications requiring at least two signal terminals, such as applications relying upon pair differential signal terminals. Thus, Examiner finds that the subject matter of claim 7 is also inherent to the modification and motivation made in the rejection of claim 3, above.
Regarding claim 8, the first combination discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 7 and further discloses the first, third, and fourth metal shielding sheets extending along a second direction (a direction parallel to the insertion direction) to be flush with or extend beyond a top surface of the first conductive terminal (see FIG 13; if the FIG were inverted, all four metal sheets would extend beyond a top surface of conductive terminal 52) and the second metal shielding sheet being lower than the top surface along the second direction (all sheets are also “below” the top surface in the sense that some portion of each sheet extends below the top surface of terminal 52, as seen by FIG 13, inverted or otherwise).
Regarding claim 9, the first combination discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 8 and further discloses the first, third, and fourth metal shielding sheets collective forming a first U-shaped cavity (inherent; the top and two side walls form a U-shape, thus the cavity therein must be “a U-shaped cavity” based on the defining walls), the first elastic arms of the first differential signal terminal pair being located in the first U-shaped cavity (as may be seen in FIG 10).
Regarding claim 14, the first combination discloses the limitations as set forth in claim 3 and further discloses the first metal shielding sheet (24) comprising a first locking protrusion (40), the first insulating block comprising a first locking groove and a first locking surface exposed in the first locking groove (see FIG 1, wherein base portion 4, from which insulating block 6 extends, includes a rib 14 including stopper portion 14a, portion 14a configured to engage with shield shell 22 to prevent removal thereof), the first locking surface abutting the first locking protrusion along the second direction (col. 4, ll. 24-27).
Allowable Subject Matter
While a rejection based on prior art has not been provided for every claim, omission of such rejections is not equivalent to an indication of allowable subject matter. A determination of allowable subject matter cannot be made until the rejections under §112 are overcome. At this point in time, Examiner cannot conclude that any of the recited subject matter is allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prior art cited, but not discussed above, generally pertains to electrical connectors including shielding structures adjacent to or surrounding one or more terminals of the connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS K QUIGLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-4050. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TULSIDAS 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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/THOMAS K QUIGLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
1 Claims 6 and 12 each recite “the second direction.”
2 The phrase “disposed around a periphery” merely requires that the sheets be disposed in positions that surround or otherwise enclose the periphery. The phrase does not require the sheets to be disposed on the periphery.
3 Limitation omitted as Applicant does not previously recite “a second direction.” It is furthermore inherent that an arbitrary “second direction” may be defined perpendicular to the third direction.
Prosecution Insights