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 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 1 recites, “a first outer wall portion and a second outer wall portion which are snapped and fixed together with the first outer wall portion.” The end of the limitation, “fixed together with the first outer wall portion,” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear how the first outer wall portion would be snapped and fixed together with the second outer wall portion and itself. For examination purposes, it will be interpreted as, “a first outer wall portion and a second outer wall portion which are snapped and fixed together.”
Claim 14 has the same issue as claim 1 and will be interpreted the same way. In addition, claim 14 recites, “wherein the electrical connector is immersed in the liquid,” which lacks antecedent basis. For examination purposes, it will be interpreted as, “wherein the electrical connector is immersed in a liquid.”
Claims 2-13 and 15-20 inherit the deficiencies of the claims from which they depend.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 6 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1)(a2) as being unpatentable over Tu (US 20210021087)
Regarding claim 1: Tu (Figure 1) teaches an electrical connector, comprising: an insulating body (i.e. 1) comprising a plurality of wall portions (i.e. walls of 1), a mating surface (i.e. front face) and a mating slot (i.e. receiving 200) extending through the mating surface; the plurality of wall portions comprising a first wall portion (i.e. 11), the first wall portion defining a cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 15) communicating with the mating slot; the mating slot being configured to at least partially receive a mating connector along a first direction; a plurality of conductive terminals (i.e. 2), each conductive terminal comprising an elastic contact arm (i.e. 22); the elastic contact arm comprising a contact portion (i.e. 220) protruding into the mating slot and configured to be electrically connected with the mating connector; and a metal shell (i.e. 3) comprising a plurality of outer walls (i.e. walls of 3) covering the insulating body; the plurality of outer walls comprising a first outer wall (i.e. 31); the first outer wall comprising a first outer wall portion (i.e. portion of 31) and a second outer wall portion (i.e. opposite to 31) which are snapped and fixed together (i.e. snapped and fixed at the slit next to numeral 32 in figure 1) with the first outer wall portion; a dimension of the first outer wall portion along a second direction is greater than a dimension of the second outer wall portion along the second direction (i.e. outer bends 330 yield a shorter dimension than the front 31); the first outer wall portion defining a cooling liquid circulation slot (i.e. 310) extending through the first outer wall portion along a third direction; the cooling liquid circulation slot communicates with the cooling liquid circulation groove; each two of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other; wherein a joint (i.e. slit next to numeral 32 in figure 1) of the first outer wall portion and the second outer wall portion is not provided with the cooling liquid circulation slot.
Note: the intention to use the recited slots and grooves for cooling liquid circulation does not differentiate the claimed connector from the prior art which teaches using the slots for air cooling.
Regarding claim 2: Tu (Figure 1) teaches the electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive terminals comprise a first differential pair signal terminals (i.e. S, another S), a first ground terminal (i.e. G) located on one side of the first differential pair signal terminals along the second direction, and a second ground terminal (i.e. another G) located on another side of the first differential pair signal terminals along the second direction; the first differential pair signal terminals comprise a first signal terminal (i.e. S) and a second signal terminal (i.e. another S) which are located adjacently along the second direction; the first differential pair signal terminals are exposed to the outside of the electrical connector through the cooling liquid circulation groove and the cooling liquid circulation slot.
Regarding claim 3: Tu (Figure 1) teaches the electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of wall portions comprise a second wall portion (i.e. opposite 11) opposite to the first wall portion, a third wall portion (i.e. left 13) connecting one end of the first wall portion and one end of the second wall portion, and a fourth wall portion (i.e. right 13) connecting another end of the first wall portion and another end of the second wall portion; the fourth wall portion is disposed opposite to the third wall portion; the mating slot is at least enclosed by the first wall, the second wall, the third wall and the fourth wall; the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a first cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 15) and a second cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 15); the first cooling liquid circulation groove and the second cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the elastic contact arm of the first signal terminal is partially exposed to the first cooling liquid circulation groove; the elastic contact arm of the second signal terminal is partially exposed to the second cooling liquid circulation groove.
Regarding claim 6: Tu (Figure 1) teaches the electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the first outer wall covers the first wall portion; the plurality of outer walls further comprise a second outer wall (i.e. opposite 31) covering the second wall portion, a third outer wall (i.e. left 33) covering the third wall portion, and a fourth outer wall (i.e. right 33) covering the fourth wall portion; the cooling liquid circulation slot comprises a first cooling liquid circulation slot (i.e. 310) provided on the first outer wall and extending through the first outer wall along the third direction; both the first cooling liquid circulation groove and the second cooling liquid circulation groove are exposed in the first cooling liquid circulation slot.
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 4-5 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu and Conner (US 6575776).
Regarding claim 4: Tu teaches the electrical connector according to claim 3, but does not specifically teach wherein the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a third cooling liquid circulation groove and a fourth cooling liquid circulation groove which are formed on the first wall portion and extend through the mating surface along the first direction; the third cooling liquid circulation groove and the fourth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the third cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the first cooling liquid circulation groove; the fourth cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the second cooling liquid circulation groove.
However, Conner (Figure 2) teaches wherein the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a third cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 20B) and a fourth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 20B) which are formed on the first wall portion (i.e. front of 12) and extend through the mating surface along the first direction; the third cooling liquid circulation groove and the fourth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the third cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the first cooling liquid circulation groove; the fourth cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the second cooling liquid circulation groove.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the connector taught by Tu to have the third and fourth cooling liquid circulation grooves as taught by Conner so as to provide heat dissipation channels to the desired areas of the connector.
Regarding claim 5: Tu teaches the electrical connector according to claim 3, but does not specifically teach wherein the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a fifth cooling liquid circulation groove and a sixth cooling liquid circulation groove which are formed on the first wall portion and extend through the first wall portion; the fifth cooling liquid circulation groove and the sixth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals and aligned with each other along the first direction; the sixth cooling liquid circulation groove and the second cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals and aligned with each other along the first direction; the elastic contact arm of the first signal terminal is partially exposed to the fifth cooling liquid circulation groove; the elastic contact arm of the second signal terminal is partially exposed to the sixth cooling liquid circulation groove.
However, Conner (Figure 2) teaches the cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 32) comprises a fifth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 32) and a sixth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 32) which are formed on the first wall portion and extend through the first wall portion (i.e. 16); the fifth cooling liquid circulation groove and the sixth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals and aligned with each other along the first direction; the sixth cooling liquid circulation groove and the second cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 32) are disposed at intervals and aligned with each other along the first direction; the elastic contact arm (i.e. mating terminal arms of figure 9) of the first signal terminal is partially exposed to the fifth cooling liquid circulation groove; the elastic contact arm of the second signal terminal is partially exposed to the sixth cooling liquid circulation groove.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the connector taught by Tu to have the fifth and sixth cooling liquid circulation grooves as taught by Conner so as to provide heat dissipation channels to the desired areas of the connector.
Claims 13 and 7 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu and Yang (US 11196219).
Regarding claim 13: Tu teaches the electrical connector according to claim 2, but does not specifically teach wherein the first wall portion comprises a first guiding inclined surface connected to the mating surface, a first inner wall surface connected to the first guiding inclined surface and extending along the first direction, and a first bottom surface connected to the first inner wall surface; the elastic contact arm of the conductive terminal comprises an end portion connected to the contact portion; the end portion is spaced apart from the first bottom surface in the first direction; the electrical connector comprises a first spacing groove between the first bottom surface and the end portion along the first direction; the end portion comprises an end surface; the end portion extends beyond the first inner wall surface along the third direction such that the end surface is located outside the first inner wall surface.
However, Yang (Marked version of figure 10 below) teaches wherein the first wall portion (i.e. W) comprises a first guiding inclined surface (i.e. I) connected to the mating surface (i.e. M), a first inner wall surface (i.e. IW) connected to the first guiding inclined surface and extending along the first direction, and a first bottom surface (i.e. B) connected to the first inner wall surface; the elastic contact arm (i.e. 21) of the conductive terminal comprises an end portion (i.e. E) connected to the contact portion; the end portion is spaced apart from the first bottom surface in the first direction; the electrical connector comprises a first spacing groove (i.e. corner of IW and B) between the first bottom surface and the end portion along the first direction; the end portion comprises an end surface (i.e. surface of E); the end portion extends beyond the first inner wall surface along the third direction such that the end surface is located outside the first inner wall surface.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the connector taught by Tu to have the guiding inclined surface and the end portion extending in the third direction past the inner wall surface as taught by Yang so as to protect the ends of the terminals when inserting a mating card.
Regarding claim 7: Tu (Figure 1) teaches the electrical connector according to claim 6, wherein the second wall portion comprises a main body portion (i.e. body of bottom wall of 1),
but does not specifically teach a first support portion protruding away from the first wall portion from the main body portion along the third direction, and a second support portion protruding away from the first wall portion from the main body portion along the third direction; the first support portion and the second support portion are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the first support portion defines a first fixing groove; the second support portion defines a second fixing groove; the second outer wall comprises a body portion supported on the first support portion and the second support portion, a first fixing piece bent inwardly from the body portion, and a second fixing piece bent inwardly from the body portion; the first fixing piece is fixed in the first fixing groove; and the second fixing piece is fixed in the second fixing groove.
However, Yang (Marked version of figure 1 below) teaches a first support portion (i.e. S1) protruding away from the first wall portion from the main body portion along the third direction, and a second support portion (i.e. S2) protruding away from the first wall portion from the main body portion along the third direction; the first support portion and the second support portion are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the first support portion defines a first fixing groove (i.e. same as S1); the second support portion defines a second fixing groove (i.e. same as S2); the second outer wall comprises a body portion (i.e. between S1 and S2) supported on the first support portion and the second support portion, a first fixing piece (i.e. F1) bent inwardly from the body portion, and a second fixing piece (i.e. F2) bent inwardly from the body portion; the first fixing piece is fixed in the first fixing groove; and the second fixing piece is fixed in the second fixing groove.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the connector taught by Tu to have the supports and fixing pieces as taught by Yang so as to securely connect the shell and insulating body.
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Claims 8-9 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu, Yang, and Chen (US 2022/0077632).
Regarding claim 8: Tu and Yang teach the electrical connector according to claim 7, but do not specifically teach further comprising an accommodation space surrounded by the first support portion, the second support portion, the main body portion and the body portion; the accommodation space being located outside the mating slot; wherein the second outer wall comprises an extending protrusion integrally extending from the body portion; the extending protrusion protrudes beyond the mating surface; the extending protrusion defines at least one locking hole extending through the extending protrusion along the third direction; the accommodation space is configured to at least partially receive the mating connector; the at least one locking hole is configured to mate with a locking protrusion of the mating connector.
However, Chen (Marked version of figure 9 below) teaches further comprising an accommodation space (i.e. 20) surrounded by the main body portion (i.e. MB) and the body portion (i.e. B); the accommodation space being located outside the mating slot (i.e. 130); wherein the second outer wall comprises an extending protrusion (i.e. P) integrally extending from the body portion; the extending protrusion protrudes beyond the mating surface (i.e. S); the extending protrusion defines at least one locking hole (i.e. 221, figure 3) extending through the extending protrusion along the third direction; the accommodation space is configured to at least partially receive the mating connector; the at least one locking hole is configured to mate with a locking protrusion of the mating connector.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the connector taught by Tu and Yang to have the accommodation space and protrusion defining at least one locking hole as taught by Chen so as to secure the mating connector in the desired manner.
Now, in combination, Tu, Yang, and Chen teach the accommodation space surrounded by the first support portion and the second support portion as well as the main body portion and the body portion.
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Regarding claim 9: Tu, Yang, and Chen teach the electrical connector according to claim 8, Chen (Figures 3 and marked version of figure 9 above) further teaches wherein the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a seventh cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 1321) and an eighth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 1321) which are formed on the second wall portion (i.e. wall having B) and extend through the second wall portion; the seventh cooling liquid circulation groove and the eighth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals along the second direction; both the seventh cooling liquid circulation groove and the eighth cooling liquid circulation groove communicate with the mating slot and the accommodation space; the body portion defines a cooling liquid circulation through hole (i.e. another 1321) extending through the body portion along the third direction; the cooling liquid circulation through hole communicates with the accommodation space.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further modify the connector taught by Tu, Yang, and Chen to have the seventh and eighth cooling liquid circulation grooves and cooling liquid circulation through hole as taught by Chen so as to facilitate cooling to the desired portions of the connector.
Claim 10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu, Yang, Chen, and Conner.
Regarding claim 10: Tu, Yang, and Chen teaches the electrical connector according to claim 9, but do not specifically teach wherein the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a ninth cooling liquid circulation groove and a tenth cooling liquid circulation groove which are formed on the second wall portion and extend through the mating surface along the first direction; the ninth cooling liquid circulation groove and the tenth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the ninth cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the seventh cooling liquid circulation groove; and the tenth cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the eighth cooling liquid circulation groove.
However, Conner (Figure 3A) teaches wherein the cooling liquid circulation groove comprises a ninth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 20B) and a tenth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 20B) which are formed on the second wall portion (i.e. right wall) and extend through the mating surface (i.e. 18) along the first direction; the ninth cooling liquid circulation groove and the tenth cooling liquid circulation groove are disposed at intervals along the second direction; the ninth cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the seventh cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 33); and the tenth cooling liquid circulation groove communicates with the eighth cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. another 33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the connector taught by Tu, Yang, and Chen to have the ninth and tenth cooling liquid circulation grooves as taught by Conner so as to provide heat dissipation channels to the desired portions of the connector.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 14, Tu (Figure 1) teaches an electrical connector comprising: an insulating body (i.e. 1) comprising a plurality of wall portions (i.e. walls of 1), a mating surface (i.e. front of 1) and a mating slot (i.e. receiving 200) extending through the mating surface; the plurality of wall portions comprising a first wall portion (i.e. 11), the first wall portion defining a cooling liquid circulation groove (i.e. 15) communicating with the mating slot; the mating slot being configured to at least partially receive a mating connector along a first direction; a plurality of conductive terminals (i.e. 2), each conductive terminal comprising an elastic contact arm (i.e. 22); the elastic contact arm comprising a contact portion (i.e. 220) protruding into the mating slot and configured to be electrically connected with the mating connector; and a metal shell (i.e. 3) comprising a plurality of outer walls (i.e. walls of 3) covering the insulating body; the plurality of outer walls comprising a first outer wall (i.e. 31); the first outer wall comprising a first outer wall portion (i.e. 31) and a second outer wall portion (i.e. 33) which are snapped and fixed together (i.e. via the slit next to numeral 32) with the first outer wall portion; a dimension of the first outer wall portion along a second direction is greater than a dimension of the second outer wall portion along the second direction; the first outer wall portion defining a cooling liquid circulation slot (i.e. 310) extending through the first outer wall portion along a third direction; the cooling liquid circulation slot communicates with the cooling liquid circulation groove; each two of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other; wherein a joint (i.e. slit next to numeral 32) of the first outer wall portion and the second outer wall portion is not provided with the cooling liquid circulation slot;
but Tu and the prior art of record do not fairly teach or suggest an application of the electrical connector in a liquid-cooled environment, wherein the electrical connector is immersed in the liquid of the liquid-cooled environment; the liquid is capable of flowing through the cooling liquid circulation slot and the cooling liquid circulation groove to take away the heat generated by the electrical connector alone or in obvious combination.
Claims 11 and 12 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.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of record does not fairly teach or suggest an insulating block defining a cooling liquid circulation through hole which extends through the insulating block along the first direction and communicates with the mating slot alone or in obvious combination with the remainder of the claim.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of record does not fairly teach or suggest the first support section has a first width W1 along the second direction; the first contact portion has a second width W2 along the second direction; the first support section has a first thickness T1 along the third direction, wherein W1-W2≤0.1 mm; W1/W2≤29/19; and W1/T1≤9/5 alone or in obvious combination with the remainder of the claim.
Conclusion
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/GREGORY L MANGOT/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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