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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/18/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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(s) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YAMASHITA et al. (Hereinafter, “Yamashita”) in the US patent application Publication Number US 20160028198 A1 in view of TODA in the US Patent Application Publication Number US 20200099175 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Yamashita teaches a connector [100A] mateable with a mating connector [300 A] in a front-rear direction (a connector attached to a cable which has a center conductor and a shield. The connector is mateable with a mating connector along a front-rear direction; Paragraph [0005] Line 1-4; FIGS. 17 to 19, a connector assembly 10A according to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises a connector 100A and a mating connector 300A; Paragraph [0040] Line 1-4), wherein:
the mating connector [300A] comprises two hooks [360A] (lock portion 360A as the hooks) (As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the mating shell 350A is provided with two press-fit portions 380A and two mating lock portions 360A; Paragraph [0070] Line 1-3) and a mating contact [310] (As understood from FIGS. 23 and 24, the mating connector 300A comprises a mating contact 310, a mating housing 320A and a mating shell 350A; Paragraph [0068] Line 1-3);
the hooks [360A] are positioned away from each other in a lateral direction
perpendicular to the front-rear direction (each of the mating lock portions 360A is positioned outward of the corresponding end part accommodation portion 332A in the lateral direction; Paragraph [0070] Line 8-11; Figure 28: Modified Figure 28 of Yamashita below shows the hooks [360A] are positioned away from each other in a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction);
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Figure 28: Modified Figure 28 of Yamashita
each of the hooks [360A] extends in the front-rear direction (Figure 28: Modified Figure 28 of Yamashita above shows each of the hooks [360A] extends in the front-rear direction);
each of the hooks [360A] has a lock portion (shell contact portion 370A as the lock portion as it locks with the connector) (For example, the shell contact portion 370A may be formed as a bent portion which is formed by folding or bending an end of the mating lock portion 360A; Paragraph [0073] Line 4-7; The shell contact portions 370A are positioned at ends of the mating lock portions 360A, respectively, in the lateral direction; Paragraph [0070] Line 27-29);
the lock portion [370A] faces inward in the lateral direction (Figure 28: Modified Figure 28 of Yamashita above shows the lock portion [370A] faces inward in the lateral direction);
the connector has a main portion (As shown in FIGS. 20 to 22, the connector 100A comprises a first member 110 and a second member 120A; Paragraph [0061] Line 1-2);
the main portion [110+120A] has opposite side surfaces in the lateral direction (Figure 21 shows the main portion has opposite side surfaces in the lateral direction);
the hooks [360A] correspond to the opposite side surfaces, respectively, of the main
portion [110] (Figure 18 shows the hooks correspond to the opposite side surfaces, respectively, of the main portion);
the main portion includes a first metal conductive layer [110] (first member 110 as the first metal layer) and a second metal conductive layer [120A] (second member 120A as the second metal layer) ([0061] As shown in FIGS. 20 to 22, the connector 100A comprises a first member 110 and a second member 120A. The first member 110 is made of conductor. The second member 120A is made of conductor.;
the first metal conductive layer [110] and the second metal conductive layer [120A] are insulated from each other (Claim 7. The connector as recited in claim 1, comprising an insulator member, the insulator member being positioned between the first member and the second member in the front-rear direction while being positioned so as to surround the cable);
the second metal conductive layer [120A] has two conductive exposed portions [130A, 150A] (As shown in FIGS. 20 to 22, the second member 120A is positioned rearward of the first member 110 in the front-rear direction. The second member 120A has a front portion 130A and a rear portion 150A. The rear portion 150A is positioned rearward of the front portion 130A; Paragraph [0063] Line 1-6);
the conductive exposed portions [130A, 150A] are exposed to the outside of the connector [100A] at the opposite side surfaces, respectively, of the main portion [110+120A] (Figure 20 shows the conductive exposed portions [130A, 150A] are exposed to the outside of the connector [100A] at the opposite side surfaces, respectively, of the main portion [110+120A]);
the conductive exposed portions [130A] correspond to the hooks [360A], respectively (Figure 18 shows the conductive exposed portions [130A] correspond to the hooks [360A], respectively);
each of the conductive exposed portions has a thickness greater than a thickness of the lock portion of the corresponding hook of the mating connector (Figure 18 shows each of the conductive exposed portions has a thickness greater than a thickness of the lock portion of the corresponding hook of the mating connector); and
the lock portion [370A] of each of the hooks [360A] is brought into contact with the
corresponding conductive exposed portion [130A] when the lock portions [370A] lock a mated state where the mating connector [300A]and the connector [100A] are mated with each other (Figure 18 shows the lock portion [370A] of each of the hooks [360A] is brought into contact with the corresponding conductive exposed portion [130A] when the lock portions [370A] lock a mated state where the mating connector [300A]and the connector [100A] are mated with each other).
Yamashita fails to teach that the main portion which has a tongue-like shape; the main portion is formed of a multilayer wiring substrate; the main portion comprises a plurality of contacts; each of the contacts is formed on the first metal conductive layer; each of the contacts is, at least in part, exposed to an outside of the connector; the contact is contactable with the mating contact in an up-down direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the lateral direction.
Toda teaches a connector having a main portion formed as a part of a circuit board, a device provided with the connector and a method of manufacturing the connector (Paragraph [0002] Line 1-3), wherein
the main portion [24] which has a tongue-like shape (As understood from FIGS. 7 to 9, the connector main portion 24 has a tongue shape. In other words, the connector 15 (see FIG. 2) is provided with the connector main portion 24 formed as a part of the multilayer wiring board 20 and having the tongue shape; Paragraph [0042] Line 1-5);
the main portion [24] is formed of a multilayer wiring substrate [20] (In other words, the connector 15 (see FIG. 2) is provided with the connector main portion 24 formed as a part of the multilayer wiring board 20 and having the tongue shape; Paragraph [0042] Line 1-5);
the main portion comprises a plurality of contacts [412] in Figure 12 (Referring to FIG. 12, the second conductive layer 282 is provided with a plurality of contacts 412 as some of the conductive patterns. The contacts 412 are formed to be included in the connector main portion 24 (see FIG. 7); Paragraph [0048] Line 1-5);
each of the contacts [412] is formed on the first metal conductive layer [282] (the second conductive layer (the inner conductive layer) 282 as the first metal conductive layer) (Referring to FIG. 12, the second conductive layer 282 is provided with a plurality of contacts 412 as some of the conductive patterns. The contacts 412 are formed to be included in the connector main portion 24 (see FIG. 7). Thus, the connector main portion 24 is provided with the contacts 412 formed in the second conductive layer (the inner conductive layer) 282. An arrangement of the contacts 412 is symmetrical with respect to an imaginary plane perpendicular to the lateral direction; Paragraph [0048] Line 1-9);
each of the contacts [412] is, at least in part, exposed to an outside of the connector (Figure 9) (As understood from FIG. 9, the first insulation layer 264 has an end portion 266 adjacent to the exposed portion 252. The exposed portion 252 is located forward of the end portion 266 of the first conductive layer 262 in the front-rear direction and exposed outward in the up-down direction. In the exposed portion 252, each of the contacts 412 is exposed at least in part; Paragraph [0057] Line 1-7);
the contact [412] is contactable with the mating contact in an up-down direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the lateral direction (As understood from FIG. 9, the first insulation layer 264 has an end portion 266 adjacent to the exposed portion 252. The exposed portion 252 is located forward of the end portion 266 of the first conductive layer 262 in the front-rear direction and exposed outward in the up-down direction. In the exposed portion 252, each of the contacts 412 is exposed at least in part. Moreover, in the exposed portion 252, the second insulation layer 284 is exposed in part. In the present embodiment, upper surfaces of the contacts 412 exposed in the exposed portion 252 and an upper surface of the second insulation layer 284 are flush with each other. As understood from FIG. 9, when the end portion 266 of the first insulation layer 264 is viewed along the front-rear direction through a space which is located in front thereof, the second conductive layer 282 is not embedded in the first insulation layer 264. In this structure, the contacts 412 are contactable in the up-down direction; Paragraph [0057] Line 1-17). The purpose of doing so is to provide a connector having a structure capable of possessing desired electric characteristics with high accuracy (Paragraph [0006]).
It would have obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the main portion of the connector of Yamashita in view of the main portion of the connector disclosed by Toda, because Toda teaches to modify the main portion of the connector provides a connector having a structure capable of possessing desired electric characteristics with high accuracy (Paragraph [0006]).
Regarding claim 2, Yamashita teaches a connector, wherein:
when the mating connector [300A] is mated with the connector [100A], the lock portion [370A] of each of the hooks [360A] is slid on a corresponding one of the opposite side surfaces of the main portion over a predetermined area (Figure 18 shows when the mating connector [300A] is mated with the connector [100A], the lock portion [370A] of each of the hooks [360A] is slid on a corresponding one of the opposite side surfaces of the main portion over a predetermined area (The place where lock portion is slid on the side surface which is the predetermined area as shown in Figure 18)); and
each of the conductive exposed portions [134A] (contact portion 134A as the exposed portion) extends over an entire length of the predetermined area of the corresponding one of the opposite side surfaces in the front-rear direction (Figure 18 shows each of the conductive exposed portions [134A] (contact portion 134A as the exposed portion) extends over an entire length of the predetermined area of the corresponding one of the opposite side surfaces in the front-rear direction).
Regarding claim 3, Yamashita fails to teach a connector, wherein: the multilayer wiring substrate further comprises two resin insulating layers; the second metal conductive layer has opposite sides in the up-down direction; and the resin insulating layers are positioned at the opposite sides, respectively, of the second metal conductive layer.
Toda teaches a connector having a main portion formed as a part of a circuit board, a device provided with the connector and a method of manufacturing the connector (Paragraph [0002] Line 1-3), wherein
the multilayer wiring substrate [20] in Figure 9 further comprises two resin insulating layers [264, 284]; the second metal conductive layer [262] has opposite sides in the up-down direction; and the resin insulating layers are positioned at the opposite sides, respectively, of the second metal conductive layer ([0043] As shown in FIG. 10, the multilayer wiring board 20 (see FIG. 9) is formed by conductive layers and insulation layers which are laminated alternatively. In detail, the multilayer wiring board 20 is provided with a first conductive layer (a surface conductive layer) 262, a first insulation layer 264, a second conductive layer (an inner conductive layer) 282, a second insulation layer 284, a third conductive layer 302, a third insulation layer 304, a fourth conductive layer 322, a fourth insulation layer 344, a fifth conductive layer 342, a fifth insulation layer 364, a sixth conductive layer (an additional inner conductive layer) 362, a sixth insulation layer 384 and a seventh conductive layer (an additional surface conductive layer) 382, which are positioned from top to bottom in this order; Paragraph [0043] Line 1-14). The purpose of doing so is to provide a connector having a structure capable of possessing desired electric characteristics with high accuracy (Paragraph [0006]).
It would have obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Yamashita in view of Toda, because Toda teaches to include two resin insulating layers; the second metal conductive layer has opposite sides in the up-down direction provides a connector having a structure capable of possessing desired electric characteristics with high accuracy (Paragraph [0006]).
Regarding claim 4, Yamashita teaches a connector, wherein:
each of the hooks is made of metal (The mating shell is provided with a mating lock portion and a shell contact portion; Paragraph [0005] Line 6-8; mating lock portion comprises hooks and mating contact as shown in Figure 27: Modified Figure 27 of Yamashita below. The mating shell 350 is made of metal; Paragraph [0054] Line 5);
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Figure 27: Modified Figure 27 of Yamashita
the second metal conductive layer [120] is a outside layer (Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, in the present embodiment, only the first member 110 of the connector 100A is accommodated inside the mating connector 300A and the second member 120A is not accommodated thereinside. Accordingly, the first member 110 and the second member 120A are never short-circuited with each other; Paragraph [0070] Line 41-47; Figure 2 shows that the second conductive layer 120 is outside and therefore functions as a outside layer as the layer is outside the mating connector); and
the lock portion [370A] of each of the hooks [360A] is electrically connected with the
corresponding conductive exposed portion [134A] (contact portion 134A as the exposed portion) under the mated state (Figure 17 & Figure 18) (As understood from FIGS. 17 to 23, when the first member 110 of the connector 100A is inserted into the mating connector 300A along the front-rear direction so that the connector 100A and the mating connector 300A are connected with each other, the first contact portion 112 of the first member 110 is brought into contact with the mating contact 310…….. Accordingly, the connector assembly 10A is under a state shown in FIG. 18 and each of the second contact portions 134A is brought into contact with the corresponding shell contact portion 370A. At that time, each of the lock portions 140A locks the corresponding mating lock portion 360A so that the connector 100A and the mating connector 300A are maintained in the connection state of the connector 100A and the mating connector 300A; Paragraph [0071] Line 1-17; Figure 18 shows the lock portion [370A] of each of the hooks [360A] is electrically connected with the corresponding conductive exposed portion [134A] (contact portion 134A as the exposed portion) under the mated state).
Yamashita fails to teach that the second metal conductive layer is a ground layer.
Toda teaches a connector having a main portion formed as a part of a circuit board, a device provided with the connector and a method of manufacturing the connector (Paragraph [0002] Line 1-3), wherein
the second metal conductive layer [262] (first conductive layer as the second metal conductive layer) is a ground layer [402] in Figure 11 (Referring to FIG. 11, the first conductive layer 262 is formed with a grounding plate 402 as one of the conductive patterns. The grounding plate 402 is formed to be included in the connector main portion 24 (see FIG. 7). Thus, the connector main portion 24 is provided with the grounding plate 402 formed in the first conductive layer (the surface conductive layer) 262; Paragraph [0047] Line 1-7). aThe purpose of doing so is to provide a connector having a structure capable of possessing desired electric characteristics with high accuracy.
It would have obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the second metal conductive layer of Yamashita in view of the second metal conductive layer disclosed by Toda, because Toda teaches to modify the second metal conductive layer as a ground layer provides a connector having a structure capable of possessing desired electric characteristics with high accuracy (Paragraph [0006]).
Regarding claim 5, Yamashita teaches a test fixture for evaluating transmission characteristics of the mating connector (a connector attached to a cable which has a center conductor and a shield. The connector is mateable with a mating connector along a front-rear direction; Paragraph [0005] Line 1-4; The limitation, “for evaluating transmission characteristics of the mating connector” is not required by the claim as the limitation is the preamble of the claim and it does not differentiate the reference from the present invention. Because: The recitation that “for evaluating transmission characteristics of the mating connector” has not been given patentable weight because it has been held that a preamble is denied the effect of a limitation where the claim is drawn to a structure and the portion of the claim following the preamble is a self-contained description of the structure not depending for completeness upon the introductory clause, Kropa v. Robie, 88 USPQ 478 (CCPA 1951)),
wherein the test fixture comprises the connector as recited in claim 4 (See rejection of claim 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zheng et al. (US 20090042450 A1) discloses, “Electrical Connector With Improved Contact Arrangement- [0002] The present invention relates to electrical connectors, more particularly to electrical connectors with additional differential contact pair for transmitting high speed signals and with improved contact arrangement. [0068] Referring to FIGS. 1-7, an electrical connector 100 mounted on a PCB 4 is disclosed. The electrical connector 100 includes an insulative housing 1, a plurality of contacts 2 held in the insulative housing 1, a metal shell 3 enclosing the insulative housing 1, a rear shell 5 abutting against the metal shell 3 and a spacer 6 for organizing the contacts 2. [0069] The insulative housing 1 includes a base portion 11 and a tongue portion 12 extending forwardly from a front surface 110 of the base portion 11. The base portion 11 includes a top section 111, a bottom section 112 opposite to the top section 111, and a pair of side walls 113. The top section 111 includes a protrusion 1111 on its middle area thereof. Each side wall 113 defines a cutout 1131. The protrusion 1111 and the cutout 1131 are used for abutting against the metal shell 3 which will be detailed hereinafter. The tongue portion 12 extends along a front-to-back direction A-A as shown in FIG. 7 and includes a top wall 13, a mounting wall 14 opposite to the top wall 13, and a mating end 18 opposite to the base portion 11. The top wall 13 defines a plurality of first passageways 131 extending along the front-to-back direction A-A as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The first passageways 131 further extend backwardly through the base portion 11. The mounting wall 14 includes a mounting surface 145 with a plurality of depressions 141 and a plurality of second passageways 142 all recessed from the mounting surface 145. The second passageways 142 are located at the rear of the depressions 141 in condition that the depressions 141 are located nearer to the mating end 18 than that of the second passageways 142. The depressions 141 and the second passageways 142 are arranged in two rows along the front-to-back direction A-A. Each row extends along a transverse direction B-B perpendicular to the front-to-back direction A-A. However, the depressions 141 are separated to the second passageways 142. [0070] As shown in FIGS. 4-7, the contacts 2 include a plurality of conductive contacts 21 received in the second passageways 142, and a plurality of additional contacts 22 received in the first passageways 131 and the depressions 141. Each conductive contact 21 includes an elastic first contact portion 15, a first connecting portion 17 horizontally extending backwardly from the first contact portion 15, and a first tail portion 16 extending downwardly from the first connecting portion 17. The first tail portion 16 is perpendicular to the first contact portion 15. All the first contact portions 15 of the conductive contacts 21 are disposed side by side along the transverse direction B-B. The conductive contacts 21 are cantilevered and accommodated in the corresponding second passageways 142 with the first contact portions 15 protruding downwardly beyond the mounting surface 145 so that the first contact portions 15 are deformable along a height direction C-C of the electrical connector 100 with insertion of the corresponding plug (not shown). The front-to-back direction A-A, the transverse direction B-B and the height direction C-C are perpendicular to each other-However Zheng does not disclose the main portion is formed of a multilayer wiring substrate; the main portion comprises a plurality of contacts; each of the contacts is formed on the first metal conductive layer; each of the contacts is, at least in part, exposed to an outside of the connector; the contact is contactable with the mating contact in an up-down direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the lateral direction.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NASIMA MONSUR whose telephone number is (571)272-8497. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am-6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eman Alkafawi can be reached at (571) 272-4448. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NASIMA MONSUR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858