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 disclosure is objected to because: the reference numeral “9” of Fig. 3 has not been discussed. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a0(1) as being anticipated by Chen (US 2021/0119366).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a plug connector 100, in particular a high-frequency plug connector 100, comprising a housing 1 made of electrically insulating material, an outer conductor part 3, which is arranged inside the housing 1 and is formed in a portion as a hollow cylinder 31 or is formed entirely as a hollow cylinder 31, an inner conductor part 2, which is arranged at least partially inside the outer conductor part, an insulating part 120, which is arranged at least partially inside the outer conductor part 3 and at least partially encloses the inner conductor part 2, wherein the outer conductor part in the interior 3121 of the hollow cylinder has exactly two opposing spines (backs) 3123,3124 (fig. 5), each of which has a plateau 311 offset inwards with respect to an inner wall 3121of the hollow cylinder 31.
Regarding claim 2, Chen, discloses the outer conductor part, on an outer side of a lateral surface of the hollow cylinder, has two opposing recesses (depression) 3123.
Regarding claim 7, Chen, discloses the hollow cylinder does not have a slot extending in the longitudinal direction.
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 3-6, 8 and 9, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 2021/0119366) in view of Shichida et al. (EP 1677388) (listed in IDS) hereafter Shichida
Regarding claims 3 and 4, Chen does not discloses all the claimed structural limitation except for the plateau of at least one of the spines has a portion in the form of an outwardly bulging cylinder lateral surface segment.
Shichida, fig. 7 discloses Bulging cylinder jacket segment 21CP.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the plateau of at least one of the spines has a portion in the form of an outwardly bulging cylinder lateral surface segment as taught by Shichida in order to have ease of assembly and having consistant connectivity.
Regarding claim 5, (Chen as modified by) Shichida, disclose the virtual solid cylinder lies concentrically within the hollow cylinder, wherein the centre longitudinal axis of the virtual solid cylinder lies in the centre longitudinal axis of the hollow cylinder, as both cylindrical portion have likewise (same axis, see Shichida, fig. 7).
Regarding claim 6, (Chen as modified by) Shichida, discloses all the claimed limitations except for the virtual solid cylinder has a diameter which is 90 to 98%, preferably 94 to 96%, of the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the virtual solid cylinder has a diameter which is 90 to 98%, preferably 94 to 96%, of the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder, since applicants have presented no explanation that these particular configurations of the dimension are significant or are anything more than one of numerous configurations a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious for the purpose of the better electrical and mechanical connection. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding claim 8, (Chen as modified by) Shichida, discloses the plateau of at least one of the spines has an extent along a transverse direction of the hollow cylinder and an extent along a longitudinal direction of the hollow cylinder, wherein the extent along the transverse direction is greater than the extent along the longitudinal direction (same axis, see Shichida, fig. 7).
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses the plateau of at least one of the spines in the interior of the hollow cylinder has a convex contour which extends at least partially in an arcuate manner along a transverse direction of the hollow cylinder.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the plateau of at least one of the spines in the interior of the hollow cylinder has a convex contour which extends at least partially in an arcuate manner along a transverse direction of the hollow cylinder, since applicants have presented no explanation that these particular shape of the convex contour are significant or are anything more than one of numerous configurations a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious for the purpose of the electrical connection with mating connector. And since, a change in shape is generally recognizing as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
Regarding claims 12 and 13, Chen and Shichida, discloses all the structural limitation as discussed in claim 2, above, excerpt for the method steps such as providing molding two opposing recess, introducing molding tool, reshaping, spine(s).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to follow the steps of method claims 12 and 13, in order to have proper shape plug connector to be used as high frequency plug connector.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 11 and 14 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.
Regarding claims 10 and 14, the prior art of record does not disclose or teaches an assembly comprising the plug connector comprising a complementary outer conductor part of a complementary plug connector, wherein the complementary outer conductor part has a complementary cylindrical portion which is at least partially inserted into the hollow cylinder of the plug connector, wherein the complementary cylindrical portion is in pressure contact with the plateaus and the complementary cylindrical portion is compressed along an axis extending between the plateaus as required in combination with other limitations of these claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARSHAD C PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-8289. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5.00 pm (EST).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights