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 .
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 column section, separation section, engagement protrusion, and reinforcement plate must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In Regards to claim 1, recites “the reinforcement plate” –a reinforcement plate--.
Appropriate correction is 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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seo (JP 2006066080 A) (English Translated).
In Regards to Claim 1:
Seo teaches an FPC connector (20) comprising:
(a) a housing (24) enabling attaching of a FPC (10) with a bifurcated tip, wherein (b) the housing (24) includes:
a column section (244) that engages a separation section (244) formed in the center of the FPC (10) in the width direction, and engagement protrusions (17) that enter into and engage with engaging openings formed at both ends of the FPC (10) in the width direction;
(c) the engagement protrusions (17) are formed protruding from the side of the FPC (10) opposite the reinforcement plate (15) toward the reinforcement plate (15) side; and(d)
the housing (24) further includes a recessed section (241) formed in the center thereof in the width direction and a slit formed in the recessed section (241) that an internal end part of the FPC (10) separation section (244) fits into.
In Regards to Claim 2:
Seo teaches the FPC connector according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the column section (244) deviates to one side or the other of the center of the recessed section (241) in the width direction.
In Regards to Claim 3:
Seo teaches the FPC connector according to claim 1, wherein a viewing window enabling viewing the engagement state of the engaging opening and the engagement protrusion (17) is formed in the outer wall surface of the housing (24).
In Regards to Claim 4:
Seo teaches the FPC connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing (24) includes a press protrusion section (245) formed to the outside of the engagement protrusion (17) in the width direction that protrudes in the opposite direction as that of the engagement protrusion (17) and contacts a portion on the reinforcement plate (15) side surface of the FPC (10) that is closer to the front than the engaging opening.
In Regards to Claim 5:
Seo teaches the FPC connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing (24) includes a releasing space formed closer to the front than the engagement protrusion (17).
In Regards to Claim 6:
Seo teaches a connector pair (20), comprising:
the FPC connector according to claim 1 and a counterpart connector that mates with the FPC connector (20).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NADER J ALHAWAMDEH whose telephone number is (571)270-0571. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9Am - 6Pm 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.
/NADER J ALHAWAMDEH/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights