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 § 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 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura et al. (US 2015/0160265 A1), hereafter Pub. ‘265.
Regarding claim 1, Pub. ‘265 at fig. 9-11 discloses a contact pin assembly [fig. 11, 9 , 10] for a Kelvin test [¶0019, ¶0030] electrically connected to one electrode 61 provided at an inspection object 60 and two lands 71/72 provided at the circuit board 70, respectively, the contact pin 10/20 assembly comprising: a first electrically conductive contact pin 11/12; a second electrically conductive contact pin 21/22; and an insulating part 82/92 provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin and insulating the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin from each other [as shown].
Regarding claim 2, Pub. ‘265 at fig. 9-11 discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating part comprises: a surface insulating part [surfaces of 82b/92b towards 10 and 20] provided on at least one of upper and lower surfaces [see 82b/92b on 12 or 22] of at least one of the first and second electrically conductive contact pins; and a side surface 82c/92c insulating part provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin, wherein the surface insulating part and the side surface insulating part are formed to be integrally [82 as explained at ¶0074] connected to each other.
Regarding claim 9, as rejected and explained above at rejection of claim 1, Pub. ‘265 at fig. 9-11 and ¶0031 discloses a Kelvin test device comprising: a contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test, the contact pin assembly comprising: a first electrically conductive contact pin; a second electrically conductive contact pin; and an insulating part provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin and insulating the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin from each other; and a support plate 51 in which a housing hole [hole for housing 10/20 as shown] housing the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test is formed [¶0019, ¶0030].
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Teranishi et al. (US 2018/0011127 A1), hereafter Teranishi
Regarding claim 1, Teranishi at fig. 8-12 discloses a contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test [fig. 8-12] electrically connected to one electrode provided at an inspection object and two lands provided at the circuit board, respectively, the contact pin assembly 230 comprising: a first electrically conductive contact pin 40; a second electrically conductive contact pin 50 and an insulating part 90 provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin and insulating the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin from each other.
Regarding claim 9, as rejected and explained above at rejection of claim 1, Teranishi at fig. 8-12 discloses a Kelvin test device 201 comprising: a contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test, the contact pin assembly comprising: a first electrically conductive contact pin; a second electrically conductive contact pin; and an insulating part provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin and insulating the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin from each other; and a support plate 202 in which a housing hole 222 housing the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test is formed [¶0077].
Claim(s) 1-2, 6 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura (JP H0617082 Y2).
Regarding claim 1, Nakamura at fig. 1-3 discloses a contact pin assembly 30 for a Kelvin test [see “four terminal measurement”] electrically connected to one electrode provided at an inspection object and two lands provided at the circuit board, respectively, the contact pin assembly comprising: a first electrically conductive contact pin 31a/34a; a second electrically conductive contact pin 31b/34b; and an insulating part 32 (another example 39,40) and (36a or 36b) provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin and insulating the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin from each other [fig. 1-3].
Regarding claim 2, Nakamura at fig. 1-3 discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating part comprises: a surface insulating part [surface of 32, 40, 39 over 31a,31b as shown and surface of 36a or 36b over 34a or 34b as shown] provided on at least one of upper and lower surfaces of at least one of the first and second electrically conductive contact pins [surface of 40, 39 over 31a,31b as shown and surfaces 36a or 36b over 34a or 34b as shown] provided; and a side surface insulating part [surface of 32, 40, 39 between 31a,31b as shown and surface of 36a or 36b between 34a/34b as shown] provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin, wherein the surface insulating part and the side surface insulating part are formed to be integrally connected to each other [insert/plastic molding].
Regarding claim 6, Nakamura at fig. 1-3 discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin comprises: a first plunger 11; a second plunger 15; an elastic part 16 enabling the first plunger and the second plunger to be elastically displaced; and a support part 10 guiding the elastic part so that the elastic part is compressed and stretched in a longitudinal direction [horizontal direction as shown] of the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test [fig. 10], wherein the insulating part 32 (another example 39,40) and (36a or 36b) is provided between the support part [10 of 31a] that is provided in the first electrically conductive contact pin and the support part [10 of 31b] that is provided in the second electrically conductive contact pin [see “The contact probes 31a and 31b are sleeves 33a, 33b, contact pins 34a, 34b having beveled contact portions 35a, 35b, and the like, and the specific structure and the material of each member are the same as those of the conventional example shown in FIG. Are not shown and described.”].
Regarding claim 8, Nakamura at fig. 1-3 discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating part is thermoplastic polyimide [see “injection molding of thermoplastics or use of an adhesive, it is possible to provide an inexpensive contact probe for measuring minute four terminals.”].
Regarding claim 9, as stated/explain above at rejection of claim 1, Nakamura discloses a Kelvin test device [see “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION” for four-terminal measurement] comprising: a contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test four-terminal measurement, the contact pin assembly comprising: a first electrically conductive contact pin 31a/34a; a second electrically conductive contact pin 31b/34b; and an insulating part [36a or 36b] provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin and insulating the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin from each other; and a support plate 32, 40, 39 in which a housing hole [hole for 31a/31b in 32,40,39] housing the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test is formed [see “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION” for four-terminal measurement].
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) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Hsu (US 2010/0207654 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Nakamura at fig. 1-3 discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 6, wherein the elastic part 16 comprises: a first elastic part [part of 16 near 11] connected to the first plunger; a second elastic part [part of 16 near 15] connected to the second plunger; and a middle fixation part [middle part of 16] connected to the first elastic part and the second elastic part while being located between the first elastic part and the second elastic part, and wherein the insulating part comprises: a surface insulating part [surface of 32, 40, 39 over 31a,31b as shown and surface of 36a or 36b over 34a or 34b as shown] provided on at least one of upper and lower surfaces of at least one of the middle fixation part of the first electrically conductive contact pin and the middle fixation part of the second electrically conductive contact pin; and a side surface insulating part [surface of 32, 40, 39 between 31a,31b as shown and surface of 36a or 36b between 34a/34b as shown] provided between the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin.
Nakamura is silent about said middle fixation part located between the first elastic part and the second elastic part, and provided integrally with the support part.
Hsu at fig. 11 discloses a first elastic part [part of 111 near 117 as shown] connected to the first plunger 11/118; a second elastic part [part of 111 on other side] connected to the second plunger [other 118/116 as shown]; and a middle fixation part [middle part 114 of 110] connected to the first elastic part and the second elastic part while being located between the first elastic part and the second elastic part. Hsu also discloses said middle fixation part 114 located between the first elastic part and the second elastic part, and provided integrally with the support part 112. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the elastic part and support part of Nakamura using teaching of Hsu, in order to obtain advantages that Hsu has to offer i.e. serve to protect the spring 111 (see ¶0049).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura as applied to claim 9 above.
Regarding claim 10, Nakamura at fig. 1-3 discloses the Kelvin test device of claim 9, wherein a section of the housing hole, and in order to prevent the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test from being rotated while being inserted in the housing hole [37a/37b, see “Further, although the rotation stoppers 36a and 36b are circular in plan view, this can be easily and accurately manufactured by lathe turning or plastic molding, … the purpose of the rotation stop can be surely achieved without disturbing the axial movement with use.”]
Nakamura is silent about a section of the housing hole is a quadrilateral shape, and an outer shape of a section of the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test is a quadrilateral shape corresponding to the shape of the housing hole. Use of different shape of an outer shape of a section of the contact pin assembly for the same purpose as that of prior art is not patentable. Here, Nakamura discloses housing hole for a section of the contact pin assembly to stop rotation of the radial direction (see “The pair of anti-rotation members 36a, 36b that prevent the contact pins 34a, 34b from rotating in the radial direction are discs made of an insulating material such as plastic or ceramic”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the outer shape of a section of the contact pin assembly for a Kelvin test is a quadrilateral shape and modify corresponding shape of the housing hole, in order to obtain same advantages that Nakamura has to offer i.e. to prevent the contact pins 34a, 34b from rotating in the radial direction during Kelvin test.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Goto (US 2003/0178224 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Nakamura discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 1 including the surfaces of contact pins being in contact with the insulating part. Nakamura is silent about a micro trench provided on a side surface of the first electrically conductive contact pin and a side surface of the second electrically conductive contact pin. Goto at least at fig. 1-4 and Abstract discloses an electric wire having a conductive portion with grooves on the surface thereof to increase a surface area of the conductive portion for enlarging the skin effect in high frequency current and enhancing the transmissibility and the space factor in high frequency current is provided. The conductive portion 1a being made of an electric conductive material is formed on the surface 1a with a convexo-concave surface 3 to provide predetermined amount of grooves 2 or concave portions 20 having a predetermined section with a predetermined depth W extending in a direction of thickness or toward a center of the conductive portion on the surface of the conductive portion along lengthwise the conductive portion. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to increase the surface area of the contact pins of Nakamura using teaching from Gato, in order to obtain advantages that Goto has to provide i.e. enhancing the transmissibility and the space factor in high frequency current environment (see ¶0002).
Regarding claim 4, Goto at fig. 1-4 discloses the contact pin assembly of claim 3, wherein the micro trench [Groove 2] has a corrugated shape composed of a hill and a valley with a depth the hill and the valley being repeated along the side surfaces [fig. 4 as an example] of the electrically conductive contact pin 1. Goto is silent about said hill and said valley with said depth greater than or equal to 20 nm and less than or equal to 1 μm. Use of dimensions as claimed are not patentable because it also increases surface area for high frequency transmission i.e. the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In reDailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) (The court held that the configuration of the claimed disposable plastic nursing container was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant.). Modified Nakamura will have same advantages that Goto has to offer. Modified Nakamura also discloses the valley being repeated along the side surfaces of the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakamura as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Treibergs et al. (US 2020/0064373 A1), hereafter Treibergs.
Regarding claim 5, Nakamura discloses all the elements including the contact pin assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin is formed of a metal. Nakamura is silent about said each of the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin is formed of a plurality of metal layers stacked in a thickness direction of each electrically conductive contact pin. Treibergs at fig. 1 and 20 discloses electrically conductive contact pin 120 useful for test probe is formed of a plurality of metal layers [130,140,150] stacked in a thickness direction. Treibergs at fig. 9-10 discloses each of the first electrically conductive contact pin and the second electrically conductive contact pin is formed of a plurality of metal layers stacked in a thickness direction of each electrically conductive contact pin. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use teaching of Treibergs to modify Nakamura in order to obtain advantages that Treibergs have to offer e.g. low inductance during speed test (see ¶0005).
Conclusion
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/PARESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
March 13, 2026