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 Objections
Claims 4, 5, objected to for minor formalities. Claims 4, 5, recites, “poke in contacts,” but should be corrected to, “poke-in contacts.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. 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.
Claim 4 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 4 recites, “the pin axes of the mating pins.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. For examination purposes it will be interpreted as, “pin axes of the mating pins.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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 15-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1)(a2) as being anticipated by D1 (CH 699568).
Regarding claim 15: D1 (Figures 1 and 5) teaches a printed circuit board assembly comprising: a printed circuit board (i.e. 1) including a substrate (i.e. having the circuits connecting 5 and 1a) having a first surface and a second surface, the printed circuit board including circuits (i.e. connecting 5 and 1a) on the substrate; an electrical component (i.e. 5) mounted to the first surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the corresponding circuit on the substrate; and mating pins (i.e. 12) extending from the second surface of the substrate, each mating pin having a mating end (i.e. 12b) and a terminating end (i.e. 12a, 12c), the terminating end being terminated to the corresponding circuit on the substrate to electrically connect the mating pin to the electrical component; wherein the mating ends of the mating pins are configured to be plugged into poke-in openings of a receptacle connector to electrically connect the mating pins to poke-in contacts of the receptacle connector.
Regarding claim 16: D1 (Figures 1 and 5) teaches the printed circuit board assembly of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board is freestanding on the mating pins such that the printed circuit board assembly is mechanically supported by the receptacle connector (i.e. as understood from the arrangement of figure 6).
Regarding claim 17: D1 (Figures 1 and 5) teaches the printed circuit board assembly of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to be directly connected to the receptacle contacts by the mating pins.
Regarding claim 18: D1 (Figures 1 and 5) teaches the printed circuit board assembly of claim 15, wherein each of the mating pins are simultaneously mated to the poke in contacts of the receptacle contacts.
Regarding claim 19: D1 (marked version of figure 5 below) teaches the printed circuit board assembly of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board includes wire pockets (i.e. P) therethrough configured to allow wires to pass through the printed circuit board to connect to the receptacle contacts.
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Regarding claim 20: D1 (Figures 1 and 5) teaches the printed circuit board assembly of claim 19, wherein the wire pockets are adjacent the mating pins allowing connection of the wires to the receptacle contacts.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 1-12 and 14 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 and Hayakawa (US 7387516).
Regarding claim 1: D1 (Figures 1 and 5-6) teaches an electrical connector system comprising: a receptacle connector (i.e. 15) including a receptacle housing (i.e. housing of 15), the receptacle housing having poke-in openings (i.e. 15c), and a printed circuit board assembly (i.e. 1) coupled to the receptacle connector, the printed circuit board assembly including: a printed circuit board (i.e. PCB of 1) including a substrate (i.e. including the circuits between 1a and 5) having a first surface and a second surface, the printed circuit board including circuits (i.e. connecting 1a to 5) on the substrate; an electrical component (i.e. 5) mounted to the first surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the corresponding circuit on the substrate; and mating pins (i.e. 11) extending from the second surface of the substrate, each mating pin having a mating end (i.e. 11b) and a terminating end (i.e. 11a), the terminating end being terminated to the corresponding circuit on the substrate to electrically connect the mating pin to the electrical component;
But does not specifically teach receptacle contacts configured to be mated with mating contacts of a mating connector, the receptacle housing having contact channels holding the receptacle contacts, the poke-in openings open to the contact channels, the receptacle contacts including the poke-in contacts; and wherein the mating ends of the mating pins are plugged into poke-in openings of the receptacle connector to electrically connect the mating pins to the poke-in contacts of the receptacle connector.
However, Hayakawa (Figure 8 reproduced below) teaches receptacle contacts (i.e. 20’) configured to be mated with mating contacts of a mating connector, the receptacle housing having contact channels (i.e. 14’) holding the receptacle contacts, the poke-in openings (i.e. 20c’ and above 20a’) open to the contact channels, the receptacle contacts including the poke-in contacts (i.e. 20c’, 20a’); and wherein the mating ends (i.e. end of 41’) of the mating pins (i.e. 41’) are plugged into poke-in openings of the receptacle connector to electrically connect the mating pins to the poke-in contacts of the receptacle connector.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the receptacle connector taught by D1 to have the receptacle contacts including poke-in contacts as taught by Hayakawa so as to use the desired female terminal for receiving the mating pins in the receptacle connector.
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Regarding claim 2: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, D1 further teaches wherein the printed circuit board assembly is freestanding on the mating pins such that the printed circuit board assembly is mechanically supported by the receptacle connector (i.e. as understood from the arrangement of figure 6).
Regarding claim 3: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is directly connected to the receptacle contacts by the mating pins (i.e. as per the combination of claim 1).
Regarding claim 4: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, Hayakawa (Figure 8) further teaches wherein the mating pins are mated to the poke in contacts in a mating direction parallel to the pin axes of the mating pins.
Regarding claim 5: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, Hayakawa (Figure 8) further teaches wherein the poke in contacts are spring biased (i.e. via 20a’) against the mating pins to create mechanical and electrical connections to the mating pins.
Regarding claim 6: D1 and Hayakawa teaches the electrical connector system of claim 1, wherein the mating pins are fixed, rigid conductors (i.e. as in D1 figure 5) between the printed circuit board and the poke in contacts of the receptacle contacts (i.e. as per the combination of claim 1).
Regarding claim 7: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, D1 (Figure 5) further teaches wherein each of the mating pins are simultaneously mated to the poke in contacts of the receptacle contacts.
Regarding claim 8: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, D1 (Marked version of figure 5 below) further teaches wherein the printed circuit board includes wire pockets (i.e. P) therethrough configured to allow wires to pass through the printed circuit board to connect to the receptacle contacts.
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Regarding claim 9: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 8, D1 (Figure 5) further teaches wherein the wire pockets are adjacent the mating pins allowing connection of the wires to the receptacle contacts.
Regarding claim 10: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 8, D1 (Figure 3) further teaches wherein the receptacle housing includes wire openings (i.e. 15d) adjacent the poke in openings to receive the wires adjacent the mating pins to allow connection of the mating pins and the wires to the receptacle contacts.
Regarding claim 11: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, D1 (Figure 5) further teaches wherein the printed circuit board includes guide elements (i.e. 1b) to guide mating of the printed circuit board assembly to the receptacle connector.
Regarding claim 12: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 11, D1 (Figure 5) further teaches wherein the guide elements include openings through the printed circuit board, the openings form wire pockets configured to receive wires extending from the receptacle connector, the printed circuit board configured to be guided by the wires during mating to load the mating ends of the mating pins into the poke in openings.
Regarding claim 14: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, D1 (Marked version of figure 5 above) further teaches wherein the printed circuit board assembly includes an electrical connector (i.e. C) mounted to the printed circuit board, the electrical connector configured to be connected to wires, the printed circuit board connecting the wires to the mating pins.
Claim 13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1, Hayakawa, and Manley (US 2024/0222917).
Regarding claim 13: D1 and Hayakawa teach the electrical connector system of claim 1, but do not specifically teach wherein the electrical component includes a surge protection device.
However, Manley (Paragraph [0029]) teaches wherein the electrical component includes a surge protection device.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the electrical component taught by D1 and Hayakawa to include a surge protection device as taught by Manley so as to protect the electrical connector system from surges.
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Gregory Mangot whose telephone number is 703-756-5737. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 571-272-3560. 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.
/GREGORY L MANGOT/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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