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 2, 3, 7 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3, line 1, “wherein” should be changed to –wherein each—Also, line 2, “row is” should be changed to -- row are each--.
Claims 2, 7, 19, line 1, “comprising” should be changed to – further comprising” Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-8, 10-16, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Szymura (U. S. 10,784,609) in view of Chen (U. S. 2023/0223714).
Regarding claim 1, Szymura, see figures 1-2, discloses conductive terminal structure (see figure 1 at 2), comprising: two support portions ( the top and the bottom) spaced from each other at a distance and extending along a first direction (horizontal); a connecting rib 4 disposed with intervals and extending along a second direction (vertical) perpendicular to the first direction (horizontal), wherein two ends of each of the connecting rib 4 respectively connect the two support portions (top and bottom), and the connecting rib 4 have a concave shape; and at least one spring plate 2e extending along the second direction and having a fixed end (see figure 1) and a contact end (see figure 1) distal to the fixed end (see figure 1), wherein the fixed end (see figure 1) connects one of the two support portions (the top and the bottom), the contact end (see figure 1) is suspended without support, and when the conductive terminal structure 2 is rolled to form a space, the contact end of the spring plate 2e and the connecting rib 4 protrude toward the space, and are configured to electrically contact a pin (see column 1, lines 25-35) inserted into the space. Szymura discloses the claimed invention but does not clearly show a plurality of connecting ribs. Chen discloses a plurality of connecting ribs at 22. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura to provide such features as taught by Chen so as to provide for better stability.
Regarding claim 2, Szymura and Chen disclose a plurality of the spring plates 2e, wherein the spring plates 2e are arranged in an upper row (see figure 1) and a lower row (see figure 1), the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) extend outward from an upper one of the two support portions (the top and the bottom), and the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) extend outward from a lower one of the two support portions (the top and the bottom).
Regarding claim 3, Szymura in view of Chen disclose the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) is located between two of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1), and another one of the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) is located between one of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) and one of the connecting ribs 4; and one of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) is located between two of the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1), and another one of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) is located between one of the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) and one of the connecting ribs 4.
Regarding claim 4, Szymura and Chen disclose the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) are alternately disposed with the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) such that the spring plates 2e are in a comb teeth arrangement.
Regarding claims 5-6, 15-16, Szymura discloses the claimed invention for except for a connecting line through centers of the connecting ribs is located between a connecting line through the contact ends of the spring plates in the upper row and a connecting line through the contact ends of the spring plates in the lower row. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura to provide such features so as to provide proper or equal force from the ribs and plates on the inserted pin.
Regarding claims 7-8, 19-20, Szymura discloses the connecting rib 4 is connected between far left ends of the support portions (the top and the bottom) but does not clearly show another one of the connecting ribs is connected between far right ends of the support portions, and the others of the connecting ribs are arranged there between. Chen discloses one rib 22 on the right and one rib 22 on the left. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura to provide such features so as to provide for better stability.
Regarding claim 10, Szymura and Chen disclose the claimed invention except for a flexible height of the connecting ribs is less than a flexible height of the contact end of the spring plate, such that the contact end is deeper into the space than the connecting ribs. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura and Chen to provide such features so as to provide for more resiliency.
Regarding claim 11, Szymura and Chen disclose the two support portions (the top and the bottom), the connecting ribs 4, and the spring plate 2e are integrally formed as a metal plate
Regarding claim 12, Szymura discloses socket 3, comprising: a connecting body 3 having an accommodating space configured to receive an insertion of by a pin (column1, lines 25-35); and a conductive terminal structure 2 rolled and disposed in the accommodating space of the connecting body 3, wherein when the pin (column 1, lines 25-35) is inserted into the accommodating space, the conductive terminal structure 2 is located between the connecting body 3 and the pin ( column 1, lines 25-35) such that the connecting body 3 is electrically connected to the pin (see column 1, lines 25-35), and the conductive terminal structure 2 comprises: two support portions (at the top and the bottom) spaced from each other at a distance and extending along a first direction (horizontal); a connecting rib 4 disposed with intervals and extending along a second direction (vertical) perpendicular to the first direction (horizontal), wherein two ends of the connecting rib 4 respectively connect the two support portions (the top and the bottom), and the connecting rib 4 have a concave shape; and at least one spring plate 2e extending along the second direction (vertical) and having a fixed end (see figure 1) and a contact end (see figure 1) distal to the fixed end (see figure 1), wherein the fixed end (see figure 1) connects one of the two support portions (at the top and the bottom), the contact end (see figure 1) is suspended without support, and the contact end (see figure 1) of the spring plate 2e and the connecting rib 4 protrude toward the accommodating space to electrically contact the pin (column 1, lines 25-35). Szymura discloses the claimed invention but does not clearly show a plurality of connecting ribs. Chen discloses a plurality of connecting ribs at 22. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura to provide such features as taught by Chen so as to provide for better stability.
Regarding claim 13, Szymura and Chen disclose one of a plurality of the spring plates 2e in an upper row (see figure 1) is located between two of the spring plates 2e in a lower row (see figure 1), and another one of the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) is located between one of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) and one of the connecting rib 4; and one of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) is located between two of the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1), and another one of the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) is located between one of the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) and one of the connecting ribs.
Regarding claim 14, Szymura in view of Chen disclose the spring plates 2e in the upper row (see figure 1) are alternately disposed with the spring plates 2e in the lower row (see figure 1) such that the spring plates 2e are in a comb teeth arrangement.
Claims 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Szymura (U. S. 10,784,609) in view of Chen (U. S. 2023/0223714) and further in view of Pemwieser (U. S. Patent 10,553,977).
Regarding claims 9, 17, Szymura and Chen disclose the claimed invention except for a width of the spring plate is gradually decreased from the fixed end to the contact end. Pemwieser discloses spring plate at 16. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura and Chen to provide such features as taught by Pemwieser so as to provide for better resisting.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Szymura (U. S. 10,784,609) in view of Chen (U. S. 2023/0223714) and further in view of Robicheau (U. S. Patent 5,681,191).
Regarding claim 18, Szymura and Chen disclose the claimed invention except for further comprising a plate connecting portion, wherein the accommodating space is a hollow cylinder and the plate connecting portion extends along a tangential direction of the accommodating space from an extending line of the connecting body, and the extending line is parallel to a central axis of the accommodating space. Robicheau discloses a plate connecting portion at 24. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Szymura and Chen to provide such features as taught by Robicheau so as to provide for attach the wire.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG K DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-2090. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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/PHUONG K DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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