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 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 1-5, 7-8, 10-11, 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang (US 2021/0320460).
Regarding claim 1: Huang teaches a cable connector 100 (see Fig. 2), comprising: a first module, the first module (see Fig. 8) comprising a first terminal group 2 and a first cable 4; the first terminal group comprising a plurality of first conductive terminals arranged along a first direction (see Fig. 9); each first conductive terminal comprising a first contact portion 22 configured to mate with a mating module 9 and a first mounting portion 21 configured to be connected to the first cable (see Fig. 7); a second module, the second module comprising a second terminal group and a second cable; the second terminal group comprising a plurality of second conductive terminals arranged along the first direction; each second conductive terminal comprising a second contact portion configured to mate with the mating module and a second mounting portion configured to be connected to the second cable (e.g. see Figs. 7-11 for a second module comprising a plurality of terminals and a cable attached to mounting portions and having contact portions configured to mate with a mating module); a third module, the third module comprising a third terminal group and a third cable; the third terminal group comprising a plurality of third conductive terminals arranged along the first direction; each third conductive terminal comprising a third contact portion configured to mate with the mating module and a third mounting portion configured to be connected to the third cable (e.g. see Figs. 7-11 for a third module comprising a plurality of terminals and a cable attached to mounting portions and having contact portions configured to mate with a mating module); and a fourth module, the fourth module comprising a fourth terminal group and a fourth cable; the fourth terminal group comprising a plurality of fourth conductive terminals arranged along the first direction; each fourth conductive terminal comprising a fourth contact portion configured to mate with the mating module and a fourth mounting portion configured to be connected to the fourth cable (e.g. see Figs. 7-11 for a fourth module comprising a plurality of terminals and a cable attached to mounting portions and having contact portions configured to mate with a mating module); wherein the first terminal group and the second terminal group are arranged in a staggered manner along a second direction (see Fig. 15 for two terminal groups staggered in an up and down direction); the third terminal group and the fourth terminal group are arranged in a staggered manner along the second direction (see Fig. 15 for two terminal groups staggered in an up and down direction); the first cable and the second cable are flush along a third direction and located at a first height (see Fig. 10 for two cables, upper, flush along a third direction); the third cable and the fourth cable are flush along the third direction and located at a second height (see Fig. 10 for two cables, lower, flush along a third direction); the first height is different from the second height (see Fig. 10); any two of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other (see Figs. 1-11 for the connector existing in three directions and at least two of them are perpendicular to each other).
Regarding claim 2: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the plurality of first conductive terminals comprise a first ground terminal 24, a first signal terminal 25, a second signal terminal 25 and a second ground terminal 24 which are disposed in sequence along the first direction (see Fig. 13); the first cable comprises a first ground core wire 42, a first signal core wire 41, a second signal core wire 41 and a second ground core wire 42; the first mounting portion of the first ground terminal comprises a first mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the first ground core wire; the first mounting portion of the first signal terminal comprises a second mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the first signal core wire; the first mounting portion of the second signal terminal comprises a third mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the second signal core wire; the first mounting portion of the second ground terminal comprises a fourth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the second ground core wire (see Figs. 11-13); wherein the first mounting surface, the second mounting surface, the third mounting surface and the fourth mounting surface are located in the first plane (see Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 3: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 2 and further teaches wherein the plurality of second conductive terminals comprise a third ground terminal, a third signal terminal, a fourth signal terminal and a fourth ground terminal which are disposed in sequence along the first direction; the second cable comprises a third ground core wire, a third signal core wire, a fourth signal core wire and a fourth ground core wire; the second mounting portion of the third ground terminal comprises a fifth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the third ground core wire; the second mounting portion of the third signal terminal comprises a sixth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the third signal core wire; the second mounting portion of the fourth signal terminal comprises a seventh mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the fourth signal core wire; the second mounting portion of the fourth ground terminal comprises an eighth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the fourth ground core wire (see Figs. 10-13 for a plurality of modules and each module comprising multiple terminals, including signal and ground terminals, and multiple core wires that connect to the respective terminals); wherein the fifth mounting surface, the sixth mounting surface, the seventh mounting surface and the eighth mounting surface are located in the first plane (see Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 4: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 3 and further teaches wherein the plurality of third conductive terminals comprise a fifth ground terminal, a fifth signal terminal, a sixth signal terminal and a sixth ground terminal which are disposed in sequence along the first direction; the third cable comprises a fifth ground core wire, a fifth signal core wire, a sixth signal core wire, and a sixth ground core wire; the third mounting portion of the fifth ground terminal comprises a ninth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the fifth ground core wire; the third mounting portion of the fifth signal terminal comprises a tenth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the fifth signal core wire; the third mounting portion of the sixth signal terminal comprises an eleventh mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the sixth signal core wire; the third mounting portion of the sixth ground terminal comprises a twelfth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the sixth ground core wire; wherein the ninth mounting surface, the tenth mounting surface (see Figs. 10-13 for a plurality of modules and each module comprising multiple terminals, including signal and ground terminals, and multiple core wires that connect to the respective terminals), the eleventh mounting surface and the twelfth mounting surface are located in the second plane; the second plane and the first plane have different heights along the third direction (see Fig. 15 for first and second planes located at different heights).
Regarding claim 5: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 4 and further teaches wherein the plurality of fourth conductive terminals comprise a seventh ground terminal, a seventh signal terminal, an eighth signal terminal and an eighth ground terminal which are disposed in sequence along the first direction; the fourth cable comprises a seventh ground core wire, a seventh signal core wire, an eighth signal core wire, and an eighth ground core wire; the fourth mounting portion of the seventh ground terminal comprises a thirteenth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the seventh ground core wire; the fourth mounting portion of the seventh signal terminal comprises a fourteenth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the seventh signal core wire; the fourth mounting portion of the eighth signal terminal comprises a fifteenth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the eighth signal core wire; the fourth mounting portion of the eighth ground terminal comprises a sixteenth mounting surface configured to be electrically connected to the eighth ground core wire (see Figs. 10-13 for a plurality of modules and each module comprising multiple terminals, including signal and ground terminals, and multiple core wires that connect to the respective terminals); wherein the thirteenth mounting surface, the fourteenth mounting surface, the fifteenth mounting surface and the sixteenth mounting surface are located in the second plane (see Figs. 11 and 15 for multiple mounting surfaces located on a same plane); the cable connector is configured to meet a high-speed application of 10GHz (Para. 0003).
Regarding claim 7: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein a plurality of first terminal groups and a plurality of first cables are provided; a plurality of second terminal groups and a plurality of second cables are provided; along the first direction, the plurality of the first terminal groups and the plurality of the second terminal groups are arranged alternately; along the first direction, the plurality of the first cables and the plurality of the second cables are arranged alternately (see Figs. 11-15 for multiple terminal groups and cables arranged along a direction).
Regarding claim 8: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 7 and further teaches wherein a plurality of third terminal groups and a plurality of third cables are provided; a plurality of fourth terminal groups and a plurality of fourth cables are provided; along the first direction, the plurality of the third terminal groups and the plurality of the fourth terminal groups are arranged alternately; along the first direction, the plurality of the third cables and the plurality of the fourth cables are arranged alternately (see Figs. 11-15 for multiple terminal groups and cables arranged along a direction).
Regarding claim 10: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 5 and further teaches further comprising a mounting body (at 100; Fig. 1); wherein the mounting body comprises a first receiving groove, a second receiving groove, a third receiving groove and a fourth receiving groove which are arranged in sequence along the second direction; the first module is at least partially received in the first receiving groove; the second module is at least partially received in the second receiving groove; the third module is at least partially received in the third receiving groove; the fourth module is at least partially received in the fourth receiving groove (see Figs. 1-6).
Regarding claim 11: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 10 and further teaches wherein the mounting body is a metal shell 3; the first ground terminal, the second ground terminal, the third ground terminal, the fourth ground terminal, the fifth ground terminal, the sixth ground terminal, the seventh ground terminal and the eighth ground terminal are all in contact with the metal shell 3 (e.g. all ground terminals 24 are located within and in contact with metal shell 3; see Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 13: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 11 and further teaches further comprising a conductive pad 5 in contact with a bottom of the mounting body (see Fig. 5); wherein the conductive pad comprises a mounting surface 52 which is close to the mating module 9; the first contact portion, the second contact portion, the third contact portion and the fourth contact portion all protrude downwardly beyond the mounting surface (see Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 14: Huang teaches a cable connector assembly (Fig. 2), comprising: a cable connector comprising: a first module, the first module comprising a first terminal group and a first cable; the first terminal group comprising a plurality of first conductive terminals arranged along a first direction; each first conductive terminal comprising a first contact portion configured to mate with a mating module and a first mounting portion configured to be connected to the first cable; a second module, the second module comprising a second terminal group and a second cable; the second terminal group comprising a plurality of second conductive terminals arranged along the first direction; each second conductive terminal comprising a second contact portion configured to mate with the mating module and a second mounting portion configured to be connected to the second cable; a third module, the third module comprising a third terminal group and a third cable; the third terminal group comprising a plurality of third conductive terminals arranged along the first direction; each third conductive terminal comprising a third contact portion configured to mate with the mating module and a third mounting portion configured to be connected to the third cable; and a fourth module, the fourth module comprising a fourth terminal group and a fourth cable; the fourth terminal group comprising a plurality of fourth conductive terminals arranged along the first direction; each fourth conductive terminal comprising a fourth contact portion configured to mate with the mating module and a fourth mounting portion configured to be connected to the fourth cable (e.g. see Figs. 7-11 for a plurality of modules comprising a plurality of terminals and a cable attached to mounting portions and having contact portions configured to mate with a mating module); wherein the first terminal group and the second terminal group are arranged in a staggered manner along a second direction; the third terminal group and the fourth terminal group are arranged in a staggered manner along the second direction; the first cable and the second cable are flush along a third direction and located at a first height; the third cable and the fourth cable are flush along the third direction and located at a second height (see Figs. 11-15); the first height is different from the second height (see Fig. 15); any two of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other (see Figs. 1-11 for the connector existing in three directions and at least two of them are perpendicular to each other); a mating module 9; the first contact portion, the second contact portion, the third contact portion and the fourth contact portion of the cable connector are all configured to mate with the mating module (see Fig. 1); and at least one fastener 8 fixing the cable connector and the mating module together (see Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 15: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 14 and further teaches wherein the at least one fastener is a bolt (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claims 16-19: Rejected for substantially the same reasons as claims 2-5, respectively.
Regarding claim 20: Rejected for substantially the same reasons as claims 10-11.
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang (US 2021/0320460), in view of Song (US 2021/0167539).
Regarding claim 6: Huang teaches all the limitations of claim 1.
Huang does not explicitly teach wherein the first contact portion defines a first through hole; the second contact portion defines a second through hole; the third contact portion defines a third through hole; the fourth contact portion defines a fourth through hole; the mating module is a circuit board which defines a first conductive hole, a second conductive hole, a third conductive hole and a fourth conductive hole; the first contact portion is configured to be inserted into the first conductive hole; the second contact portion is configured to be inserted into the second conductive hole; the third contact portion is configured to be inserted into the third conductive hole; the fourth contact portion is configured to be inserted into the fourth conductive hole.
Song teaches a first contact portion defines a first through hole; a second contact portion defines a second through hole; a third contact portion defines a third through hole; a fourth contact portion defines a fourth through hole; a mating module is a circuit board which defines a first conductive hole, a second conductive hole, a third conductive hole and a fourth conductive hole; the first contact portion is configured to be inserted into the first conductive hole; the second contact portion is configured to be inserted into the second conductive hole; the third contact portion is configured to be inserted into the third conductive hole; the fourth contact portion is configured to be inserted into the fourth conductive hole (see Figs. 6-9 for contact portions defining a through hole and inserted into a conductive hole of a mating circuit board).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to be able to modify the invention with the first contact portion defines a first through hole; the second contact portion defines a second through hole; the third contact portion defines a third through hole; the fourth contact portion defines a fourth through hole; the mating module is a circuit board which defines a first conductive hole, a second conductive hole, a third conductive hole and a fourth conductive hole; the first contact portion is configured to be inserted into the first conductive hole; the second contact portion is configured to be inserted into the second conductive hole; the third contact portion is configured to be inserted into the third conductive hole; the fourth contact portion is configured to be inserted into the fourth conductive hole as taught by Song into the cable connector of Huang in order to achieve the advantage of ensuring a mechanical connection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 12 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see PTO-892 for pertinent prior art, the following reference being of closest relevance:
Laurx (US 2021/0126404) teaches a terminal module comprising multiple terminals and cables arranged in a staggered manner and configured to connect with a mating connector;
Zeng (US 2023/0411904) teaches a terminal module comprising multiple terminals and cables arranged in a staggered manner and configured to connect with a mating connector;
Morgan (US 2024/0047908) teaches a terminal module comprising multiple terminals and cables, the cables comprising at least four core wires, and configured to connect with a mating connector;
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OSCAR C JIMENEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-0272. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571) 272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OSCAR C JIMENEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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