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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: --COAXIAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH IMPROVED CONTACT RELIABILITY.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph 0035 Line 2
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7 Line 1 recites "lower receptable assembly", should be amended to recite --lower receptacle assembly--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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 1, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Endo et al. [JP 2022149019 (US 11,764,525 B2 used for translation)].
The applied reference has a common assignee and inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding claim 1, Endo discloses an electrical connector 1 (Fig. 4, Col. 6 Ln 46-49), comprising at least one lower receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, where the lower receptacle assembly is the combination of the lower pin 2L and lower housing 3L as shown in Fig. 14), at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, where the upper receptacle assembly is the combination of the upper pin 2U and upper housing 3U) located on an upper side of the at least one lower receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, where the upper receptacle assembly fits behind and on top of the lower receptacle assembly), at least one shield member 6 (Col. 6 Ln. 61-62, a shield member) located between the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, shield member 6 is located between upper and lower receptacle assemblies), and a metal shell 5 (Col. 6 Ln. 59, a metallic shell) for holding the at least one lower receptacle assembly, the at least one upper receptacle assembly, and the at least one shield member 6 (Col. 6 Ln. 59-62, metallic shell for holding the lower and upper housings and a shield member), wherein each of the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the at least one upper receptacle assembly includes at least one contact pin 22 therein (Fig. 6 shows a contact pin within each the upper and lower receptacle assemblies), wherein the at least one contact pin 22 includes a horizontally extending portion 21 linearly extending in a front-rear direction (Figs. 8-9, where the horizontally extending portion 21 linearly extends towards the front from the connection portion 23 in the positive z-direction), and a downwardly extending portion 24 extending from a base end portion of the horizontally extending portion 21 toward a lower side (Figs. 8-9, where a base end portion of the contact pin has a horizontally extending portion 24 extending downwardly from the connection portion 23 in the negative y-direction ), wherein the housing 3L includes a cylindrical portion 31 which linearly extends in the front-rear direction (Fig. 12, cylindrical portion 31 of the housing extending from the base on the right side towards the front in the positive z-direction) and in which the horizontally extending portion 21 of the at least one contact pin 22 is located (Fig. 17, the contact pin fitted in the cylindrical potion), and a downwardly extending portion 32 which extends from a base end portion of the cylindrical portion 31 toward the lower side (Fig. 12, an extending portion from an end of the cylindrical portion in the negative y-direction) in which the downwardly extending portion 24 of the at least one contact pin 22 is located (Fig. 16, where the downwardly extending portion of the contact pin is located in the downwardly extending portion of the housing), wherein the at least one shield member 6 is held by the shell 5 (Fig. 6, the shield member 6 held inside the shell 5) so that the at least one shield member 6 is located between the downwardly extending portion 24 of the at least one contact pin 22 of the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the downwardly extending portion 24 of the at least one contact pin 22 of the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, where the shield member is located between the downwardly extending portion of the lower and upper receptacle assemblies), and wherein the at least one shield member 6 engages with the cylindrical portion 31 of the housing 3U of the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 6, Col. 21 Ln. 8-12 where the partition portion, shield member, lid, and inner surface of the body portion of the shell define two housing containing sections for respectively containing the two upper housings 3U).
Regarding claim 7, Endo discloses the electrical connector 1 as claimed in claim 1, as shown above, wherein the at least one lower receptacle assembly contains two lower receptacle assemblies arranged in a lateral direction side by side (Fig. 7, where there are two lower housings 3L and two lower pins 2L arranged side by side), wherein the at least one upper receptacle assembly contains two upper receptacle assemblies arranged in the lateral direction side by side (Fig. 7, where there are two upper housings 3U and two upper pins 2U arranged side by side), wherein one of the two upper receptacle assemblies is located on the upper side of one of the two lower receptacle assemblies, and where in another one of the two upper receptacle assemblies is located on the upper side of another one of the two lower receptacle assemblies (Fig. 7, where both upper receptacle assemblies are positioned on an upper side of both lower receptacle assemblies).
Regarding claim 9, Endo discloses the electrical connector 1 as claimed in claim 7, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 6 is a single plate-like member (Col. 21 Ln. 19-20, the shield member is a plate-like member), and wherein the shield member is configured to face the downwardly extending portions of the at least one contact pins of the two lower receptacle assemblies arranged in the lateral direction side by side and the downwardly extending portions of the at least one contact pins of the two upper receptacle assemblies arranged in the lateral direction side by side (Fig. 6, where the shield member 6 is oriented to face the positive z-direction towards the downwardly extending portions of the upper and lower contact pins).
Claims 1, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamada [US 2023/0030972 A1].
Regarding claim 1, Yamada discloses an electrical connector 10 (Fig. 1) comprising at least one lower receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, second shorter dielectric and insulating housing, Par. 0040 Ln. 6-7, terminal mounting portion), at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 6, first taller dielectric and insulating housing, Par. 0040 Ln. 6-7, terminal mounting portion) located on an upper side of the at least one lower receptacle assembly (Fig. 2, where the taller upper receptacle assembly in Fig. 6 is located above the shorter lower receptacle assembly in Fig. 7), at least one shield member 45 (Fig. 2, Par. 0051 Ln. 1-3, 6, electrically conductive coupling member including shielding portion, Par. 0053 Ln. 3-5, high-height and low-height portions) located between the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 2, high-height portion located between lower and upper terminal assemblies, Par. 0052 Ln 3-4, bottom portion includes a high height portion) and a metal shell 13 (Fig. 9, Par. 0042 Ln. 1-3, outer conductor is electrically conductive made from zinc alloy as an example) for holding the at least one lower receptacle assembly, the at least one upper receptacle assembly, and the at least one shield member 45 (Fig. 1, Par. 0044 Ln. 20, 27, outer conductor includes plurality of fitting portions to hold upper and lower dielectrics and holding space for coupling member, including high-height portion), wherein each of the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the at least one upper receptacle assembly includes at least one contact pin 11 (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0038 Ln. 1-3, inner conductor) and an insulating housing 12 (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0040 Ln. 1-2, dielectric made of insulating synthetic resin) for holding the at least one contact pin 11 therein (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0040 Ln. 7-9, including a terminal mounting portion for insertion of inner conductor), wherein the at least one contact pin 11 includes a horizontally extending portion 17 (Par. 0038 Ln. 6-7, extending portion extending forward from upper end of pull-out portion) linearly extending in a front-rear direction (Fig. 2, where the inner conductor has a horizontally extending portion extending from left to right, i.e. a front-rear direction of the connector) and a downwardly extending portion 16 (Par. 0038 Ln. 4-5, pull-out portion extending in the vertical direction) extending from a base end portion of the horizontally extending portion toward a lower side (Fig. 2, where at the left-side end of the inner conductor the base has a downwardly extending portion towards the bottom of the connector) wherein the housing 12 includes a cylindrical portion 19 (Fig. 6-7, where the front-rear extending portion is cylindrical) which linearly extends in the front-rear direction (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0040 Ln. 6, mounting portion extending forward from the upper end of the terminal extending portion) and in which the horizontally extending portion 17 of the at least one contact pin 11 is located (Fig. 2 shows arrangement of inner conductor within dielectric), and a downwardly extending portion 18 (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0040 Ln. 4-5, including terminal extending portion in the vertical direction) which extends from a base end portion of the cylindrical portion 19 toward the lower side (Fig. 6-7, where from the left-side base end of the horizontally extending dielectric the dielectric extends downwardly towards a lower side) and in which the downwardly extending portion 16 of the at least one contact pin 11 is located (Fig. 2), wherein the at least one shield member 45 is held by the shell 15 so that the at least one shield member 45 is located between the downwardly extending portion 16 of the at least one contact pin 11B of the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the downwardly extending portion 16 of the at least one contact pin 11A of the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 2, where the high-height portion is located between downwardly extending portions of the upper and lower dielectric housings containing the upper and lower inner conductors), and wherein the at least one shield member 45 engages with the cylindrical portion 19 of the housing 12A of the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 2, showing contact between the high-height portion and the upper dielectric, Par. 0052 Ln. 3-5, high-height portion capable of contacting upper-stage portion of the outer conductor).
Regarding claim 7, Yamada discloses the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 1, as shown above, wherein the at least one lower receptable assembly contains two lower receptacle assemblies arranged in a lateral direction side by side (Par. 0042 Ln. 5-7, a pair of left and right insertion holes for the dielectric on the lower part of the conductor), wherein the at least one upper receptacle assembly contains two upper receptacle assemblies arranged in the lateral direction side by side (Par. 0042 Ln. 5-7, a pair of left and right insertion holes for the dielectric on the upper part of the conductor), wherein one of the two upper receptacle assemblies is located on the upper side of one of the two lower receptacle assemblies side (Par. 0042 Ln. 5-7, a pair of left and right insertion holes for the dielectric on the lower part of the conductor), and wherein another one of the two upper receptacle assemblies is located on the upper side of another one of the two lower receptacle assemblies (Fig. 9 showing the orientation of the insertion holes, i.e., the orientation of the receptacle assemblies once fully assembled including an upper pair of side-by-side insertion holes on an upper side of a lower pair of side-by-side holes. This orientation can also be seen partially in Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Yamada discloses the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 7, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 45 is a single plate-like member (Fig. 2, where the high-height portion is a plate-like member), and wherein the shield member 45 is configured to face the downwardly extending portions 16 of the at least one contact pins 11B of the two lower receptacle assemblies arranged in the lateral direction side by side and the downwardly extending portions 16 of the at least one contact pins 11A of the two upper receptacle assemblies arranged in the lateral direction side by side (Fig. 2, where the high-height portion is configured facing against the downwardly extending portions of the upper and lower dielectric and inner conductor assemblies and further described in Par. 0065 Ln. 5-7 where the pull-out portions, i.e. the downwardly extending portions, of the lower inner conductors are covered from behind by the high-height portion to improve shielding performance).
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 2-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Endo et al. [US 11,764,525 B2] in view of Kent [US 6,575,761 B1].
Regarding claim 2, Endo discloses the electrical connector 1 as claimed in claim 1, as shown above.
Endo does not disclose that the cylindrical portion of the housing of the at least one upper receptacle assembly has an engagement recess formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion so as to be opened toward the lower side, and wherein the at least one shield member is inserted into the engagement recess, and thereby the at least one shield member and the cylindrical portion of the housing of the at least one upper receptacle assembly are engaged with each other.
However, the teaching of an engagement recess formed on the housing for insertion of a shield to engage the shield with the upper receptacle assembly is known in the art as taught by Kent.
Kent teaches a cylindrical portion (Fig. 7, Col. 3 Ln 57-59, front shield portions are circumferentially continuous in cylindrical form) of the housing 14 (Fig. 7, Col. 3 Ln. 3-4, tubular conductive shields which surround a pair of angled coaxial connectors) of the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, upper connector assembly) that has an engagement recess 50 (Fig. 6, Col. 3 Ln. 55-56, outwardly projecting flange where a recess can be observed on one side of the projection), formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion (Fig. 6, the recess is formed on the outside of the cylindrical housing) so as to be opened toward the lower side (Fig. 6, the recess on one side of the outwardly projecting flange opens to the lower side of the connector), and wherein the at least one shield member 18 (Fig. 8, Col. 3 Ln. 7, a grounding clip) is inserted into the engagement recess (Fig. 8, Col. 3 Ln. 55-57, outwardly projecting flange against which the grounding clip abuts), and thereby the at least one shield member 18 and the cylindrical portion of the housing 14 of the at least one upper receptacle assembly are engaged with each other (Fig. 10, Col. 3 Ln. 7-8, a grounding clip which embraces the two tubular shields).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a recess on the upper housing to engage with the shield member to secure the shield member to the connector receptacle assembly or otherwise for the structural purpose of holding the individual coaxial conductors together as taught by Kent (Col. 4 Ln. 65-67).
Regarding claim 3, Endo modified by Kent teaches the electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, as shown above.
Kent further teaches that the at least one shield member 18 (Fig. 8, Col. 3 Ln. 7, a grounding clip) includes a plate-like portion (Fig. 10, where the grounding clip includes a plate-like portion) and an insertion portion extending from an upper end surface of the body portion toward the upper side (Fig. 10, where the insertion portion is the upper side of the plate extending in the vertical direction), and wherein the insertion portion of the at least one shield member 18 is inserted into the engagement recess (Fig. 8, Col. 3 Ln. 55-57, outwardly projecting flange against which the grounding clip abuts) and contacts with a tip side inner surface of the engagement recess (Fig. 8, where the tip side inner surface of the engagement recess extends in the direction of the shield face).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a plate-like shield member with an insertion portion for engagement with a recess on the upper connector such that the member contacts the tip side inner surface of the engagement recess. Additionally, it would have been obvious to modify the insertion portion of the shield member and the engagement recess formed on the cylindrical portion of the housing with different types of configurations since applicants have presented no explanation that these particular configurations of the engagement between the shield portion and the housing are significant or are anything more than one of numerous configurations a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious for the purpose of providing a structural connection between the upper housing and the shield member or both the lower and upper housing and the shield member as taught by Kent (Col. 4 Ln. 65-67), as a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1976).
Regarding claims 4, 5, and 6, Endo modified by Kent teaches the electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, as shown above.
Regarding claim 4, Endo discloses that the at least one shield member 6 has a plate-like shape 61 (Col. 21 Ln. 19-20, the shield member is a plate-like member), and wherein the shell 5 has at least one slit 581 (Fig. 20, Col. 20 Ln. 58-60, a groove into which the shield is press-fitted) into which the at least one shield member 6 is inserted from the lower side (Fig. 20, Col. 21 Ln. 17-20, where the shield member is press-fitted into the groove of the shell from the lower side).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, Endo modified by Kent teaches the electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, as shown above.
Regarding claim 5, Endo further teaches that the at least one shield member 6 is press-fitted into the at least one slit 581 of the shell 5 (Fig. 20, Col. 21 Ln. 17-20, where the shield member is press-fitted into the groove).
Regarding claim 6, Endo discloses that at least one shield member 6 has a plate-like body portion 61 and a pair of positioning protrusions 62 respectively extending from both side surfaces of the body portion toward an outer side (Fig. 7, where the protrusions are the circular sections extending towards an outer side).
Endo does not disclose that the at least one slit of the shell has a pair of stopper portions respectively protruding from both opposite side surfaces of the at least one slit toward an inner side, and wherein upper surfaces of the pair of positioning protrusions of the at least one shield member respectively abut against lower surfaces of the pair of stopper portions of the at least one slit of the shell.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the at least one slit of the shell to include a pair of stopper portions such as the pair of stop portions 56 on the outside of the shell 5 that allows for positioning of the cover 8 as disclosed by Endo (Fig. 19, Col. 20 Ln. 20-24, describes stop portions positioning the cover on the shell) for the purpose of further positioning the shield member in the slit or otherwise preventing the shield member from being removed from the press-fitting groove of the shell. It has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device only requires routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Claim 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Endo et al. [US 11,764,525 B2].
Regarding claim 8, Endo discloses the electrical connector 1 as claimed in claim 7, as shown above, including the at least one shield member 6 held by the shell 5 (Col. 6 Ln. 59, shell for holding shield member) so that the at least one shield member 6 is located between the downwardly extending portion 24 of the at least one contact pin 22 of the at least one lower receptacle assembly and the downwardly extending portion 24 of the at least one contact pin 22 of the at least one upper receptacle assembly (Fig. 7, shield member 6 is located between upper and lower receptacle assemblies).
Endo does not disclose that the at least one shield member contains two shield members, wherein one of the two shield members is held by the shell so as to be located between the downwardly extending portion of the at least one contact pin of the one of the two lower receptacle assemblies and the downwardly extending portion of the at least one contact pin of the one of the two upper receptacle assemblies, and wherein another one of the two shield members is held by the shell so as to be located between the downwardly extending portion of the at least one contact pin of the other one of the two lower receptacle assemblies and the downwardly extending portion of the at least one contact pin of the other one of the two upper receptacle assemblies.
However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the at least one shield member held by the shell and between the downwardly extending portions of the upper and lower contact pin as disclosed by Endo (Fig. 7, Col. 6 Ln. 59) into two separate shield members each between the downwardly extending portions of the upper and lower contact pins. The modification of the shield member to include two separate members does not change the shields function since the location of the members between the lower and upper contact pins allows for the same effect of preventing electromagnetic interference as taught by Endo (Col. 17, Ln. 44-48) with an individual shield member. It has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlicnrnan, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
Claims 2-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Yamada [US 2023/0030972 A1].
Regarding claim 2, Yamada discloses the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 1, as shown above, wherein the cylindrical portion 19 of the housing 12 of the at least one upper receptacle assembly has an engagement recess 22 (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0040 Ln. 12-13, extending groove) formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 19 (Fig. 6-7, where the recess is formed on an edge of the cylindrical portion and extends) so as to be opened toward the lower side (Fig. 6-7, Par. 0040 Ln. 13, open in the rear and lower surfaces of the dielectric) and that the at least one shield member 45 and the cylindrical portion 19 of the housing 12 of the at least one upper receptacle assembly are engaged with each other (Fig. 2, Par. 0064 Ln. 4-8, the high-height portion is engaged with the outer conductor and upper receptacle assembly preventing separation between the outer conductor and coupling member).
Yamada does not disclose the at least one shield member inserted into the engagement recess on the cylindrical portion of the housing of the at least one upper receptacle assembly.
However, the teaching of inserting the shield member into an engagement recess of the receptacle assembly for the purpose of securing the shield member and upper receptacle assembly to each other is well known in the art as taught by Yamada. Yamada teaches engagement recesses 29 (Par. 0044 Ln. 20, fitting receiving portions) formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portions 24 of the outer conductor 13 (Fig. 5, where the cylindrical portions of the outer conductor can be seen, Fig. 9, where the engagement recess formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion can be seen) so as to be opened toward a lower side (Fig. 9, where the opening of the engagement recesses face the lower side of the outer conductor) and engaged with fitting portions 47 formed on the shield member 45, the outer conductor 13, and the upper receptacle assembly in the final assembly (Par. 0063, Ln. 11, ribs along shield members contact respective inner fitting portions and prevent separation of members).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fitting portions of the shield member so as to directly engage with the recesses on the insulated housings of the upper receptacle assemblies in addition to the similar engagement recesses on the outer conductor for the purpose of securing the components together as taught by Yamada (Par. 0065 Ln. 9-10) since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device only requires routine skill in the art. St Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding claim 3, Yamada teaches the connector 10 as claimed in claim 2, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 45 includes a plate-like body portion (Fig. 2, high-height portion behind the lower dielectric appears plate-like) and an insertion portion 47 (Fig. 4, Par. 0052 Ln. 12-13, fitting portions) extending from an upper end surface of the body portion toward the upper side (Fig. 4, Par. 0052 Ln. 13-15 fitting portions projecting from the upper surfaces of the high-height portion), and wherein the insertion portion 47 of the at least one shield member 45 is inserted into the engagement recess 29 (Par. 0052 Ln. 15-17 fitting receiving portion on outer conductor to receive fitting portions formed on the shield) and contacts with a tip side inner surface of the engagement recess 29 (Fig. 4, where the fitting portions can be seen to engage with the fitting receiving portions such that contact is made of the tip side inner surface of the recess, Par. 0063. Ln. 11-12, ribs formed on the fitting portions contact the inner surface of the holding space and fitting receiving portions).
Regarding claim 4, Yamada teaches the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 2, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 45 has a plate-like shape (Fig. 1), and wherein the shell 13 has at least one slit 31 (Fig. 4, Par. 0044, Ln. 26-27 holding space to insert the coupling member into) into which the at least one shield member 45 is inserted from the lower side (Fig. 4, the shield member and coupling portion is inserted from the lower side).
Regarding claim 5, Yamada teaches the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 4, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 45 is press-fitted into the at least one slit 31 of the shell 13 (Par. 0063 Ln. 10-13, ribs formed along shielding members contact inner surface of holding space preventing separation of the coupling member and outer conductor).
Regarding claim 6, Yamada teaches the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 4, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 45 has a plate-like body portion and a pair of positioning protrusions respectively extending from both side surfaces of the body portion toward an outer side (Fig. 4, where on the visible side surface of the coupler is an extending positioning protrusion towards an outer side of the body portion with ribs 49 extending vertically, both positioning protrusions can also be seen from the bottom extending outwardly from the body in Fig. 1),
PNG
media_image1.png
387
547
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein the at least one slit 31 of the shell has a pair of stopper portions respectively protruding from both opposite side surfaces of the at least one slit toward an inner side (Fig. 4-5, one of the stopper portions can be seen on one side of the outer conductor 13 protruding from a recessed portion of the side wall),
PNG
media_image2.png
387
535
media_image2.png
Greyscale
and wherein upper surfaces of the pair of positioning protrusions of the at least one shield member 45 respectively abut against lower surfaces of the pair of stopper portions of the at least one slit of the shell 13 (Fig. 4, where the coupling portion fully engages with the recesses of the outer conductor, Par. 0065 Ln. 2-3 bottom portion is fit into the holding space to fill up the holding space).
Regarding claim 8, Yamada teaches the electrical connector 10 as claimed in claim 7, as shown above, wherein the at least one shield member 45 contains two shield members 47 (Fig 12, two vertically extending members for each pair of upper and lower dielectrics), wherein one of the two shield members 47 is held by the shell 13 (Fig. 4, Par. 0052 Ln. 15-17 portions to fit into receiving portions of outer conductor) so as to be located between the downwardly extending 16 portion of the at least one contact pin 11B of the one of the two lower receptacle assemblies and the downwardly extending portion 16 of the at least one contact pin 11A of the one of the two upper receptacle assemblies (Fig. 12, where the relative top fitting member of the high-height portion is between the fitting portion for the upper dielectric and inner conductor assembly and the fitting portion for the lower dielectric and inner conductor assembly, also displayed in Fig, 2 from a side view), and wherein another one of the two shield members 47 is held by the shell 13 so as to be located between the downwardly extending portion 16 of the at least one contact pin 11B of the other one of the two lower receptacle assemblies and the downwardly extending portion 16 of the at least one contact pin 11A of the other one of the two upper receptacle assemblies (Fig. 12, where there is another fitting member on the relative bottom side between the downwardly extending portions of the dielectrics and inner conductors).
PNG
media_image3.png
659
839
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The provided specification for Japanese patent application No. 2023-103602 discloses the structure of a single housing coaxial cable connector similar to the one in this application. The provided patent application US 2023/0030972 A1 discloses a similar multi housing coaxial cable connector structure for installation to a circuit board. The European Patent office search report has also been made note of.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIAN RIN DINH ARRIVILLAGA whose telephone number is (571)272-0970. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00.
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 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.
/JULIAN RIN DINH ARRIVILLAGA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights