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 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Gabrielian (Pat# 4,029,375).
As to claim 1, Gabrielian discloses a guide member (1) to which an electro-conductive contact pin (9,10) is coupled, the guide member comprising: a through hole (2,3) containing the electro-conductive contact pin (9,10), wherein the through hole comprises: a first region (3) formed by extending in a thickness direction along the guide member; and a second region (2) provided on the first region and formed by extending in a width direction along one surface of the guide member.
As to claim 2, Gabrielian discloses a guide member as mentioned in claim 1 wherein the second region (2) includes a plurality of second regions (two gaps areas on both sides of the contact pin (9)) and the plurality of second regions is arranged in the thickness direction, the first region (3) includes a plurality of first regions (two gaps areas on both sides of the contact pin (10) and the plurality of first regions is arranged in the width direction, and the plurality of second regions communicates with the first region to form a plurality of through holes (2,3).
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Haseyama et al (Pat# 6,624,645).
As to claim 3, Haseyama et al disclose an inspection device for inspecting electrical properties of an inspection object as shown in figure 7, the inspection device comprising: an electro-conductive contact pin (10H,12) sending an electrical signal to the inspection object; and a guide member (20A,20B) comprising a through hole (27,27A) containing the electro-conductive contact pin (10H,11C), wherein the electro-conductive contact pin comprises a first connection part(10H) constituting a lower part, a second connection part (10H) constituting an upper part, and an elastic part (12) connecting the first connection part (10H) and the second connection part (10H) to each other, wherein the through hole (27,27A) comprises: a first region (27) formed by extending in a thickness direction along the guide member; and a second region (27a) provided on the first region and formed by extending in a width direction along one surface of the guide member.
As to claim 4, Haseyama et al disclose an inspection device for inspecting electrical properties of an inspection object as mentioned in claim 3, wherein the elastic part (12) is located between an upper surface and a lower surface of the guide member (20A,20B).
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsiao et al (Pat# 7,467,952).
As to claim 7, Hsiao et al disclose An electro-conductive contact pin as shown in figure 2 comprising: a division part (23,231) extending in a width direction; a support part (32,34) extending in a longitudinal direction from either side of the division part (23,231,232); a first connection part (31) provided at a lower part of the division part; a second connection part (22) provided at an upper part of the division part (23,231,232); a first extension part (331) extending in the longitudinal direction from either side of the first connection part (31); a second extension part (221) extending in a longitudinal direction from either side of the second connection part (22); and an elastic part (4) connecting the division part (23,231,232) and the first connection part (31) to each other and connecting the division part (23,231,232) and the second connection part (22) to each other, wherein when the elastic part is compressed, a current path is formed by at least one of contact between the support part and the first extension part and contact between the support part and the second extension part.
As to claim 8, Hsiao et al disclose An electro-conductive contact pin as mentioned in claim 7, wherein the first extension part (31) is formed by being spaced apart from the support part (32,34) along an inner surface of the support part, the second extension part (221) is formed by being spaced apart from the support part (32,34) along the inner surface of the support part (32,34), and the first extension part (31) and the second extension part (221) are in contact with the support part (32,34) to limit the width-directional excessive deformation of the electro-conductive contact pin.
As to claim 9, Hsiao et al disclose An electro-conductive contact pin as mentioned in claim 7, wherein the first extension part (331) comprises a 1-1 extension part (right “331”) extending from a first side of the first connection part (331) and a 1-2 extension part left “331”) extending from a second side of the first connection part, at least one of the 1-1 extension part and the 1-2 extension part comprises a first contact part bent in the width direction, and the first contact part (31) is contactable with the support part (32,34) according to compression of the elastic part (4).
As to claim 10, Hsiao et al disclose An electro-conductive contact pin as mentioned in claims 7 and 9, wherein the second extension part (221) comprises a 2-1 extension part (right “221”) extending from a first side of the second connection part (221) and a 2-2 extension part (left “221”) extending from a second side of the second connection part (221) , at least one of the 2-1 extension part and the 2-2 extension part comprises a second contact part bent in the width direction, and the second contact part (22) is contactable with the support part (4) according to compression of the elastic part (4)..
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 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.
The prior art does not disclose wherein the guide member comprises a fixing step formed by the first region and the second region, and the electro-conductive contact pin further comprises: a first locking step formed by protruding in the width direction at a first location of the contact pin; and a second locking step formed by protruding in the width direction at a second location of the contact pin, an upper surface of the fixing step is in contact with the second locking step to limit separation of the electro-conductive contact pin, and a lower surface of the fixing step is in contact with the first locking step to limit separation of the electro-conductive contact pin as recited in claim 5 and in combined with the limitation of claim 1. Claim 6 depends from objected claim 5, it is also objected to.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Treibergs (Pat# 7,256,593) discloses Electrical Contact Probe With Compliant Internal Interconnect.
Barabi (Pat# 6046597) disclose test socket for an IC device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VINH P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1964. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00am-4:00pm.
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/VINH P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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