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
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 3: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 1, lines 27, 32: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 5, line 3: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 5, line 27, 32: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 9, line 3: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 9, lines 23-24: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 12, line 3: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Claim 12, line 21: “an second” should be corrected to - -a second- -;
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kimura (US 2014/0213115).
Regarding claim 1: Kimura teaches a male-female mating type electrical connector 100, 300 (see Fig. 15) comprising a first connector 100 retaining a plurality of conductive first contacts 150 in an insulating first retaining member 110, and an second connector 300 retaining a plurality of conductive second contacts 330 in an insulating second retaining member 310, each of the first contacts 150 being abutted against and electrically connected to a corresponding one of the second contacts 330 by mating the first retaining member 110 and the second retaining member 310 (see Figs. 15-18), wherein the first contacts 150 are each composed of an elongated plate member supported in a cantilevered manner by the first retaining member 110 (see Para. 0042 and Fig. 4), extending forward in a mating direction (e.g. Z-direction; see Fig. 4), and being rectangular in cross section (see Fig. 3), the first contacts 150 each have a first contacting portion 162 at a distal end portion (see Fig. 4), a face of the first contacting portion 162 on a side in which the first contact contacts 150 with the second contact 330 having an arcuate cross-sectional shape (see Fig. 4) and protruding toward the side in which the first contact 150 contacts with the second contact 330 (see Figs. 15-18), the first contacts 150 each have a first abutting portion 154 extending backward in the mating direction from the first contacting portion 162 (see Fig. 4), a face of the first abutting portion 154 on the side in which the first contact contacts with the second contact 330 having an arcuate cross-sectional shape (see Fig. 4), the second contacts 330 are each composed of an elongated plate member supported in a cantilevered manner by the second retaining member 310 (see Para. 0063 and Fig. 13), extending forward in the mating direction (Fig. 13), and being rectangular in cross section (Figs. 11-12), the second contacts 330 each have an second contacting portion 342 at a distal end portion (Fig. 13), a face of the second contacting portion on a side in which the second contact contacts the first contact having a planar shape and protruding toward the side in which the second contact contacts the first contact (see Figs. 13 and 18), and the second contacts 330 each have an second abutting portion 334 extending backward in the mating direction from the second contacting portion 342 (Fig. 13), a face of the second abutting portion 334 on the side in which the second contact 330 contacts the first contact 150 having a planar shape (see Figs. 13 and 18).
Regarding claim 2: Kimura teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein when the first retaining member 110 and the second retaining member 310 are mated to each other (see Fig. 18), the first contacting portion 162 and the second contacting portion 342 protrude in a direction at a right angle to the mating direction and in a direction approaching each other (see Fig. 18), are abutted against each other, are elastically deformed, and pass over each other (see Fig. 18), and the first contacting portion 162 is abutted against the second abutting portion 334 under an elastic force, and the second contacting portion 342 is abutted against the first abutting portion 154 under an elastic force (see Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 3: Kimura teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the first contacts and the second contacts are contacts that function as signal contacts for transmitting electrical signals (e.g. the contacts are made of stamped metal and configured to transmit electrical signals depending on circuit board trace soldered to; Para. 0041 and 0063).
Regarding claim 4: Kimura teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the first contacts and the second contacts are contacts that function as power-supply contacts for transmitting electric power (e.g. the contacts are made of stamped metal and configured to transmit electrical power depending on circuit board trace soldered to; Para. 0041 and 0063).
Regarding claim 5: Kimura teaches a male-female mating type electrical connector (Fig. 15) comprising a first connector 100 retaining a plurality of conductive first contacts 150 in an insulating first retaining member 110, and an second connector 300 retaining a plurality of conductive second contacts 330 in an insulating second retaining member 310, each of the first contacts being abutted against and electrically connected to a corresponding one of the second contacts by mating the first retaining member and the second retaining member (see Figs. 15-18), wherein the first contacts 150 are each composed of an elongated plate member supported in a cantilevered manner by the first retaining member (see Para. 0042 and Fig. 4), extending forward in a mating direction (Fig. 4), and being rectangular in cross section (Fig. 3), the first contacts 150 each have a first contacting portion 162 at a distal end portion (Fig. 4), a face of the first contacting portion on a side in which the first contact contacts the second contact having a planar shape and protruding toward the side in which the first contact contacts the second contact (see Fig. 18), the first contacts each have a first abutting portion 154 extending backward in the mating direction from the first contacting portion (Fig. 4), a face of the first abutting portion on the side in which the first contact contacts the second contact having an arcuate cross- sectional shape (Fig. 18), the second contacts 330 are each composed of an elongated plate member supported in a cantilevered manner by the second retaining member 310 (Fig. 13), extending forward in the mating direction, and being rectangular in cross section (see Figs. 11-12), the second contacts 330 each have an second contacting portion 342 at a distal end portion, a face of the second contacting portion on a side in which the second contact contacts the first contact having a planar shape and protruding toward the side in which the second contact contacts the first contact (Fig. 18), and the second contacts 330 each have an second abutting portion 334 extending backward in the mating direction from the second contacting portion (Fig. 13), a face of the second abutting portion on the side in which the second contact contacts the first contact having an arcuate cross- sectional shape (Fig. 13).
Regarding claim 6: Kimura teaches all the limitations of claim 5 and further teaches wherein when the first retaining member 110 and the second retaining member 310 are mated to each other (Fig. 18), the first contacting portion 162 and the second contacting portion 342 protrude in a direction at a right angle to the mating direction and in a direction approaching each other (Fig. 18), are abutted against each other, are elastically deformed, and pass over each other, and the first contacting portion is abutted against the second abutting portion under an elastic force, and the second contacting portion is abutted against the first abutting portion under an elastic force (see Fig. 18).
Regarding claims 7-8: Rejected for substantially the same reasons as claims 3-4, respectively.
Regarding claim 9: Kimura teaches a male-female mating type electrical connector (Figs. 15-18) comprising a first connector 100 retaining a plurality of conductive first contacts 150 in an insulating first retaining member 110, and an second connector 300 retaining a plurality of conductive second contacts 330 in an insulating second retaining member 310, each of the first contacts being abutted against and electrically connected to a corresponding one of the second contacts by mating the first retaining member and the second retaining member (Fig. 18), wherein the first contacts are each composed of an elongated plate member supported in a cantilevered manner by the first retaining member (Fig. 4), extending forward in a mating direction, and being rectangular in cross section (Fig. 3), the first contacts each have a first contacting portion 162 at a distal end portion, a face of the first contacting portion on a side in which the first contact contacts the second contact having an arcuate cross-sectional shape and protruding toward the side in which the first contact contacts the second contact (see Figs. 4 and 18), the first contacts 150 each have an elastic arm portion extending backward in the mating direction from the first contacting portion (Fig. 4), and the second contacts 330 are each composed of an elongated plate member supported by the second retaining member 310 (Fig. 13), extending in the mating direction, and being rectangular cross section, and have an second abutting portion 334, a face of the second abutting portion on a side in which the second contact contacts the first contact having a planar shape (Figs. 13-14).
Regarding claims 10-11: Rejected for substantially the same reasons as claims 3-4, respectively.
Regarding claim 12: Kimura teaches a male-female mating type electrical connector 100, 300 (Fig. 15) comprising a first connector 100 retaining a plurality of conductive first contacts 150 in an insulating first retaining member 110, and an second connector 300 retaining a plurality of conductive second contacts 330 in an insulating second retaining member 310, each of the first contacts being abutted against and electrically connected to a corresponding one of the second contacts by mating the first retaining member and the second retaining member (Fig. 18), wherein the first contacts are each composed of an elongated plate member supported in a cantilevered manner by the first retaining member, extending forward in a mating direction, and being rectangular in cross section (Fig. 4),the first contacts each have a first contacting portion 162 at a distal end portion, a face rectangular in cross section of the first contacting portion on a side in which the first contact contacts the second contact protruding in a curved shape toward the side in which the first contact contacts the second contact (see Fig. 18), the first contacts each have an elastic arm portion extending backward in the mating direction from the first contacting portion (Fig. 4), and the second contacts 330 each have an second abutting portion 334 extending in the mating direction, a face of the second abutting portion 334 on a side in which the second contact contacts the first contact having an arcuate cross-sectional shape (see Figs. 13 and 18).
Regarding claims 13-14: Rejected for substantially the same reasons as claims 3-4, respectively.
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 references being of closest relevance:
Tokunaga (US 2008/0064229) teaches a connection system comprising a first and second connector comprising terminals and retaining members that mate with each other and wherein the terminals have multiple portions that slide into contact with each other;
Masuda (US 2010/0297893) teaches a connection system comprising a first and second connector comprising terminals and retaining members that mate with each other and wherein the terminals have multiple portions that slide into contact with each other;
Aoki (US 2020/0052424) teaches a connection system comprising a first and second connector comprising terminals and retaining members that mate with each other and wherein the terminals have multiple portions that slide into contact with each other;
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
