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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the pair of wall portions in the short-side direction" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. A pair of wall portions extending in the long-side direction of the housing was introduced previously in claim 1, however “a pair of wall portions in the short-side direction” was not recited previously. It is not clear which portions of the walls of the housing the limitation is referring to.
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)(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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamauchi et al. [US 20220123508 A1].
Regarding Claim 1, Yamauchi discloses an electric connector (2, Fig 1) comprising: a first terminal (4A, Fig 19); a second terminal (4B); and a housing (5), wherein the first terminal (4A) is formed so as to extend in a short-side direction (DS1) of the electric connector (2), and the second terminal (4B) is formed so as to extend in a long-side direction (DL1, see Fig 19) of the electric connector (2), a pair of the first terminals (4A) is provided so as to face each other in the short-side direction (DS1) and the pairs of the first terminals (4A) are arranged along the long-side direction (DL1), a pair of the second terminals (4B) is provided so as to face each other in the long-side direction (DL1), the housing (5, Fig 5) has a pair of wall portions (5a-5d), and the pair of wall portions (5a, 5b) extends in the long-side direction (DL1), faces each other in the short-side direction (DS1), and holds the pairs of the first terminals (4A), and the pair of the second terminals (4B) is provided between the pairs of the first terminals (4A) and between the pair of wall portions (5c, 5d) in the short-side direction (DS1), and is provided so as to sandwich the pairs of the first terminals (4A) in the long-side direction (DL1).
Regarding Claim 2, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Yamauchi further discloses, the housing (5) further has a fitting raised portion (central part of the housing 5 surrounding the terminals 4A, 4B, see annotated Figure 5), the fitting raised portion is provided at a portion surrounded by the pairs of the first terminals (4A) and the pair of the second terminals (4B), and each of the pair of the second terminals (4B) has a tip end (the end opposite of connecting portion 41, see Figure 19) in the long-side direction (DL1), which extends to an edge of the fitting raised portion.
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Regarding Claim 3, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Yamauchi further discloses a plurality of third terminals (641, Fig 6), wherein each of the plurality of third terminals (641) is formed so as to extend in the short-side direction (DS1), and the plurality of third terminals (641) is provided so as to face each other in the short-side direction (DS1) with each of the pair of the second terminals (4B) interposed therebetween and to face each other in the long-side direction (DL1) with the pairs of the first terminals (4A) interposed therebetween.
Regarding Claim 4, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 3, Yamauchi further discloses a fitting recessed portion (space around the second terminals 4b and partition walls 61, see annotated Figure 5, wherein the fitting recessed portion is provided at a portion surrounded by each of the pair of the second terminals (4B) and the third terminals (641) facing each other in the short-side direction (DS1) with the each of the pair of the second terminals (4B) interposed therebetween, and the pair of the second terminals (4B) and the third terminals (641) facing each other in the short-side direction (DS1) with each of the pair of the second terminals (4B) interposed therebetween are elastically deformed when the electric connector (2) and a partner connector (3) are fitted in each other.
Regarding Claim 5, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 3, Yamauchi further discloses the first terminal (4A) and the second terminal (4B) are signal terminals [0035-0036], and the third terminals (641) are ground terminals [0070].
Regarding Claim 6, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Yamauchi further discloses each of the pair of the second terminals (4B) includes a plurality of the second terminals (4B) arranged along the short-side direction (DS1).
Regarding Claim 7, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Yamauchi further discloses the first terminal (4A, Fig 19) has a first receiving space (the space above contact portion 42) for receiving a terminal (7A) of a partner connector (3), and when the terminal (7A) of the partner connector (3) is inserted into the first receiving space (the space above contact portion 42), part of the first terminal (4A) forming the first receiving space (the space above contact portion 42) is elastically deformed (contact portions 421 and 422 sandwich the partner terminal 7A) in the short-side direction (DS1), and the second terminal (4B, Fig 19) has a second receiving space (the space above contact portion 42) for receiving a terminal (7B) of the partner connector (3), and when the terminal (7B) of the partner connector (3) is inserted into the second receiving space (the space above contact portion 42), part of the second terminal (4B) forming the second receiving space (the space above contact portion 42) is elastically deformed (contact portions 421 and 422 sandwich the partner terminal 7B) in the long-side direction (DL1).
Regarding Claim 8, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Yamauchi further discloses the first terminal (4A) and the second terminal (4B) have a substantially identical shape, and are formed integrally with the housing (5) by insert molding [0040; 0093].
Regarding Claim 9, Yamauchi discloses all the limitations of claim 1, Yamauchi further discloses a first connector (2) which is the electric connector (2) according to claim 1; and a second connector (3) fittable in the first connector (2), wherein the second connector (3) has a plurality of terminals (7A, 7B) to be electrically connected to the first terminal (4A) and the second terminal (4B) of the first connector (2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. [US 20220320766 A1]
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THASLIMUR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5831. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-6pm.
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/THASLIMUR RAHMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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