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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character “155” of fig. 3 and “931D” of fig. 9 are not mentioned in the description:
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 11,239,612) hereafter Lee.
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a connector assembly (100, 200) comprising: a plug connector 100 including a plurality of plug contacts 130 and a plug housing 110 that holds the plurality of plug contacts 130; and a receptacle connector 200 including a plurality of receptacle contacts 230, a receptacle housing 210 that holds the plurality of receptacle contacts 230, and
PNG
media_image1.png
301
475
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a receptacle hold-down 220, mounted on outside of the plurality of receptacle contacts 230 in the receptacle housing 210, wherein each of the plug contacts 130 and each of the receptacle contacts 230 come into electrical contact by mating the plug connector 100 and the receptacle connector 200 with each other in a mating direction, the plurality of receptacle contacts 230 are arranged in a pitch direction, the receptacle housing 210 includes two side walls 214 extending in parallel with the pitch direction, an end wall 216 connecting ends of the two side walls 214 (see fig. 3, and column 14, lines 45-50), and an island part 212 (see fig. 3, and column 12, lines 59-65) surrounded by the two side walls 214 and the end wall 216, the receptacle hold-down 220 includes an armer part 222, 224, 226, 225 (fig. 6) covering a part of the island part 212 (see figs. 3 and 6), and the armer part 222, 224, 226, 225 (fig. 6) includes a coined part 225, CP (see annotated fig,).
Regarding claim 2, Lee discloses, the coined part 225, CP extends to a distal end part of the armer part 225.
Regarding claim 3, Lee discloses, the armer part 222, 224, 226, 225 (fig. 6) includes a projecting part 224, 226, 225 projecting in the mating direction along an end part of the island part 212 (see fig. 3), and an arcuate part 224, 226 overhanging in the mating direction from the projecting part 224, 226, 225, and the arcuate part 225, 226 is disposed on the island part side in the pitch direction relative to the projecting part 224.
Regarding claim 4, Lee discloses wherein the armer part 222, 224, 226, 225 (fig. 6) includes an insertion part INP (see annotated fig. and fig. 3) inserted into the end part of the island part 12 and extending in the mating direction, and an arcuate part 225, 226 overhanging in the mating direction from the insertion part INP, and the arcuate part 225, 226 is disposed on the end wall side in the pitch direction relative to the insertion part INP.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARSHAD C PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-8289. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5.00 pm (EST).
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 A 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.
/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights