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 because they have elements shown in cross section which are not properly crosshatched. Insulating members shown in cross section should be properly crosshatched. See for example *****. It is brought to applicant’s attention that the conventional crosshatch for insulating members shown in cross section consist of lines of two different thicknesses alternatively disposed.
PNG
media_image1.png
35
156
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure. The abstract should be in narrative form (not claim form) and generally limited to a single paragraph (not a single sentence) on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morita et al. (US 6,733,343).
Regarding claim 1, Morita discloses a floating board-to-board connector, comprising a male header (21) and a female header (1); wherein the female header comprises a female header body (1) and a plug-in member (3, 4), the plug-in member is connected with the female header body, and the plug-in member is disposed through the female header body; the male header comprises a male header body (21) and a pin (28, 29), the male header body is provided with a mounting cavity (38), the pin is connected in the mounting cavity, the mounting cavity is used for mounting the female header body, and the plug-in member is provided with a plug-in hole (between 3 and 4) into which the pin is inserted; and a cavity wall of the mounting cavity is provided with a clamping groove (32/33), the female header further comprises a clamping member (11/12), the clamping member is convexly arranged on the female header body, and the clamping groove is used for mounting the clamping member.
Regarding claim 2, Morita discloses the mounting cavity being rectangular (Fig. 6), the cavity wall of the mounting cavity is provided with a first clamping groove (32) in a length direction, and the cavity wall of the mounting cavity is provided with a second clamping groove (not labeled, receiving 7) in a width direction; and the female header body is rectangular, the clamping member comprises a first clamping block (11) and a second clamping block (6), the first clamping block is convexly arranged on a side wall of the female header body in the length direction, the first clamping block is used for being clamped into the first clamping groove, the second clamping block is convexly arranged on a side wall of the female header body in the width direction, and the second clamping block is used for being clamped into the second clamping groove.
Regarding claim 3, Morita discloses the first clamping grooves (32, 33) arranged on two opposite cavity walls of the mounting cavity in the length direction, and the second clamping grooves are arranged on two opposite cavity walls (left and right in Fig. 6) of the mounting cavity in the width direction; the first clamping blocks are arranged on two opposite side walls of the female header body in the length direction, and the second clamping blocks are arranged on two opposite side walls of the female header body in the width direction.
Regarding claim 4, Morita discloses the oppositely arranged first clamping grooves are staggered ( 32, 33, Fig. 6), and the oppositely arranged first clamping blocks (11, 12) are staggered.
Regarding claim 5, Morita discloses that the oppositely arranged second clamping grooves are symmetrical with respect to a midline of the mounting cavity in the length direction, and the oppositely arranged second clamping blocks (7) are symmetrical with respect to a midline of the female header body in the length direction.
Regarding claim 6, Morita disclose an opening of the first clamping groove provided with a first guide ramp (Figs. 5 and 6), a bottom of the first clamping block (11) provided with a first mating ramp, and the first guide ramp is used to cooperate with the first mating ramp to guide the first clamping block to be mounted into the first clamping groove; and an opening of the second clamping groove is provided with a second guide ramp, and a bottom of the second clamping block is provided with a second mating ramp, the second guide ramp is used to cooperate with the second mating ramp to guide the second clamping block to be clamped into the second clamping groove.
Regarding claim 7, Morita discloses a cross-sectional area of the second clamping groove being larger than a cross-sectional area of the first clamping groove (32), and a cross-sectional area of the second clamping block (7) being larger than a cross-sectional area of the first clamping block (11).
Regarding claim 8, Morita discloses a plurality of plug-in members and a plurality of pins provided, and the plurality of pins are plugged into corresponding plug-in members in a one-to-one manner (Fig. 5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morita in view of Chen et al. (US 7,794,289).
Regarding claim 9, Chen teaches a plug-in member (22) comprising two plug-in elastic sheets (222), the plug-in elastic sheet comprises a plug-in part and a connecting part (224), one end of the connecting part extends out of the female header body (21, Figs. 4 and 5) for electrical connection with electrical components, another end of the connecting part is connected with the plug-in part, the plug-in part and the connecting part are obliquely arranged (Fig. 4), and the two plug-in elastic sheets are oppositely arranged, so that the plug-in parts of the two plug-in elastic sheets are close to each other, and a gap between the two plug-in part forms the plug-in hole into which the pin is inserted.
Regarding claim 10, Chen teaches the plug-in part comprising a plug-in body (221) and a flaring (tips of 222), the plug-in body connected with the connecting part, the flaring inclines towards the connecting part, the flaring is smoothly connected with the plug-in body, and the flaring is used for avoiding the pin.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the plug-in members, as taught by Chen, in order to provide a reliable connection with the pin members.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009. 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.
/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights