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 .
Claims 1-12 are pending.
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.
(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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xei et al. (CN 111430958A), hereinafter Xei.
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Regarding claim 1, Xie discloses a shield connector (adapter 1, Fig. 1), comprising a first connector (first socket 2a, Fig. 2) and a second connector (second socket 2b, Fig. 2) to be connected to each other, the first connector including a first inner conductor (inner conductor 12, Fig. 2), a first dielectric (insulator 13, Fig. 2) surrounding the first inner conductor and a first outer conductor (outer conductor 11, Fig. 2) surrounding the first dielectric, the second connector including a second inner conductor (male pin 21, Fig. 2) to be connected to the first inner conductor, a second dielectric (socket insulator 24, Fig. 2) surrounding the second inner conductor and a second outer conductor (housing 25, Fig. 2) to be connected to the first outer conductor while surrounding the second dielectric (Par. 0082, “The inner wall of the housing 25 of the socket 2 contacts the outer conductor 11”), an interval in a radial direction between the first inner conductor and the first outer conductor being narrower than an interval in the radial direction between the second inner conductor and the second outer conductor (see Fig. 2 above showing radial interval 1 and interval 2), the first dielectric being formed with a first air chamber (second low impedance region D, Fig. 4) for impedance matching shaped by recessing a peripheral surface of the first dielectric, the second dielectric being formed with a second air chamber (third low impedance region E, Fig. 4) for impedance matching shaped by recessing a peripheral surface of the second dielectric, and a volume of the first air chamber being larger than a volume of the second air chamber (see Fig. 4).
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.
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xei et al. (CN 111430958A), hereinafter Xei.
Regarding claim 6, Xei discloses the shield connector of claim 1.
However, Xei fails to explicitly disclose wherein a width in a circumferential direction of the first air chamber is larger than an outer diameter of the first inner conductor.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the shield connector of Xei such that the width in the circumferential direction of the first air chamber is larger than the outer diameter of the first inner conductor where the only difference between the prior art and the claimed invention is a recitation of the relative dimension of the claimed device. A device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device and therefore the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device. As neither Xei nor the instant application attributes any criticality, unexpected result, or distinct function to the recited dimensional relationship. See MPEP 2144.04(IV)(A) In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5 and 7-12 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art of record not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the shield connector of claim 1, wherein: the first air chamber is open in an inner peripheral surface of the first dielectric, the first inner conductor is inserted into the first dielectric from behind, the first inner conductor is formed with a first locking portion, and the first inner conductor is retained by locking the first locking portion to a first retaining portion on an opening edge part of the first air chamber, as recited in claim 2. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination. Claims 3-5 are dependent on claim 2 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 7, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art of record not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the shield connector of claim 1, wherein: a front end part of the first inner conductor is formed with a first connecting portion to be connected to the second inner conductor while being accommodated in the first dielectric, and a front end of the first air chamber is shaped to be open only in the peripheral surface of the first dielectric without being open in a front end surface of the first dielectric, as recited in claim 7. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination.
Regarding claim 8, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art of record not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the shield connector of claim 1, wherein: a front end surface of the first dielectric is formed with a tapered guiding surface for guiding the second inner conductor into the first dielectric, and a front end of the first air chamber is shaped to be open only in the peripheral surface of the first dielectric without being open in the front end surface of the first dielectric, as recited in claim 8. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination.
Regarding claim 9, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art of record not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the shield connector of claim 1, wherein: the second air chamber is open in an inner peripheral surface of the second dielectric, the second inner conductor is inserted into the second dielectric from behind, the second inner conductor is formed with a second locking portion, and the second inner conductor is retained by locking the second locking portion to a second retaining portion on an opening edge part of the second air chamber, as recited in claim 9. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination. Claims 10-12 are dependent on claim 9 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tang et al. (US 20220037840) discloses a coaxial connector including an adapter, a clamping socket having a first inner and outer conductor and a first insulator, and a socket having a second inner and outer conductor and a second insulator.
Kondo et al. (US 20220037837) discloses a connector structure including a first housing, a second housing comprising inner and outer conductors respectively.
Rudolf et al. (EP 3879633A1) discloses a connector assembly comprising an outer conductor sleeve and an insulator element.
De Cloet et al. (US 10,468,786) discloses an electrical connection device comprising an inner and outer conductor and a locking projection for locking the inner conductor.
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/JEFFREY MOUNTAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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