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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 11/11/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS(s) have been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites a term “A test socket”, but dependent claim(s) 2-7 refer to it as “The modular test socket of claim 1”. Examiner suggests amending the term to recite “A modular test socket” in claim 1 or “The test socket of claim 1” in claim(s) 2-7 to restore clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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) 1 and 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Denoyer et al. (US 20210048587; hereinafter Denoyer) in view of Brandt et al. (US 20040171300).
Regarding claim 1, Denoyer teaches in figure(s) 1-7 a test socket comprising a plurality of socket modules coupled to each other, characterized in that:
each of the socket modules (sockets 304; fig. 3) has a rectangular shape and comprises:
an anisotropic electrically-conductive sheet (310) formed in a rectangular shape at one corner portion, and comprising electrically-conductive parts (306), each of which being comprised of a plurality of electrically-conductive particles (para. 58 - receptacles 310 sized and shaped to receive the optoelectronic modules) contained in an insulating material (para. 23 - silicon on insulator SOI; 302);
a flat plate shaped frame (outer frame of 302) supporting two adjacent side surfaces of the anisotropic electrically-conductive sheet;
a coupling protrusion part (308,306) formed on the frame at one corner portion adjacent to the anisotropic electrically-conductive sheet and provided with a coupling protrusion; and
a coupling aperture part formed by protruding the frame at the other corner portion (mechanical fastener coupling of 308 between adjacent 304 sockets) adjacent to the anisotropic electrically-conductive sheet and having a coupling aperture,
wherein the plurality of socket modules are composed of a first socket module, a second socket module, a third socket module, and a fourth socket module (4 or more 304) arranged in the clockwise direction, and the socket modules are disposed to allow the coupling protrusion part of one socket module to correspond to the coupling aperture part of the adjacent socket module (mechanical fastener coupling of 308 between adjacent 304 sockets), wherein the adjacent socket modules are coupled to each other by fitting and assembling the coupling protrusion part on the coupling aperture part such that side surfaces of the anisotropic electrically-conductive sheets come into contact with each other (para. 59 - fasteners 308 may removably couple the optoelectronic modules to the MCM 300).
Denoyer does not teach explicitly elastic insulating material and an insulating part supporting and insulating between the electrically-conductive parts.
However, Brandt teaches in figure(s) 1-8 elastic insulating material and an insulating part supporting and insulating between the electrically-conductive parts (para. 48 - two contact elements are insulated relatively to each other and are arranged within a core of dielectric material surrounded by the housing 34 of electrically conductive material; para. 17- termination sockets for coaxial cables each having a signal conductor and a cable shield electrically insulated relatively to the signal conductor; para. 15 - Elastic cylindrical tube-like elements wrapped by a metal layer are inserted between the termination sockets and the metal housing so as to laterally contact the row of adjacent termination sockets; insulated cables 36; figs. 3-6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Denoyer by having elastic insulating material and an insulating part supporting and insulating between the electrically-conductive parts as taught by Brandt in order to provide applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results as evidenced by "socket connector for receiving a plurality of termination sockets for shielded cables each having a signal conductor and a cable shield electrically insulated relatively to the signal conductor" (abstract).
Regarding claim 4, Denoyer teaches in figure(s) 1-7 the modular test socket of claim 1, wherein the first socket module and the third socket module have the same shaped frame, and the second socket module and the fourth socket module have the same shaped frame (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Denoyer teaches in figure(s) 1-7 the modular test socket of claim 1, wherein a thickness of a portion on which the coupling protrusion part and the coupling aperture part are coupled to each other is the same as that of the frame (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Denoyer teaches in figure(s) 1-7 the modular test socket of claim 1, wherein a tray (302) formed in a rectangular shape and having an edge part arranged at a perimeter is coupled to lower sides of the frames to support the frames.
Regarding claim 7, Denoyer in view of Brandt teaches the modular test socket of claim 1,
Brandt additionally teaches in figure(s) 1-8 wherein a side surface, which comes into contact with a side surface of the anisotropic electrically-conductive sheet of the adjacent socket module, of the anisotropic electrically-conductive sheet has a corrugated shape (para. 26 - wall sections are provided as corrugated elements with a protrusion at the one contact surface causing the other contact surface to have a valley; figs. 1,7).
Claim(s) 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Denoyer in view of Brandt, and further in view of Gaschke et al. (US 5748007).
Regarding claim 2, Denoyer in view of Brandt teaches the modular test socket of claim 1,
Denoyer does not teach explicitly wherein a thickness of the insulating part of the at least one socket module differs from a thickness of the insulating part of another socket module.
However, Gaschke teaches in figure(s) 1-5 wherein a thickness of the insulating part of the at least one socket module differs from a thickness of the insulating part of another socket module (col. 2 lines 34-36 :- IC socket assembly which is readily adaptable to modules having varying thickness; figs. 4).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Denoyer by having wherein a thickness of the insulating part of the at least one socket module differs from a thickness of the insulating part of another socket module as taught by Gaschke in order to provide "provide a reusable IC socket assembly which is readily adaptable to modules having varying thickness…provide a socket assembly which may adapted to either a modular or to an integral design " (col. 2 lines 30-50).
Regarding claim 3, Denoyer in view of Brandt teaches the modular test socket of claim 1,
Denoyer does not teach explicitly wherein a thickness of the electrically-conductive part of the at least one socket module differs from a thickness of the electrically-conductive part of another socket module.
However, Gaschke teaches in figure(s) 1-5 wherein a thickness of the electrically-conductive part of the at least one socket module differs from a thickness of the electrically-conductive part of another socket module (col. 1 lines 39-41 :- socket accept IC modules of any thickness, as long as the variations are confined within certain acceptable bounds; figs. 4).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Denoyer by having wherein a thickness of the electrically-conductive part of the at least one socket module differs from a thickness of the electrically-conductive part of another socket module as taught by Gaschke in order to provide "provide a reusable IC socket assembly which is readily adaptable to modules having varying thickness…provide a socket assembly which may adapted to either a modular or to an integral design " (col. 2 lines 30-50).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Klein et. al. (US 10455685) discloses "Electronic Device, Socket, And Spacer To Alter Socket Profile".
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AKM ZAKARIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights