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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Para. 22 recites "Each unit call." It appears "call" should read "cell."
Para. 35 refers to "unit cell 102 of antenna 100 of FIG. 1." There is no FIG. 1; the drawings include FIGS. 1A and 1B. Para. 35 further states that the perpendicular radiating elements provide "right-hand and left-hand circular polarization, as discussed above," but circular polarization is not discussed earlier in the specification.
Para. 38 recites "signal post 204athat." A space is missing between "204a" and "that."
Para. 38 states that portions of the signal ear 204 "may be left plated in order to electrically isolate those portions" and that "the support post 204b may be left plated such that the signal ear 204 is electrically isolated from the base plate 216." Plating a portion makes that portion conductive rather than isolating it, and these statements conflict with Paras. 22, 40, and 48, which describe the support post as non-plated. It appears "left plated" should read "left unplated" in both instances.
Para. 40 recites "the non-plated support post 204b can provides." It appears "provides" should read "provide."
Para. 41 states that "[b]oth plated post 206a and non-plated post 206b can be directly integrated into base plate 216, thereby providing a direct path to ground for the ground ear 206." A non-plated post formed of non-conductive material does not provide a conductive path to ground. Clarification is required.
Para. 47 recites "a second signal ear post 304b may be used to support the signal ear 304a atop the base plate 316." Reference character 304a identifies the first signal ear post, not the signal ear.
Paras. 57 and 64 each recite, in describing the thickness of the radiating elements, that "the distance may be a function of the wavelength of the highest designed frequency." It appears "distance" should read "thickness" in both paragraphs.
Para. 67 recites "between than 0.5 inches and 0.1 inches." It appears "than" should be deleted.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 13-15 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.
Claims 13, 14, and 15 each recite "the additive manufacturing process." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. Claims 13-15 depend from claim 10, and neither claim 10 nor claim 1 recites an additive manufacturing process. The additive manufacturing process is first introduced in claim 12. For examination purposes, claims 13-15 are interpreted as depending from claim 12.
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) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0076090 A1 (hereinafter "Franzini") in view of US 2004/0201537 A1 (hereinafter "Stolle").
Claim 1: Franzini teaches an antenna element (e.g., see unit cell 1700, FIG. 17A, Para. 140) comprising: a base plate (e.g., see base plate 1716, FIG. 17A, Paras. 140-141); a ground member projecting from the base plate (e.g., see ground ear 1702, FIG. 17A, Para. 141), wherein at least a portion of the ground member is plated in a plating material (e.g., see ears of plastic with outer surfaces coated or plated with copper, gold, silver, or nickel, Paras. 7, 68-69); and a signal member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the ground member (e.g., see signal ear 1704, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), the signal member comprising a first post disposed at least partially within an opening of the base plate (e.g., see post 1712 in airgap 1714, FIG. 17A, Para. 142; post 1812 in airgap 1814, FIGS. 18A-18B, Para. 147) and a second post that connects the signal member to the base plate (e.g., see support post 1710 integrated into base plate 1716, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), wherein at least a portion of the signal member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see Paras. 7, 68-69).
Franzini does not explicitly teach wherein the second post is not plated. However, Franzini shows a related feature, teaching that support post 1810 provides a direct path to ground via the base plate, which may negatively impact bandwidth (Para. 152), and that in other embodiments the signal ear is electrically isolated from the base plate by a plastic plug (Paras. 59, 119).
Further, Stolle teaches a signal member projecting from a base plate (e.g., see antenna element arrangement 11 with dipole halves 13 and balancing device 15 held on reflector 3, FIG. 1, Paras. 26-27), wherein at least a portion of the signal member is plated in a plating material (e.g., see non-conductive material coated with a metallizing layer, Paras. 30-31; claim 7) and a post that connects the signal member to the base plate is not plated (e.g., see anchoring sections by which the element is mounted on reflector 3 excluded from the metallization, Paras. 10, 31; claim 7; further see non-conductive plastic cap 17 anchoring the arrangement in recess 19 of reflector 3, FIGS. 1, 5, Paras. 27-29).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to leave the support post 1710 of Franzini unplated as taught by Stolle in order to avoid an electrically conductive connection between the signal ear and the grounded base plate (Stolle, Para. 31) while the support post continues to mechanically support the signal ear (Franzini, Para. 142). Doing so would also remove the direct path to ground that Franzini identifies as reducing bandwidth (Franzini, Para. 152).
Claim 2: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the first post of the signal member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see post 1712 carrying the signal to the connector interface, Franzini, Para. 147; plated ears, Franzini, Paras. 7, 68-69; metallization outside the anchoring sections, Stolle, Paras. 10, 31) and connected to a conductor within the opening of the base plate (e.g., see signal ear post 2206 in airgap 2204 connected to elastomeric conductor 2208 and conductive portion 2212 of SMA connector 2210 within base plate 2202, Franzini, FIG. 22, Paras. 169-170).
Claim 3: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the ground member comprises a first post and a second post that connect the ground member to the base plate (e.g., see posts 1708 and 1706 integrated into base plate 1716, Franzini, FIG. 17A, Para. 141; posts 1808 and 1806, FIG. 18A, Para. 144).
Claim 4: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 3, wherein the ground member and the signal member are positioned such that the first post of the ground member and the first post of the signal member are proximate to each other (e.g., see post 1708 adjacent post 1712, Franzini, FIG. 17A; airgap 1814 constrained by adjacent ground ear post 1808, FIGS. 18A-18B, Para. 148).
Claim 5: Franzini in view of Stolle does not explicitly teach the antenna element of Claim 4, wherein the first post of the ground member is plated in the plating material and the second post of the ground member is not plated. Franzini shows a related feature, teaching ground ear posts 1706 and 1708 that provide the ground ear a path to ground (Para. 141), and a signal ear built symmetric to the ground ear (Paras. 142, 144, 146).
However, Stolle teaches a member projecting from a base plate (e.g., see antenna element arrangement 11 and balancing device 15 on reflector 3, FIG. 1, Paras. 24, 26-27), wherein a first portion of the member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see balancing device coated with a metallizing layer and electrically conductive as part of the dipole arrangement, Paras. 10, 31) and a second portion that connects the member to the base plate is not plated (e.g., see anchoring sections excluded from the metallization, Paras. 10, 31; claim 7; further see non-conductive plastic cap 17 anchoring the arrangement in recess 19 of reflector 3, FIGS. 1, 5, Paras. 27-29).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to keep post 1708 of Franzini plated to provide the path to ground for the ground ear (Franzini, Para. 141) and to leave the other post 1706 unplated as an anchoring section as taught by Stolle, in order to match the selective plating of the signal ear, since Franzini builds the signal ear and ground ear symmetric to one another to simplify tiling of the array on a common base plate (Franzini, Para. 146).
Claim 6: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the signal member is a first signal member and the antenna element further comprises a second signal member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the first signal member (e.g., see signal ear 2006 of unit cell 2002 perpendicular and adjacent to signal ear 2010 of unit cell 2004, Franzini, FIG. 20, Para. 161), the second signal member comprising a first post and a second post (e.g., see airgap post and support post of signal ear 2010, Franzini, FIG. 20; posts 1712 and 1710, FIG. 17A, Para. 142).
Claim 7: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 6, further comprising a second ground member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the first post of the second signal member (e.g., see ground ear 2012 of unit cell 2004 adjacent the airgap post of signal ear 2010, Franzini, FIG. 20, Para. 161; ground ear post 1708 adjacent signal ear post 1712, FIG. 17A, Para. 148).
Claim 8: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 6, wherein the second post of the first signal member and the second post of the second signal member are integrally manufactured together (e.g., see unit cells 2002 and 2004 on a common base plate, Franzini, FIG. 20, Para. 161, formed as a single continuous part by additive manufacturing, Paras. 139-140, 173-174; further see single plastic cap 17 holding antenna element arrangement 11 having two orthogonal polarization directions, Stolle, FIGS. 1, 4, Paras. 24, 27-28). It is noted that the instant specification defines "integrally manufactured" as two or more components being formed during the manufacturing process to make up one single piece (instant specification, Para. 52).
Claim 9: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the base plate is plated in the plating material (e.g., see base plate of plastic plated or coated with gold, silver, copper, or nickel, Franzini, Para. 64).
Claim 10: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the base plate is electrically grounded (e.g., see base plate 1716 electrically grounded, Franzini, Para. 141).
Claim 11: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the signal member is electrically isolated from the base plate and the ground member (e.g., see post 1712 not contacting base plate 1716, Franzini, Paras. 142, 147; signal ear isolated from base plate and ground ear, Franzini, Para. 59; unplated anchoring sections avoiding an electrically conductive connection, Stolle, Para. 31, as combined for Claim 1 above).
Claim 12: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (e.g., see base plate, signal ear, and ground ear formed as a single continuous part by additive manufacturing, Franzini, Paras. 139-140, 173, 177; claim 2). It is further noted that claims 12-15 recite product-by-process limitations, and patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. See MPEP § 2113.
Claim 13: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 10, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (as set forth for Claim 12 above) and the additive manufacturing process includes stereolithography (e.g., see Franzini, Para. 177; claim 3).
Claim 14: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 10, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (as set forth for Claim 12 above) and the additive manufacturing process includes vat polymerization (e.g., see VAT photopolymerization, Franzini, Para. 177; claim 4).
Claim 15: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 10, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (as set forth for Claim 12 above) and the additive manufacturing process includes 3D printing (e.g., see ears 3D printed from non-conductive material then coated or plated, Franzini, Para. 69; additive manufacturing, Para. 139).
Claim 16: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the plating material comprises copper (e.g., see Franzini, Paras. 64, 68).
Claim 17: Franzini in view of Stolle teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member each comprise at least one plastic (e.g., see base plate and ears of plastics such as ABS, Nylon, or PEEK, Franzini, Paras. 64, 68).
Claim 18: Franzini teaches a phased array antenna comprising a plurality of unit cells (e.g., see phased array 1720 including a plurality of unit cells 1700, FIG. 17B, Para. 143), wherein each unit cell comprises: a base plate (e.g., see base plate 1716, FIG. 17A, Paras. 140-141); a ground member projecting from the base plate (e.g., see ground ear 1702, FIG. 17A, Para. 141), wherein at least a portion of the ground member is plated in a plating material (e.g., see Paras. 7, 68-69); and a signal member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the ground member (e.g., see signal ear 1704, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), the signal member comprising a first post disposed at least partially within an opening of the base plate (e.g., see post 1712 in airgap 1714, FIG. 17A, Para. 142) and a second post that connects the signal member to the base plate (e.g., see support post 1710, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), wherein at least a portion of the signal member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see Paras. 7, 68-69).
Franzini does not explicitly teach wherein the second post is not plated.
However, Stolle teaches a signal member (e.g., see antenna element arrangement 11 and balancing device 15, FIG. 1, Paras. 24, 26-27) comprising a post that connects the signal member to a base plate, wherein the post is not plated (e.g., see anchoring sections mounted on reflector 3 excluded from the metallizing layer, Paras. 10, 31; claim 7; further see non-conductive plastic cap 17 anchoring the arrangement in recess 19 of reflector 3, FIGS. 1, 5, Paras. 27-29), for the reasons and with the rationale set forth for Claim 1 above.
Claim(s) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Franzini in view of Robinson et al., "An Additively-Manufactured, Internally Metalized FUSE™ (IM-FUSE) Array," 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array Systems & Technology (PAST), Waltham, MA, USA, 2022 (October 11-14, 2022), pp. 1-4, doi: 10.1109/PAST49659.2022.9974979 (hereinafter "Robinson").
Claim 1: Franzini teaches an antenna element (e.g., see unit cell 1700, FIG. 17A, Para. 140) comprising: a base plate (e.g., see base plate 1716, FIG. 17A, Paras. 140-141); a ground member projecting from the base plate (e.g., see ground ear 1702, FIG. 17A, Para. 141), wherein at least a portion of the ground member is plated in a plating material (e.g., see ears of plastic with outer surfaces coated or plated with copper, gold, silver, or nickel, Paras. 7, 68-69); and a signal member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the ground member (e.g., see signal ear 1704, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), the signal member comprising a first post disposed at least partially within an opening of the base plate (e.g., see post 1712 in airgap 1714, FIG. 17A, Para. 142; post 1812 in airgap 1814, FIGS. 18A-18B, Para. 147) and a second post that connects the signal member to the base plate (e.g., see support post 1710 integrated into base plate 1716, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), wherein at least a portion of the signal member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see Paras. 7, 68-69).
Franzini does not explicitly teach wherein the second post is not plated. Franzini shows a related feature, teaching that support post 1810 provides a direct path to ground via the base plate, which may negatively impact bandwidth (Para. 152).
However, Robinson teaches a base plate (e.g., see ground plane, Pg. 1, Sec. II, FIG. 1(b)-(c)); a signal member projecting from the base plate (e.g., see positive (+) ear and leg, FIG. 1(c)), wherein at least a portion of the signal member is plated in a plating material (e.g., see internal cavity surfaces metalized by electroplating, Pg. 1, Sec. II, FIG. 1(a); 0.002 inch copper layer, Pg. 2, Sec. IV), and a portion that connects the signal member to the base plate is not plated (e.g., see dielectric shell with exterior surfaces masked to prevent metallization, holding the ear in place and mated to the ground plane, Pg. 1, Sec. II, FIG. 1(a)-(b)). Robinson further teaches that, in additively manufactured FUSE arrays printed in place on a single base plate, the support leg needed on the positive ear may limit bandwidth (e.g., see Pg. 1, Sec. I).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to mask the support post 1710 of Franzini during plating so that it is not plated, as taught by Robinson, in order to hold the signal ear in place with unplated dielectric while keeping the signal ear electrically isolated (Robinson, Pg. 1, Sec. II). Doing so would address the bandwidth limitation of a grounded support post identified by both Franzini (Para. 152) and Robinson (Pg. 1, Sec. I).
Claim 2: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the first post of the signal member is plated in the plating material and connected to a conductor within the opening of the base plate (e.g., see signal ear post 2206 in airgap 2204 connected to elastomeric conductor 2208 and conductive portion 2212 of SMA connector 2210 within base plate 2202, Franzini, FIG. 22, Paras. 169-170; plated ears, Franzini, Paras. 7, 68-69; further see metalized positive element leg receiving the press-fit SMA center pin through a hole in the ground plane, Robinson, Pgs. 1-2, Sec. II, FIG. 1(b)-(c)).
Claim 3: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the ground member comprises a first post and a second post that connect the ground member to the base plate (e.g., see posts 1708 and 1706 integrated into base plate 1716, Franzini, FIG. 17A, Para. 141; posts 1808 and 1806, FIG. 18A, Para. 144).
Claim 4: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 3, wherein the ground member and the signal member are positioned such that the first post of the ground member and the first post of the signal member are proximate to each other (e.g., see post 1708 adjacent post 1712, Franzini, FIG. 17A; airgap 1814 constrained by adjacent ground ear post 1808, FIGS. 18A-18B, Para. 148).
Claim 5: Franzini in view of Robinson does not explicitly teach the antenna element of Claim 4, wherein the first post of the ground member is plated in the plating material and the second post of the ground member is not plated. Franzini shows a related feature, teaching ground ear posts 1706 and 1708 that provide the ground ear a path to ground (Para. 141), and a signal ear built symmetric to the ground ear (Paras. 142, 144, 146).
However, Robinson teaches a ground member projecting from a base plate (e.g., see negative (-) ear and leg over ground plane, FIG. 1(b)-(c)), wherein a first post of the ground member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see metalized cavity of the negative element leg friction fit onto a ground plane protrusion, Pg. 1, Sec. II, FIG. 1(b)-(c)) and a second portion that connects the ground member to the base plate is not plated (e.g., see dielectric shell with masked exterior holding the ear and mated to the ground plane, Pg. 1, Sec. II, FIG. 1(a)).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to keep post 1708 of Franzini plated to provide the path to ground for the ground ear (Franzini, Para. 141) and to leave the other post 1706 unplated as taught by Robinson, in order to match the selective plating of the signal ear, since Franzini builds the signal ear and ground ear symmetric to one another to simplify tiling of the array on a common base plate (Franzini, Para. 146).
Claim 6: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the signal member is a first signal member and the antenna element further comprises a second signal member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the first signal member (e.g., see signal ear 2006 of unit cell 2002 perpendicular and adjacent to signal ear 2010 of unit cell 2004, Franzini, FIG. 20, Para. 161), the second signal member comprising a first post and a second post (e.g., see airgap post and support post of signal ear 2010, Franzini, FIG. 20; posts 1712 and 1710, FIG. 17A, Para. 142).
Claim 7: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 6, further comprising a second ground member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the first post of the second signal member (e.g., see ground ear 2012 of unit cell 2004 adjacent the airgap post of signal ear 2010, Franzini, FIG. 20, Para. 161; ground ear post 1708 adjacent signal ear post 1712, FIG. 17A, Para. 148).
Claim 8: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 6, wherein the second post of the first signal member and the second post of the second signal member are integrally manufactured together (e.g., see unit cells 2002 and 2004 on a common base plate, Franzini, FIG. 20, Para. 161, formed as a single continuous part by additive manufacturing, Paras. 139-140, 173-174; further see single printed dielectric block holding both orthogonally polarized elements of the unit cell, Robinson, Pg. 1, Sec. II; Pg. 2, Sec. III; FIG. 1(b)). It is noted that the instant specification defines "integrally manufactured" as two or more components being formed during the manufacturing process to make up one single piece (instant specification, Para. 52).
Claim 9: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the base plate is plated in the plating material (e.g., see base plate of plastic plated or coated with gold, silver, copper, or nickel, Franzini, Para. 64).
Claim 10: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the base plate is electrically grounded (e.g., see base plate 1716 electrically grounded, Franzini, Para. 141).
Claim 11: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the signal member is electrically isolated from the base plate and the ground member (e.g., see post 1712 not contacting base plate 1716, Franzini, Paras. 142, 147; signal ear isolated from base plate and ground ear, Franzini, Para. 59; electrically isolated radiators, Robinson, Pg. 1, Abstract, as combined for Claim 1 above).
Claim 12: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (e.g., see Franzini, Paras. 139-140, 173, 177; claim 2; further see AM dielectric block, Robinson, Pg. 1, Sec. II). It is further noted that claims 12-15 recite product-by-process limitations. See MPEP § 2113.
Claim 13: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 10, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (as set forth for Claim 12 above) and the additive manufacturing process includes stereolithography (e.g., see Franzini, Para. 177; claim 3; further see stereolithography 3D printer, Robinson, Pg. 2, Sec. IV).
Claim 14: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 10, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (as set forth for Claim 12 above) and the additive manufacturing process includes vat polymerization (e.g., see VAT photopolymerization, Franzini, Para. 177; claim 4).
Claim 15: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 10, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member are formed using an additive manufacturing process (as set forth for Claim 12 above) and the additive manufacturing process includes 3D printing (e.g., see ears 3D printed then coated or plated, Franzini, Para. 69; further see 3D-printed polymer block, Robinson, Pg. 3, Sec. VI).
Claim 16: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the plating material comprises copper (e.g., see Franzini, Paras. 64, 68; further see 0.002 inch copper layer, Robinson, Pg. 2, Sec. IV).
Claim 17: Franzini in view of Robinson teaches the antenna element of Claim 1, wherein the base plate, the ground member, and the signal member each comprise at least one plastic (e.g., see base plate and ears of plastics such as ABS, Nylon, or PEEK, Franzini, Paras. 64, 68; further see ABS-like polymer, Robinson, Pg. 2, Sec. IV).
Claim 18: Franzini teaches a phased array antenna comprising a plurality of unit cells (e.g., see phased array 1720 including a plurality of unit cells 1700, FIG. 17B, Para. 143), wherein each unit cell comprises: a base plate (e.g., see base plate 1716, FIG. 17A, Paras. 140-141); a ground member projecting from the base plate (e.g., see ground ear 1702, FIG. 17A, Para. 141), wherein at least a portion of the ground member is plated in a plating material (e.g., see Paras. 7, 68-69); and a signal member projecting from the base plate adjacent to the ground member (e.g., see signal ear 1704, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), the signal member comprising a first post disposed at least partially within an opening of the base plate (e.g., see post 1712 in airgap 1714, FIG. 17A, Para. 142) and a second post that connects the signal member to the base plate (e.g., see support post 1710, FIG. 17A, Para. 142), wherein at least a portion of the signal member is plated in the plating material (e.g., see Paras. 7, 68-69).
Franzini does not explicitly teach wherein the second post is not plated.
However, Robinson teaches a signal member (e.g., see positive (+) ear, FIG. 1(c)) connected to a base plate (e.g., see ground plane, FIG. 1(b)) by a portion that is not plated (e.g., see dielectric shell with exterior surfaces masked to prevent metallization, Pg. 1, Sec. II, FIG. 1(a)-(b)), for the reasons and with the rationale set forth for Claim 1 of this ground of rejection above.
Conclusion
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/AMAL PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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