Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-10 of U.S. Application 19/021,414 filed on January 15, 2025 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/15/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being unpatentable over Yun-chan et al (KR20230051943.
PNG
media_image1.png
874
705
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Prior Art: Yun chan
Regarding claim 1, Yun-chan discloses a signal transmission connector (shown in figs 1-4B) connecting terminals of a device under test (10) to pads (31) of a tester (30), which generates a test signal (par 4 discloses a tester), to perform an electrical test for the device under test, the signal transmission connector comprising: a plurality of electro-conductive members (such as 110), each of which being formed of an elastic insulating material ( par 39 discloses elastic insulating material) in which a plurality of electro-conductive particles (par 40 discloses having particles) are arranged in a thickness direction, and having a truncated conical upper bump (13) being able to come into contact with the terminal of the device under test (as shown in contact in figs 1-4B), an inversed truncated conical lower bump (112) being able to come into contact with the pad of the test (as shown in figs 1-4B as it is in contact with a pad), and a cylindrical connecting bump (111) extending between the upper bump and the lower bump (shown in the figs); an insulating support member (21) having an upper surface (top of 21) and an opposite lower surface (bottom of 21), and provided with a plurality of support holes (121) formed therein, each of the support holes being coupled with the corresponding connecting bump (shown in figs 1-4B); an upper housing (using 120) formed of an inelastic material, attached to the upper surface of the support member, and having a plurality of upper housing holes, an inner wall (using 122) constituting each upper housing hole being spaced apart from and surrounding the corresponding upper bump; and a lower housing (using 120) formed of an inelastic material, attached to the lower surface of the support member, and having a plurality of lower housing holes (par 19 discloses having upper and lower housing. Therefore, the housing surrounds the corresponding bump), an inner wall constituting each lower housing hole being spaced apart from and surrounding the corresponding lower bump; wherein a width of the connecting bump is not smaller than those of a lower surface of the upper bump and an upper surface of the lower bump, and a thickness of the lower bump is not smaller than that of the lower housing (par 63 discloses the width can be the same or different based on need. Therefore, the width of the bump is not smaller than the lower surface of the bump).
Regarding claim 2, Yun-chan discloses wherein a thickness of the upper bump of at least one of a plurality of electro-conductive members differs from a thickness of the upper bump of another electro-conductive member (par 63 discloses the width can be the same or different based on need. Therefore, the width of another bump can be different).
Regarding claim 3, Yun-chan discloses wherein a thickness of the upper bump is not less than a thickness of the upper housing (par 63 discloses the width can be the same or different based on need. Therefore, the width of a bump can be different and not less than the thickness of the upper housing).
Regarding claim 4, Yun-chan discloses wherein a thickness of the upper bump is less than a thickness of the upper housing (par 63 discloses the width can be the same or different based on need. Therefore, the width of a bump can be less than the thickness of the upper housing).
Regarding claim 5, Yun-chan discloses wherein the upper housing and the lower housing are formed to have the same thickness (par 41 discloses the conductive body having the same thickness as the housing. Therefore, the housing can be the same thickness).
Regarding claim 6, Yun-chan discloses wherein the upper housing and the lower housing are formed to have thicknesses different from each other (par 43 discloses size and space can be differently for each housing hole. Therefore, the housing can have different thickness).
Regarding claim 7, Yun-chan discloses wherein each of the plurality of electro-conductive members is attached and coupled to an inner wall constituting the support hole of the support member by curing the elastic insulating material (figs 1-4B discloses conductive members attached to at least hole 121 and par 7 discloses an elastic member).
Regarding claim 8, Yun-chan discloses wherein at least one of a plurality of electro-conductive members is attached and coupled to the support hole of the support member by curing a silicone adhesive applied to a side surface of the connecting bump (par 39 discloses having a silicon rubber. Therefore, applied to the side of the bump).
Regarding claim 9, Yun-chan discloses wherein the upper housing and the lower housing are made of an insulating material (par 59 discloses being made of insulating material).
Regarding claim 10, Yun-chan discloses wherein the upper housing and the lower housing are made of an electro-conductive material, an insulating layer is formed on an inner wall of each of the upper housing hole and the lower housing hole (par 22 discloses being made of a conductive material and insulating coating layer formed on an inner wall).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Oh et al (USPGPub 20210293880): discloses a test socket and test apparatus.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOMINIC E HAWKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2647. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm 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, Judy Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-2258. 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.
/DOMINIC E HAWKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights