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 lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 2, limitation “a tip” should be change to --the tip-- in order toa void a duplicant positive recitation since it depends from claim 1. 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.
Claims 1-13 are 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.
In regards to claims 1-9, where applicant acts as his or her own lexicographer to specifically define a term of a claim contrary to its ordinary meaning, the written description must clearly redefine the claim term and set forth the uncommon definition so as to put one reasonably skilled in the art on notice that the applicant intended to so redefine that claim term. Process Control Corp. v. HydReclaim Corp., 190 F.3d 1350, 1357, 52 USPQ2d 1029, 1033 (Fed. Cir. 1999). The term “claw portion” in claims 1-9 is used by the claims to assuming mean “spring type cantilever,” while the accepted meaning is “a mechanical component designed to grasp, hold, transfer or release an object.” The term is indefinite because the specification does not clearly redefine the term.
For examination purposes, the examiner is not given patentable weight to the limitation “claw portion” and any electrical connections could be used to fulfill the claimed invention until further explanation is given by the applicant. Since claims 10-13 depend for claim 1, they also are rejected for the above reason.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipation by Maggioni (US 2018/0024167 A1).
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Regarding claim 1, Maggioni discloses [see Fig. 4 above] an electrical connection apparatus used for inspecting an object [not shown but see paragraph [0049] for details] to be inspected, the electrical connection apparatus comprising: a terminal (contact probes 22) for inspection having a tip (contact tip 22A) disposed so as to be in contact with the object to be inspected and a proximal end connected to the tip (22A); a wiring board (space transformer 24) including a first electrode (contact pads 24A) electrically connected to the terminal (22) for inspection, internal wiring (conductive tracks 26), and a second electrode (contact pad 24B) electrically connected to the first electrode (24A) via the internal wiring (26); and a wiring sheet (space transformer 34) with flexibility including a first connection portion (contact pads 34A) arranged on a first sheet surface [bottom surface of 34], a second connection portion (contact pads 34B) arranged on a second sheet surface [top surface of 34] which faces in an opposite direction of the first sheet surface [bottom surface], and an internal circuit (conductive tracks 36) electrically connected to at least any one of the first connection portion (34A) and the second connection portion (34B), wherein a claw portion (electrical contact structures 27 and 37) [see above rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph] with conductivity projecting obliquely relative to a surface perpendicular to a thickness direction of the wiring sheet (34) is arranged on at least any one of the first connection portion (34A) and the second connection portion (34B), and the internal wiring (26) of the wiring board (24) and the internal circuit (36) of the wiring sheet (34) are electrically connected via the claw portion (27).
Regarding claim 2, Maggioni discloses a printed board (printed circuit board 25) including a wiring pattern (conductive tracks 28 and 28’), wherein the wiring sheet (34) is interposed between the wiring board (24) and the printed board (25), the claw portion (27 and 37) is arranged on the first connection portion (34A) and the second connection portion (34B), the first connection portion (34A) is connected to the second electrode (24B) via the claw portion (27), and the second connection portion (34B) is connected to the wiring pattern (28 and 28’) via the claw portion (37).
Regarding claim 4, Maggioni discloses wherein the claw portion (27 and 37) can be elastically deformed in the thickness direction [see paragraph [0091] for details].
Regarding claim 11, Maggioni discloses wherein the proximal end is provided in plurality, and the wiring board (24) is a space transformer that transforms a distance between the proximal ends of the terminal (22) for inspection when viewed from a direction normal to a main surface of the wiring board (24).
Regarding claim 12, Maggioni discloses wherein the terminal (22) for inspection is a probe having a proximal end connected to the first electrode (24A) of the wiring board (24) and the tip (22A) in contact with a signal terminal of the object to be inspected [not shown but see paragraph [0049] for details].
Regarding claim 13, Maggioni discloses wherein the terminal (22) for inspection is arranged in a test socket (probe head 21) connected to an external terminal of a package in which the object to be inspected is mounted.
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maggioni (US 2018/0024167 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Maggioni discloses a probe head (probe head 21) for holding the terminal (22) for inspection, the claw portion (37), the first connection portion (34A), the second connection portion (34B), the first electrode (24A) and the second electrode (24B). However, the prior art does not disclose the wiring sheet is interposed between the probe head and the wiring board. It is well known to rearrangements of parts where needed by a user [see MPEP 2144.04 In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975)]. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to the particular placement of a wiring sheet in a electrical connection apparatus since it was held to be an obvious matter of design choice to the user.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for details.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10 are 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 5, the primary reason for the allowance of the claim is due to the claw portion has a cantilever structure having a fixed end connected to the support portion and a free end separated from the wiring sheet. Since claims 6-7 depend from claim 5, they also have allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 8, the primary reason for the allowance of the claim is due to the claw portion is provided in plurality, and the claw portions are arranged in a matrix in plan view viewed from a direction normal to the thickness direction. Since claim 9 depend from claim 8, it also has allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 10, the primary reason for the allowance of the claim is due to the wiring sheet has a structure in which a laminated body constituted by a conductive film and an insulating film is interposed between cover films of an insulating material.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERMELE M HOLLINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-1960. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee E Rodak can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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