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 .
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)(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) 2-5, 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tkadlec et al (US 2017/0141446).
Re claim 2, Tkadlec et al disclose an enclosure comprising:
a housing including a peripheral wall (120)(620) that defines a cavity (118), the cavity dimensioned to receive a printed circuit board (652)[0110], the peripheral wall configured to support at least one radio frequency connector (coaxial connector) (170)(180)(670)(680) [0147] for electrically connecting to the printed circuit board, the housing further including one or more mounting features (outside of the peripheral wall) capable of removably attaching the housing to a test fixture (Figs 6, 14); and
a cover (130, 630) configured to removably couple to the housing over the cavity (Figs 6, 14).
re claim 3, wherein the housing has a generally rectangular shape (Fig 6).
re claim 4 wherein the peripheral wall is defined by a first pair of spaced apart walls that are generally perpendicular to a second pair of spaced apart walls (Fig 6).
re claim 5, wherein the housing includes an inner lower shoulder (122) (622) configured to support the printed circuit board when inserted into the cavity.
re claim 11, wherein a perimeter of the cavity has a size substantially equal to a size of an outer perimeter of the printed circuit board (Fig 14).
Re claim 12, wherein the cover has an opening defined therein that provides access to the cavity (Fig 6).
Claim(s) 13, 15-16, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Carter (3,871,736).
Re claim 13, Carter discloses an enclosure system for radio frequency component testing, comprising:
a test fixture (26) (col. 3, lines 59-62); and
one or more enclosures removably coupleable to the test fixture, each of the one or more enclosures including a housing (16) including a peripheral wall defining a cavity (18) (Fig 1), the cavity dimensioned to receive a printed circuit board (12) therein, the peripheral wall configured to support at least one radio frequency connector (34) for electrically connecting to the printed circuit board (Fig 2), and a cover configured to removably couple to the housing over the cavity(Fig 1).
Re claim 15, wherein the peripheral wall is defined by a first pair of spaced a part walls that are generally perpendicular to a second pair of spaced apart walls (Fig 1).
Re claim 16, wherein the housing includes an inner lower shoulder configured to support the printed circuit board when inserted into the cavity (Fig 2).
Re claim 21, wherein the cover has an opening (32) defined therein that provides access to the cavity.
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) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tkadlec et al (US 2017/0141446) in view of Nurmi (US 6,608,251).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose a groove defined in the inner lower shoulder configured to at least partially received a gasket therein (re claim 6), wherein the gasket includes an electromagnetic isolator elastomer (re claim 7).
Nurmi teaches the use of a groove defined in the inner lower shoulder configured to at least partially received a gasket (20) therein (Fig 4b), wherein the gasket includes an electromagnetic isolator elastomer (col. 4, lines 40-42). It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the enclosure of Tkadlec et al by employing the groove, gasket for shielding the circuit board.
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tkadlec et al (US 2017/0141446) in view of Lilienthal, II et al (US 6,239,359).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose wherein the peripheral wall includes a groove on a rim of the peripheral wall, the groove configured to at least partially receive a gasket therein (re claim 8), wherein the gasket includes an electromagnetic isolator elastomer (re claim 9).
Lilienthal, II et al teach the use of peripheral wall (30) comprises a groove (38) on rim of the peripheral wall, the groove configured to at least partially receive a gasket (40) wherein the gasket comprises an electromagnetic isolator elastomer (electrically conductive elastomer, col. 2, lines 55-62). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include the groove and the gasket with the enclosure of Tkadlec et al for sealing the gap.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tkadlec et al (US 2017/0141446) in view of Kingston et al (US 2007/247179).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose a connector having a flange configured to mount on an outer surface of the peripheral wall such that a pin of the at least one radio frequency connector extends through openings in the peripheral wall.
Kingston et al teach the use of a connector (26) having a flange (72) configured to mount on an outer surface of the peripheral wall such that a pin (78) of the at least one radio frequency connector.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include the flange with the connector of Tkadlec et al for securing the connector to the enclosure.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carter (US 3,871,736) in view of Nurmi (US 6,608,251).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose wherein the one or more enclosures are a pair of enclosures mounted adjacent each other on the test fixture.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made include additional enclosure with the enclosure of Carter for intended use since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carter (US 3,871,736) in view of Nurmi (US 6,608,251).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose a groove defined in the inner lower shoulder configured to at least partially received a gasket therein (re claim 17), wherein the gasket includes an electromagnetic isolator elastomer (re claim 18).
Nurmi teaches the use of a groove defined in the inner lower shoulder configured to at least partially received a gasket (20) therein (Fig 4b), wherein the gasket includes an electromagnetic isolator elastomer (col. 4, lines 40-42). It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the enclosure of Carter by employing the groove, gasket for shielding the circuit board.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carter (US 3,871,736) in view of Lilienthal, II et al (US 6,239,359).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose wherein the peripheral wall includes a groove on a rim of the peripheral wall, the groove configured to at least partially receive a gasket therein.
Lilienthal, II et al teach the use of peripheral wall (30) comprises a groove (38) on rim of the peripheral wall, the groove configured to at least partially receive a gasket (40). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include the groove and the gasket with the enclosure of Carter for sealing the gap.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carter (US 3,871,736) in view of Kingston et al (US 2007/247179).
The teaching as discussed above does not disclose a connector having a flange configured to mount on an outer surface of the peripheral wall such that a pin of the at least one radio frequency connector extends through openings in the peripheral wall.
Kingston et al teach the use of a connector (26) having a flange (72) configured to mount on an outer surface of the peripheral wall such that a pin (78) of the at least one radio frequency connector.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include the flange with the connector of Carter for securing the connector to the enclosure.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG V NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-1979. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 M-F.
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/HUNG V NGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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