Patent Application 18032701 - CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRICAL

Title: CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRICAL TERMINATION ON A PRINTED CIRCUIT, CORRESPONDING ASSEMBLY METHODS

Application Information

Invention Title: CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRICAL TERMINATION ON A PRINTED CIRCUIT, CORRESPONDING ASSEMBLY METHODS
Application Number: 18032701
Submission Date: 2025-04-10T00:00:00.000Z
Effective Filing Date: 2023-04-19T00:00:00.000Z
Filing Date: 2023-04-19T00:00:00.000Z
National Class: 174
National Sub-Class: 261000
Examiner Employee Number: 77216
Art Unit: 2847
Tech Center: 2800

Rejection Summary

102 Rejections: 1
103 Rejections: 1

Cited Patents

No patents were cited in this rejection.

Office Action Text

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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
(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) 1-7, 9, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 0748000A2 (Nowak).
Nowak discloses, referring primarily to figures 1a-6f, a connector (50) for connecting an electrical termination (11) to a printed circuit (24), wherein the connector takes the form of a metal plate (60) comprising: a peripheral area for fastening (27) the connector on the printed circuit; a central orifice (52) for inserting the electrical termination; a plurality of retaining tabs (18) for retaining the electrical termination, each of the retaining tabs extending from the peripheral area towards the central orifice, and comprising an elastically deformable portion whereby the retaining tab is attached to the peripheral area and a free end forming an edge of the central orifice, the free end comprising a curve (18a) and a sharp edge (18b), the curve and the sharp edge being respectively positioned opposite to each other so that the curve is oriented towards a first face, called removable assembly face, of the metal plate and that the sharp edge is oriented towards a second face, called permanent assembly face of the metal plate, opposite to the first face [claim 1], wherein each of the retaining tabs further comprise a rim of “V” shaped section (figures 6a-f) which attaches the elastically deformable portion of the retaining tab to the free end of the retaining tab [claim 2], wherein the metal plate is circular (figure 5c) [claim 3], wherein it comprises at least three retaining tabs (figure 5c) [claim 4], wherein the retaining tabs are evenly distributed around the central orifice (figure 5c) [claim 5], wherein at least one among the removable assembly face and the permanent assembly face comprises a legend associated with a distinctive sign [claim 6], wherein the metal plate is made of steel or beryllium copper alloy (col. 3, lines 20-30) [claim 7].
Furthermore, regarding claim 9, Nowak discloses, a method for removably assembling an electrical termination on a printed circuit, by means of a connector according to claim 1 (as described above) wherein the method comprises; a step of fastening the connector on the printed circuit at the level of the peripheral area of the connector, the connector being positioned so that it’s central orifice is opposed to an insertion hole (54) provided in the printed circuit and intended to accommodate the electrical termination (11); a step of inserting the electrical termination into the central orifice, the insertion being carried out on the side of the removable assembly face of the connector [claim 9].
Moreover, regarding claim 10, Nowak discloses a method for permanently assembling an electrical termination on a printed circuit, by means of connector according to claim 1 (as described above), wherein the method comprises: a step of fastening the connector on the printed circuit, at the level of the peripheral area of the connector the connector being positioned so that its central orifice is opposite to an insertion hole provided in the printed circuit and intended to accommodate the electrical termination; a step of inserting the electrical termination into the central orifice, the insertion being carried out on the side of the permanent assembly face of the connector (col. 2, lines 35-50, figure 1a) [claim 10].
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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.

The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nowak.
Nowak discloses the claimed invention as described above with respect to claim 1, except Nowak does not specifically state that the width and the length of the metal plate, when the metal plate has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, or the diameter of the metal plate, when the metal plate has a circular shape, are comprised between 2.5 and 4 millimeters; - the thickness of the connector is comprised between 0.1 and 0.4 millimeters; - the internal diameter of the central orifice is comprised between 0.4 and 0.8 millimeters [claim 8]. However, such a modification would amount to a mere change in size of the existing parts of the invention of Nowak. Such a mere change in size has been held to be within the skill of the ordinary artisan (MPEP 2144). Therefore, it would have been obvious, to one having ordinary skill in the art, to size the invention of Nowak to have the claimed dimensions. The motivation for doing so would have been to accommodate a smaller device pin.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMY C NORRIS whose telephone number is (571)272-1932. The examiner can normally be reached 7:15-15:15 M-F.
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JEREMY C. NORRIS
Examiner
Art Unit 2847

/JEREMY C NORRIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847