UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.goV
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`§¢§1 AN»
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`*
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`9
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`‘-
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`APPLICATION NO.
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`F ING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
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`CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`13/653,095
`
`10/16/2012
`
`Donald Andrew Burris
`
`HI12—1 17
`
`3288
`
`come INCORPORATED
`INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT, SP—TI—3—1
`DUVERNE JEAN F
`CORNING, NY 14831
`
`ART UNIT
`
`PAPER NUIVIBER
`
`2833
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`12/16/2014
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on aboVe—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
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`usdocket @ c0rning.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`PPC Exhibit 2024
`
`Coming v. PPC
`|PR2016—O1569
`
`

`
`Application No.
`13/653,095
`
`App|icant(s)
`BURRIS ET AL.
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`AIA (First lnventorto File)
`Art unit
`Examiner
`:,*:‘”S
`2333
`JEAN F. DUVERNE
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE § MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`—
`—
`
`Status
`
`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12/04/2014.
`I:I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)I:| This action is non—final.
`2a)I:l This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)I:I Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)XI Claim(s) iis/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s) j is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6)I:I Claim(s) j is/are allowed.
`7)IZI Claim(s) iis/are rejected.
`8)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`_ are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`I
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`if/index.‘s
`
`
`
`:/:’vvww.usbto. ow atents/init events/'
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`or send an inquiry to PPI--lfeedbackf,63u3j;),togov.
`
`htt
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|:I The drawing(s) filed on _ is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)I:l Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`b)I:l Some** c)I:l None of the:
`a)|:l All
`1.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. j
`3.I:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attach ment(s)
`
`3) D jntervjew summary (pTo-413)
`1) D Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date. j
`_
`_
`2) E Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 12/04/2014 10/08/2014 09/18/2014 . 4) I:I Other‘ :-
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20141206
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent
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`provisions.
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`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
`
`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 —
`
`(e) the invention was described in (1) an application for patent, published under section
`122(b), by another filed in the United States before the invention by the applicant for patent or
`(2) a patent granted on an application for patent by another filed in the United States before
`the invention by the applicant for patent, except that an international application filed under
`the treaty defined in section 351 (a) shall have the effects for purposes of this subsection of an
`application filed in the United States only if the international application designated the United
`States and was published under Article 21(2) of such treaty in the English language.
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`Claims 1, 4-8, 13-14, 17-19 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 (e) as
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`being anticipated by Ehret et al (US008480430B2).
`
`Regarding claims 1, 4-8, Ehret’s device discloses a coaxial cable connector (100)
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`for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable (10) comprising an
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`inner conductor (1), a dielectric (16) surrounding the inner conductor (1), an outer
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`conductor (14) surrounding the dielectric (16), and a jacket (12 or 12a) surrounding the
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`outer conductor (14), the connector comprising: a coupler (30) adapted to couple the
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`connector to the terminal; a body assembled with the coupler, and a post (40)
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`assembled with the coupler (30) and the body (50), wherein the post (40) is adapted to
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`receive an end of a coaxial cable (10), and wherein the coupler (30) and post (40)
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`provide RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 20-43)
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`are attenuated such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial
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`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the
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`connector to the terminal, and without a separate continuity member (col. 10, 62-67, col.
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`11, lines 1-23); wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals
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`that ingress into the connector (see col. 1, lines 21-42); wherein the RF signals external
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`to the connector comprise RF signals that egress out from the connector(see col. 1,
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`lines 21-42); wherein the coupler (30) comprises, a step (treading shape), and a lip
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`(protruding end portion), and wherein the post (40) comprises, a flange at 45, a
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`contacting portion at 42 and a shoulder at 47; wherein a first circuitous path
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`(connection path) is established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the
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`contacting portion and the shoulder, and wherein the first circuitous path attenuates of
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`RF signals external to the connector (see figs. 1-23); wherein the contacting portion at
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`42 is integraland monolithic with at least a portion of the post.
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`Regarding claims 13-14,17-19, Ehret’s’s device discloses the aforementioned
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`including the post at 41 providing a continuous path resulting in RF shielding such that
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`RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity
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`of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector (10) is maintained
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`regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal (20).
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
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`for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described
`as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to
`be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been
`
`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which
`said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the
`invention was made.
`
`Claims 2-3, 9-12, 15-16, 20-23 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as
`
`being unpatentable over Ehret et al (US008480430B2).
`
`Regarding claims 2-3, 15-16, Ehret’s device discloses the aforementioned, but
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`fails to explicitly disclose the RF signal range or the resistance of the conductor. It would
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`have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
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`made to the RF signal range or the resistance of the conductor to have the RF signal
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`conductor having a certain range values, since it has been held that where the general
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`conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable
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`ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. It would have
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`been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made
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`to the RF signal range or the resistance of the conductor to have the RF signal
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`conductor with a certain range values in order to meet the system specification and
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`requirement.
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`Regarding claims 9-12, 20-23, Ehret’s device discloses equipment connection
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`port at 20, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion at 33 adapted to
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`connect with a threaded portion at 24 of the equipment connection port, and wherein at
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`least one thread on the coupler. However, Ehret’s device fails to explicitly disclose the
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`threading size. It would have been obvious matter of design choice to have the
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`threading being at a certain angle or size, such a modification would have involved a
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`mere change in the size of the component. A change in size of the threading is
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
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`In re Rose, 105
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`USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). It would have being obvious to one having ordinary skill in the
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`art at the time the invention was made to have the coupler or equipment connection port
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`with threading angles being a certain size in order to meet the system specification and
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`requirement.
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`Response to Argument
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`Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-23 have been considered but are
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`moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from
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`the examiner should be directed to Jean F. Duverne whose telephone number is (571)
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`272-2091. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00-5:30, Monday-Friday.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Amy C. Johnson can be reached on (571)272-2238.
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`The fax phone number for the organization where this application or
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`proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll—free).
`
`If you would like assistance from a
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/Jean Frantz Duverne/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
`
`12/06/2014
`
`wherein RF signals are attenuated by at least about 50dB in a range up to
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`about 1000MHz.
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`(Original) The coaxial cable comaector of claim 1, wherein a transfer impedance
`
`measured
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`from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal through the connector
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`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`averages less than about 0.24 ohms.
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`wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals that
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`ingress into the connector (see col. 1, lines 21-42); wherein the RF signals external to
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`the connector comprise RF signals that egress out from the connector(see col. 1, lines
`
`21-42); wherein the coupler (30) comprises,
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`a step (treading shape), and
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`a lip (protruding end portion),
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`and wherein the post (40) comprises, a flange at 45, a contacting portion at 42 and a
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`shoulder at 47;
`
`wherein a first circuitous path (connection path) is
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`established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the contacting portion and the
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`shoulder, and wherein the first circuitous path attenuates of RF signals external to the
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`connector (see figs. 1-23);
`
`wherein the contacting portion at 42 is integral
`
`and monolithic with at least a portion of the post;
`
`wherein the terminal comprises an
`
`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`equipment connection port at 20, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded
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`portion at 33 adapted to connect with a threaded portion at 24 of the equipment
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`connection port, and wherein at least one thread on the coupler
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`has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the
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`equiplnent connection port.
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`10. (Original) The coaxial cable COlmector of claim 9, wherein the pitch angle of the
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`thread of the coupler is about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the tlv'ead of
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`the equipment connection port.
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`11. (Original) The coaxial cable connector of claim 9, wherein the pitch angle of the
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`thread of the coupler is about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the
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`equipment comaection port is about 60 degrees.
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`12. (Original) The coaxial cable comaector of claim 9, wherein the threaded portion of
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`the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port, establish a
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`second circuitous path, and wherein the second circuitous path attenuates RF signals
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`external to the connector.
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`3 of|O
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`Application Serial No. 13/653,095
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 9
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`Response to Office Action mailed Februa12¢ 28, 2014
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`13. (Currently Amended) A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial
`
`cable to an equipment connection port, the coaxial cable comprising an ilmer conductor,
`
`a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the
`
`dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising:
`
`a coupler adapted to couple the colmector to the equipment connection port; a body
`
`assembled with the coupler, and a post assembled with the coupler and the body,
`
`wherein the post is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable, and wherein the post
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`comprises an integral contacting portion, and wherein the contacting portion is
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`monolithic with at least a portion of the post, and
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`wherein when assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path
`
`resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable COlmector
`
`are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial
`
`cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the
`
`comaector to the terminal and without a separate contilmity member.
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`14. (Original) The coaxial cable coxmector of claim 13, wherein RF signals external to
`
`the coaxial connector comprise at least one of RF signals that ingress into the
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`connector and RF signals that egress out from the COlmector.
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`15. (Original) The coaxial cable connector of claim 13, wherein RF signals are
`
`attenuated by at least about 50dB in a range up to about 1000MHz.
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`16. (Original) The coaxial cable comaector of claim 13, wherein a transfer impedance
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`averages about 0.24 ohms.
`
`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 10
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`17. (Original) The coaxial cable COlmector of claim 13, wherein the at least one
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`circuitous path comprises a first circuitous path and a second circuitous path.
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`4 oflO
`
`Application Serial No. 13/653,095
`
`Response to Office Action mailed February 28, 2014
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`18. (Original) The coaxial cable colmector of claim 17, wherein the coupler comprises a
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`lip and a step, and the post comprises a flange and a shoulder, and wherein the first
`
`circuitous path is established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the
`
`contacting portion and the shoulder.
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`19. (Original) The coaxial cable comaector of claim 17, wherein the terminal comprises
`
`an equipment connection port, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion
`
`adapted to COlmect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port, and
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`wherein the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment
`
`connection port establish a second circuitous path.
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`20. (Original) The coaxial cable connector of claim 19, wherein at least one thread on
`
`the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one tlv'ead of the
`
`equipment coxmection port.
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`21. (Currently Amended) A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial
`
`cable to an equipment coxmection port, the coaxial cable comprising an inner
`
`conductor, a dielectric surrounding the ironer conductor, an outer conductor surrounding
`
`the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising:
`
`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
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`Page 11
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`a coupler adapted to couple the colmector to the equipment connection port, wherein
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`the coupler has a step, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion adapted
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`to comaect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port, and wherein at
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`least one thread on the coupler
`
`has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment
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`connection port; a body assembled with the coupler; a post assembled with the coupler
`
`and the body, wherein the post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder,
`
`and wherein the post is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable, and wherein the
`
`contacting portion is integral and monolithic with at least a portion of the post, and
`
`wherein a first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting
`
`portion and the shoulder, and wherein a second circuitous path is established by the
`
`threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection
`
`port, and wherein the first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF
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`shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector such that RF signals external to the
`
`coaxial cable connector are attelmated by at least
`
`5 of|O
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`Application Serial No. 13/653,095
`
`Response to Office Action mailed February 28, 2014
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`about 50dB in a range up to about 1000MHz, and wherein a transfer impedance
`
`averages about 0.24 ohms, and wherein the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted
`
`through coaxial cable colmector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the
`
`

`
`Application/Control Number: 13/653,095
`
`Page 12
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`Art Unit: 2833
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`coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port and without a separate
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`continuity member.
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`22. (Original) The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein the pitch angle of the
`
`thread of the coupler is about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of
`
`the equipment connection port.
`
`23. (Original) The coaxial cable colmector of claim 22, wherein the pitch angle of the
`
`thread of the coupler is about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the
`
`equipment comaection port is about 60 degrees.
`
`6 of|O