Appeal No. 2001-1888
Application No. 08/741,449
Welsh discloses an assembly including contacts 26 (Fig. 4) which may be
inserted into a PC board and then contained within respective insulator passages 18 in
connector insulator 16. Col. 3, l. 65 - col. 4, l. 7. As shown in Figure 2, contact 26
within passage 18 includes a forward mating portion (pin) 44, a cylindrical rear portion
42, a compliant part 32 in an interference fit within hole 24 of circuit board 14, and a
rear end part 36 for connection to a wire or like (e.g, for wire wrapping). Pin 44 mates
with socket contact 46 in “mating connector device 50.” Col. 2, l. 28 - col. 3, l. 5.
Instant method claim 1 requires fitting a spring probe receptacle for a spring
probe with a compliant pin. In view of the evidence of the artisan’s understanding of the
term “spring probe receptacle,” we cannot agree with the examiner that passage 18 of
the reference may properly be deemed a spring probe receptacle. Welsh does not
disclose a spring probe, and we have no evidence that the artisan would regard the
passage within which contact 26 resides as a receptacle for a spring probe.
Instant apparatus claim 9 requires at least one spring probe receptacle having a
compliant pin at one end. For the reason that, in our view, the artisan would not regard
passage 18 to be a spring probe receptacle, passage 18 does not anticipate the
claimed spring probe receptacle, under proper interpretation of the claim.
Instant subcombination claim 13 is broader than claim 1 or 9 in the respect that
the spring probe receptacle is “adapted to receive” a spring probe within an internal
cavity through an opening at one end and has a compliant pin fitted within and
protruding from an opening in (or “at”) an opposite end. Assuming, arguendo, that
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