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 .
Examiner acknowledges the response filed 3/27/2026. Claims 1-27 remain pending in the application. Claims 7-27 remain withdrawn, claims 1-6 are prosecuted below.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 3/27/2026. These drawings are approved and entered.
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.
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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (US 9441653).
Re Clm 1: Wang discloses a rod structure (figs 1-23) used in an electronic device (motherboard or housing), comprising: an engaging rod (10), comprising a rod (10), the rod comprising an assembly portion (any portion of the rod, for example, a central portion on either side of the fastener assembly) and a push portion (left or right end portions of 10), the assembly portion movably assembled at an engaged object (20), and the push portion for pushing a pushed object (Examiner notes that the end portion of rod 10 is capable of “pushing a pushed object”); and a fastener (including elements 1, 2, 3, and 4), for engaging the engaging rod at the engaged object (see figs), wherein when the fastener is engaged with or disengaged from the engaged object, the engaging rod is for causing the push portion to push against the pushed object (when the elements 10 and 20 are connected via the fastener, the rod 10 is capable of pushing the push portion against a pushed object), wherein the assembly portion and the fastener are disposed at different position along the rod and spaced apart from each other (Examiner notes that the “assembly portion” is vague and can be any portion on rod 10. The “assembled portion” relied upon can be a central portion of 10 that is outside of the fastener structure, therefore, being at different positions along the rod and spaced from each other).
Re Clm 2: Wang discloses a rod structure (figs 1-23) used in an electronic device (motherboard or housing), comprising: an engaging rod (10), comprising a rod (10), the rod comprising an assembly portion (central portion), the assembly portion movably assembled at an assembled object (20); and a fastener (including elements 1, 2, 3, and 4), for engaging the engaging rod at an engaged object (see figs), wherein the assembly portion and the fastener are disposed at different position along the rod and spaced apart from each other (Examiner notes that the “assembly portion” is vague and can be any portion on rod 10. The “assembled portion” relied upon can be a central portion of 10 that is outside of the fastener structure, therefore, being at different positions along the rod and spaced from each other).
Re Clms 3 and 4: Wang discloses wherein the fastener comprises an engaging portion (2), a body (1), a trigger portion (3) and an elastic element (4); the engaging portion is for engaging at a counterpart engaging portion of the engaged object (20, see figs 2 and 3), the body is for assembling at a rod of the engaging rod (1 is assembled on rod 10), the trigger portion is located at the body (see figs), the engaging portion passes through the body and is movably assembled at the trigger portion (at 322), the elastic element is disposed between the engaging portion and the body (see spring 4 location), the trigger portion is for being triggered to prompt the engaging portion to be elastically moved or moved up and down in the body (via spring 4); the engaging portion comprises a head (221), and the head is for elastically sandwiching or engaging the counterpart engaging portion of the engaged object via an elastic force of the elastic element (see figs 2 and 3).
Re Clms 5 and 6: Wang discloses wherein the trigger portion and the engaging portion are assembled by a pivotal connection in between (pivotal connection at 322), and the trigger portion is for being triggered between an engaging state (fig 2) and a lifted state (fig 3); in the engaging state, the engaging portion is engaged at the counterpart engaging portion of the object (see fig 2), the trigger portion is movably assembled at an engaging height between a pivotal portion of the engaging portion and the body; in the lifted state, the engaging portion is disengaged from the counterpart engaging portion of the object (fig 3).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on pages 5-6 that Wang fails to disclose wherein the assembly portion and the fastener are disposed at different position along the rod and spaced apart from each other. Examiner disagrees and notes (as presented in the rejection above) that the “assembly portion” is vague and over generalized limitation and can be any portion on rod 10, based on the broadest reasonable interpretation. The “assembled portion” relied upon can be any portion of 10 that is outside of the fastener structure, therefore, being at different positions along the rod and spaced from each other.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN PETER MASINICK whose telephone number is (571)270-3060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8a-5p EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached at (571)270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN P MASINICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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