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 Objections
Claims 9-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 9: this claim recites “a base wall” in line 9. Examiner notes that a base wall was previously set forth in lines 7-8. Examiner assumes this is the same base wall and the instance in claim 9 should be corrected to --the base wall--.
Claim 13: similarly, this claim recites “a base wall” in line 8. Examiner notes that a base wall was previously set forth in line 6. Examiner assumes this is the same base wall and the instance in claim 13 should be corrected to --the base wall--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-3, 5-10, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Non-Patent Literature “Thingiverse” (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4822588; by Oliver Philbrick, April 9, 2021).
Re Clm 1: Thingiverse discloses a system for removably making a mechanical connection with a portable device (laptop), comprising: a primary connector (u-shaped lock) configured to be adhered to a surface (as described in the Summary, double sided tape), the primary connector comprising a plate (flat portion of u-shaped member) defining a guide slot (longitudinal slot), a tab-receiving aperture (longitudinal aperture), and a tab-rotation aperture (circular aperture); a secondary connector (piece connected to primary connector) configured to be adhered to a portable device (external hdd, as described), the secondary connector comprising a spacer portion (middle portion) disposed between a base wall (external wall) and a tab (internal planar member connected within the primary connector); and wherein the tab-receiving aperture is configured to receive the tab of the secondary connector and the tab-rotation aperture is configured to allow rotation of the tab of at least one quarter turn (front and rear stops are provided to provide such rotation).
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Re Clm 2: Thingiverse discloses wherein the plate of the primary connector comprises a pair of chamfers disposed proximate the guide slot (see annotated figure above).
Re Clm 3: Thingiverse discloses wherein the primary connector further comprises a forward stop and a rear stop each configured to arrest rotation of the tab (see annotated figure above).
Re Clms 5 and 6: Thingiverse discloses a first sheet of adhesive material secured to a base surface of the primary connector; and a second sheet of adhesive material secured to the base wall of the secondary connector. Examiner notes that the Summary discloses providing both the connector parts to be affixed with double sided tape and notes that the tape would be on a base surface of the primary connector to attach to a laptop and on the base wall of the secondary connector to attach to the hdd.
Re Clms 7 and 8: Thingiverse discloses wherein the surface is part of a laptop computer and more generally wherein the surface is part of a countertop (a surface of the laptop can be considered a “countertop”, i.e. top of laptop).
Re Clm 9: Thingiverse discloses a system for removably making a mechanical connection with a portable device (laptop), comprising:
a primary connector (u-shaped lock) comprising a first strip of adhesive tape (as disclosed in Summary as double-sided tape) secured to a base surface (facing the laptop) of the primary connector, the primary connector comprising a plate (flat portion of u-shaped member) defining a guide slot (longitudinal slot), a tab-receiving aperture (longitudinal aperture), and a tab-rotation aperture (circular aperture), a forward stop and a rear stop (as shown in figures) being disposed in the tab-rotation aperture (as shown);
a secondary connector (piece connected to primary connector) comprising a second strip of adhesive tape (as disclosed in Summary as double-sided tape) secured to a base wall (outer wall) of the secondary connector (to attach to the hdd), the secondary connector comprising a spacer portion (middle portion) disposed between a base wall (external wall) and a tab (internal planar member connected within the primary connector); and wherein the tab-receiving aperture is configured to receive the tab of the secondary connector and the tab-rotation aperture is configured to allow rotation of the tab of at least one quarter turn (front and rear stops are provided to provide such rotation) and the forward and rear stop each being configured to arrest rotation of the tab (both stops provide abutment surface for the rotated tab).
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Re Clm 10: Thingiverse discloses wherein the plate of the primary connector comprises a pair of chamfers disposed proximate the guide slot (see annotated figure above).
Re Clm 13: Thingiverse discloses a connector system comprising:
a primary connector (u-shaped lock) comprising a first strip of adhesive tape (as disclosed in Summary as double-sided tape) secured to a base surface (facing the laptop) of the primary connector and to a laptop (as shown in figures and disclosed), the primary connector comprising a plate (flat portion of u-shaped member) defining a guide slot (longitudinal slot), a tab-receiving aperture (longitudinal aperture), and a tab-rotation aperture (circular aperture), a forward stop and a rear stop (as shown in figures) being disposed in the tab-rotation aperture (as shown);
a secondary connector (piece connected to primary connector) comprising a second strip of adhesive tape (as disclosed in Summary as double-sided tape) secured to a base wall (outer wall) of the secondary connector (to attach to the hdd) and to a portable computer accessory (hard drive), the secondary connector comprising a spacer portion (middle portion) disposed between a base wall (external wall) and a tab (internal planar member connected within the primary connector); and wherein the tab-receiving aperture is configured to receive the tab of the secondary connector and the tab-rotation aperture is configured to allow rotation of the tab of at least one quarter turn (front and rear stops are provided to provide such rotation) and the forward and rear stop each being configured to arrest rotation of the tab (both stops provide abutment surface for the rotated tab).
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Re Clm 14: Thingiverse discloses wherein the plate of the primary connector comprises a pair of chamfers disposed proximate the guide slot (see annotated figure above).
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.
Claims 4, 11, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL “Thingiverse” (as applied above) and Wengreen et al. (US 2012/0127379).
Re Clms 4, 11, and 15: “Thingiverse” fails to disclose wherein each of the primary connector and the secondary connector is formed of ABS.
Wengreen et al. teach a system of mounting peripheral devices to computer devices, wherein the attachment mount (2) is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). This is taught for the purpose of providing a harder, tougher, and more heat-tolerant (as are known characteristics of ABS).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided the connectors of the system of “Thingiverse” to be formed of ABS, as taught by Wengreen et al., for the purpose of providing a harder, tougher, and more heat-tolerant (as are known characteristics of ABS).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL “Thingiverse” (as applied above).
Re Clm 12: Examiner notes that “Thingiverse” fails to disclose wherein the first strip of adhesive tape comprises a removable backing material. Examiner takes OFFICIAL NOTICE that double-sided adhesive tape is extremely well-known to have removeable backing material for easier handling of the adhesive before application. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided the double-sided tape of “Thingiverse” to have a removable backing, as is commonly employed for easier handling of the adhesive before application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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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/JONATHAN P MASINICK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678