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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 37 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 37 includes a limitation requiring “guiding the first feature into the first feature” which is not understandable and does not appear to describe the action of the inventive system.
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.
Claim(s) 18-22, 24-30, and 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knack et al. (US 4573731, hereinafter ‘Knack’) in view of Hoeppner (US 6902245) and Wagner (US 6074000).
Knack discloses a compartment insert (17) that interfaces with an insert interface of a compartment (18) of a vehicle (Fig. 1); however does not expressly disclose the step of guiding the compartment insert into one or more track members or mechanically coupling the compartment insert to the insert interface using one or more blind mate attachment members as claimed.
However, Hoeppner teaches guiding a compartment insert into one or more track members of an insert interface of a compartment (col. 5, ll. 60-65; col. 9, ll. 40-58) as claimed.
Because Knack and Hoeppner both teach rail mechanisms for compartments suspended on rails/tracks, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the removable/insertable rail/track structure taught by Hoeppner for the generic, nonspecific rail/track taught by Knack to achieve the predictable result of allowing the compartment insert to be inserted and removed as desired and as taught by Hoeppner.
Further, Wagner teaches mechanically coupling a drawer slide rail member to a drawer slide track member using one or more blind mate attachment members (70, 72).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to add the blind mate attachment members taught by Wagner to the rail/track system taught by Knack as modified above, in order to hold the rail/track system in the closed position as taught by Wagner.
Knack as modified above results in a device wherein guiding comprise aligning one or more rail members of the compartment insert to slide into the one or more track members of the compartment (Hoeppner col. 5, ll. 46-64); mechanically coupling comprises engaging a blind mate attachment component of the compartment insert on the one or more rail members with a blind mate attachment component on the one or more track members of the insert interface of the compartment (Wagner col. 3, ll. 8); guiding comprises inserting at least one foot on the one or more rail members into the one or more track members (Hoeppner col. 5, ll. 46-64); guiding comprises directing the at least one foot along a channel of the one or more track members that slopes downwardly for at least one length section towards a rear end of the one or more track members (Hoeppner col. 5, ll. 46-64).
Knack as modified above results in a device wherein the one or more blind mate attachment members includes a compartment insert blind mate attachment component included on the compartment insert and a compartment blind mate attachment component included in the compartment of the vehicle, the compartment insert blind mate attachment component configured to mate with the compartment blind mate attachment component to removably secure the compartment insert in the compartment of the vehicle (Wagner col. 3, ll. 8); the compartment insert has at least one alignment feature configured to slide on the one or more tracks (Hoeppner angled ends 114, 116); the compartment insert includes a body sized and shaped to removably install within the compartment, the compartment insert further including at least one alignment feature on the body, the alignment feature configured to slide on the one or more tracks (when viewed in combination; Hoeppner angled ends 114, 116); the one or more blind mate attachment members includes a first blind mate attachment component and a second blind mate attachment component, the first blind mate attachment component being included on the compartment insert, the second blind mate attachment component being included in the compartment, and wherein the first blind mate attachment component is configured to mate with the second blind mate attachment component to removably secure the compartment insert in the compartment of the vehicle (Wagner 70, 72; col. 3, ll. 8); the at least one alignment feature includes first and second rails spaced apart from each other, and wherein guiding the compartment insert into the one or more track members includes sliding the first and second rails into first and second tracks of the one or more track members, respectively, of the insert interface (Hoeppner angled ends 114, 116; col. 5, ll. 46-64); a first plurality of latch clamps is oriented at a rear end of the first and second rail, and wherein a second plurality of latch clamps is oriented at a rear end of the first and second tracks, and mechanically coupling the compartment insert to the insert interface includes the first plurality of latch clamps contacting the second plurality of latch clamps (Hoeppner 28, 30; see Figs. 16-19); and mechanically coupling the compartment insert to the insert interface includes releasably engaging the first plurality of latch clamps with the second plurality of latch clamps (Hoeppner col. 5, ll. 46 – col. 6, ll. 24).
Knack as modified above results in a device wherein the one or more blind mate attachment members are formed from a first feature of the compartment insert and a second feature in the compartment (Wagner 70, 72), wherein mechanically coupling the compartment insert to the insert interface of the compartment using the one or more blind mate attachment members includes guiding the first feature into the first feature while guiding the compartment insert into the one or more track members of the insert interface of the compartment (Wagner col. 3, ll. 2-15).
Claim(s) 23 and 31-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knack et al. (US 4573731, hereinafter ‘Knack’) in view of Hoeppner (US 6902245), Wagner (US 6074000), and Bergmann et al. (US 7417848).
Knack discloses a compartment insert (17) that interfaces with an intermediate insert interface of a compartment (18) of a vehicle (Fig. 1); however does not expressly disclose the step of guiding the compartment insert into one or more track members, mechanically coupling the compartment insert to the intermediate insert interface using one or more blind mate attachment members, or the electrical connection as claimed.
However, Hoeppner teaches guiding a compartment insert into one or more track members of an intermediate insert interface of a compartment (col. 5, ll. 60-65; col. 9, ll. 40-58) as claimed.
Because Knack and Hoeppner both teach rail mechanisms for compartments suspended on rails/tracks, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the removable/insertable rail/track structure taught by Hoeppner for the generic, nonspecific rail/track taught by Knack to achieve the predictable result of allowing the compartment insert to be inserted and removed as desired and as taught by Hoeppner.
Further, Wagner teaches mechanically coupling a drawer slide rail member to a drawer slide track member using one or more blind mate attachment members (70, 72).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to add the blind mate attachment members taught by Wagner to the rail/track system taught by Knack as modified above, in order to hold the rail/track system in the closed position as taught by Wagner.
Additionally, Bergmann teaches electrically coupling a compartment insert (34) to the insert interface of a compartment (18) using one or more electrical connectors (22, 76, 28, 38, 30), wherein the one or more electrical connectors includes a first electrical connector (22) recessed into a floor of the compartment as claimed.
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to add the electrical/data/control connections taught by Bergmann to the drawer/compartment taught by Knack as modified above, in order to allow powering electrical equipment held in the drawer as taught by Bergmann (col. 5, ll. 35-65).
Regarding claims 31+, Knack as modified above further discloses communicably coupling the compartment insert to the intermediate insert interface using one or more communications ports (28, 38, 30; col. 3, ll. 41-55); the intermediate insert interface is provided on an adapter plate coupled of an insert interface in the compartment, and wherein the adapter plate is configured to draw power from the vehicle and to provide the power to the compartment insert using the one or more electrical connections (see Fig. 3); the one or more blind mate attachment members are formed from one or more features on the compartment insert and in the compartment (Wagner 70, 72).
Regarding claims 34+, Knack as modified above further results in a system including detecting when the compartment insert is mechanically coupled to the compartment (inherent via control instructions, Bergmann col. 3, ll. 41-55); the insert interface includes an installation detection interface and the compartment interface includes an installation detection coupling, and wherein detecting when the compartment insert is mechanically coupled to the compartment includes obtaining an indication that the installation detection interface and the installation detection coupling are in contact (inherent via control instructions, Bergmann col. 3, ll. 41-55); the installation detection interface is an electrical socket and the installation detection coupling is an electrical pin (Bergman 28, 38, 30).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/24/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the Examiner has not indicated which elements of Knack are believed to be the blind mate attachment members. This argument has been considered, however is not persuasive in light of the rejection clearly equating elements 70 and 72 of Wagner as the blind mate attachment members in the proposed combination maintained in the rejections above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 PETER N. HELVEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1423. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am-7pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Newhouse can be reached at 571-272-4544. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER N HELVEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3734
October 10, 2025