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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/22/2026 has been 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.
Claim(s) 1, and 9-13 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0373231 to Chew et al (hereinafter Chew).
Chew discloses (Claim 1). A package housing, comprising (such as shown in Figs. 2-3): an outer frame 8; a cover 10, connected to a side of the outer frame 8; a heat dissipation bottom plate 18, connected to the other side of the outer frame 8, wherein the heat dissipation bottom plate 18, the outer frame 8, and cover 10 cooperatively define a receiving space, the outer frame 8 has a connecting member (see attached marked-up copy) disposed inside the receiving space, the connecting member is disposed between the heat dissipation bottom plate 18 and the cover 10; and a fixing structure (see attached marked-up copy), configured to connect the connecting member to the cover 10 (such as shown in Fig. 2), wherein a part of the fixing structure located in the receiving space has an orthographic projection on the connecting member, the entire orthographic projection locates on a top surface (see attached marked-up copy of Fig. 4) of the connecting member near the cover 10, and the top surface of the connecting member faces the cover 10; (Claim 9). The package housing according to claim 1, wherein the outer frame 8 has a plurality of connecting members disposed inside the receiving space, the plurality of connecting members are spaced apart from each other to divide the receiving space into a plurality of receiving regions; (Claim 10). The package housing according to claim 1, wherein the outer frame 8 comprises a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side; the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side are arranged in sequence and are connected to each other end-to-end; an end of the connecting member is connected to the first side, and the other end of the connecting member is connected to the third side; (Claim 11). The package housing according to claim 10, wherein the outer frame 8 has (see attached marked-up copy) a first snap member, a second snap member, a third snap member, and a fourth snap member, the first snap member is disposed near connection between the first side and the second side; the second snap member is disposed near connection between the second side and the third side; the third snap member is disposed near connection between the third side and the fourth side; the fourth snap member is disposed near connection between the fourth side and the first side; and each of the first snap member, the second snap member, the third snap member, and the fourth snap member is snapped with the cover 10 (such as shown in Fig. 2); (Claim 12). A package housing, comprising: an outer frame 8; a cover 10, connected to a side of the outer frame 8, wherein the outer frame 8 and cover 10 cooperatively define a receiving space; and a fixing structure (see attached marked-up copy of snap members), connected to the outer frame 8 and the cover 10, wherein a part of the fixing structure located on a side of the cover 10 facing towards the outer frame 8 has an orthographic projection on the outer frame 8, the entire orthographic projection locates on a top surface (see attached marked-up copy of Fig. 4) of the outer frame 8 near the cover 10; (Claim 13). The package housing according to claim 12, wherein, the outer frame 8 comprises a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side are arranged in sequence and are connected to each other end-to-end, the first side is opposite to the third side, and the second side is opposite to the fourth side; and the fixing structure is disposed on each of a side of the first side facing towards the cover 10 and a side of the third side facing towards the cover, the part of the fixing structure located on the side of the cover 10 facing the outer frame 8 has the orthographic projection on the outer frame 8, and the entire orthographic projection of the fixing structure disposed on the first side locates on a surface of the first side near the cover 10, the entire orthographic projection of the fixing structure disposed on the third side locates on a surface of the third side near the cover 10; or the fixing structure is disposed on each of a side of the second side facing towards the cover 10 and a side of the fourth side facing towards the cover 10, the part of the fixing structure located on the side of the cover 10 facing the outer frame 8 has the orthographic projection on the outer frame 8, and the entire orthographic projection of the fixing structure disposed on the second side locates on a surface of the second side near the cover 10, the entire orthographic projection of the fixing structure disposed on the fourth side locates on a surface of the fourth side near the cover 10.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2-4, and 14-16 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chew in view of KR 1998-043985 (hereinafter KR ‘985).
Chew discloses all the elements as discussed above except for the limitations recited in the above listed claims.
However, KR ‘985 discloses a fixing structure 20 (such as shown in Figs. 2-3) configured to connect to a connecting member 1, a cover 2 defines a through hole; wherein the fixing structure 20 comprises: a fixing portion, connected to a side of the connecting member 1 near the cover 2, wherein the fixing portion extends through the through hole; and a deformation portion 12, connected to the fixing portion and disposed on a side of the cover 2 away from the connecting member 1, wherein the deformation portion and the connecting member cooperatively clamp and fix the cover 2; wherein, the fixing portion comprises a first fixing plate and a second fixing plate opposite to the first fixing plate, an end of the first fixing plate is connected to an end of the second fixing plate, the other end of the first fixing plate and the other end of the second fixing plate are connected to the connecting member 1 and are spaced apart from each other; the deformation portion comprises a first deformation sub-portion 12 and a second deformation sub-portion 12, the first deformation sub-portion 12 is connected to the first fixing plate and extends towards the cover 2 to abut against the cover 2, the first deformation sub-portion 12 extends away from the first fixing plate; the second deformation sub-portion 12 is connected to the second fixing plate and extends towards the cover 2 to abut against the cover 2, and the second deformation sub-portion 12 extends away from the second fixing plate; wherein, the first fixing plate defines a first reservation hole at a position corresponding to the first deformation sub-portion 12, the second fixing plate defines a second reservation hole at a position corresponding to the second deformation sub-portion 12; the first deformation sub-portion 12 is configured to bend elastically towards the first fixing plate to be received in the first reservation hole, the second deformation sub-portion 12 is configured to bend elastically towards the second fixing plate to be received in the second reservation hole.
Therefore, it would have been obvious and well within the level of one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, in view of KR ‘985, to modify Chew to include the limitations in Claims 2 and 14 of the cover defines a through hole; wherein the fixing structure comprises: a fixing portion, connected to a side of the connecting member/outer frame near the cover, wherein the fixing portion extends through the through hole, a part of the fixing portion located in the receiving space/on the side of the cover facing the outer frame has the orthographic projection on the connecting member/outer frame, and the entire orthographic projection located on the top surface of the connecting member/outer frame near the cover; and a deformation portion, connected to the fixing portion and disposed/located on a side of the cover away from the connecting member/outer frame, wherein the deformation portion and the connecting member cooperatively clamp and fix the cover; Claims 3 and 15 of wherein, the fixing portion comprises a first fixing plate and a second fixing plate opposite to the first fixing plate, an end of the first fixing plate is connected to an end of the second fixing plate, the other end of the first fixing plate and the other end of the second fixing plate are connected to the connecting member/outer frame and are spaced apart from each other; the deformation portion comprises a first deformation sub-portion and a second deformation sub-portion, the first deformation sub-portion is connected to the first fixing plate and extends towards the cover to abut against the cover, the first deformation sub-portion extends away from the first fixing plate; and the second deformation sub-portion is connected to the second fixing plate and extends towards the cover to abut against the cover, and the second deformation sub-portion extends away from the second fixing plate; Claims 4 and 16 of wherein, the first fixing plate defines a first reservation hole at a position corresponding to the first deformation sub-portion, the second fixing plate defines a second reservation hole at a position corresponding to the second deformation sub-portion; the first deformation sub-portion is configured to bend elastically towards the first fixing plate to be received in the first reservation hole, the second deformation sub-portion is configured to bend elastically towards the second fixing plate to be received in the second reservation hole with a reasonable expectation of success in order to increase the overall versatility of the fixing structure and package housing.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to applicant’s argument that that structure of Chew is located on the side surface, and therefore, Chew fails to disclose the limitations in each of the independent claims 1 and 12 of the entire orthographic projection locates on a top surface of the connecting member/outer frame near the cover, and the top surface of the connecting member/outer frame faces the cover, the examiner respectfully take the position that, as can be seen in the attached annotated Fig. 4 of Chew, Chew clearly discloses the entire orthographic projection locates on a top surface of the connecting member/outer frame near the cover, and the top surface of the connecting member/outer frame faces the cover; thus meets the claimed limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANH VAN TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-6868. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DANIEL TROY can be reached at (571)270-3742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HVT
March 4, 2026
/HANH V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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