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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 11, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 11, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues Peng (US Publication No. 2014/0218845) does not teach wherein the wire arranging frame is folded in the thickness direction of the cabinet (Arguments, pages 7-8). However, under BRI, nothing in the claims prevents Examiner from interpreting the thickness direction as the horizontal direction. Examiner also notes that Figures 3 and 6-7 show portions of arms 31-34 and base 40 overlapping in the thickness (horizontal) direction when moved to a folded position, in a manner similar to the claimed device. For example, the ends of arms 31 and 32 are connected such that they overlap with each other more in the thickness (horizontal) direction when moved from an extended position to a folded position (see Figures 6-7).
Applicant also argues Peng does not teach the support member generating a support force on the wire arranging arms in a direction parallel to gravity (Arguments, page 9). However, Examiner submits slide bases 40 provide a supporting force to arms 31-34 in a direction parallel to gravity, considering slide bases 40 are directly connected between arms 31-34 and base plate 10. In other words, without slide bases 40, arms 31-34 and cable 200 would not be supported in the vertical direction/direction of gravity.
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Applicant also argues Tsai (CN Publication No. 208521239) does not teach the wire arranging frame being folded in a thickness/vertical direction of the cabinet (Arguments, pages 10-11). Examiner disagrees, and notes Figures 6-8 of Tsai show where portions of arms 330, 340 overlap with each other in the vertical direction when moved to a folded position, in a manner similar to the claimed device (see Figure 7 of Tsai reproduced below).
Examiner also submits Li (CN Publication No. 112707253) teaches a stacking arrangement similar to the claimed device.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1, 3-4, and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai (CN Publication No. 208521239).
Regarding claim 1, Tsai discloses a server comprising: a cabinet (Figures 6-7, cabinet 100); a hard disk carrier (extracting unit 200, accommodating hard disks 400); and a wire arranging frame (301), wherein an accommodating space (101) for accommodating the hard disk carrier (200) and the wire arranging frame (301) is formed in the cabinet (100), and the hard disk carrier (200) drives the wire arranging frame (301) to be unfolded in a length direction of the cabinet (depth direction of 100) or to be folded in a thickness direction of the cabinet (vertical direction of 100; Figures 6-7, where portions of arms of 300 are overlapped in vertical direction in folded state); the wire arranging frame (301) includes a wire arranging frame body (301) and a support member (Figure 5, protruding portions 316, 326); the wire arranging frame body (301) includes a plurality of wire arranging arms (front and rear 330, and 340) hinged in sequence, and axes of rotation shafts (Figures 6-9, pivot pin P) between every two adjacent wire arranging arms (330, 340) are parallel to each other (see Figures 6-9); the plurality of wire arranging arms (330, 340) include two articulated arms (Figures 6 and 9, front and rear 330) which are located at a head end and a tail end of the wire arranging frame body (front and rear of 301; see Figures 6 and 9) respectively and rotatably connected to the hard disk carrier (200) and the cabinet (100) respectively; and the support member (316, 326) is supported between the wire arranging arms (330, 340) and a bottom wall of the cabinet (carrying plate 140), a first end of the support member (end of 316, 326 connected to 330, 340) extends toward the wire arranging arms (330, 340), and a second end of the support member (bottom end of 316, 326 connected to 140) extends toward the bottom wall of the cabinet (140), and the support member (316, 326) generates a support force on the wire arranging arms (330, 340) in a direction parallel to a gravity direction (vertical direction) of cables (wires 500) accommodated in the wire arranging arms (330-340; page 7, where 316, 326 provide vertical support to arms 330, 340), wherein, in a folded configuration, a length of the wire arranging frame (301, in folded state) in the thickness direction of the cabinet (vertical direction of 100) is less than or equal to a length of the hard disk carrier (200) in the thickness direction (vertical direction of 100; see Figure 6).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective file date of the claimed invention to have combined the support members from Figure 5 of Tsai to the wire arranging arms in Figure 6 of Tsai. Doing so would reduce the contact area between the wire arranging arms and the bottom wall of the cabinet, preventing excessive wear (see page 7 of Tsai).
Regarding claim 3, Tsai teaches the server of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the first end of the support member (top end of 316, 326) is connected to a middle portion of the wire arranging frame body (middle portion of 330, 340), and the second end of the support member (bottom end of 316, 326) is supported against the bottom wall of the cabinet (140 of 100).
Regarding claim 4, Tsai teaches the server of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the plurality of wire arranging arms (330, 340) further include a connecting arm (340) connected between the two articulated arms (front and rear 330), and the support member (316, 326) is supported between the articulated arms (front and rear 330) and the bottom wall of the cabinet (140), or between the connecting arm (340) and the bottom wall of the cabinet (140 of 100).
Regarding claim 9, Tsai teaches the server of claim 1, and further teaches wherein each of the plurality of wire arranging arms (330, 340) is provided with a wire accommodating groove (space within 330, 340) which has an extending direction (width of space within 330, 340) consistent with the wire arranging arm (330, 340) where the wire accommodating groove (space within 330, 340) is located.
Regarding claim 10, Tsai teaches the server of claim 9, and further teaches wherein the wire accommodating grooves (space within 330, 340) of two adjacent wire arranging arms (330, 340) of the plurality of wire arranging arms (330, 340) are opened to opposite directions (see Figures 6 and 8).
Alternatively, claims 1, 3-4, and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng (US Publication No. 2014/0218845).
Regarding claim 1, Peng discloses a server (see Paragraph [0004]) comprising; a cabinet (Paragraph [0014] and Figure 1, chassis); a hard disk carrier (tray 20; see Paragraph [0016]); and a wire arranging frame (linkage mechanism 30), wherein an accommodating space (space within chassis) for accommodating the hard disk carrier (20) and the wire arranging frame (30) is formed in the cabinet (chassis), and the hard disk carrier (20) drives the wire arranging frame (30) to be unfolded in a length direction of the cabinet (length of chassis in depth direction; see Figure 7) or to be folded in a thickness direction of the cabinet (thickness of chassis in horizontal direction; see Figures 3 and 6-7, where 31-34 and 40 interlock with each other such that the overlap in the horizontal direction in the folded state); and the wire arranging frame (30) includes a wire arranging frame body (comprised of linkage poles 31-34) and a support member (slide base 40); the wire arranging frame body (31-34) includes a plurality of wire arranging arms (see Figure 3) hinged in sequence, and axes of rotation shafts (screws 101, 104) between every two adjacent wire arranging arms (31, 32 and 33, 34) are parallel to each other (see Figure 3); the plurality of wire arranging arms (31-34) include two articulated arms (31, 34) which are located at a head end and a tail end of the wire arranging frame body (31-34) respectively and rotatably connected to the hard disk carrier (20) and the cabinet (chassis) respectively; and the support member (40) is supported between the wire arranging arms (31-34) and a bottom wall of the cabinet (base plate 10 of chassis), a first end of the support member (top end of 40; see main body 41) extends toward the wire arranging arms (31-34), and a second end of the support member (bottom end of 40; see slide plate 42) extends toward the bottom wall of the cabinet (10), and the support member (40) generates a support force on the wire arranging arms (31-34) in a direction parallel to a gravity direction (vertical direction) of cables (200) accommodated in the wire arranging arms (31-34; where 40 provide vertical support to arms 31-34).
Peng suggests, but does not explicitly disclose, wherein, in a folded configuration, a length of the wire arranging frame (30, in a folded configuration; see Figures 6-7) in the thickness direction of the cabinet (horizontal direction) is less than or equal to a length of the hard disk carrier (20) in the thickness direction (horizontal direction).
However, because the server of the claimed invention has similar structure and proportion to the server of Peng, the stated limitation is held to be merely a selection of optimal working parameters established through routine experimentation, and thus obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. MPEP § 2144.05(II)(A); In re Williams, 36 F.2d 436, 438 (CCPA 1929) ("It is a settled principle of law that a mere carrying forward of an original patented conception involving only change of form, proportions, or degree, or the substitution of equivalents doing the same thing as the original invention, by substantially the same means, is not such an invention as will sustain a patent, even though the changes of the kind may produce better results than prior inventions."). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to formulate the claimed relationship between the width of the carrier and the width of the folded wire arranging frame because doing so would have ensure the folded wire arranging frame did not interfere with an adjacent carrier/wire frame assembly during the extension process (see Figures 1-2 and Paragraph [0004], where a plurality of slots are provided to accommodate a plurality of carriers/wire frame assemblies).
Regarding claim 3, Peng teaches the server of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the first end of the support member (top end of 40) is connected to a middle portion of the wire arranging frame body (middle portion of 31-34), and the second end of the support member (bottom end of 40) is supported against the bottom wall of the cabinet (10, including slide rails 12).
Regarding claim 4, Peng teaches the server of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the plurality of wire arranging arms (31-34) further include a connecting arm (32) connected between the two articulated arms (31, 34), and the support member (40) is supported between the articulated arms (31, 34) and the bottom wall of the cabinet (10), or between the connecting arm (32) and the bottom wall of the cabinet (10).
Regarding claim 9, Peng teaches the server of claim 1, and further teaches wherein each of the plurality of wire arranging arms (31-34) is provided with a wire accommodating groove (space within 31-34 accommodating cable) which has an extending direction (length of space in 31-34 accommodating cable) consistent with the wire arranging arm (31-34) where the wire accommodating groove (space defined by 31-34) is located.
Regarding claim 10, Peng teaches the server of claim 9, and further teaches wherein the wire accommodating grooves (space defined by 31-34) of two adjacent wire arranging arms (adjacent linkage poles; see poles 31 and 32) of the plurality of wire arranging arms (31-34) are opened to opposite directions (Figures 3 and 6, where the opening in 31 is facing forward, and the opening in 32 is facing backward).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GAGE STEPHEN CRUM whose telephone number is (571)272-3373. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/GAGE CRUM/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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