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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 5/14/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1, 3-10, 12-22 under 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
No substantive arguments were presented in the reply filed 5/14/2026 but Applicants assert “The art of record fails to disclose the features of the independent claims as amended…” (page 7, last ¶). This is not found persuasive and how the amended limitations are met is addressed in the updated rejections to follow.
Amended drawings filed 5/14/2026 are received and overcome the drawing objections.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 10, and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 lines 9-10, claim 10 lines 11-12, and claim 19 lines 12-13 states: “.. of the bottom CAMM of a bottom CAMM printer circuit board of the bottom CAMM.” This language is confusing, examiner suggests “.. of the bottom CAMM of a bottom CAMM printed circuit Board (PCB) of the bottom CAMM”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3-10, 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunderson (US 20120281361 A1) in view of Kong et. al (US 20230120513 A1) hereafter referred to as Kong.
Regarding claim 1, Gunderson teaches a holder (10a data storage assembly) for stacked compression attached memory modules (CAMMs) (20a and 20b PCBA), the holder comprising:
an outer frame (14 frame);
a first recessed area (top portion of recessed area surrounded by 14 frame on the sides and 62 compressible conductive layer on bottom which receives 20a PCBA, Fig 5) for receiving a bottom one of the stacked CAMMs, (Fig 5);
a second recessed area (bottom portion of recessed area surrounded by 14 frame on the sides 62 compressible conductive layer on the top and 18 second cover on the bottom which receives 20b PCBA, Fig 5) for receiving a top one of the stacked CAMMs (Fig 5); and
a metal plate assembly (54 internal cover) affixed within the outer frame (¶59) and situated between the first recessed area and the second recessed area (¶59, Fig 5); and
a spine (see annotated Fig 2 below) located within the outer frame (see annotated Fig 2 below) at an end of the bottom CAMM (edge of 20b that aligns with spine, see annotated Fig 5 below) adjacent to a contact pad array of the bottom CAMM of a bottom CAMM printed circuit board (PCB) of the bottom CAMM (see annotated Fig 5 below) ;
and a printed circuit board (20a PCBA).
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Gunderson fails to teach the spine including at least one screw hole to affix the bottom CAMM to the printed circuit board and a detent structure to provide a prestressed downward deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB to firmly couple the bottom CAMM PCB to the printed circuit board.
However, Kong teaches the spine (400 system) including two screw holes (440 externally threaded standoffs) to affix the bottom CAMM (402 fCAMM) to a printed circuit board (422 PCB) and a detent structure (428 CMT connector, ¶44 “CMT connector 428 includes an array of spring-loaded CMT contacts 430”) to provide a prestressed downward deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB (¶44) to firmly couple the bottom CAMM PCB to the printed circuit board (connected with spring-loaded CMT contacts 430 which would firmly couple the two together).
Gunderson and Kong are both in the industry of CAMM holders therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Gunderson to include the screw and screw hold structure of Kong to securely attach the CAMM to the surrounding structure in a compact way that allows for more memory to be installed in a device (Kong ¶6)
Regarding claim 3, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 1, wherein, when the bottom CAMM (20b PCBA) is installed into the holder (10a data storage assembly) and installed into an information handling system (Fig 5), the spine transfers compression applied to the spine via the dent structure to limit deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB (¶52)
Regarding claim 4, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 3, wherein the detent structure (58 protuberant rail) to provide a prestress to the bottom CAMM PCB (20b PCBA, ¶59).
Regarding claim 5, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 1, wherein the metal plate assembly (54 internal cover) is configured to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for the bottom CAMM and the top CAMM (54 made of steel or aluminum, which are EMI shielding materials, ¶58).
Regarding claim 6, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 5, further comprising a cover (70 internal cover) coupled to the metal plate assembly (Fig 5) to further provide the EMI shielding (¶60, 58).
Regarding claim 7, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 6, wherein the metal plate assembly includes a metallic gasket (64 attachment features) configured to couple the metallic plate assembly (54 internal cover) to the cover (¶62, 61).
Regarding claim 8, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 6, wherein when the top CAMM (20a PCBA) is installed into the holder (10a data storage assembly) and installed into an information handling system, the cover (70 internal cover) is configured to limit deformation of the top CAMM PCB (¶60 and 61).
Regarding claim 9, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the holder of claim 6, wherein the cover includes a detent structure (74 layer) to provide a prestress to the top CAMM PCB (20a PCBA, ¶61).
Regarding claim 10, Gunderson teaches a method, comprising:
providing, for a holder for stacked compression attached memory modules (CAMMs) (20a and b PCBA),
an outer frame (14 frame);
providing, for the holder, a first recessed area (top portion of recessed area surrounded by 14 frame on the sides and 62 compressible conductive layer on bottom which receives 20a PCBA, Fig 5) for receiving a bottom one of the stacked CAMMs (Fig 5 ¶17);
providing, for the holder, a second recessed area (bottom portion of recessed area surrounded by 14 frame on the sides 62 compressible conductive layer on the top and 18 second cover on the bottom which receives 20b PCBA, Fig 5) for receiving an top one of the stacked CAMMs (Fig 5);
and providing, for the holder, a metal plate assembly (54 internal cover) affixed within the outer frame (¶59) and situated between the first recessed area and the second recessed area (¶59, Fig 5)
and providing a spine (see annotated Fig 5 below) located within the outer frame (see annotated Fig 5 below) at an end of the bottom CAMM (edge of 20b PCBA that aligns with spine, see annotated Fig 5 below) adjacent to a contact pad array of the bottom CAMM of a bottom CAMM printed circuit board (PCB) of the bottom CAMM (see annotated Fig 5 below), and a printed circuit board (20a PCBA)
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Gunderson fails to teach the spine including at least one screw hole to affix the bottom CAMM to the printed circuit board and a detent structure to provide a prestressed downward deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB to firmly couple the bottom CAMM PCB to the printed circuit board. However, Kong teaches the spine (400 system) including two screw holes (440 externally threaded standoffs) to affix the bottom CAMM (402 fCAMM) to a printed circuit board (422 PCB) and a detent structure (428 CMT connector, ¶44 “CMT connector 428 includes an array of spring-loaded CMT contacts 430”) to provide a prestressed downward deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB (¶44) to firmly couple the bottom CAMM PCB to the printed circuit board (connected with spring-loaded CMT contacts 430 which would firmly couple the two together). Gunderson and Kong are both in the industry of CAMM holders therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Gunderson to include the screw and screw hold structure of Kong to securely attach the CAMM to the surrounding structure in a compact way that allows for more memory to be installed in a device (Kong ¶6)
Regarding claim 12, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the method of claim 10, wherein, when the bottom CAMM (20b PCBA) is installed into the holder (10a data storage assembly) and installed into an information handling system (Fig 5), the spine transfers compression applied to the spine via the dent structure to limit deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB (¶52).
Regarding claim 13, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the method of claim 12, wherein the detent structure (58 protuberant rail) provides a prestress to the bottom CAMM PCB (¶59).
Regarding claim 14, Gunderson in view of Kong teach method of claim 10, wherein the metal plate assembly (54 internal cover) is configured to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for the bottom CAMM and the top CAMM (54 made of steel or aluminum, which are EMI shielding materials, ¶58).
Regarding claim 15, Gunderson in view of Kong teach the method of claim 14, further comprising providing a cover (70 internal cover) coupled to the metal plate assembly (Fig 5) to further provide the EMI shielding (¶60, 58).
Regarding claim 16, Gunderson in view of Kong the method of claim 15, wherein the metal plate assembly includes a metallic gasket (64 attachment features) configured to couple the metallic plate assembly (54 internal cover) to the cover (¶62, 61).
Regarding claim 17, Gunderson in view of Kong the method of claim 15, wherein when the top CAMM (20a PCB) is installed into the holder (10a data storage assembly) and installed into an information handling system, the cover (70 internal cover) is configured to limit deformation of the top CAMM PCB (¶60 and 61).
Regarding claim 18, Gunderson in view of Kong method of claim 15, wherein the cover includes a detent structure (74 compressible layer) to provide a prestress to the top CAMM PCB (¶61).
Regarding claim 19, Gunderson teaches the information handling system, comprising:
a first compression attached memory module (CAMM) (20a PCBA);
a second CAMM (20b PCBA);
and a holder (10a data storage assembly) for affixing the first CAMM and the second CAMM to the information handling system (¶59),
the holder including: an outer frame (14 frame);
a first recessed area for receiving the first CAMM area (top portion of recessed area surrounded by 14 frame on the sides and 62 compressible conductive layer on bottom which receives 20a PCBA, Fig 5) ;
a second recessed area for receiving the second (bottom portion of recessed area surrounded by 14 frame on the sides 62 compressible conductive layer on the top and 18 second cover on the bottom which receives 20b PCBA, Fig 5);
a metal plate assembly (54 internal cover) affixed within the outer frame (¶59) and situated between the first recessed area and the second recessed area (¶59, Fig 5)
and a spine (see annotated Fig 5 below) located within the outer frame (see annotated Fig 2 below) at an end of the bottom CAMM (edge of 20b that aligns with spine, see annotated Fig 5 below) adjacent to a contact pad array of the bottom CAMM of a bottom CAMM printed circuit board (PCB) of the bottom CAMM (see annotated Fig 5 below),
and a printed circuit board (20a PCBA).
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Gunderson fails to teach the spine including at least one screw hole to affix the bottom CAMM to the printed circuit board and a detent structure to provide a prestressed downward deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB to firmly couple the bottom CAMM PCB to the printed circuit board. However, Kong teaches the spine (400 system) including two screw holes (440 externally threaded standoffs) to affix the bottom CAMM (402 fCAMM) to a printed circuit board (422 PCB) and a detent structure (428 CMT connector, ¶44 “CMT connector 428 includes an array of spring-loaded CMT contacts 430”) to provide a prestressed downward deformation of the bottom CAMM PCB (¶44) to firmly couple the bottom CAMM PCB to the printed circuit board (connected with spring-loaded CMT contacts 430 which would firmly couple the two together. Gunderson and Kong are both in the industry of CAMM holders therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Gunderson to include the screw and screw hold structure of Kong to securely attach the CAMM to the surrounding structure in a compact way that allows for more memory to be installed in a device (Kong ¶6)
Regarding claim 20, Gunderson in view of Kong the holder of claim 19, further comprising: a cover (18 second cover) configured to limit deformation of a second CAMM PCB of the second CAMM (¶41).
Claims 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunderson in view of Kong, and further in view of Vona et. al (CN 103682702 A) hereafter referred to as Vona.
Regarding claim 21, Gunderson in view of Kong the holder of claim 1.
Gunderson in view of Kong fails to teach the detent structure is in one of an m-shape, an arch- shape, and a v-shape. However, Vona teaches the detent structure (725 alignment member) is in one of an m-shape, an arch- shape, and a v-shape (¶33, 725 alignment member may be v-shaped). Gunderson, Kong, and Vona are both in the industry of circuit board mounting structures, therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Gunderson and Kong to include the V-shaped dent structure in order to align the circuit board with the mounting structure. (Vona ¶33)
Regarding claim 20, Gunderson in view of Kong the holder of claim 10.
Gunderson in view of Kong fails to teach the detent structure is in one of an m-shape, an arch- shape, and a v-shape. However, Vona teaches the detent structure (725 alignment member) is in one of an m-shape, an arch- shape, and a v-shape (¶33, 725 alignment member may be v-shaped). Gunderson, Kong, and Vona are both in the industry of circuit board mounting structures, therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Gunderson and Kong to include the V-shaped dent structure in order to align the circuit board with the mounting structure. (Vona¶33)
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 ELISA SASSERATH whose telephone number is (703)756-5847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Parker can be reached at (303) 297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/E.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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