Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/402,337

TOP COVER STRUCTURE FOR LIQUID COOLING BOX BODY OF DATA ROOM

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Jan 02, 2024
Examiner
CHU, KING M
Art Unit
3735
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Hebei Qinhuai Data Co. Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
75%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 4m
To Grant
88%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 75% — above average
75%
Career Allow Rate
838 granted / 1112 resolved
+5.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +13% lift
Without
With
+13.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
1136
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
39.3%
-0.7% vs TC avg
§102
28.1%
-11.9% vs TC avg
§112
21.4%
-18.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1112 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §112
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 . Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “supporting part is rotatably arranged on the box body (1), and a free end of the supporting part is connected to the fastener, such that a preset distance exists between the fastener and a side wall of the box body” in Claim 4 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. 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. Claims 3-7 are 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 3 recite the claim “the clamping piece” in line 2 and it is unclear which of the clamping piece is being referred to in Claim 1 (the box body clamping piece or the top cover clamping piece). For the purpose of examination, “the clamping piece” in line 2 is assumed to refer to the clamping piece of box body. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Presnick (US 2,969,891). 1: Presnick teaches a top cover structure (structure shown in Figures 1-4) for a liquid cooling box body of a data room (capable of use with an unclaimed liquid cooling box body of an unclaimed data room), at least comprising a box body (body portion 11) and a top cover (top cover 10), wherein one side of the top cover is hinged with the box body (back side of 10 is hinged with the box body at "H") and can cover an opening of the box body (cover 10 capable of covering the top of 11); and each of the top cover (see clamping pieces in Figure 2 below) and the box body (see clamping pieces in Figure 2 below) is provided with a clamping piece that can be clamped to a connecting piece (comprising two connecting pieces "L"); when two ends of the connecting piece (the bottom most end of the two pieces “L,” having a rounded element to be inserted into the slot of the clamping piece of the box body, in Figure 2) are respectively clamped to the two clamping pieces positioned on the top cover and the box body (see Figure 1, in the clamped position), a downward pressure applied to the top cover (downward pressure at the front of the lid so that the lid can be closed, Figure 2) can be provided. PNG media_image1.png 463 560 media_image1.png Greyscale 3: Presnick teaches the claimed invention as discussed above for Claim 1 and Presnick further teaches that the clamping piece at least comprises a fastener (bent portion of the boxy body clamping piece) having a clamping slot for clamping an end of the connecting piece (box body clamping piece has a slot to accommodate the bottom end of "L") Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated Bullock et al. (US 11,180,291). 1: Bullock teaches a top cover structure (top cover structure shown in Figures 1A-1B) for a liquid cooling box body of a data room (capable of use with an unclaimed liquid cooling box body of an unclaimed data room), at least comprising a box body (box body 102) and a top cover (top cover generally shown as 104), wherein one side of the top cover is hinged with the box body (back side of cover, hinged at 116, Figure 1B) and can cover an opening of the box body (capable of covering the opening of 102); and each of the top cover (clamping piece 121 of the lid) and the box body (clamping piece 140 of the body) is provided with a clamping piece that can be clamped to a connecting piece (piece comprising 123 and 125); when two ends of the connecting piece (the bottom most end of the two pieces “L,” having a rounded element to be inserted into the slot of the clamping piece of the box body, in Figure 2) are respectively clamped to the two clamping pieces positioned on the top cover and the box body (see Figure 1, in the clamped position), a downward pressure applied to the top cover (downward pressure at the front of the lid so that the lid can be closed, Figure 5C) can be provided. 2: Bullock teaches the claimed invention as discussed above for Claim 1 and Bullock further teaches that the connecting piece is provided with a bending structure (structure bent/joint between 123 and 123/125, which can rotate with respect to the container, with an outer edge of the boxy body 142, made of flexible material, col. 11, ll. 23-41) fitting with an edge of the box body, such that the connecting piece can come into contact with an outer wall of the box body (contact with 142, when latched). 3: Bullock teaches the claimed invention as discussed above for Claim 1 and Bullock further teaches that the clamping piece (of the box body) at least comprises a fastener (portion at 142) having a clamping slot for clamping an end of the connecting piece (slot, formed by the end 140 to permit 125 engage and clamp each other). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4-9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KING M CHU whose telephone number is (571)270-7428. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10AM - 6PM EST. 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, Anthony Stashick can be reached at (571) 272 - 4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /King M Chu/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3735
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 02, 2024
Application Filed
Dec 24, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
75%
Grant Probability
88%
With Interview (+13.0%)
2y 4m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1112 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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