DETAILED ACTION
This is the third office action for US Application 18/415,407 for Systems and Method for Low-Profile Coupling of an Information Handling Resource to an Information Handling System Chassis.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 5 January 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) 1-3, 5-7, 18-20 and 22-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 10,732,680 to Lu. Regarding claim 1, Lu discloses a system comprising a first mechanical member (10) comprising a first engagement feature (12) configured to mechanically couple to a second engagement feature of a second mechanical member (the second engagement feature and second mechanical member are not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the first engagement feature need only be capable of performing the claimed function). The first engagement feature comprises a first bridge form (121, 122, 123) protruding from the first mechanical member, and wherein the first bridge form is configured to mechanically engage with a first recess formed in the second mechanical member and with a second bridge form protruding from the second mechanical member (the first recess and second bridge form are not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the first engagement feature need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
Regarding claim 2, the first mechanical member comprises a chassis. Regarding claim 3, the second mechanical member (20) comprises a removable tray (although the second mechanical member is not positively recited in the claim). Regarding claim 5, there is a second mechanical member (20) and the second engagement feature (3111) comprises a first recess (3111a) and a second bridge form (3111b).
Regarding claim 6, the first engagement feature further comprises a second recess (see figure 2) configured to mechanically engage with the second bridge form protruding from the second mechanical member (the second bridge form protruding from the second mechanical member is not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the first engagement feature need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
Regarding claim 7, the first bridge form comprises a protrusion (123) extending substantially perpendicular from the first bridge form, and wherein the protrusion is configured to mechanically engage with a slot formed in the second bridge form (the slot formed in the second bridge form is not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the protrusion need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
Regarding claim 18, Lu discloses a method comprising forming a first bridge form (121, 122, 123) protruding from a first mechanical member (10), wherein the first bridge form is configured to mechanically engage with a first recess formed in a second mechanical member and with a second bridge form protruding from the second mechanical member (the first recess and second bridge form are not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the first bridge form need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
Regarding claim 19, the first mechanical member comprises a chassis. Regarding claim 20, the second mechanical member (20) comprises a removable tray (although the second mechanical member is not positively recited in the claim).
Regarding claim 22, the first bridge form comprises a protrusion (123) extending substantially perpendicular from the first bridge form, and wherein the protrusion is configured to mechanically engage with a slot formed in the second bridge form (the slot formed in the second bridge form is not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the protrusion need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
Regarding claim 23, the first engagement feature further comprises a second recess (see figure 2) configured to mechanically engage with the second bridge form protruding from the second mechanical member (the second bridge form protruding from the second mechanical member is not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the first engagement feature need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
Regarding claim 24, the first bridge form is configured to overlap with the second bridge form. (the second bridge form is not positively recited in the claim, and therefore the first bridge form need only be capable of performing the claimed function).
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.
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) 9 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu. Lu does not specifically disclose at least one of the first and second bridge forms as having a chamfered edge. However, the specific shape of the first and second bridge forms is a design preference that would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would have known to modify the shape of the first and second bridge forms for a desired fit.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 8, and 21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claims 10-12 and 14-17 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5 January 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the claim language “a first mechanical member comprising a first engagement feature configured to mechanically couple to a second engagement feature of a second mechanical member” is not merely an intended use, but requires that Lu disclose “such ‘second engagement feature’ comprising the specific structural elements that permit the first engagement feature and second engagement feature to mechanically engage”. However, only the first mechanical member comprising a first engagement feature is positively recited in the claim. The language “configured to mechanically couple to a second engagement feature of a second mechanical member” is not a positive recitation of the second engagement feature or the second mechanical member, and is therefore intended use language. If Applicant positively recites the limitation “a second mechanical member”, the configured to language would overcome the current rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN M MARSH whose telephone number is (571)272-6819. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 9 am-7:30 pm.
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STEVEN M. MARSH
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3632
/STEVEN M MARSH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632