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 “the engaged object is first fit engaged and limited or limited by the fit engaging mechanism coordinating with the base, and is then horizontally or rotationally inserted into a connector” found in at least claim 10 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “12” has been used to designate both “fit engaging mechanism” [para. 0044-0049, 0051-0057] and “fit engaging structure” [para. 0061]. 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. 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 Objections
Claims 2 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re. claim 2: line 3 recites “an object” which should be changed to - - the object- - because “an object” is previously recited in Claim 1 at line 2.
Re. claim 5: line 12 recites “an object” which should be changed to - - the object- - because “an object” is previously recited in Claim 1 at line 2.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 4, 5, and 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 4 recites the limitation "the engaged portion" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the fit engaging structure" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: a limiting guide portion. In order for a structure to have “another” limiting guide portion, it must first have an original or first limiting guide portion. It is unclear if the claimed “another” limiting guide portion is a replacement for an original limiting guide portion or is an addition to an original limiting guide portion.
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) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Megason et al. (US 2002/0104396 A1)
Re. claim 1: Megason discloses an engaging connection structure (420, 430, 440), comprising:
a base (420, 440), configured to be disposed at an object (450); (see fig. 3; para. 0026-0029)
a fit engaging mechanism (430), movably disposed at the base, the fit engaging mechanism configured to engaging connect an engaged object (402), or the fit engaging mechanism configured to disengage the engaged object. (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0026-0029)
Re. claim 2: Megason discloses wherein the base (420, 440) is provided with at least one assembly portion (424), (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0024)
the assembly portion is for the base to be assembled at the object (450),
the assembly portion configured to be assembled at the object by lock connection, rivet connection, expansion connection, welding connection and adhesion connection, or the base and the fit engaging mechanism are movably assembled by a bolt or a bolt member in between, or the base is provided with a movable region and the fit engaging mechanism is movably disposed in the movable region, (see fig. 3-4; para. 0024)
or the movable region limits a rotation angle of the engaging connection structure (rotation of 430) to be between 10 degrees and 170 degrees (90 degrees). (see fig. 3; para. 0026-0028)
Re. claim 3: Megason discloses wherein the base (420, 440) is provided with an elastic engaging portion (446) which limits or releases the fit engaging mechanism, or the elastic engaging portion is provided with an engaging body or an elastic body (444), and (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0027-0029, 0036-0037)
the elastic body is disposed at the base, or the engaging body is disposed at the elastic body, or the elastic body provides the engaging body with reciprocating elasticity for the elastic engaging portion to limit or release the fit engaging mechanism by the engaging body, or the elastic engaging portion (446) is provided with an operating portion (448), and (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0027-0029, 0037)
a force can be applied to the operating portion to move the engaging body to limit or release the fit engaging mechanism. (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0027-0029, 0037)
Re. claim 4: Megason discloses wherein the base (420, 440) is provided with a limiting guide portion (460) corresponding to an engaged portion (416), and (see fig. 7; para. 0032)
the limiting guide portion guides or limits the engaged portion.
Re. claim 5: Megason discloses wherein a fit engaging structure (430) is provided with a trigger portion (434), and (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0025, 0028-0029)
a force can be applied to the trigger to engaging connect the fit engaging mechanism at the engaged object, or a force can be applied to the trigger to disengage the fit engaging mechanism from the engaged object, or the fit engage structure mechanism is provided with a limiting portion (460), and (see fig. 3, 4; para. 0025, 0028-0029)
the limiting portion abuts against and is engaging connected at the engaged object (450), or the limiting portion moves away and disengages from the engaged object, or the fit engaging mechanism is provided with at least one engaging receiving portion, the engaged object is provided with at least one counterpart engaged portion and the engaging receiving portion is engaged connected at the counterpart engaging portion, or the fit engaging mechanism is provided at the object, and (see fig. 3, 5)
the object or the engaged object is a circuit board, a metal board, a plastic board, a board card, a printed circuit board (PCB), an M.2 card, an E1.S card, an NIC card, an integrated circuit (IC), a chip, a memory card, a cooling fin, a cooling card, a heat sink, or an electronic device provided with a heat sink. (see para. 0004)
Re. claim 6: Megason discloses wherein an elastic element (444) is provided between the fit engaging mechanism (430) and the base (420, 440), (see fig. 4, 6; para. 0027-0029)
the elastic element is used to elastically release the fit engaging mechanism or the elastic element is used to automatically elastically release the fit engaging mechanism, or the fit engaging mechanism has an arched arm structure (432), and (see fig. 3-6; para. 0025-0029)
the engaged object is engaging connected (408, 410), or one side of a majority of the engaged object is engaging connected, or all of one side of the engaged object is engaging connected, or one side of a minority of the engaged object is engaging connected by the arched arm structure. (see fig. 3, 5; para. 0022, 0026)
Re. claim 7: Megason discloses wherein the object is provided with another limiting guide portion (464, 476), or the another limiting guide portion corresponds to the base, or the another limiting guide portion is a stopper, a fastener, a groove, a slide rail, a track, a step, a recess, or a protrusion. (see fig. 7, 8; para. 031-0033)
Re. claim 8: Megason discloses wherein the engaged object (402) is first horizontally or rotatably inserted into a connector (408, 410), and
then the fit engaging mechanism (430) coordinating with the base is used to fit engage and limit or limit the engaged object. (see fig. 3; para. 0024-0028)
Re. claim 9: Megason discloses wherein the engaged object (402) is horizontally or rotatably inserted into a connector (408, 410), while the fit engaging mechanism (430) coordinating with the base is used to fit engage and limit or limit the engaged object. (see fig. 3; para. 0024-0028)
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.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Megason as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tsai (US 20100062624 A1).
Re. claim 10: Megason fails to disclose:
wherein the engaged object is first fit engaged and limited or limited by the fit engaging mechanism coordinating with the base, and is then horizontally or rotationally inserted into a connector.
However, Tsai discloses:
wherein the engaged object (90)is first fit engaged and limited or limited by the fit engaging mechanism (30, 70) coordinating with the base, and is then horizontally or rotationally inserted into a connector (40). (see fig. 6-8; para. 0039-0046)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first fit engaging mechanism to the engaged object of Megason and then rotate the object into a connector as taught by Tasi. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do this in order to engage the engaged object sufficiently and make good electrical connection to the terminal contacts. (Tsai para. 0011-0013)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Baquiano (US 2014/0254106 A1) discloses a locking and ejection mechanism for electronic cards. Demange (US 2014/0233182 A1) discloses a computer server with latching and unlatching mechanisms.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM B DRAVININKAS whose telephone number is (571)270-1353. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9a-6p MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAYPRAKASH (JP) N GANDHI can be reached at 571-272-3740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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November 3, 2025
/ADAM B DRAVININKAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835