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 .
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, 6-9, 11-12, 14-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kudo (US 7,866,995) in view of Hu (US 12,431,644, previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, Kudo discloses a memory socket comprising: a frame (31) having a base portion and a side portion; and a push-eject locking mechanism (4, 5) in physical communication with the base portion and with the side portion, the push-eject locking mechanism to transition between an unlocked position (Fig. 12) and a locked position (Fig. 14), the push-eject locking mechanism including: an eject bar component (5) including a slot (at 60, Fig. 6B), wherein a weight of the eject bar component biases the push-eject locking mechanism towards the unlocked position (Fig. 12); a lever component (4) in physical communication with the eject bar component, wherein based on a force exerted on the lever component the lever component pivots in a first direction and transitions the push-eject locking mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position (intended use, Fig 14); and a clip component (6) to exert a first force to hold the push eject locking mechanism in the lock position (by interacting with the mating card).
Kudo discloses substantially the claimed invention except for the clip component including a straight portion that is inserted within the slot of the eject bar component, with the straight portion securely holding the clip component within the eject bar component. Hu teaches a clip component (200) including a straight portion (sides of 210) that is inserted within a slot, with the straight portion securely holding the clip component within the slot. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the clip component with a straight portion inserted into a slot, as taught by Hu, in order to improve wear resistance and allow replaceability of the clip, and since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlinchman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
Regarding claim 3, Kudo discloses that based on a second force exerted (on 5) on the eject bar component being greater than the first force, the push-eject locking mechanism to transition from the locked position to the unlocked position (intended use).
Regarding claim 4, Kudo discloses the second force transferred from the eject bar component to the lever component, and based on the second force, the lever component to pivot in a second direction (intended use).
Regarding claim 6, Kudo discloses the base portion including a slide notch (not shown) in physical communication with a tab (50) of the lever component, the tab to move within the slide notch as the lever component pivots.
Regarding claim 7, Kudo discloses the lever component located within the base portion of the frame (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 8, Kudo discloses [the] side portion extending perpendicular from an edge of the base portion (right direction in Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 9, Kudo discloses an information handling system comprising: a memory card (1); and a memory socket (2) including: a frame (31) having a base portion and a side portion; and a push-eject locking mechanism (4, 5) in physical communication with the base portion and with the side portion, the push-eject locking mechanism to transition between an unlocked position (Fig. 12) and a locked position (Fig. 14), the push-eject locking mechanism including: an eject bar component (5) including a slot (at 60, Fig. 6B), wherein a weight of the eject bar component biases the push-eject locking mechanism towards the unlocked position; and a lever component (4) in physical communication with the eject bar component, based on a force being exerted on the lever component by the memory card, the lever component to pivot in a first direction and to transition the push-eject locking mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position; and a clip component (6) to exert a first force to hold the push eject locking mechanism in the lock position (by interacting with the mating card).
Kudo discloses substantially the claimed invention except for the clip component including a straight portion that is inserted within the slot of the eject bar component, with the straight portion securely holding the clip component within the eject bar component. Hu teaches a clip component (200) including a straight portion (sides of 210) that is inserted within a slot, with the straight portion securely holding the clip component within the slot. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the clip component with a straight portion inserted into a slot, as taught by Hu, in order to improve wear resistance and allow replaceability of the clip, and since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlinchman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
Regarding claim 11, Kudo discloses that based on a second force (on 5) exerted on the eject bar component being greater than the first force, the push-eject locking mechanism to transition from the locked position to the unlocked position.
Regarding claim 12, Kudo discloses the second force transferred from the eject bar component to the lever component, and based on the second force, the lever component to pivot in a second direction (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 14, Kudo discloses the memory card including a notch (1a), wherein a curve portion (6b) of the clip component snap fits within the notch when the push-eject locking mechanism is in the locked position.
Regarding claim 15, Kudo discloses the base portion including a slide notch (not shown) in physical communication with a tab (50) of the lever component, the tab to move within the slide notch as the lever component pivots.
Regarding claim 16, Kudo discloses the lever component located within the base portion of the frame (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 17, Kudo discloses [the] side portion extend perpendicular from an edge of the base portion.
Regarding claim 18, Kudo discloses an information handling system comprising: a memory card (1) including a notch (1a); and a memory socket (2) including: a frame (31) having a base portion and a side portion; and a push-eject locking mechanism (4, 5) in physical communication with the base portion and with the side portion, the push-eject locking mechanism to transition between an unlocked position (Fig. 12) and a locked position (Fig. 14), the push-eject locking mechanism having: an eject bar component (5) including a channel (60), wherein a weight of the eject bar component biases the push-eject locking mechanism towards the unlocked position (Fig. 12), wherein the memory card slides within the channel as the memory card is inserted into the memory socket; and a lever component (4) in physical communication with the eject bar component, wherein the lever component pivots in a first direction and transitions the push-eject locking mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position based on a force exerted on the lever component by the memory card (intended use); and a clip component (6) to exert a first force to hold the push eject locking mechanism in the lock position (by interacting with the mating card).
Kudo discloses substantially the claimed invention except for the clip component including a straight portion that is inserted within the slot of the eject bar component, with the straight portion securely holding the clip component within the eject bar component. Hu teaches a clip component (200) including a straight portion (sides of 210) that is inserted within a slot, with the straight portion securely holding the clip component within the slot. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the clip component with a straight portion inserted into a slot, as taught by Hu, in order to improve wear resistance and allow replaceability of the clip, and since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlinchman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
Regarding claim 20, Kudo discloses that based on a second force (on 5) exerted on the eject bar component being greater than the first force, the push-eject locking mechanism to transition from the locked position to the unlocked position.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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