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 .
35 USC 103 Rejections
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-7, 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Corfits et
al 4853830 in view of Fu 5752845.
Regarding claim 1, Corfits et al (Figures 4 and 5) substantially discloses the claimed invention,
including a connection apparatus to establish an electrical connection between a mount support/support stand 13 and an electronic device 53, comprising: a first connector assembly 34 to engage with a second connector assembly 48, wherein the first connector assembly is included in one of the support stand and the electronic device, and the second connector assembly is included in another one of the support stand and the electronic device. Fu (front page) discloses the first connector assembly 226 comprising: a floating connector block 286, an electrical contact 266 on the floating connector block, and a biasing assembly 258 engaged with the floating connector block to urge the floating connector block towards the second connector assembly when the second connector assembly 264 is engaged with the first connector assembly to achieve a spring-loaded engagement of the electrical contact with an electrical contact of the second connector assembly, and to provide Corfits et al with same thus would have been obvious, to facilitate alignment between the first and second connector assemblies.
Regarding claim 3, Corfits et al (Figure 3) discloses the first connector assembly 87 comprises a
first housing 88 defining a chamber to slidably receive the second connector assembly 80 of the
electronic device.
Regarding claim 4, Corfits et al (Figure 3) discloses the first connector assembly 87 comprises a
first housing 92 slidably receivable in a chamber defined by a second housing 79 of the second
connector assembly 80.
Regarding claim 5, Fu discloses the biasing assembly comprises a spring 258 engaged with the
floating connector block 286.
Regarding claim 6, Fu discloses the biasing assembly comprises an elastic material 258 engaged
with the floating connector block 286.
Regarding claim 7, Fu discloses the first connector assembly comprises a stop 286 to engage
with and restrict movement of the floating connector block by the biasing assembly 258.
Regarding claim 9, Corfits et al discloses the first connector assembly 87 comprises a plurality of
electrical contacts (not shown) on the floating connector block.
Regarding claim 10, Corfits et al discloses the first connector assembly comprises a locking
feature 62 to lockingly engage with a locking feature 43 of the second connector assembly, and wherein
the locking feature of the first connector assembly is releasable from the locking feature of the second
connector assembly responsive to actuation of a release tab 57.
Claim(s) 2, 8, 11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Corfits
et al in view of Fu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of DiFonzo et al 2007/0072442.
Regarding claim 2, DiFonzo et al (front page) discloses the electrical contact of the first
connector assembly is a spring-loaded electrical contact 120, and to form the contacts of Corfits et al (as
modified by Fu) to be spring loaded thus would have been obvious, to facilitate electrical continuity.
Regarding claim 8, DiFonzo et al discloses the first connector assembly 112 comprises a magnet
130 to magnetically attract and align the first connector assembly with the second connector assembly
62 when the second connector assembly is brought into engagement with the first connector assembly,
and to provide Corfits et al with such a magnet thus would have been obvious, to facilitate mating
between the connector assemblies.
Regarding claims 11 and 13-15, the references are applied as above. Regarding claim 14, note that Corfits et al discloses mount support/support stand 13 and electronic device 53.
Claim Defining Over Prior Art
Claim(s) 2, 8, 11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Corfits
et al in view of Fu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of DiFonzo et al 2007/0072442.
Regarding claim 2, DiFonzo et al (front page) discloses the electrical contact of the first
connector assembly is a spring-loaded electrical contact 120, and to form the contacts of Corfits et al (as
modified by Fu) to be spring loaded thus would have been obvious, to facilitate electrical continuity.
Regarding claim 8, DiFonzo et al discloses the first connector assembly 112 comprises a magnet
130 to magnetically attract and align the first connector assembly with the second connector assembly
62 when the second connector assembly is brought into engagement with the first connector assembly,
and to provide Corfits et al with such a magnet thus would have been obvious, to facilitate mating
between the connector assemblies.
Regarding claims 11 and 13-15, the references are applied as above.
Claim Defining Over Prior Art
Claim 12 is 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 2, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Initially, it is noted that Applicant often attacks the applied references individually, not for what they collectively teach. Contrary to Applicant’s assertion, Corfits et al does disclose a mount support/support stand 13 and an electronic device 53, these being very broad terms. Corfits et al would benefit from the finer alignment taught by Fu. All of the applied references deal with electrical connectors and are thus analogous art.
Finality
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834