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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group 1, claims 1-8 and 14-25, in the reply filed on 2/20/2026 is acknowledged.
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) 1-4, 7, 14-18, 20, and 22-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Geng (US 20230301031 A1).
As to claim 1, Geng discloses: An apparatus (Fig. 3) comprising:
a first panel 310;
a second panel 312 offset from the first panel to define a space therebetween;
a wall (beneath 330) extending from the first panel to the second panel, such that the space extends along the wall, the first panel, and the second panel from a first end of the wall to a second end, opposite the first end, of the wall; and
a fan 320 configured to be disposed in the space between the first panel and the second panel.
As to claim 2, Geng discloses: wherein the space extends between the first panel and the second panel through a first side (upper side) of the first panel and of the second panel and through a second side (lower side), opposite the first side, of the first panel and of the second panel.
As to claim 3, Geng discloses: further comprising a control board 330 configured to couple to the wall (fasteners and threaded engagement holes clearly depicted) and control operation of the fan (via 400; par. 0021, 0024, 0025).
As to claim 4, Geng discloses: wherein the wall comprises a mount (raised threaded holes) extending from an inner surface of the wall into the space, and the control board comprises a board substrate 331 configured to engage with the mount to couple the control board to the wall.
As to claim 7, Geng discloses: wherein the fan comprises an electrical conductor (the circuit board 331 is electrically connected to the fan 320; par. 0021) configured to couple to the control board, and the control board is configured to transmit a signal to operate the fan (par. 0024) via the electrical conductor.
As to claim 14, Geng discloses: An apparatus (Fig. 3) comprising:
a housing comprising a first panel 310 and a second panel 312 cooperatively defining a space therebetween, wherein the first panel comprises a pin 340 (top left) extending into the space;
a fan 320 configured to be positioned within the space of the housing, wherein the fan comprises a first aperture 321(top left) and a second aperture 321 (top right), and the first aperture is configured to receive the pin of the first panel; and
a fastener 340 (top right) configured to extend through the second aperture of the fan to couple the fan and the housing to one another.
As to claim 15, Geng discloses: further comprising a control board 330 configured to be positioned within the space of the housing and control operation of the fan (via 400; par. 0021, 0024, 0025).
As to claim 16, Geng discloses:
wherein the housing comprises a wall (beneath 330) extending from the first panel to the second panel and a plurality of mounts (raised threaded apertures) extending from an inner surface of the wall into the space, the control board comprises a board substrate 331 and an interface 322, 420 coupled to the board substrate, the board substrate is configured to couple to the plurality of mounts (see lines in Fig. 3), and the interface is configured to be positioned between the plurality of mounts and between the board substrate and the inner surface of the wall
(at least interface portion 420 will be between the board substrate and inner surface of the wall in the vertical direction).
As to claim 17, Geng discloses:
wherein the housing comprises cover portions (see annotated Fig. below) extending from the wall (extend at least indirectly from the wall when fully assembled) and over (vertically above) the control board.
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As to claim 18, Geng discloses:
wherein the fan is configured to abut a respective edge of the cover portions (fan is fastened to, abuts, each of these portions) such that the first panel, the second panel, the inner surface of the wall, the cover portions, and the fan cooperatively surround the control board (when viewed from a front face of the device, e.g., the direction of LED 350).
As to claim 20, Geng discloses:
wherein the housing comprises a wall (beneath 330) coupling the first panel and the second panel to one another, the wall extends along a first side (lower side) of the first panel and of the second panel, and the space extends through a second side (upper side), opposite the first side, of the first panel and of the second panel.
As to claim 22, Geng discloses: wherein the fan comprises an aperture 321, and the first panel 310 comprises a pin 340 configured to extend into the aperture to couple the fan to the first panel.
As to claim 23, Geng discloses:
wherein the first panel comprises a cutout (far end of 310 is open ended or cutout in Fig. 3), the control board comprises an electrical connector 322, 420 extending from the board substrate and configured to extend through the cutout while the control board is coupled to the wall.
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.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng (US 20230301031 A1) alone as applied to claim 4 above.
As to claim 5, Geng does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the mount comprises an extension extending further into the space, and the board substrate comprises an aperture configured to receive the extension to engage the board substrate with the mount.
However, Geng clearly depicts Phillips head fasteners in Fig. 3, which would extend through apertures of the board 331 and thread into the threaded apertures of the mount.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Geng, e.g., providing:
wherein the mount comprises an extension (Phillips head threaded fastener) extending further into the space, and the board substrate comprises an aperture configured to receive the extension to engage the board substrate with the mount;
in order to provide the predictable result of fastening the board substrate to the threaded aperture mounts.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
As to claim 6, Geng discloses:
wherein the mount comprises an aperture (see raised threaded apertures, Fig. 3).
Geng does not explicitly disclose: the board substrate comprises an additional aperture configured to align with the aperture of the mount, and the apparatus comprises a fastener configured to extend into the aperture of the mount and the additional aperture of the board substrate of the control board to engage the board substrate with the mount.
However, Geng clearly depicts Phillips head fasteners in Fig. 3, which would extend through apertures of the board 331 and thread into the threaded apertures of the mount.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Geng, e.g., providing:
the board substrate comprises an additional aperture configured to align with the aperture of the mount, and the apparatus comprises a fastener configured to extend into the aperture of the mount and the additional aperture of the board substrate of the control board to engage the board substrate with the mount;
in order to provide the predictable result of fastening the board substrate to the threaded aperture mounts.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng (US 20230301031 A1) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Lo (US 20220225543 A1).
As to claim 8, Geng discloses: the control board comprises an interface (see left pin interface, clearly shown) configured to be positioned in the space to couple to the electrical conductor (physically positioned within the space and physically coupled by the board/assembly).
Geng does not disclose:
wherein the electrical conductor is coiled to define an additional space.
However, Lo discloses:
wherein the electrical conductor 33 (par. 0040; Fig. 2) is coiled to define an additional space (generally within the loop/coil of 33), in order to connect to the interface/connector 32.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Geng as suggested by Lo, e.g., providing:
wherein the electrical conductor is coiled to define an additional space;
in order to connect to the interface/control board.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claim(s) 21 and 24-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Geng (US 20230301031 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 14 above, and further in view of Curtis (US 7515413 B1).
As to claim 21, Geng does not disclose:
a fastener configured to extend through the first panel, the second panel, and the fan.
However, Curtis discloses:
a fastener 68 (Fig. 2-5) configured to extend through the first panel 70A, the second panel 70B, and the fan 64;
in order to fasten the fan to an emi shield 66 (col. 4, lines 52-61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Geng as suggested by Curtis, e.g., providing:
a fastener configured to extend through the first panel, the second panel, and the fan;
in order to fasten the fan to an emi shield.
It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention (e.g., rearranging the positions of panel flanges, mounting apertures, etc.) involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
As to claim 24, Geng does not disclose:
wherein the fastener is configured to extend through the first panel and the first aperture of the fan to couple the fan to the housing.
However, Curtis discloses:
a fastener 68 (Fig. 2-5) configured to extend through the first panel 70A, the second panel 70B, and the fan 64;
in order to fasten the fan to an emi shield 66 (col. 4, lines 52-61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the related art(s) before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Geng as suggested by Curtis, e.g., providing:
wherein the fastener is configured to extend through the first panel and the first aperture of the fan to couple the fan to the housing;
in order to fasten the fan to an emi shield.
It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention (e.g., rearranging the positions of panel flanges, mounting apertures, etc.) involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Additionally, all claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined/modified the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination/modification would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S.___, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
As to claim 25, Geng in view of Curtis discloses:
wherein the fastener 68 (Fig. 2-5; Curtis) is configured to extend through the first panel 70A, the first aperture of the fan 64, and an electrical device 66 (emi shield in Fig. 2-5; also extends through portion of electrical device 22 in Fig. 1; Curtis; electrical device in Fig. 1 of Geng is a server, fan assembly and fasteners extend through opening in device when installed) to couple the apparatus to the electrical device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claim 19, the allowability resides in the overall structure and functionality of the apparatus as recited in the dependent claim 19, including all of the limitations of their base claims and intervening claims, and at least in part, because they recite the following limitations:
19. (Original) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fan comprises an electrical conductor configured to extend around the board substrate and between the wall and the board substrate to couple to the interface, and the control board is configured to control operation of the fan via the electrical conductor.
Li (US 8517678 B2), Franz (US 20080239665 A1), and Chen (US 6808411 B2) disclose conventional fan assemblies.
None of the prior art, either alone or in combination, can be reasonably construed as adequately teaching the above claimed elements, in combination with the remaining claim limitations.
Further, Examiner has not identified any double patenting issues.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACOB R CRUM whose telephone number is (571)270-7665. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/JACOB R CRUM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835