Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/613,459

HOLDING MECHANISM AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Mar 22, 2024
Priority
Jan 04, 2024 — CN 202410017754.1
Examiner
WRIGHT, KIMBERLEY S
Art Unit
3637
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
WISTRON Corporation
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
70%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
89%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 70% — above average
70%
Career Allowance Rate
627 granted / 893 resolved
+18.2% vs TC avg
Strong +19% interview lift
Without
With
+18.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
917
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
50.6%
+10.6% vs TC avg
§102
27.4%
-12.6% vs TC avg
§112
16.4%
-23.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 893 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
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 . 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/24/2026 has been entered. 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. Claim 15 is 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. It appears Claim 15 recites the limitation "positioning pins" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim; it appears claim 15 should depend from claim 14. 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Pub No.: 20110031362 (“CHANG”). Regarding Claims 1 and 7-9, discloses CLAIM 1-a holding mechanism, for accommodating an electronic component, comprising: a frame (120) used to accommodate an electronic component; a holder (127) affixed to the frame (120); and a bracket (130) having a sliding groove (1320), wherein the holder (127) is connected to the bracket (130) via the sliding groove (1320), so that the frame (120) is rotatable relative to the bracket (130); and a sliding member movably disposed on the bracket (130) and moveable relative to the holder (127); Claim 7- wherein the holder (127) has a connecting portion, and the holder (127) is connected to the sliding groove (1320) of the bracket (130) via the connecting portion; Claim 8- wherein the connecting portion comprises a first section and a second section that extend in different directions; Claim 9-wherein the holder (127) is rotated along the sliding groove (1320) while the connecting portion serves as a fulcrum, when the holding mechanism is in a storage state, the connecting portion is connected to the sliding groove (1320) via the first section, and when the holding mechanism is in an unfolded state, the connecting portion is connected to the sliding groove (1320) via the second section. 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 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 of this title, 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 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over CHANG as applied to claim 2 above, in view of U.S. Pub No.: 20240334637 (“TSORNG et al.”). Regarding Claims 3-4, CHANG discloses the claimed invention but does not disclose the holding mechism having a handle. TSORNG et al. demonstrates it is well known in the art to provide a rotatable tray having Claim 3- a handle (290) rotatably disposed on a bottom surface of the frame (200); Claim 4-wherein a stopper (206 is stopped by the other end of 218) is disposed on the bottom surface of the frame (200) and used to stop the handle. It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention that the frame taught by CHANG, could be improved with a handle on the bottom surface for easily moving the frame from an open to a closed position, in a manner similar to the handle taught by TSORNG et al. Claims 10-13 and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over US Pub No.: 20110031362 (“CHANG”) in view of U.S. Pub No.: 20150108883 (“Chen et al.”) Regarding Claims 10 and 21, CHANG discloses Claim 10- a chassis (100) having a bottom surface and a sidewall perpendicular to the bottom surface; and a holding mechanism (as seen in Fig. 3) movably connected to the fixed support and comprising: a frame (120) used to accommodate an electronic component; a holder (127) affixed to the frame (120); and a bracket (130) movably disposed between the sidewall of the chassis (100) and the fixed bracket (130) , a sliding member disposed on the bracket (130) and moveable relative to the holder (127) ; wherein the bracket (130) has a sliding groove (1320), and the holder (127) is movably connected to the bracket (130) via the sliding groove (1320), so that the holding mechanism is rotatable relative to the chassis (100). Claim 21-a chassis (100) having a bottom surface and a sidewall perpendicular to the bottom surface; and a holding mechanism (as seen in Fig. 3) movably connected to the fixed support and comprising: a holder (127) affixed to the frame (120); and a bracket (130) movably disposed between the sidewall of the chassis (100) and the fixed support , a sliding member movably disposed on the bracket (130) and moveable relative to the holder (127); wherein the holder (127) mechanism is positioned using the sliding member wherein the bracket (130) has a sliding groove (1320) the holder (127) is movably connected to the bracket (130) via the sliding groove (1320), so that the holding mechanism is rotatable relative to the chassis (100). As to Claims 10 and 21,CHANG substantially discloses the claimed invention but does not disclose the fixed bracket (130) affixed on the sidewall. Chen et al. discloses a similar a similar invention with a frame (120) rotatable mounted to a chassis (100) the frame (120) is mounted on a fixed bracket (130) affixed to the sidewall. It would have been obvious to one having skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention that the fixed bracket (130) could also be mounted to the side of the chassis (100), similar the case taught by Chen et al, to allow allows the user to install the electronic device easily and quickly in a computer chassis (100) without tools. Regarding Claims 11, the combination discloses (CHANG) wherein when the fixed support has a groove, the groove is used to receive a positioning portion of the bracket (130), so that the bracket (130) is slidably disposed on the fixed support; Claim 12- the sliding member is located between the bracket (130) and the sidewall ; Claim 13- the sliding member has a positioning portion and a protruding portion , and the positioning portion and the protruding portion extend in different directions; Claim 16-wherein a plurality of operating portions are disposed on a surface of the sliding member , and the operating portions are parallel to each other; Claim 17-wherein the sidewall has an opening, and the opening exposes one of the operating portions. Claim 18- wherein the holder (127) has a connecting portion, and the holder (127) is connected to the sliding groove (1320) of the bracket (130) via the connecting portion; Claim 19- wherein the connecting portion comprises a first section and a second section that extend in different directions; Claim 20-wherein the holder (127) is rotated along the sliding groove (1320) while the connecting portion serves as a fulcrum, when the holding mechanism is in a storage state, the connecting portion is connected to the sliding groove (1320) via the first section, and when the holding mechanism is in an unfolded state, the connecting portion is connected to the sliding groove (1320) via the second section. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 5-6, 14 and 22 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. The closest art does not teach the sliding member being pushed by the handle or the position pins disposed on the sidewall that limit the sliding member. Claim 15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT whose telephone number is (571)270-3328. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 11:30-5:30. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Troy can be reached on 5712703742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 22, 2024
Application Filed
Oct 22, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112
Dec 14, 2025
Response Filed
Apr 08, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112
May 24, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
May 29, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Aug 31, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
70%
Grant Probability
89%
With Interview (+18.8%)
2y 1m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 893 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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