DETAILED ACTION
Elections/Restrictions
1. This office action is a response to Applicant's election filed on 02/18/2026 02/18/2026without traverse of Groups I-II, claims 1-10 for further examination. Claims 11-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 06/10/2024 & 11/12/2024 are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections
5. 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.
6. 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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
8. Claims 1-10 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (US 2008/0273255 A1) hereinafter Yang (the terminology of the claims in the application is used, but the references of Yang are included between parentheses).
Examiner is interpreting “coupled” in light of the specification as follows:
[0043] Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other.
As regards to claim 1, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), comprising:
a top frame (2+3) comprising a plurality of recesses (22+31) each operable to receive an electronic device (41/42) ([0030]-[0031]; [0033]; [0035]; [0037]; [0040]-[0041]; fig 1-8);
a bottom frame (1+4) coupled to the top frame (2+3), wherein the bottom frame (1+4) comprises a plurality of support structures (12+17), and wherein each support structure of the plurality of support structures (12+17) is aligned with a corresponding recess of the plurality of recesses (22+31) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8); and
a mechanical device (16+33) coupled to the top frame (2+3) and the bottom frame (1+4), wherein the mechanical device (16+33) is operable to bias the top frame (2+3) and the bottom frame (1+4) relative to one another, and wherein the mechanical device (16+33) is a slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) engaged with a sloped surface (161) of the bottom frame (1+4) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 2, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), further comprising a side frame (15+portion between insides of 15+perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) coupled to the top frame (2+3) and the bottom frame (1+4) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 3, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), wherein the side frame (15+portion between insides of 15+perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) comprises a first frame member (15+portion between insides of 15) and a second frame member (perimeter inside and outside portions of 33), and wherein the mechanical device (16+33) is in direct physical contact with the first frame member (15+portion between insides of 15) or the second frame member (perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 4, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), wherein the slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) extends through a slider opening (34) through the side frame (15+portion between insides of 15+perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 5, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), wherein the bottom frame (1+4) comprises a base plate (4), and wherein each of the plurality of support structures (12+17) extends from an upper surface of the base plate (4) ([0029]-[0034]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 6, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), comprising:
a top frame (2+3) comprising a plurality of recesses (22+31) each operable to receive an electronic device (41/42) ([0030]-[0031]; [0033]; [0035]; [0037]; [0040]-[0041]; fig 1-8);
a bottom frame (1+4) coupled to the top frame (2+3), wherein the bottom frame (1+4) comprises a plurality of support structures (12+17), and wherein each support structure of the plurality of support structures (12+17) is aligned with a corresponding recess of the plurality of recesses (22+31) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8); and
a slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) coupled to the top frame (2+3) and the bottom frame (1+4), wherein the slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) is operable to bias the top frame (2+3) and the bottom frame (1+4) relative to one another, and wherein the slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) is engaged with a sloped surface (161) of the bottom frame (1+4) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 7, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), further comprising a side frame (15+portion between insides of 15+perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) coupled to the top frame (2+3) and the bottom frame (1+4) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 8, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), wherein the side frame (15+portion between insides of 15+perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) comprises a first frame member (15+portion between insides of 15) and a second frame member (perimeter inside and outside portions of 33), and wherein the slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) is in direct physical contact with the first frame member (15+portion between insides of 15) or the second frame member (perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 9, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), wherein the slider (see fig 1-5, 16+33, 33 slides onto 16) extends through a slider opening (34) through the side frame (15+portion between insides of 15+perimeter inside and outside portions of 33) ([0029]-[0035]; [0037]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
As regards to claim 10, Yang discloses an assembly (abs; fig 1-8), wherein the bottom frame (1+4) comprises a base plate (4), and wherein each of the plurality of support structures (12+17) extends from an upper surface of the base plate (4) ([0029]-[0034]; [0041]; fig 1-8).
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: all references cited on the attached PTO-892 Notice of References Cited excluding the above relied upon references.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jethro M Pence whose telephone number is (571)270-7423. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00 A.M. - 6:30 P.M..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dah-Wei D. Yuan can be reached on 571-272-1295. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jethro M. Pence/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717