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 of Group I, Species B in the reply filed on 2025-12-17 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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, 3, 6-9, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 2009/0257207).
Regarding claim 1 Wang discloses:
An information handling system comprising:
a housing having a main portion (e.g. bottom of 12 FIG.21) and a lid portion (e.g. vertical section of 12 with 196 FIG.21);
a processor (e.g. described paragraph [0060]) coupled in the main portion and operable to execute instructions to process information;
a memory (e.g. described paragraph [0060]) coupled in the main portion and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information; and
a display assembly (e.g. 16 FIG.21) coupled in the lid portion, the display assembly having a display panel coupled to a support (e.g. 114 FIG.21), the support having plural spring clips (e.g. 182 FIG.21) extending from opposing sides and engaging against the lid portion (e.g. at 196 FIG.21), each of the plural spring clips having tension pressing against the lid portion to couple the support in place, the plural spring slips directly formed into and integrated with the material of the support as strips cut from the support (e.g. described paragraph [0105], 182 cut from 114 shown FIG.15) and bend to extends away from the support (e.g. shown FIG.21).
Regarding claim 3 Wang discloses:
the spring clips further couple at a bottom side of the display assembly and extend down and away from the display panel (e.g. 114&182 shown coupled to and extending below bottom of 16 FIG.21).
Regarding claim 6 Wang discloses:
the plural spring clips each comprise a strip of sheet metal (e.g. described paragraph [0104]) bent to form a curved portion (e.g. shown FIG.21) aligned to press against the lid portion (e.g. described paragraph [0107]).
Regarding claim 7 Wang discloses:
the lid portion has a cavity (e.g. 196 FIG.21) formed to align with each of the plural spring clips (e.g. described paragraph [0107]).
Regarding claim 8 Wang discloses:
the display assembly support has a metal material and the strip of sheet metal is cut from the metal material to integrate with the display assembly support (e.g. described paragraph [0104]).
Regarding claim 9 Wang discloses:
the plural spring clips comprise stainless steel coupled to the display assembly support (e.g. described paragraph [0104]).
Regarding claim 21 Wang discloses:
a glass cover (e.g. described paragraph [0052]) coupled over the display and a gap between the display and the housing lid portion (e.g. shown FIG.21).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2026-04-14 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The rejection above points out where the art already of record discloses the limitations added in amendment/argued amendments.
Regarding the argument that Figure 21 does not show how element 182 is connected to the display. At present the claims only require that “the spring clips further couple at a bottom side of the display assembly”. As Figure 21 does show 182 coupled at a bottom side of 16 then the prior art discloses the argued limitation, even if Wang is silent as to how 182 is connected to 16.
The remaining arguments repeat the arguments already addressed or are addressed by the rejection above and so will not be repeated here.
Interviews for individual cases, in order to appropriately account for all matters discussed during the interview, but also in consideration of the timing of how and when cases move through the office docketing system, should take place as part of their own dedicated interview. Applicant is welcome to arrange an interview regarding this case in response to this action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THERON S MILLISER whose telephone number is (571)270-1800. The examiner can normally be reached 9-6.
Limited examiner interviews are available.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani N. Hayman can be reached at (571) 270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THERON S MILLISER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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