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 invention I claims 1-15 in the reply filed on 2025-12-29 is acknowledged.
Claims 16-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2025-12-29.
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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Slesinger et al. (US 2002/0085373).
Regarding claim 1 Slesinger discloses:
An assembly, comprising:
a plurality of modular base plates (e.g. 12, 14, 24 FIG.1) that are selectively attachable to a support surface (e.g. shown via dotted lines FIG.1); wherein
each modular base plate includes a plurality of mounting apertures (e.g. shown/indicated via dotted lines FIG.1) configurable to receive mounting feet from one or more accessories, a plurality of bus bars (e.g. 44a, 44b FIG.5, 75 FIG.8C, 135 FIG.11), and at least one power interface aperture (e.g. apertures shown FIG.1), and a power connection interface associated with one modular base plate (e.g. inside 12, 14, 24 FIG.1), wherein the power connection interface provides power from a power source (e.g. 15, 17 FIG.1) to all modular base plates of the plurality of modular base plates via the plurality of bus bars (e.g. shown/indicated via all connected to 15 FIG.1).
Regarding claim 2 Slesinger discloses:
the plurality of bus bars comprises a plurality of positive bus bars and a plurality of negative bus bars (e.g. shown FIG.5, FIG.8C), wherein the plurality of positive bus bars and the plurality of negative bus bars each extend from one edge of each modular base plate to an opposite edge of each modular base plate (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.5, FIG.8C, FIG.11).
Regarding claim 3 Slesinger discloses:
the plurality of positive bus bars and the plurality of negative bus bars are arranged in a grid pattern with each positive bus bar overlapping at least one negative bus bar at an intersection (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.1).
Regarding claim 4 Slesinger discloses:
an insulation layer between each positive bus bars and each negative bus bars at each intersection (e.g. air gap as indicated FIG.5, FIG.8C, FIG.11).
Regarding claim 5 Slesinger discloses:
positive bus bars and negative bus bars are off-set from each other at each intersection (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.8C).
Regarding claim 6 Slesinger discloses:
the plurality of bus bars are at least partially embedded with each modular base plate (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.5, FIG.8C, FIG.11).
Regarding claim 7 Slesinger discloses:
the plurality of bus bars are adhered to a rear facing side of each modular base plate (e.g. closely attached as shown/indicated FIG.5, FIG.8C, FIG.11).
Regarding claim 8 Slesinger discloses:
each modular base plate comprises an outer peripheral edge that includes a plurality of mount features (e.g. edge tabs shown FIG.1), wherein a first mount feature from the plurality of mount features on a first modular base plate of the plurality of modular base plates overlaps a second mount feature from a second modular base plate of the plurality of modular base plates to secure the first modular base plate and the second modular base plate together (e.g. as shown/indicated by connecting dotted lines and the location of tabs shown FIG.1).
Regarding claim 9 Slesinger discloses:
a plurality of fasteners (e.g. screws paragraph [0049]) that are used to secure overlapping first and second mount features together (e.g. as indicated via dotted lines FIG.1).
Regarding claim 10 Slesinger discloses:
a plurality of electrical contacts (e.g. contacts on 44a/44b shown FIG.5, contacts indicated via 79 FIG.8C, 25 FIG.1) formed about the outer peripheral edge of each modular base plate (e.g. as shown in cited figures), wherein the plurality of electrical contacts for each modular base plate comprise a positive electrical contact positioned on one side of each mount feature and a negative electrical contact positioned on an opposite side of each mount feature (e.g. indicated in cited figures, FIG.12/paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 11 Slesinger discloses:
the first mount feature and the second mount feature comprise tabs that extend outwardly of the outer peripheral edge in a direction toward an adjacent modular base plate (e.g. edge tabs shown FIG.1), and wherein each modular base plate includes:
a first protrusion extending outwardly of the outer peripheral edge on the one side of each mount feature in a direction toward an adjacent modular base plate (e.g. shown/indicated via dotted lines FIG.1); and
a second protrusion extending outwardly of the outer peripheral edge on the opposite side of each mount feature in the direction toward the adjacent modular base plate (e.g. also shown/indicated via dotted lines FIG.1); and wherein
the positive electrical contact is associated with the first protrusion and the negative electrical contact is associated with the second protrusion (e.g. as shown/indicated via location of + and - in FIG.5 & FIG.8C, described with respect to 144 paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 12 Slesinger discloses:
positive electrical contacts on the outer peripheral edge of each modular base plate are only aligned with, and engageable with, positive electrical contacts on the outer peripheral edge of each adjacent modular base plate (e.g. via 47a FIG.5, left 79 FIG.8C, 144 FIG.12) ; and wherein
negative electrical contacts on the outer peripheral edge of each modular base plate are only aligned with, and engageable with, negative electrical contacts on the outer peripheral edge of each adjacent modular base plate (e.g. via 47b FIG.5, right 79 FIG.8C, other 144 FIG.12).
Regarding claim 13 Slesinger discloses:
when a set of modular base plates from the plurality of modular base plates are attached to each other at overlapping first and second mount features (e.g. indicated via dotted lines FIG.1), a modular plate structure is formed with exposed outer edges that include both positive electrical contacts and negative electrical contacts (e.g. as shown/indicated via location of + and - in FIG.5 & FIG.8C, described with respect to 144 paragraph [0063]), and wherein the power connection interface comprises one of the positive electrical contacts at the exposed outer edges and one of the negative electrical contacts at the exposed outer edges that are immediately adjacent to each other to form a pair of power connection contacts (e.g. as shown/indicated via location of + and - in FIG.5 & FIG.8C, described with respect to 144 paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 14 Slesinger discloses:
power connection interface is provided anywhere about an entire periphery of the modular plate structure where there are a pair of power connection contacts (e.g. indicated via location of powered devices FIG.1), and wherein the pair of power connection contacts are connectable to the power source which comprises a single power supply (e.g. 17 FIG.1) that supplies power to all modular base plates in the modular plate structure (e.g. as shown/indicated FIG.1).
Regarding claim 15 Slesinger discloses:
each modular base plate further includes a plurality of locking apertures (e.g. where dotted lines connect components FIG.1), and wherein, a plurality of sub-groups of apertures are formed on each modular base plate (e.g. at least two on each shown FIG.1), wherein each sub-group of apertures comprises a predetermined pattern that includes at least one mounting aperture from the plurality of mounting apertures (e.g. as shown FIG.1), at least one locking aperture from the plurality of locking apertures (e.g. shown via dotted lines FIG.1), and the at least one power interface aperture (e.g. holes for power contacts shown FIG.1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references cited on the PTO-892 disclose/teach similar integrated circuit board/conductor wall and support structures as those disclosed in the present application.
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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