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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/03/2024, 10/24/2024 and 02/21/2025 was filed on and after the mailing date of the application on 06/03/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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, 8 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Azad US2019/0013632.
Regarding claim 1, a motherboard module, comprising: a motherboard assembly, comprising: a motherboard (fig. 3; 8); an electrical connector (figs. 1 and 3; 20, 50), disposed on the motherboard (8); a first sealing component (fig. 3; 5), disposed on the motherboard (8) and located around a periphery (fig. 3; periphery of 50 that seats inside of 65; 3 and 5 make the periphery of 20) of the electrical connector (20, 50); and a second sealing component (fig. 3; 3), disposed on the first sealing component (5); and an insertion piece (fig. 1; 25), having an insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65), wherein the insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65) is inserted into the electrical connector (20, 50), and the second sealing component (3) and the first sealing component (5) cover the electrical connector (20, 50) and the insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65) of the insertion piece (25) together.
Regarding claim 8, a motherboard assembly, configured for insertion of an insertion piece, the motherboard assembly, comprising: a motherboard (fig. 3; 8); an electrical connector (figs. 1 and 3; 20, 50), disposed on the motherboard (8), and configured for insertion of an insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65) of the insertion piece (25); a first sealing component (fig. 3; 5), disposed on the motherboard (8) and located around a periphery (fig. 3; periphery of 50 that seats inside of 65; 3 and 5 make the periphery of 20) of the electrical connector (20, 50); and a second sealing component (fig. 3; 3), disposed on the first sealing component (5), wherein the second sealing component (3) and the first sealing component (5) are configured to cover the electrical connector (20, 50) and the insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65) of the insertion piece (25) together.
Regarding claim 15, an assembling method of a motherboard module, comprising: assembling a first scaling component (5) on a motherboard (8) to surround a periphery of an electrical connector (20, 50) disposed on the motherboard (8); inserting an insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65) of an insertion piece (25) into the electrical connector (20, 50); and assembling a second sealing component (3) on the first sealing component (5) to allow the second sealing component (3) and the first sealing component (5) cover the electrical connector (20, 50) and the insertion portion (portion of 25 that mates with 65) of the insertion piece (25) together.
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) 2, 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Azad US2019/0013632 in view of CN 113327789.
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, Azad discloses wherein the second sealing component (3) comprises an annular portion (fig. 3; side portions of 3 that comprises 37, 14, 44), a hollow portion (top surface of 3) and a light permeable portion (fig. 3; 35), the annular portion (side portions of 3 that comprises 37, 14, 44) is fixed to the first sealing component (5).
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, Azad does not disclose the annular portion surrounds the hollow portion, the hollow portion corresponds to the electrical connector, and the light permeable portion seals the hollow portion.
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, CN ‘789 teaches the annular portion (fig. 2; side surfaces of 10) surrounds the hollow portion (fig. 2; top surface of 10 that contains 13), the hollow portion (top surface of 10 that contains 13) corresponds to the electrical connector (fig. 2; 18), and the light permeable portion (fig. 2; 13) seals the hollow portion (top surface of 10 that contains 13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the annular portion surrounds the hollow portion, the hollow portion corresponds to the electrical connector, and the light permeable portion seals the hollow portion as suggested by CN ‘789 for the benefit of providing improved sealing while optimizing visibility of internal parts.
Claim(s) 3, 10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Azad US2019/0013632 in view of TW M412507U.
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, Azad discloses wherein the motherboard (8) has an upper surface (top surface of 8) and a side surface (side edges orthogonal to top surface of 8), the upper surface (top surface of 8) and the side surface (side edges orthogonal to top surface of 8) respectively face different directions, the electrical connector (20, 50) is disposed on the upper surface of the motherboard (50 is directly connected with 8), one side (50 side) of the electrical connector (20, 50) is located close to the side surface (side edges orthogonal to top surface of 8) of the motherboard (8), the first sealing (5) component comprises an annular portion (fig. 3; 48).
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, Azad does not disclose, the annular portion comprises a fixed part and an extension part connected to each other, the fixed part is fixed to the upper surface of the motherboard, the extension part protrudes from the side surface of the motherboard, and the fixed part and the extension part together surround the electrical connector.
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, TW ‘507 teaches the annular portion (fig. 6; 200) comprises a fixed part (section of 200 that covers 100) and an extension part (elongated front portion of 200) connected to each other, the fixed part (section of 200 that covers 100) is fixed to the upper surface of the motherboard (300), the extension part protrudes (elongated front portion of 200) from the side surface (fig. 6; side edges of 300) of the motherboard (300), and the fixed part (section of 200 that covers 100) and the extension part (elongated front portion of 200) together surround the electrical connector (100).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to incorporate the annular portion comprises a fixed part and an extension part connected to each other, the fixed part is fixed to the upper surface of the motherboard, the extension part protrudes from the side surface of the motherboard, and the fixed part and the extension part together surround the electrical connector as suggested by TW ‘507 for the benefit of providing additional protection to the covered electrical connector.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7, 11-14 and 18-20 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claims 4, 11, the prior art of record fails to disclose, teach, provide or suggest wherein the side of the electrical connector abuts the side surface of the motherboard combined with 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: regarding claim 5, 12 and 18, the prior art of record fails to disclose, teach, provide or suggest wherein the second sealing component is adhered on the fixed part and the extension part of the annular portion of the first sealing component combined with all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS E HARCUM whose telephone number is (571)272-9986. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCUS E HARCUM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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