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 .
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 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.
(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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al (US Patent no. 10314394 herein referred to as Chen’394).
With respect to claim 1, Chen’394 discloses a fitting assembly, configured to be mounted to a rack comprising a first side frame (S1, figures 2-8) and a second side frame (S2, figures 2-8), a first width (W1, figure 6) being defined between the first side frame and the second side frame (figure 6), the fitting assembly comprising: a first fitting device (22, figures 2-8) configured to be mounted to the first side frame (S1) of the rack; and a second fitting device (24) configured to be mounted to the second side frame of the rack; wherein a second width (W2, figure 6) defined between the first fitting device and the second fitting device is smaller than the first width (W1); wherein the first fitting device and the second fitting device are configured to mount a first slide rail assembly (26) and a second slide rail assembly (28) to the first side frame and the second side frame respectively; wherein the first fitting device (22, figure 3) comprises a first end part (38, figure 3), a second end part (40, figure 3) and a main body part (42, figure 3) connected between the first end part and the second end part, the main body part (42) is arranged with an engaging structure (53, 64, figure 3) configured to be engaged to the first side frame (S1) of the rack.
With respect to claim 2, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 1, wherein structural configuration of the first fitting device (22) is substantially identical to or symmetric to structural configuration of the second fitting device (24).
With respect to claim 3, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 2, wherein the main body part (42) is further arranged with a locking member (48) and a mounting feature (52a, 52b, 51, figure 3) arranged on the locking member (48), the mounting feature is configured to lock the engaging structure (53, 64) to the first side frame (S1) of the rack (20), in order to prevent the engaging structure from being disengaged from the first side frame of the rack.
With respect to claim 4, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 3, wherein the main body part (42) is further arranged with an operating member (54) configured to drive the locking member to move.
With respect to claim 5, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 4, wherein the operating member (54) comprises an operating part (54) adjacent to the first end part (38, figure 3).
With respect to claim 6, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 3, wherein the main body part (42) has an inner side and an outer side, the locking member (48) is arranged at the inner side of the main body part, and the mounting feature (52a, 52b, 51, figure 3) is extended from the inner side to the outer side.
With respect to claim 7, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 3, wherein a first connecting feature (56, figure 3) is arranged adjacent to the first end part (38, figure 3), and a second connecting feature (62, figure 3) is arranged adjacent to the second end part (40, figure 3); wherein the first slide rail assembly (26, figure 3) is configured to be mounted between the first connecting feature (56, figure 3) and the second connecting feature (62, figure 3) of the first fitting device (22), the second slide rail assembly (28, figure 6) is configured to be mounted between a first connecting feature and a second connecting feature of the second fitting device (24).
With respect to claim 8, Chen’394 discloses the fitting assembly of claim 7, wherein the first end part (38, figure 3) is arranged with a first connecting base (46, figure 3) substantially perpendicularly bent relative to the main body part (42), the first connecting feature (56) is arranged on the first connecting base (46); wherein the second end part (40) is arranged with a second connecting base (60) substantially perpendicularly bent relative to the main body part (42), the second connecting feature (62) is arranged on the second connecting base (60).
With respect to claim 9, Chen’394 discloses a fitting device, configured to be mounted to a rack (20), the fitting device comprising: a first end part (38, figure 3); a second end part (40); a main body part (42) connected between the first end part and the second end part, wherein the main body part is arranged with an engaging structure (53, 64) configured to be engaged to the rack; a locking member (48) arranged on the main body part; a mounting feature (52a, 52b, or 51, figure 3) arranged on the locking member (48) and configured to lock the engaging structure (53 and/or 64) to the rack, in order to prevent the engaging structure from being disengaged from the rack; and an operating member (54) configured to drive the locking member to move.
With respect to claim 10, Chen’394 discloses a fitting device of claim 9, wherein the operating member (54) is arranged on the main body part (42), and the operating member comprises an operating part (54) adjacent to the first end part (38).
With respect to claim 11, Chen’394 discloses a fitting device of claim 9, wherein the main body part (42) has an inner side and an outer side, the locking member (48) is arranged at the inner side of the main body part, and the mounting feature (52a, 52b, figures 4-5) is extended from the inner side to the outer side.
With respect to claim 12, Chen’394 discloses a fitting device of claim 11, wherein the main body part (42) is formed with a predetermined space (M, see iexaminer’s markup below) communicated with the inner side and the outer side, the operating member has a predetermined hole (H, see examiner’s markup below) adjacent to the predetermined space of the main body part.
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With respect to claim 13, Chen’394 discloses a fitting device of claim 9, further comprising a return elastic member (50) configured to provide a return elastic force to the operating member (54).
With respect to claim 14, Chen’394 discloses the fitting device of claim 9, wherein a first connecting feature (56) is arranged adjacent to the first end part (38), and a second connecting feature (62) is arranged adjacent to the second end part (40); wherein a slide rail assembly (26) is configured to be mounted between the first connecting feature (56) and the second connecting feature (62); wherein the first end part (38) is arranged with a first connecting base (46) substantially perpendicularly bent relative to the main body part (42), the first connecting feature (56) is arranged on the first connecting base (46); wherein the second end part (40) is arranged with a second connecting base (60) substantially perpendicularly bent relative to the main body part (42), the second connecting feature (62) is arranged on the second connecting base (60).
With respect to claim 15, Chen’394 discloses a fitting device (22, figure 3), configured to be mounted to a rack (20), the fitting device comprising: a front end part (38); a rear end part (40); a main body part (42) connected between the front end part and the rear end part; a locking member (48) arranged on the main body part (42); a mounting feature (52a, 52b) arranged on the locking member and configured to lock the fitting device to the rack; and an operating member (54) configured to drive the locking member to move, wherein the operating member (54) comprises an operating part (54) adjacent to one of the front end part (38) and the rear end part.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art of record further demonstrate fitting assembly for a rack of interest.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ko (Korie) H Chan whose telephone number is (571)272-6816. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday -Friday, 8:00 - 5:00 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached on 571-272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ko H Chan/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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