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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et. al (US 20090309471 A1) hereafter referred to as Yu in view of Chen et. al (JP 3140215 U) hereafter referred to as Chen.
Regarding claim 1, Yu teaches a quick-mount slide rail adapted to be disposed on a rack (20 actuating member), the rack having a plate body (28 limiting panel) and a plurality of disposition holes (282 through holes) that are formed in the plate body (Fig 1), said quick-mount slide rail comprising: a bracket (10 mounting bracket) including a side plate (12 sidewall) that extends in a front-rear direction and an up-down direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction (Fig 1),
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and a front plate (90 support) that extends perpendicularly from a front edge of said side plate in a left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction (Fig 1), and that is adapted to abut against the plate body of the rack (Fig 2), said front plate having two through holes (92 that are arranged in the up-down direction (Fig 2); and a connector slide module (16 end wall) disposed on said bracket (Fig 1), said connector slide module including two stepped cylindrical connectors (162 posts, ¶17) extending forwardly from said block body and extending respectively through said through holes of said front plate (Fig 2), each of said stepped cylindrical connectors having a plurality of cylindrical segments (segments of 162 posts, Fig 1), outer diameters of said cylindrical segments decreasing sequentially and forwardly in the front-rear direction (Fig 1); wherein, when said connector slide module is in the locking position (2452 engaging positions, Fig 2), one of said cylindrical segments of each of said stepped cylindrical connectors protrudes forwardly from said front plate for at least a predetermined distance (Fig 2) and is adapted to be inserted into a respective one of the disposition holes of the plate body (Fig 2).
Yu fails to teach the connector sliding block that has a block body and is movable relative to said side plate along the front-rear direction among a plurality of locking positions. However, Chen teaches the connector sliding block (2 sub bracket) that has a block body (22 second curved plate alt 24 convex piece and 26 hooking piece act as a stopper) and is movable relative to said side plate along the front-rear direction among a plurality of locking positions (Fig 5-8). Yu and Chen are both in the industry of sliding rail mounting systems therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Yu to include the separate connector sliding block and locking positions in order to allow for precise movement to preset positions when sliding along the rail (Chen pg 3 ¶9)
Regarding claim 4, Yu in view of Chen teach the quick-mount slide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein said side plate (12 sidewall) of said bracket (10 mounting bracket) has at least one guiding groove (122 guide slots) extending in the front-rear direction (Fig 1), and said connector sliding block (20 actuating member) further has at least one guiding post (50 blocking members) protruding from said block body (¶20), engaging said at least one guiding groove (¶20), and slidable along the front-rear direction (¶20, Fig 3).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu in view of Chen and further in view of Lin et. al (CN 209518551 U) hereafter referred to as Lin.
Regarding claim 2, Yu in view of Chen teach the quick-mount slide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said bracket (10 mounting bracket) further includes two positioning plates (245 engaging position) extending from said side plate in the left-right direction (Fig 1), and located respectively over and under said block body of said connector sliding block (Fig 1); each of said positioning plates has a positioning slot wavy in shape (2452 notch Fig 1).
Yu in view of Chen fails to teach the positioning slot of each of said positioning plates has a plurality of positioning slot portion; wherein said block body of said connector sliding block has at least one sliding slot formed through said block body in the up-down direction and extending in the left-right direction in the combination of claim 1. However, Chen teaches the positioning slot of each of said positioning plates (12 long groove) has a plurality of positioning slot portion (Fig 1); and has at least one sliding slot formed through said block body in the up-down direction and extending in the left-right direction (Fig 5) connector slide module further includes a positioning rod (14 fixed button) extending in the up-down direction (Fig 1) through said at least one sliding slot (25 slide groove) and slidable along said at least one sliding slot (Fig 1), said positioning rod having opposite end portions that engage respectively (ends of 25 slide groove) and slidably said positioning slots of said positioning plates (Fig 508 show movement of bracket as 14 fixed button slides along 25 sliding groove); and when said connector slide module is disposed at the selected one of the locking positions (Fig 1), said positioning rod is disposed at one of said positioning slot portions of said positioning slot of each of said positioning plates (Fig 1), and abuts against said positioning plates to prevent rearward movement of said positioning rod (Fig 1). Yu and Chen are both in the industry of sliding rail mounting systems therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Yu to include the separate connector sliding block and locking positions in order to allow for precise movement to preset positions when sliding along the rail (Chen pg 3 ¶9)
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu in view of Chen and further in view of Zhuang (CN 203722970 U) hereafter referred to as Zhuang.
Regarding claim 5, Yu in view of Chen teach the quick-mount slide rail as claimed in claim 1.
Yu in view of Chen fail to teach the connector slide module (16 end wall) further includes two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors respectively and slidably sleeved on said two stepped cylindrical connectors and each having a substantially cylindrical profile, and two first elastic members, each being clamped between a respective one of said two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors and said block body of said connector sliding block; each of said sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors includes a cylindrical post connector portion, and a first abutment portion located rearwardly of said cylindrical post connector portion; and said two first elastic members are disposed for respectively biasing said two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors forwardly so as to abut said first abutment portions of said two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors against a rear side of said front plate, and for protruding said cylindrical post connector portions of said sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors forwardly and outwardly of said two through holes, respectively, for said at least a predetermined distance. However, Zhuang teaches the connector slide module (81 housing) further includes two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors (85 lower tube) respectively and slidably sleeved on said two stepped cylindrical connectors (83 tube) and each having a substantially cylindrical profile (Fig 12), and two first elastic members (85 spring), each being clamped between a respective one of said two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors (Fig 12) and said block body of said connector sliding block (Fig 12); each of said sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors includes a cylindrical post connector portion (portion of 85 lower tube that surrounds 83 tube), and a first abutment portion (notch running along 811 and 812 parallel chambers) located rearwardly of said cylindrical post connector portion (¶28); and said two first elastic members are disposed for respectively biasing said two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors forwardly (Fig 12) so as to abut said first abutment portions of said two sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors against a rear side of said front plate (Fig 12), and for protruding said cylindrical post connector (82 round rod) portions of said sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors forwardly and outwardly of said two through holes (72 holes), respectively, for said at least a predetermined distance (Fig 12). Yu, Chen, and Zhuang are all in the industry of sliding rail mounting systems therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Yu and Chen to include the cylindrical post connector system in order to improve durability of the rail system by minimizing deformation of the bracket over time (Zhuang ¶31)
Regarding claim 6, Yu in view of Chen teach the quick-mount slide rail as claimed in claim 5.
Yu in view of Chen and further in view of Zhuang fail to teach the connector slide module further includes two sliding sleeve square connectors respectively and slidably sleeved on said two stepped cylindrical connectors and each having a substantially rectangular profile, and two second elastic members, each being clamped between a respective one of said two sliding sleeve square connectors and said block body of said connector sliding block; each of said sliding sleeve square connectors includes a square post connector portion for accommodating said cylindrical post connector portion of a respective one of said sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors, and a second abutment portion located rearwardly of said square post connector portion; and said two second elastic members are disposed for respectively biasing said two sliding sleeve square connectors forwardly so as to abut said second abutment portions of said two sliding sleeve square connectors against a rear side of said front plate, and for protruding said square post connector portions of said sliding sleeve square connectors forwardly and outwardly of said through holes, respectively, for said at least a predetermined distance in the combination of claim 5.
However, Zhuang teaches said connector slide module (81 housing) further includes two sliding sleeve square connectors (combination of 85 lower tube member and 811 and 812 parallel chambers) respectively and slidably sleeved on said two stepped cylindrical connectors (84 lower rod) and each having a substantially rectangular profile (Fig 12), and two second elastic members (87 spring), each being clamped between a respective one of said two sliding sleeve square connectors and said block body of said connector sliding block (Fig 12); each of said sliding sleeve square connectors includes a square post connector portion (85 lower tube) for accommodating said cylindrical post connector portion of a respective one of said sliding sleeve cylindrical connectors (Fig 12), and a second abutment portion (811 and 812 parallel chambers) located rearwardly of said square post connector portion (portion of 811 and 812 the extends behind 85 lower tube); and said two second elastic members are disposed for respectively biasing said two sliding sleeve square connectors forwardly so as to abut said second abutment portions of said two sliding sleeve square connectors against a rear side of said front plate (¶2), and for protruding said square post connector portions of said sliding sleeve square connectors forwardly and outwardly of said through holes (Fig 12), respectively, for said at least a predetermined distance (distance determined by 811 and 812, Fig 12). Yu, Chen, and Zhuang are all in the industry of sliding rail mounting systems therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Yu and Chen to include the cylindrical post connector system in order to improve durability of the rail system by minimizing deformation of the bracket over time due to the round shape of the connectors (Zhuang ¶31)
Regarding claim 7, Yu in view of Chen teach the quick-mount slide rail as claimed in claim 1.
Yu in view of Chen fail to teach the said connector slide module further includes two sliding sleeve square connectors (combination of 85 lower tube member and 811 and 812 parallel chambers) respectively and slidably sleeved on said two stepped cylindrical connectors (84 lower rod) and each having a substantially rectangular profile (Fig 12, ¶2), and two second elastic members (85 spring), each being clamped between a respective one of said two sliding sleeve square connectors and said block body of said connector sliding block (Fig 12); each of said sliding sleeve square connectors includes a square post connector portion (portion of 85 lower tube that surrounds 83 tube), and a second abutment portion (notch running along 811 and 812 parallel chambers) located rearwardly of said square post connector portion (Fig 12); and said two second elastic members are disposed for respectively biasing said two sliding sleeve square connectors forwardly to abut said second abutment portions of said two sliding sleeve square connectors against a rear side of said front plate (Fig 12, ¶2), and for protruding said square post connector portions of said sliding sleeve square connectors forwardly and outwardly of said through holes (Fig 12), respectively, for said at least a predetermined distance (distance determined by 811 and 812, Fig 12). Yu, Chen, and Zhuang are all in the industry of sliding rail mounting systems therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Yu and Chen to include the cylindrical post connector system in order to improve durability of the rail system by minimizing deformation of the bracket over time due to the round shape of the connectors (Zhuang ¶31)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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: Yu (US 20090309471 A1), Chen (JP-3140215-U), Lin (CN-209518551-U), and Zhuang (CN-203722970-U) teach a quick-mount slide rail the rack having a plate body (28 limiting panel) and a plurality of disposition holes (282 through holes) that are formed in the plate body (Fig 1), said quick-mount slide rail comprising: a bracket (10 mounting bracket) including a side plate (12 sidewall) that extends in a front-rear direction and an up-down direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction (Fig 1), and a front plate (90 support) that extends perpendicularly from a front edge of said side plate in a left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction (Fig 1), and that is adapted to abut against the plate body of the rack (Fig 2), said front plate having two through holes (92 that are arranged in the up-down direction (Fig 2); and a connector slide module (16 end wall) disposed on said bracket (Fig 1), said connector slide module including two stepped cylindrical connectors (162 posts, ¶17) extending forwardly from said block body (20 actuating member), and extending respectively through said through holes of said front plate (Fig 2), each of said stepped cylindrical connectors having a plurality of cylindrical segments (segments of 162 posts, Fig 1), outer diameters of said cylindrical segments decreasing sequentially and forwardly in the front-rear direction (Fig 1); wherein, when said connector slide module is in the locking position (2452 engaging positions, Fig 2), one of said cylindrical segments of each of said stepped cylindrical connectors protrudes forwardly from said front plate for at least a predetermined distance (Fig 2) and is adapted to be inserted into a respective one of the disposition holes of the plate body (Fig 2) and positioning rod (8 screw rod) extending in the up-down direction (Fig 3).
However, the prior art fails to teach the sliding slot for biasing said positioning rod, so as to position said positioning rod at a selected one of said positioning slot portions of said positioning slot of each of said positioning plates as set forth in the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lin (CN-209518551-U) teaches a sliding mechanism for a mounted rack.
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/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/E.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2841