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 IDS filed on 08/19/2024 has been considered and made of record.
Oath/Declaration
The oath/declaration filed on 08/19/2024 is acceptable.
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.
Claims 1-2 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elkins et al. [US 2011/0050052], in view of GAGNE et al. [US 2013/0180774].
Regarding claim 1, Elkins et al. disclose a modular system chassis (300, figures 1-3), comprising:
a first chassis module (figure 3) including:
a rectangular front bracket (figure 3) having first side edges and a front periphery defining a front opening (306, figure 3);
a rectangular card bracket (figure 3) having second side edges (figure 3) and a rear periphery defining a rear opening (figure 3);
extension bars (304, figure 3) configured to extend between and fasten each corner of the rectangular front bracket and a corresponding corner (312, figure 3) of the rectangular card bracket (figure 3); and
a pair of rectangular side brackets (308, figure 3) attached on both side of the first chassis module (see attached figure 3).
Elkins et al., disclose the claimed invention except for each rectangular side bracket having a peripheral plate configured for attachment to a respective first side edge, second side edge, and pair of extension bars; and at least one support extending inward from the peripheral plate and having a plurality of support extensions disposed at a predetermined pitch.
GAGNE et al., disclose a modular chassis (figure 1b) comprising a rectangular side bracket (8, figure 1b), wherein the rectangular side bracket has a peripheral plate (8, figure 1b) configured for attachment to a respective first side edge (a vertical left side of an opening 6, figure 1b), second side edge (a vertical right side of the opening 6, figure 1b), and pair of extension bars (a top and a bottom horizontal of the opening 6, figure 1b) and at least one support (63, figure 1b) extends inward from the peripheral plate and having a plurality of support extensions (a top and a bottom protrusion(s) of the at least one support 63, figure 1b) disposed at a predetermined pitch (a space is between two protrusions, figure 1b).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a rectangular side bracket design of GAGNE et al. for a rectangular side bracket(s) of a first chassis module of Elkins et al., in order to provide opening(s) to access into both sides of a modular chassis.
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Regarding claim 2, Elkins et al., disclose wherein the front opening and the rear opening are substantially rectangular and dimensioned to provide clearance for a predetermined number of electronic modules conforming to an open system standard (figure 3).
Elkins et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the at least one support includes a first support extending inward from a first inward side of the peripheral plate and having a first plurality of support extensions disposed at the predetermined pitch, and a second support extending inward from a second inward side of the peripheral plate and having a second plurality of support extensions disposed at the predetermined pitch and at a same height as the first plurality of support extensions.
GAGNE et al., further disclose wherein the at least one support includes a first support extending inward from a first inward side (a left support 63, figure 1b) of the peripheral plate and having a first plurality of support extensions (see attached figure 1b) disposed at the predetermined pitch, and a second support (a right support 63, figure 1b) extending inward from a second inward side (figure 1b) of the peripheral plate and having a second plurality of support extensions (see attached figure 1b) disposed at the predetermined pitch and at a same height as the first plurality of support extensions (see attached figure 1b).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a rectangular side bracket design of GAGNE et al., including first and second supports extending inward from both sides of the rectangular side bracket(s) of a first chassis module of Elkins et al., in order to provide opening(s) to access into both sides of a modular chassis.
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Regarding claim 15, Elkins et al., disclose a modular method of building a chassis (300, figures 1-3) for electronic components, comprising building a first chassis module (300, figure 3) by:
providing a rectangular front bracket (see attached above figure 3) having first side edges (figure 3) and a front periphery defining a front opening (306, figure 3);
providing a rectangular card bracket (see attached above figure 3) having second side edges (figure 3) and a rear periphery defining a rear opening (see attached above figure 3);
providing four extension bars (304, figure 3); and
providing a pair of rectangular side brackets (308, figure 3) attached on both side of the first chassis module (see attached figure 3); and
fastening each of the four extension bars to a respective corner of the rectangular front bracket and a corresponding corner of the rectangular card bracket (corner fasteners 312, figure 3).
Elkins et al., disclose the claimed invention except for each rectangular side bracket having a peripheral plate; at least one support extending inward from the peripheral plate and having a plurality of support extensions disposed at a predetermined pitch; and fastening the peripheral plates of the pair of rectangular side brackets to a respective first side edge, second side edge, and pair of extension bars.
GAGNE et al., disclose a modular chassis (figure 1b) comprising a rectangular side bracket (8, figure 1b), wherein the rectangular side bracket has a peripheral plate (8, figure 1b); at least one support (63, figure 1b) extends inward from the peripheral plate and having a plurality of support extensions (a top and a bottom protrusion(s) of the at least one support 63, figure 1b) disposed at a predetermined pitch (a space is between two protrusions, figure 1b); and fastening the peripheral plates of the pair of rectangular side brackets to a respective first side edge (a vertical left side of an opening 6, figure 1b), second side edge (a vertical right side of the opening 6, figure 1b), and pair of extension bars (a top and a bottom horizontal of the opening 6, figure 1b).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a rectangular side bracket design of GAGNE et al. for a rectangular side bracket(s) of a first chassis module of Elkins et al., in order to provide opening(s) to access into both sides of a modular chassis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 is allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Elkins et al., in view of GAGNE et al., failed to teach a combination features of each extension bard having a plurality of first locating elements mounted on a top surface of the extension bar, and a corresponding plurality of second locating elements configured to interface with the first locating elements mounted on a bottom of the extension bar, and wherein a first rear periphery of a first card bracket is configured for attachment of a first backplane card having between two and five slots conforming to an open system standard, and wherein a second rear periphery of a second card bracket is configured for attachment of a second backplane card having between two and five slots conforming to the open system standard in a stacked modular chassis.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claims 3-13 and 16-20 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:
The claim 3 discloses the combination features of “wherein each extension bar has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface, wherein the top surface has a plurality of first locating elements and the bottom surface has a corresponding plurality of second locating elements configured to interface with the first locating elements.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the claim 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claims 4-7 and 9-13 depend on the allowed claim 3.
The claim 8 discloses the combination features of “wherein the rear periphery of the rectangular card bracket is configured for attachment of a backplane card having a plurality of slots conforming to the open system standard.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 2 and 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
The claim 16 discloses the combination features of “wherein providing four extension bars includes providing a plurality of locating lugs on a top surface of each extension bar and providing a corresponding plurality of locating recesses on a bottom surface of each extension bar.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the claim 15, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claims 17-20 depend on the allowed claim 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
GAGNE et al. [US 2013/0134270] disclose electrical device support; and
Embleton et al. [US 2021/0059080] disclose system and method for isolated device access.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hung S. Bui whose telephone number is (571)272-2102. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L. Parker can be reached on (303) 297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HUNG S. BUI/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/Hung S. Bui/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
03/05/2026