9DETAILED 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 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 of this title, 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, 6 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over US Pub No.: 20060244349 (“Chen et al. ‘349”) in view of US 20010035704 (“Dierbeck”).
Regarding Claim 1, Chen et al. ‘349 discloses a slide rail assembly comprising:
a first rail (2) comprising a channel; a second rail (3) movably mounted on the channel of the first rail (2) and displaceable relative to the first rail (2) longitudinally;
an aiding-slide device (4) movably mounted between the first rail (2) and the second rail (3); an auxiliary member (member adjacent recess 42) (member adjacent recess 42) connected to the aiding-slide device (4), the auxiliary member (member adjacent recess 42) comprising an engaging feature (43); and a retaining member (6) arranged on the first rail (2), the retaining member (6) comprising a resilient portion, and the resilient portion comprising a predetermined feature (61); wherein the auxiliary member (member adjacent recess 42) is made of a first material, and the aiding-slide device (4) is made of a second material; wherein when the second rail (3) is detached from the channel of the first rail (2) by displacing relative to the first rail (2) along an opening direction, the aiding-slide device (4) is located at a predetermined position by an engagement of the engaging feature (43) of the auxiliary member (member adjacent recess 42) and the predetermined feature (61) of the resilient portion of the retaining member (6); CLAIM 6-, wherein the first rail (2) further comprises a restraining feature (7) configured to restrain the resilient portion from moving transversely; CLAIM 14- wherein the second rail (3) comprises a releasing feature (31), when the second rail (3) is inserted into the channel of the first rail (2) along a retracting direction from outside of the channel of the first rail (2), the releasing feature (31) of the second rail (3) drives the resilient portion of the retaining member (6) to disengage the engaging feature (43) of the auxiliary member (member adjacent recess 42) from the predetermined feature (61) of the resilient portion of the retaining member (6) for allowing the aiding-slide device (4) to displace from the predetermined position along the retracting direction.
Chen et al. ‘349 discloses the claimed invention but does not expressly disclose the auxiliary member is connected is made of a first material, and the aiding-slide device is made of a second material .
Dierbeck teaches it is known in the art to from a slide rail or bearing device from stainless steel (0043) or any other variety of materials ([0053]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the auxiliary member and auxiliary member to be from a variety of materials to achieve the desired strength and durability for the aiding slide device and the auxiliary member, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use.
Claims 1-3, 6, 9-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over US 20170159710 A1 ("Chen et al.”) in view of US 20010035704 (“Dierbeck”).
Regarding Claim 1, Chen et al. discloses a slide rail assembly comprising:
a first rail (20) comprising a channel (32);
a second rail (22) movably mounted on the channel (32) of the first rail (20)
and displaceable relative to the first rail (20) longitudinally;
an aiding-slide device (24) movably mounted between the first rail (20) and the second rail (22);
an auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) connected to the aiding-slide device (24), the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) comprising an engaging feature (74);
a retaining member (34) arranged on the first rail (20), the retaining member (34) comprising a resilient portion (36), and the resilient portion (36) comprising a predetermined feature (bent end);
wherein when the second rail (22) is detached from the channel (32) of the first rail (20) by displacing relative to the first rail (20) along an opening direction, the aiding-slide device (24) is located at a predetermined position by an engagement of the engaging feature (74) of the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) and the predetermined feature (bent end) of the resilient portion (36) of the retaining member (34).
Chen et al discloses the claimed invention but does not expressly disclose the
auxiliary member is connected is made of a first material, and the aiding-slide device is made of a second material .
Dierbeck teaches it is known in the art to from a slide rail or bearing device from stainless steel (0043) or any other variety of materials ([0053]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the auxiliary member and auxiliary member to be from a variety of materials to achieve the desired strength and durability for the aiding slide device and the auxiliary member, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use.
Regarding Claim 2, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the aiding-slide device (24) comprises a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) is connected to the aiding-slide device (24) and located adjacent to the first end of the aiding-slide device (24).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the first end and the second end of the aiding-slide device (24) are a front end and a rear end of the aiding-slide device (24), respectively;
Regarding Claim 6, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the first rail (20) further comprises a restraining feature (via protrusions extending into the blocking base) configured to restrain the resilient portion (36) from moving transversely slide device (24), respectively;
Regarding Claim 9, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the first rail (20) further comprises a first wall (28a), a second wall and a longitudinal wall (30) connected between the first wall (28a) and the second wall of the first rail (20), the first wall (28a), the second wall and the longitudinal wall (30) of the first rail (2) defines the channel (32) of the first rail cooperatively, the retaining member (34) further comprises a main body portion (base) connected to the longitudinal wall (30) of the first rail, and the resilient portion (36) further comprises a first end section and a second end section, the first end section of the resilient portion (36) is connected to the main body portion of the retaining member, and the predetermined feature (bent end) is arranged on the second end section of the resilient portion (36).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the second end section of the resilient portion (36) comprises a first guiding feature and a second guiding feature (the two inclining surfaces), and the predetermined feature (bent end) is arranged between the first guiding feature and the second guiding feature.
Regarding Claim 11, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the main body portion (base) of the retaining member (34) comprises a supporting section ( as seen in Fi.2) configured
to support the resilient portion (36).
Regarding Claim 12, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the aiding-slide device (24 , best seen in Fig. 6) further comprises a first portion, a second portion and a longitudinal portion connected between the first portion and the second portion of the aiding-slide device (24), the first portion, the second portion and the longitudinal portion of the aiding-slide device (24) are located at positions corresponding to the first wall (28a), the second wall and the longitudinal wall (30) of the first rail, respectively, and a plurality of rolling balls are arranged on the first portion and the second portion of the aiding-slide device and configured to support the first wall (28a) and the second wall of the first rail (20).
Regarding Claim 13, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the engaging feature (74) of the aiding-slide device (24) is an engaging hook.
Regarding Claim 14, the combination discloses (Chen et al.) wherein the second rail (22) comprises a releasing feature, when the second rail (22) is inserted into the channel (32) of the first rail (20) along a retracting direction from outside of the channel (32) of the first rail (20), the releasing feature of the second rail (22) drives the resilient portion (36) of the retaining member (34) to disengage the engaging feature (74) of the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) from the predetermined feature (bent end) of the resilient portion (36) of the retaining member (34) for allowing the aiding-slide device (24) to displace from the predetermined position along the retracting direction.
Regarding Claim 15, Chen et al. does not expressly disclose the size of the predetermined feature is greater than a size of the engaging feature. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change that the size of the predetermined feature could be configured larger that the size of the engaging feature, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of the components which is within the level of one having ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over Chen et al. and Dierbeck as applied to claim 1, and further in view of US Patent No.: 10743658 (“Chen et al. ‘658).
Chen et al. discloses auxiliary member with a fixed connection portion and an extending portion with the engaging feature but does not disclose the auxiliary member secured to the aiding slide member via a recessed portion in the aiding slide device.
Chen et al’ 658 teaches a similar invention having an aiding-slide
Device (70) comprises a recessed portion (at the end of 70, see Fig. 4), the auxiliary member (76) further comprises a connecting portion (secured at 84) and an extending portion, the connecting portion is configured to be connected to the recessed portion, the extending portion (fastening section 86) extends from the connecting portion, and the engaging feature (hooked end) is arranged on the extending portion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that auxiliary member could be separable from the sliding aid device and secured with secured within a recess where the auxiliary member connected in the recess by a connecting portion, similar to the auxiliary member taught Chen et al. ‘658, as it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over Chen et al. and Dierbeck as applied to claim 1, and further in view KR 20070076752 (PARK).
The combination discloses the benefit of using a variety of materials such as carbon steel for the sliding aid but does not expressly teach the second material being a galvanized steel.
Park teaches it is beneficial to use galvanized steel for the components of a slide rail to minimize corrosion of the components. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the to coat the aiding slide device with galvanized steel so that the slide rail aid not easily corroded.
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103(a) as being unpatentable over US 20170159710 ("Chen et al.”) in view of US Patent No.: US 10743658 (“Chen et al. ‘658”) and US 20010035704 (“Dierbeck”)
Regarding Claim 16, Che et al. discloses a slide rail assembly comprising:
a first rail (20) comprising a first wall (28a), a second wall and a longitudinal wall (30) connected between the first wall (28a) and the second wall of the first rail (20), and the first wall (28a), the second wall and the longitudinal wall (30) defining a channel (32) of the first rail (20) cooperatively;
a second rail (22) movably mounted on the channel (32) of the first rail (20) and displaceable relative to the first rail (20) longitudinally; an aiding-slide device (24) movably mounted between the first rail (20) and the second rail (22), the aiding-slide device (24) comprising a first surface and a second surface, a transverse distance between the first surface and the longitudinal wall (30) of the first rail (20) being greater than a transverse distance between the second surface and the longitudinal wall (30) of the first rail (20);
an auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) connected to the aiding-slide device (24), the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) comprising an engaging feature (74), a connecting portion and an extending portion, the connecting portion being configured to be connected to the second surface, the extending portion extending from the connecting portion, and the engaging feature (74) being arranged on the extending portion; and
a retaining member (34) arranged on the longitudinal wall (30) of the first rail (20), the retaining member (34) comprising a resilient portion (36), and the resilient portion (36) comprising an accommodating structure;
wherein the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) and the aiding-slide device (24) are made of a first material and a second material, respectively;
wherein when the second rail (22) is detached from the channel (32) of the first rail (20) by displacing relative to the first rail (20) along an opening direction, the engaging feature (74) of the auxiliary member (protruding hook, best seen in Fig. 6) stretches into the accommodating structure of the resilient portion (36) of the retaining member (34) to restrain the aiding-slide device (24) from displacing relative to the first rail (20) longitudinally.
Chen et al. discloses auxiliary member with a fixed connection portion and an extending portion with the engaging feature but does not disclose the auxiliary member secured to the aiding slide member via a recessed portion in the aiding slide device; and the auxiliary member is connected is made of a first material, and the aiding-slide device is made of a second material .
Chen et al’ 658 teaches a similar invention having an aiding-slide
Device (70) comprises a recessed portion (at the end of 70, see Fig. 4), the auxiliary member (76) further comprises a connecting portion (secured at 84) and an extending portion, the connecting portion is configured to be connected to the recessed portion, the extending portion (fastening section 86) extends from the connecting portion, and the engaging feature (hooked end) is arranged on the extending portion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that auxiliary member could be separable from the sliding aid device and secured with secured within a recess where the auxiliary member connected in the recess by a connecting portion, similar to the auxiliary member taught Chen et al. ‘658, as it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art.
Dierbeck teaches it is known in the art to from a slide rail or bearing device from stainless steel (0043) or any other variety of materials ([0053]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the auxiliary member and auxiliary member to be from a variety of materials to achieve the desired strength and durability for the aiding slide device and the auxiliary member, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use.
Regarding Claim 17, the combination discloses the claimed invention but does not expressly disclose wherein a hardness of the first material is greater than a hardness of the second material. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the auxiliary member formed of a harder material than the aiding slide device because of wear and tear during the securing and releasing of the auxiliary member.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7-8 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.
As to claims 7-8 and 18-20, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose wherein the longitudinal wall of the first rail comprises a protrusion configured to stretch into the accommodating structure, and the accommodating structure is a hole structure defined by a plurality of walls.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See e.g. US 20210145173, US 20200077793 A1, US 20070040485 A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT whose telephone number is (571)270-3328. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 12:30-6:30.
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/KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637