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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is a Non-final Office Action for application number 18/830,816 ATTACHMENT BASE FOR MOUNTING HARDWARE filed on 9/11/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention/species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2/27/2026.
Claims 6-8 and 10 are also withdrawn as being drawn to a non-elected species B as shown in Figure 3B, the “add-on mount (308)” (See 0070 and 0075) (claim 6) and “a reinforcement element around one or more edges of the one or more attachment base” (claim 10, not shown in the elected figures)
Claims 17-20 are also withdrawn as being drawn to a non-elected species B as shown in Figure 3a “accessory arm 300)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-5, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1, line 7 recites “without requiring a complete disassembly of the display device from the support structure” and it is unclear what constitutes a “complete disassembly”.
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.
Claims 1-5, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Publication No. 2019/0003631 to Hung.
The publication to Hung discloses a device having an attachment base (3) configured to be positioned between the display device (90) and a support structure (2), the attachment base having a plurality of attachment base holes (32, 33) and one or more attachment base slots (315, 316), wherein the attachment base is configured to receive one or more coupling elements (24, 5, 5) that secure the attachment base to the display device and the support structure. While Hung does not specifically teach that the attachment of the base to the display and support structure is done without requiring a complete disassembly of the display device from the support structure, due to the open nature of the slots (315, 316) it would be obvious that the fasteners (4) could be loosely attached first and then the slots slid onto the fasteners as this does not require complete disassembly.
With regards to claim 2, Hung teaches wherein the one or more attachment base slots (315, 316) are elongated openings extending from an edge of the attachment base (3) towards a central portion of the attachment base.
With regards to claim 3, Hung teaches wherein the attachment base is configured to accommodate installation of multiple types of add-ons. (See 0038, “displays 90 of different dimensions” are considered a “multiple types of add-ons”)
With regards to claim 4, Hing does not specifically teach that wherein the attachment base is further configured to allow installation and removal by sliding the attachment base over the one or more coupling elements when the one or more coupling elements are partially loosened coupling elements, however it would be obvious that an installation and removal may be done in this manner from the apparatus.
With regards to claim 5, although Hung does not specifically teach the material of the attachment base, it has been held to be obvious that any suitable material is obvious and an attachment base made from a metal, a plastic, or a composite are suitable materials for strength and reliability and it would be obvious to choose them.
With regards to claim 9, Hung teaches wherein the attachment base holes are arranged in a grid pattern. (See Figure 8)
With regards to claim 11, Hung teaches wherein the support structure comprises a mount (22) with a standardized configuration of mounting holes (223, 224).
Cited References
PN 2021/0164606 to Chen teaches an adapter plate
PN 9,818,095 to Altman teaches an adapter plate
PN 9,114,766 to Pelini teaches an adapter plate
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227 if the examiner cannot be reached. The examiner can normally be reached (Mon-Fri 8am-5:00pm). The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments), informal amendments or communications 571-273-6823. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
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/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 3/30/26