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
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.
Claims 10, 12-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Jang et al. (US Patent No. 6320752 B1 and Jang hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 10, Jang discloses (figs. 2-9) a method for coupling an add-in card to an information handling system, the method comprising: inserting a first end (S1) of the add-in card (10) into an add-in card slot (22); coupling a bracket (200) to a second end (S2) of the add-in card; forming an add-in card adapter (100) to have plural vertical slots and plural horizontal slots (fig.3); coupling an add-in card bracket (12) to the add-in card adapter by inserting one or more edges (220R) formed in the bracket into the add-in card adapter (inserting into hole 120R); sliding the add-in card adapter against the second end; and securing the add-in card adapter to couple with the bracket (figs. 3-4).
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Regarding Claim 12, Jang discloses (figs. 2-9) the method of Claim 10 further comprising: forming the add-in card bracket by bending a metal plate into a C-shape (Fig. 3) having first and second horizontal side walls; and inserting the first and second horizontal side walls into first and second of the plural horizontal slots of the add-in card adapter (see annotated figs above).
Regarding Claim 13, Jang discloses (figs. 2-9) the method of Claim 10 further comprising: forming the add-in card bracket by bending a metal plate into a U-shape (fig.3) having first and second vertical side walls; and inserting the first and second vertical side walls into first and second of the plural vertical slots of the add-in card adapter (see annotated figs above).
Regarding Claim 15, Jang discloses (figs. 2-9) the method of Claim 10 wherein the add-in card is a graphics processing unit and the add-in card slot is a PCIe slot.
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.
Claim 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang et al in view of Chen et al (US Patent No. 7522423 B2 and Chen hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 14, Jang discloses the method of Claim 10 but fails to disclose forming the add-in card bracket to have plural pegs extending away from the add-in card; and inserting the plural pegs into plural openings of the add-in card adapter. However, Chen teaches (figs. 1-9 and annotated fig above) forming the add-in card bracket to have plural pegs (126) extending away from the add-in card; and inserting the plural pegs into plural openings (53) of the add-in card adapter (50). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine plural pegs as claimed of Chen to device of Jang in order to allow convenient securing of expansion cards in a computer enclosure (Chen and Col 1, lines 30-35)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-9, 16, 18-20 are allowable
Regarding independent claims 1 and 16, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “wherein the add-in card adapter comprises a body having vertical slots to accept vertical walls of a first bracket, horizontal slots to accept horizontal walls of a second bracket and openings to accept pegs extending from a third bracket.”
US 8649182 B2, US 20090180264 A1, US 20070081316 A1 as well as, US 12557230 B1, US 11714464 B2 are all cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a computer housing that can hold different kinds of add-in cards, especially graphics cards, even when those cards have different physical sizes . However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Jang clearly teaches (figs. 2-9 and annotated figs above) a method for coupling an add-in card to an information handling system, the method comprising: inserting a first end (S1) of the add-in card (10) into an add-in card slot (22); coupling a bracket (200) to a second end (S2) of the add-in card; forming an add-in card adapter (100) to have plural vertical slots and plural horizontal slots (fig.3); coupling an add-in card bracket (12) to the add-in card adapter by inserting one or more edges (220R) formed in the bracket into the add-in card adapter (inserting into hole 120R); sliding the add-in card adapter against the second end; and securing the add-in card adapter to couple with the bracket (figs. 3-4).
The 112(b) rejections and drawing objections have been withdrawn due to amendments filed on 06/11/2026.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hsieh et al (US 11445629 B2) (figs. 1-10) An add-in card adapter provides a bracket for use in an add-in card.
Chang et al (US 20220066519 A1) (figs. 1-5) An add-in card adapter provides a bracket for use in an add-in card.
Hua et al (US 20170108891 A1) (figs. 1-6) An add-in card adapter provides a bracket for use in an add-in card.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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