DETAILED ACTION
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 4, 5, 12, 15, and 16 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 4 recites the limitation "two guide elements dispose on opposite sides of the connection portion" as well as "the guide elements" in lines 2-3 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear to the examiner if this is the previous claims two guide elements or a new guide element. It is also unclear if there are two guide elements on both sides of the connection portion or if there is one guide element on one side of the connection portion and another guide element on the opposite side of the connection portion.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the guide elements" in line 1 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the side plates are connected to opposite sides of the support plate" in lines 2-3 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear to the examiner if this is the previous claims two side plates or a new side plate. It is also unclear if there are two side plates on both sides of the support plate or if there is one side plate on one side of the support plate and another side plate on the opposite side of the support plate.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the side plates" as well as “the device fastening structures” throughout the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear to the examiner if this is the previously claims two side plates and two device fastening structures or if they are newly claimed side plates and device fastening structures.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "an opening of the first bending structure and an opening of the second bending structure face" in lines 9-10 of the claim. It is unclear to the examiner what type of opening is on the first bending structure and the second bending structure as there is no drawing showing the opening as is interpreted from the accepted meaning of the term “opening”.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 13, 14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang (12,363,852).
Regarding Claim 1: Huang teaches a bracket structure, comprising: a bracket (10) comprising an accommodating hole (11); and an elastic piece (30) disposed in the accommodating hole of the bracket (fig. 1), wherein the elastic piece comprises a fixed portion (312), a connection portion (portion of 31 in figs. 8a-8b between the holes 312 and the movable portion 32), and a movable portion (32), the connection portion is disposed between the fixed portion and the movable portion (figs. 8a-8b), the fixed portion is connected to the bracket (fig. 1), the movable portion comprises a first part (first angled portion in figs. 8a-8b), a second part (second angled portion of 32) and a third part (34), the first part is connected between the second part and the connection portion (figs. 8a-8b), the second part is connected between the first part and the third part (figs. 8a-8b), an angle between the first part and the second part is less than 180° (figs. 8a-8b), and an angle between the second part and the third part is less than 180° (figs. 8a-8b).
Regarding Claim 2: Huang teaches wherein the movable portion is movable relative to the bracket (figs. 3-4 and 8a-8b).
Regarding Claim 6: Huang teaches wherein the bracket comprises a first limit structure (20) disposed on a first edge of the accommodating hole and covering the fixed portion of the elastic piece (fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 13: Huang teaches wherein the third part comprises a recess (formed by 34 in figs. 8a-8b), an opening of the recess faces toward the outside of the bracket structure (figs. 8a-8b).
Regarding Claim 14: Huang teaches wherein the bracket is integrally formed (figs. 8a-8b).
Regarding Claim 16: Huang teaches a bracket structure, comprising: a bracket (10) comprising an accommodating hole (11); and an elastic piece (30) disposed in the accommodating hole (fig. 1) of the bracket (fig. 1), wherein the elastic piece comprises a fixed portion (312), a connection portion (portion of 31 in figs. 8a-8b between the holes 312 and the movable portion 32), and a movable portion (32), the connection portion is for connecting the fixed portion and the movable portion (figs. 8a-8b), the fixed portion is connected to the bracket (fig. 1), the movable portion at least comprises a first bending structure (first angled portion in figs. 8a-8b) and a second bending structure (second angled portion in figs. 8a-8b), the first bending structure is connected to the connection portion (figs. 8a-8b) and the second bending structure (figs. 8a-8b), and an opening of the first bending structure and an opening of the second bending structure face opposite directions (figs. 8a-8b).
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.
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang (12,363,852).
Regarding Claim 3: Huang lacks a specific teaching of wherein the angle between the first part and the second part is less than 90°, and the angle between the second part and the third part is less than 90°.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the apparatus of Huang by having the angle between the first part and the second part is less than 90°, and the angle between the second part and the third part is less than 90° in order to allow for a better more secure flexible region of the component to apply a great pressure to the device in the accommodating space which in turn allow for a more reliable connection between the components wherein this would be accomplished merely by changing the shape of the already disclosed elements of the prior art wherein it has been held that a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47.
Regarding Claim 4: Huang teaches wherein the elastic piece comprises two guide elements (33 in figs. 8a-8b) disposed on opposite sides of the elastic piece (figs. 8a-8b), each of the guide elements comprises an inclined surface (figs. 8a-8b) inclined toward the movable portion (figs. 8a-8b), but lacks a specific teaching of the guide elements being on the connection portion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the apparatus of Huang by having the guide elements being on the connection portion in order to allow for a better more secure connection between the elastic piece and the bracket which in turn allow for a more reliable connection between the components wherein this would be accomplished merely by changing the shape of the already disclosed elements of the prior art wherein it has been held that a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47.
Regarding Claim 5: Huang lacks a specific teaching of wherein the guide elements protrude from the connection portion and extend toward the outside of the bracket structure.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the apparatus of Huang by having the guide elements protrude from the connection portion and extend toward the outside of the bracket structure in order to allow for a better more secure flexible region of the component to apply a great pressure to the device in the accommodating space which in turn allow for a more reliable connection between the components wherein this would be accomplished merely by changing the shape of the already disclosed elements of the prior art wherein it has been held that a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 149 USPQ 47.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-11 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art cited in the notice of references PTO-892 but not relied upon above relate to the current application as the disclosures include information relating to the connection of brackets with in multiple different electronic devices using multiple different fasteners and mechanical components.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY MICHAEL HAUGHTON whose telephone number is (571)272-9087. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani Hayman can be reached at 571-270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY M HAUGHTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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