Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/989,814

RACK ASSEMBLY FOR A DATA CENTER

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Dec 20, 2024
Priority
Dec 22, 2023 — EU 23307382.4
Examiner
KRIM, PETER
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Ovh
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
9m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
93 granted / 111 resolved
+23.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+5.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
140
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
79.0%
+39.0% vs TC avg
§102
8.3%
-31.7% vs TC avg
§112
12.3%
-27.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 111 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTTION 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 Objections Claims 1 and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, line 8 cites “at least one container”. Appropriate correction is required to ”the at least one container” as antecedent basis was already established in lines 5-6. Claim 13, line 1, appropriate correction to remove colon (“:”). 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. Claim 8 is 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 8, line 3 cites “the at least one inlet opening”. The limitation is indefinite, since it’s not understood whether claim 8 is intended to be dependent from claim 4, or whether the inlet openings are intended to be introduced into claim 8 while remaining dependent on claim 1. Claim 8, line 6 cites “the at least one outlet opening”. The limitation is indefinite, since it’s not understood whether claim 8 is intended to be dependent from claim 4, or whether the outlet openings are intended to be introduced into claim 8 while remaining dependent on claim 1. For the purpose of examination, the office will interpret claim 8 as dependent from claim 4. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-7, 9-20 allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combination with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein when the at least one container is received in the channel of the at least one support member, the at least one container opening is disposed relative to the at least one support member opening such that the at least one container opening and the at least one support member opening are communicatively coupled. Claims 2-7, 9-13, are allowed by virtue of dependency to claim 1. the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combination with other limitations recited in claim 14, a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein the support member is configured such that when the container is received in the channel, the at least one support member opening is communicatively couplable with at least one container opening. Claims 15-19, are allowed by virtue of dependency to claim 14. the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combination with other limitations recited in claim 20, a combination of limitations that teaches: such that when the at least one container is received in the channel, the at least one container opening is communicatively couplable with at least one support member opening. Claim 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Remarks Regarding claim 1, Lee (KR 102054323B1; “Lee” hereinafter) discloses, a rack assembly for a data centre (100), the rack assembly comprising: a frame (41, 42, 43, 44, fig. 3) defining at least one housing unit (10, fig. 1) for housing computer equipment (SSD unit, claim 6), the frame comprising: at least one support member (30) having: a support member wall (30B, 31, fig. 4b) defining a channel (30A, fig. 4b) for receiving therein at least one container (50, figs. 5-6c); at least one support member opening (30C, fig. 4b) defined in the support member wall; at least one container (50) configured to be housed in the channel (figs. 5-6c) and having: a container wall (50B, 50C, fig. 4a) defining a cavity (see annotated fig. 4a below) for housing therein at least one component (server mainboard 40, cable 90 figs. 3-5) associated with the computer equipment (server unit, ¶[0022]); at least one container opening (Unnumbered, see annotated fig. 4a below) defined in the container wall through which a portion (90, fig. 6c) of the at least one component can extend therethrough (figs. 6b-6c); PNG media_image1.png 413 686 media_image1.png Greyscale wherein when the at least one container is received in the channel of the at least one support member (figs. 5-6c). Regarding claim 14, Lee discloses: a rack assembly for a data centre, the rack assembly comprising: a plurality of support members (30, 41-44, fig. 3) defining at least one housing unit (10, fig. 1) for housing computer equipment (SSD unit, claim 6); at least one of the support members (30) having: a support member wall (30B, 31, fig. 4b) defining a channel (30A, fig. 4b) for receiving therein at least one container (50, figs. 3-4a) for housing therein at least one component (40, 90, figs. 3-4a, 6c) associated with the computer equipment (server unit, ¶[0022]); and at least one support member opening (30C) defined in the support member wall (fig. 4b), wherein the support member is configured such that when the container is received in the channel (figs. 5, 6b-6c), the at least one support member opening is communicatively couplable with at least one container opening (through 80, fig. 6c). Regarding claim 20, Lee discloses a container (50, fig. 3) for a rack assembly (10, 41-44), the container receivable in a channel (30A, fig. 4a) of a support member (30, fig. 3) of the rack assembly, the container having: a container wall (50B, 50C, fig. 4a) defining a cavity (see annotated fig. 4a below) for housing therein at least one component (40, 90 figs. 3-4a, 5, 6b) associated with a computer equipment (SSD unit, claim 6, ¶[0022]) to be housed in a housing unit (10, fig. 1) of the rack assembly; and PNG media_image1.png 413 686 media_image1.png Greyscale at least one container opening (see annotated fig. 4a below) defined in the container wall, wherein the container is configured to be received in the channel of the support member (figs. 5-6c), and disposed relative thereto. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is: US 8879270 B2 Rack Mountable Server Apparatus. This invention relates generally to a rack mountable server apparatus including a chassis and a plurality of server units. US 8717767 B2 Server Cabinet. This invention generally relates to a housing and a number of cable management brackets longitudinally mounted to the housing. Each cable management bracket includes two opposite mounting portions mounted to the housing, and a base plate connected between the mounting portions. Each mounting portion defines a number of openings for cables extending through. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER KRIM whose telephone number is (703)756-1246. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am -4:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at (303) 297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 20, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12679287
DISPLAY DEVICE AND VEHICLE INCLUDING THE SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12677383
HOUSING AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
2y 6m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026
Patent 12677389
IN-VEHICLE DEVICE
2y 0m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026
Patent 12666550
CIRCUIT BOARD MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME
2y 9m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Patent 12663831
DOCKING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE ASSEMBLY
2y 2m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+5.8%)
2y 4m (~9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 111 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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