DETAILED 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 § 102
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 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, and
(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.
Claims 1-4, 7-12 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,873 to Smithson et al. (i.e., Ref. 1, hereinafter).
Referring to claim 1, Ref. 1 discloses a storage media carrier (Fig. 2 and 6A), comprising: a frame (204/205); and
an end cap (202) coupled with the frame (204/205), the end cap including a top surface (i.e., with holes), a first side surface (horizontally disposed to the top surface in Fig. 2) that extends away from the top surface at least substantially transverse to the top surface, and
a second side surface (horizontally disposed to the rear of Fig. 2) that extends away from the top surface in a similar direction as the first side surface, wherein the first side surface and the second side surface are at least substantially parallel to each other.
Referring to claim 2, Ref. 1 discloses the storage media carrier of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic interference (EMI) containment feature (203) positioned on the first side surface of the end cap (202). See Figs. 6A and 6B.
Referring to claim 3, Ref. 1 discloses the storage media carrier of claim 2, wherein the EMI containment feature (203) comprises an EMI finger (301) forming a gasket. See Figs. 6A, 6B and 8.
Referring to claim 4, Ref. 1 discloses the storage media carrier of claim 2, wherein the EMI containment feature (203) is inherently formed with at least one of metal or fabric over foam.
Referring to claim 7, Ref. 1 discloses a data storage assembly (Figs. 4 & 9), comprising: a plurality of storage media devices (102), each storage media device including a respective longitudinal end surface (i.e., front end, not numbered, Fig. 2); and
a respective carrier comprising a frame (203/204/205, Fig. 8) coupled to each of the plurality of storage media devices (102), wherein each frame includes an end cap (202) that extends over and covers the longitudinal end surface of the respective storage media device and wraps around a portion of a side surface of the respective storage media device (i.e., portions of 203 wrap or contact portions of 102).
Referring to claim 8, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage assembly of claim 7, further comprising a chassis (501, Fig. 4) in which each of the plurality of storage media devices (102) and each respective carrier (Fig. 8) are positioned.
Referring to claim 9, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage assembly of claim 8, wherein each end cap (202) comprises an electromagnetic interference (EMI) containment feature (203), the EMI containment within the chassis being formed by the end caps (202) of each respective carrier for each of the plurality of storage media devices. Figs. 6A and 6B.
Referring to claim 10, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage assembly of claim 8, wherein thermal containment within the chassis is formed by the end caps of each respective carrier for each of the plurality of storage media devices (i.e., by the solid portions with tabs (230) on each side of the end caps 202).
Referring to claim 11, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage assembly of claim 7, wherein each end cap (202) comprises:
a top surface that extends over and covers the longitudinal end surface of the respective storage media device (Figs. 8 and 9);
a first side surface (horizontally disposed to the top surface in Fig. 2) that extends away from the top surface at least substantially transverse to the top surface, and
a second side surface (horizontally disposed to the rear of Fig. 2) that extends away from the top surface in a similar direction as the first side surface, wherein the first side surface and the second side surface are at least substantially parallel to each other.
Referring to claim 12, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage assembly of claim 11, wherein each end cap (202) comprises an electromagnetic interference (EMI) containment feature (203) positioned on the first side surface (Figs. 6A & 6B).
Referring to claims 14-18, the method steps are implicitly taught by the device as rejected above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 13, 19 and 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 5, 13 and 19, the specific limitations of “a latching mechanism positioned over the end cap, the latching mechanism including a first longitudinal end and an opposing second longitudinal end that each extend outward from opposing lateral edges of the end cap in an offset pattern,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested. Claim 6 depends from claim 5 and is therefore allowed for at least the same reasons. Likewise, claim 20 depends from claim 19 and is therefore allowed for at least the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY Q EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2042. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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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 Q Edwards/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
September 23, 2026
