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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7-8, 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Ford, III (US 2020/0307902) (Ford)(cited by applicant).
Ford discloses a transportable test arrangement comprising: a freight container 102 having at least a first internal space, wherein one side of the first internal space is open (open at front at left in Fig. 2) to form an open cavity inside the container; and a replaceable test chamber (module 106) forming a test space for receiving one or more components to be tested and/or test equipment, wherein the cavity in the container is configured to receive the replaceable test chamber via the open side of the first internal space such that the test chamber goes substantially inside the container and closes the open side of the first internal space (see Fig. 1 with module 106 inserted and removable wall 104 with door closes the open side, see paragraph [60], lines 1-7), and wherein the replaceable test chamber is removably coupled with the container.
Re claim 2, the open side of the first internal space is a first end (front end at left in Fig. 1) of the container, and the first internal space extends from the first open end towards a second end (rear end at right in Fig. 1) of the container.
Re claim 3, a first end (end with removable wall 104) of the test chamber is configured to stay at the level of the first end (front end) of the container or at least partly outside of the cavity to close the first open end (front end) of the container when the test chamber is inserted into the cavity.
Re claim 5, the first end of the test chamber comprises at least one door (removable wall is a door) to enable access into the test space from outside of the container.
Re claim 7, the test chamber and/or the cavity comprise one or more guiding members (front lower braces 402 guide and secure the modules 106, see paragraph [64], lines 1-3) to guide insertion and/or removal of the test chamber into or from the cavity.
Re claim 8, wherein the one or more guiding members comprise within the test chamber at least one guide rail (rail guide 1304 as shown in Fig. 13A, 13B) and within the cavity at least one guide groove (module engagement rail 502, see paragraph [66], lines 1-15), wherein the guide rail and groove extend in the longitudinal direction of the container, and wherein the guide groove is configured to receive the guide rail such that when the test chamber is inserted or removed, the guide rail moves inside the guide groove.
Re claim 12, the arrangement further comprises one or more positioning members (rail guide 1304 and module engagement rail 502 are considered positioning members) arranged within the first end of the test chamber and/or the container to enable adjusting of a position of the first end of the test chamber in relation to the container.
Re claim 13, the test chamber comprises a heating element (heating unit discussed in last 4 lines of paragraph [78]) arranged outside of the test chamber to heat the test space.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Schulze et al. (US 7252586) (Schulze)(cited by applicant).
Schulze discloses a transportable test arrangement comprising: a freight container (conditioning enclosure 100) having at least a first internal space, wherein one side (side with opening 12) of the first internal space is open to form an open cavity inside the container; and a replaceable test chamber (mounting plate 24 with at least one drawer 40) forming a test space for receiving one or more components to be tested and/or test equipment, wherein the cavity in the container is configured to receive the replaceable test chamber via the open side of the first internal space such that the test chamber goes substantially inside the container and closes the open side of the first internal space (when the drawer 40 is closed), and wherein the replaceable test chamber is removably coupled (removably coupled by fasteners 34 placed within mounting holes 32) with the container.
Re claim 2, the open side of the first internal space is a first end of the container, and the first internal space extends from the first open end towards a second end of the container.
Re claim 3, a first end of the test chamber is configured to stay at the level of the first end of the container or at least partly outside of the cavity (mounting plate 24 substantially closes opening 12, see Fig. 2-4) to close the first open end of the container when the test chamber is inserted into the cavity.
Re claim 4, the first end of the test chamber comprises a flange (outer mounting plate 24, see Fig. 3) configured to be in connection with the first end of the container (gasket 30 is flush mounted to outer surface of first end of the container) when the test chamber is inserted into the cavity and wherein the flange comprises one or more attaching members (fasteners 34) to removably couple the test chamber with the container.
Re claim 5, the first end of the test chamber comprises at least one door (drawer 40 acts as door) to enable access into the test space from outside of the container.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Johnston (US 2016/0318721).
Johnston discloses a transportable test arrangement comprising: a freight container (trailer 100) having at least a first internal space, wherein one side of the first internal space is open to form an open cavity inside the container (open cavity of one compartment); and a replaceable test chamber (module 106) forming a test space for receiving one or more components to be tested and/or test equipment, wherein the cavity in the container is configured to receive the replaceable test chamber via the open side of the first internal space such that the test chamber goes substantially inside the container and closes the open side of the first internal space (when the module is inserted and closed like a drawer), and wherein the replaceable test chamber is removably coupled with the container (removed like a drawer).
Re claim 2, the open side of the first internal space is a first end of the container, and the first internal space extends from the first open end towards a second end of the container.
Re claim 3, a first end of the test chamber is configured to stay at the level of the first end of the container (see closed compartments as shown in Fig. 1) or at least partly outside of the cavity to close the first open end of the container when the test chamber is inserted into the cavity.
Re claim 5, the first end of the test chamber comprises at least one door (insofar as drawer acts as a door) to enable access into the test space from outside of the container.
Re claim 6, the test chamber comprises at least two lifting lugs (portals 112a, b, typically four portals are shown on one module 106 which receive projections 221a, b or forklift tines) configured to be coupled with a lifting device (moving apparatus 200) and are arranged apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the container to enable gradual removal of the lifting device from the test chamber.
Re claim 14, the container further comprises a second internal space separated from the first internal space by a first wall (dividing wall separating two side-by-side adjacent compartments 103) to receive at last a part of test control equipment.
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(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ford in view of Miner (US 4245776).
Ford fails to disclose a low friction element. Miner teaches a low friction element (Teflon guide rails, see column 3, lines33-36). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the guide rail of Ford to be low friction Teflon to allow easier slidable motion and to resist wear on the sliding parts to extend longevity of the sliding mechanism.
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ford in view of Pavelski (US 5785397).
Ford fails to disclose guide pins and tapered guide slots. Pavelski teaches a guide groove (U-shaped channel 32 on guide plate 28) with guide pin 38 and a guide rail 56 with a tapered guide slot 58. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to add a guide pin and a tapered guide slot to further refine the sliding movement by further limiting transverse sliding and vertical jumping movement when sliding in the longitudinal direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is 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.
REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art disclosing lead-in interfaces is Montoya et al. (US 5656943) disclosing a first lead-in interface (printed circuit board assembly 80) which interfaces with a second lead-in interface (probe card 20). However, the interfaces are vertically arranged with respect to each other such that their horizontal faces slide toward and away from each other vertically when alignment pins 68 are inserted into alignment holes 40. Claim 15 requires that the first and second interfaces are configured to be aligned when the test chamber is inserted inside the cavity. Johnston (US 2016/0318721) requires horizontal movement of the test chamber within the cavity with the first wall parallel to the direction of movement rather than normal or perpendicular to the direction of movement. It would not have been obvious to combine Montoya and Johnston to realize the invention of claim 15.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN J CASTELLANO whose telephone number is (571)272-4535. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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sjc/STEPHEN J CASTELLANO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3733
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