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, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/((a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2017/0127552 to White t al. (i.e., “Ref. 1” hereinafter).
Referring to claim 1, Ref. 1 discloses a data storage system, comprising:
a chassis (320, Fig. 3); and
an adapter assembly (100, Figs. 1-2) including a first side (171) coupled to the chassis (320), wherein the first side (171) forms at least one channel (151) between an outer panel (126) of the first side (171) and the chassis (320).
Referring to claim 2, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein the first side (171) of the adapter assembly (100) comprises a cable management assembly (Fig. 3) and positioned at least in part within the at least one channel (151) of the first side (171) of the adapter assembly (para. [0037]).
Referring to claim 4, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 1, wherein the adapter assembly (100) further comprises a second side (171) coupled to the chassis (320) on a side opposite from the first side (171).
Referring to claim 5, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 4, further comprising a lid (see top of server, Fig. 3) coupled between the first side (171) and the second side (170) of the adapter assembly (100).
Referring to claim 8, Ref. 1 discloses a data storage system, comprising:
a chassis (320, Fig. 3);
a first side (1471) of an adapter assembly (100) coupled to the chassis (320), wherein the first side (171) forms at least one channel (151) with an outer panel (126) of the first side (171); and a second side (170) of the adapter assembly (100) coupled to the chassis.
Referring to claim 9, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 8, further comprising: a lid (see top of server, Fig. 3) coupled between the first side (171) the adapter assembly (100) and the second side (170) of the adapter assembly (100).
Referring to claim 11, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 9, wherein the lid is mechanically coupled to the second side of the adapter assembly (e.g., via screws).
Referring to claim 12, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 8, wherein the first side (171) of the adapter assembly (100) comprises a cable management assembly (Fig. 3) positioned at least in part within the at least one channel (151) of the first side (171) of the adapter assembly. See para. [0037].
Referring to claim 14, Ref. 1 discloses the data storage system of claim 8, further comprising a first slide rail mount coupled to the first side of the adapter assembly and a second slide rail mount coupled to the second side of the adapter assembly. See paras. [0039] & [0042].
Referring to 15-18 and 20, the method steps are implicitly taught by the device as rejected above.
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.
Claims 6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ref. 1 in view of U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2021/0360816 to LIN (i.e., Ref. 2, hereinafter).
Ref. 1 discloses the device as substantially claimed, except for the lid comprising a multi-piece lid configured to facilitate access to a single row of drives within the chassis.
Ref. 2 discloses a computer cabinet or chassis (Figs. 1-3) having a concave portion (4) that utilizes a multi-piece lid configured to facilitate access to the concave potion and its contents.
All of the component parts are known in the combined references. The only difference is the combination of the "old elements" into a single device. Thus, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of data storage systems before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ref. 1 to include a multi-piece lid, as taught by Ref. 2, since this would allow for the removal of specific electrical devices (e.g., a single row of drives) when needed. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. _, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 7, 13 and 19 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 3 and 13, the specific limitations of “wherein the cable management assembly comprises at least one of a chain style link, mechanical chain link, a spring, a belt, a pulley, or a hinge,” in combination with the remaining elements or steps, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 7 and 19, the specific limitations of “at least one bulkhead positioned at least partially within the at least one channel,” in combination with the remaining elements or steps, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record.
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.
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, 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.
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.
/Anthony Q Edwards/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
September 18, 2026
