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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 202211405995.0, filed on 11/10/2022 in China.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed on 05/09/2025; and 09/05/2025 have been considered and made of record.
Oath/Declaration
The oath/declaration filed on 05/09/2025 is acceptable.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “14” has been used to designate both “a main cavity” and “an accommodation space.” One of a number 14, in figure 10, should change to – 15 --. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. [CN 210428302].
Regarding claim 1, Chen et al., disclose a computing node (9, figures 1-6), comprising:
a housing (10 & 7, figures 1-2), wherein the housing comprises:
two side plates (two side plates extended from a base 7, figures 1-2) disposed opposite to each other in a horizontal direction (figure 1), wherein each of the two side plates is provided with a plurality of rolling assemblies (12, figures 1-3 and 5), and each of the rolling assemblies is capable of rolling in a rolling plane (a top surface of a lower extended portion of a rail 5, figures 1-2); and
a bottom plate (7, figures 1-2) having a bottom support surface (the lowest support surface of the bottom tray 7, figures 1-2), wherein the bottom support surface and the rolling plane are coplanar or in a vertical direction (figure 2), and the bottom support surface is lower than the rolling plane (see attached figure 2).
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Regarding claim 13, Chen et al., disclose a computing device figures 1-6), comprising:
a cabinet (1, figures 1-4) having a mounting member (5, figures 1-3); and
a computing node (9, figures 1-6), comprising:
a housing (10 & 7, figures 1-2), wherein the housing comprises:
two side plates (two side plates extended from a base 7, figures 1-2) disposed opposite to each other in a horizontal direction (figure 1), wherein each of the two side plates is provided with a plurality of rolling assemblies (12, figures 1-3 and 5), and each of the rolling assemblies is capable of rolling in a rolling plane (a top surface of a lower extended portion of a rail 5, figures 1-2); and
a bottom plate (7, figures 1-2) having a bottom support surface (the lowest support surface of the bottom tray 7, figures 1-2), wherein the bottom support surface and the rolling plane are coplanar or in a vertical direction (figure 2), and the bottom support surface is lower than the rolling plane (see attached figure 2); and wherein at least one of the rolling assemblies is in contact with the mounting member (12, figures 1-3).
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 2 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al., in view of a prior art as shown in figure 1 of Badarinarayan et al. [US 2007/0064403], (hereinafter, Badarinarayan et al.).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Chen et al., disclose wherein the bottom plate comprises a bottom wall surface (7, figures 1-2).
Chen et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the bottom plate comprises a bottom wall surface, the bottom wall surface comprises the bottom support surface and two offset surfaces, the two offset surfaces are located on two horizontal sides of the bottom support surface, the bottom support surface is lower than the offset surfaces, and the rolling plane is lower than the offset surfaces.
Badarinarayan et al., disclose a housing assembly (figure 1) comprising a bottom plate (10, figure 1), wherein the bottom plate comprises a bottom wall surface, the bottom wall surface comprises the bottom support surface and two offset surfaces (figure 1), the two offset surfaces are located on two horizontal sides of the bottom support surface (figure 1), the bottom support surface is lower than the offset surfaces (figure 1).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to design a bottom plate including a bottom support surface and two offset surfaces and setting up a rolling plane is lower than the two offset surfaces, in a computing node of Chen et al., as suggested by Badarunarayan et al., in order to provide additional interior space within a computing node, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Claims 7, 9-10 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al., in view of GAO [US 2019/0373776].
Regarding claims 7 and 19, Chen et al., disclose wherein the housing further comprises a main cavity (an interior space within the housing 9, figure 1-3 and 5).
Chen et al., disclose the claimed invention except for a main cavity; and an accommodation space isolated from the main cavity, disposed on one side of the main cavity in a plugging direction of the computing node, and is configured with an external connection component.
GAO discloses a data center (200, figures 1-5) comprising a main cavity (an interior space within each server 203A-203E, figure 2) and an accommodation space isolated from the main cavity (a rear space disposed within the data center, figure 2), disposed on one side of the main cavity in a plugging direction of the computing node, and is configured with an external connection component (figures 2 and 5).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add more accommodation spaces within a computing device of Chen et al., as suggested by GAO, in order to provide an additional storage space within a computing device.
Regarding claim 9, Chen et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the main cavity is filled with a cooling working medium, and the accommodation space is further provided with a working medium inlet pipe and a working medium outlet pipe.
GAO further discloses wherein the main cavity is filled with a cooling working medium (303, figure 3 or 501-508, figure 5), and the accommodation space is further provided with a working medium inlet pipe (132, figure 2 and/or 531-534, figure 5) and a working medium outlet pipe (131, figure 2 and/or 535, figure 5).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a cooling system of GAO in a computing device of Chen et al., in order to improve heat dissipation quickly in a computing device.
Regarding claim 10, Chen et al., in view of GAO, disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the accommodation space is further provided with an insertion guide assembly (5, figures 1-2).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al., in view of Li et al. [CN 207589354].
Regarding claim 11, Chen et al., disclose wherein the housing further comprises an upper housing (10, figures 1-2 and 5-6) and a lower housing (7, figures 1-2 and 5) that are mated.
Chen et al., disclose the claimed invention except for the upper housing has a protruding end portion that protrudes from the lower housing on one end thereof, and the protruding end portion is provided with a protrusion that extends toward a side where the lower housing is located.
Li et al., disclose a plurality of storage node (12, figures 1-9) comprising a bottom plate (121, figures 4-5) being slidable into a computing device (11, figures 8-9), wherein the bottom plate has a protruding end portion (124, figures 5 and 8-9) that protrudes from the lower storage node thereof, and the protruding end portion is provided with a protrusion that extends toward a side where the lower housing is located (figures 8-9).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add an extended portion onto a lower housing of Chen et al., as suggested by Li et al., in order to provide a slidable handle for a computing node.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 8, 12, 15-18 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:
The claim 3 discloses the combination features of “wherein the housing comprises a groove, the rolling assembly comprises a roller, and the roller is mounted in the groove.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 2 and 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claims 4-6 depend on the allowed claim 3.
The claim 8 discloses the combination features of “wherein the accommodation space comprises a power signal chamber and a high-speed signal chamber that are isolated from each other, the external connection component comprises a power cable and a high-speed signal cable, the power cable is disposed in the power signal chamber, and a rear wall of the power signal chamber is provided with a power connector, the high-speed signal cable is disposed in the high-speed signal chamber, and a rear wall of the high-speed signal chamber is provided with a high-speed signal connector.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 7 and 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
The claim 12 discloses the combination features of “wherein the housing comprises an avoidance portion on two plate bodies that are disposed opposite to each other in the vertical direction, the avoidance portion provides avoidance for a working medium inlet pipe and a working medium outlet pipe.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the claim 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
The claim 15 discloses the combination features of “wherein the housing comprises a groove, the rolling assembly comprises a roller, and the roller is mounted in the groove.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 14 and 13, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records. Claims 16-18 depend on the allowed claim 15.
The claim 20 discloses the combination features of “wherein the accommodation space comprises a power signal chamber and a high-speed signal chamber that are isolated from each other, the external connection component comprises a power cable and a high-speed signal cable, the power cable is disposed in the power signal chamber, and a rear wall of the power signal chamber is provided with a power connector, the high-speed signal cable is disposed in the high-speed signal chamber, and a rear wall of the high-speed signal chamber is provided with a high-speed signal connector.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 19 and 13, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hung S. Bui whose telephone number is (571)272-2102. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8am-5pm.
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/HUNG S. BUI/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/HUNG S. BUI/Primary Patent Examiner, 2841/2800
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