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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/01/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 14-18, 42 and 51-53 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yashima et al. [Yashima hereinafter, US 10,290,442].
In regard to claim 14, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] an integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus comprising: a layer of switchdome spring material [21] configured as part of a single switchdome; a layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] having an elastically deformable portion configured as part of said single switchdome, wherein substantially all of said layer of switchdome spring material [21] is adjacent to substantially all of said layer of switchdome arciform material [22]; wherein an outer edge of said layer of switchdome spring material [21] shares a same boundary as an outer edge of said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22]; a single partial switchdome bond [bond between 21a and 22a] established at least at one single location between said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] as a bonded switchdome locale, wherein said single partial switchdome bond is configured to only partially prevent relative movement between said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22]; and an adjacent non-bonded switchdome locale [locale surrounding 21d] between said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] at least a portion of which is adjacent said bonded switchdome locale, wherein said adjacent non-bonded switchdome locale does not have a switchdome bond attached to said layer of switchdome spring material [21] or to said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22].
In regard to claim 15, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said bonded switchdome locale comprises a switchdome bonded dome locale and wherein said adjacent non-bonded switchdome locale comprises a non-bonded dome locale.
In regard to claim 16, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said bonded switchdome locale comprises a central axis bonded switchdome locale.
In regard to claim 17, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 16 wherein said adjacent non-bonded switchdome locale comprises an off central axis non-bonded switchdome locale.
In regard to claim 18, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] having an elastically deformable portion comprises dome formed switchdome spring material.
In regard to claim 42, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] an integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus comprising: a first layer of switchdome spring material [21] having an elastically deformable portion configured as part of a single switchdome; at least a second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] having an elastically deformable portion configured as part of said single switchdome; wherein said first layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] are shaped to form some corresponding deformable spring regions; wherein substantially all of said first layer of switchdome spring material [21] is adjacent to substantially all of said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22]; wherein an outer edge of said first layer of switchdome spring material [21] shares a same boundary as an outer edge of said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22]; and a switchdome bond [bond between 21a and 22a] established at least at one location between said first layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22], wherein said switchdome bond is configured to join said layers and establish said switchdome formed from said first layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22], wherein any bond between said first layer of spring material [21] and said second layer of arciform spring material [22] are at a same thickness.
In regard to claim 51, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 42 wherein said second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] comprises a continuous layer of said switchdome arciform spring material.
In regard to claim 52, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 42 wherein said first layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] comprise compositionally homologous spring materials [col. 3, lines 35-39].
In regard to claim 53, Yashima discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said layer of switchdome spring material and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material comprise compositionally homologous spring materials [col. 3, lines 35-39].
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 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yashima et al. [Yashima hereinafter, US 10,290,442] in view of Watanabe et al. [Watanabe hereinafter, US 2016/0071665]. Yashima discloses the integrated compound spring switchdome action apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] has an elastically deformable portion. Yashima does not disclose that the layer of switchdome arciform spring material comprises a bandiformed spring material. Watanabe teaches [in Fig. 1] that the layer of switchdome arciform spring material comprises a bandiformed spring material [30]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have used any various shape, since selection and use of any known equivalent shape would have been within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 and 13 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/01/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With respect to claims 14 and 42, Applicant argues that “the Yashima reference does not teach, inter alia, "a single partial switchdome bond established at least at one single location between said layer of switchdome spring material and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material as a bonded switchdome locale, wherein said single partial switchdome bond is configured to only partially prevent relative movement between said layer of switchdome spring material and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material" from claim 14 nor does Yashima teach, inter alia, "a switchdome bond established at least at one location between said first layer of switchdome spring material and said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material, wherein said switchdome bond is configured to join said layers and establish said switchdome formed from said first layer of switchdome spring material and said at least second layer of switchdome arciform spring material, wherein any bond between said first layer of spring material and said second layer of arciform spring material are at a same thickness" from claim 42. Instead, the first and second moveable contacts of Yashima are free and unbonded.” Applicant further points to: col. 3, lines 35-39 and argues that “Yashima explicitly says the contacts are stacked -not bonded or otherwise attached. Stacking implies they are separate free pieces merely placed together”; col. 3, lines 39-40 arguing that “This demonstrates that the second contact is optional, reinforcing that it is not an integral bonded layer of a single switchdome, but simply an independent piece that can be added or
Removed”; and points to Fig. 4 to show that “ the second movable contact 22 is shaped to fit over the first movable contact 21, and functions together with the first movable contact 21." Again, this shows that one movable contact "fits over" the other. There is no mention of adhesion, welding, or partial bonds. Instead, it's a loose mechanical fit -they remain free to move relative to each other except as constrained by shape and housing pressure”.
The Examiner disagrees. Oxford languages defines a bond as “a connection between two surfaces or objects that have been joined together, especially by means of an adhesive substance, heat, or pressure.” Yashima clearly discloses [in Figs. 2 and 4-6] a single partial switchdome bond [bond between 21a and 22a] established at least at one single location between said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] as a bonded switchdome locale, wherein said single partial switchdome bond is configured to only partially prevent relative movement between said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22]; and an adjacent non-bonded switchdome locale [locale surrounding 21d] between said layer of switchdome spring material [21] and said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22] at least a portion of which is adjacent said bonded switchdome locale, wherein said adjacent non-bonded switchdome locale does not have a switchdome bond attached to said layer of switchdome spring material [21] or to said layer of switchdome arciform spring material [22]. There is a connection between two surfaces of [21 and 22] that have been joined together in the assembled state, by means of pressure, as defined by Oxford languages.
Conclusion
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833