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 Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, on line 1, “[Claim 1]” should be changed to --1.--.
In claim 2, on line 1, “[Claim 2]” should be changed to --2.--.
In claim 3, on line 1, “[Claim 3]” should be changed to --3.--.
In claim 4, on line 1, “[Claim 4]” should be changed to --4.--.
In claim 5, on line 1, “[Claim 5]” should be changed to --5.--.
In claim 6, on line 1, “[Claim 6]” should be changed to --6.--.
In claim 7, on line 1, “[Claim 7]” should be changed to --7.--.
In claim 8, on line 1, “[Claim 8]” should be changed to --8.--.
In claim 9, on line 1, “[Claim 9]” should be changed to --9.--.
In claim 10, on line 1, “[Claim 10]” should be changed to --10.--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (US 2022/0174412) in view of Gu (US 10,820,106) and/or Ren et al. (US 2023/0030909).
Regarding claim 1, Zhong et al. teaches a sound device (figures 1, 4, 5, 6, 7) comprising a frame (1), a vibration system (3), and a magnetic circuit system (5), wherein the vibration system (3) is fixed on the frame (figures 1, 4, 5, 6), and the magnetic circuit system (5) is configured to drive the vibration system (3) to vibrate and generate sound (paragraph [0025]), the magnetic circuit system (5) comprises a magnetic yoke (51) and a magnet assembly (53, 55, 551, 553, 555, 557, figures 1, 5, 6, 7), the magnetic yoke (51) is fixed to the frame (figures 1, 5, 6), the magnet assembly (53, 55, 551, 553, 555, 557) is fixed on the magnetic yoke (51), and the magnet assembly comprises magnetic gaps (5A), the vibration system (3) comprises a vibrating diaphragm (31) and a voice coil (33), the voice coil (33) is inserted into the magnetic gaps (5A, figures 1, 5, 6) to drive the vibrating diaphragm to vibrate and generate sound, the voice coil (33) comprises a pair of long axis edges (333) and a pair of short axis edges (331), the magnet assembly (53, 55, 551, 553, 555, 557) comprises a primary magnet (53, paragraph [0046]) and secondary magnets (55, 551, 553, 555, 557), the primary magnet (53) is fixed on the magnetic yoke (51), the secondary magnets (55, 551, 553, paragraph [0046]) are disposed around the primary magnet (53), the secondary magnets (55, 551, 553) and the primary magnet (53) are disposed at intervals to form the magnetic gaps (5A), the secondary magnets (55, 551, 553) comprise two first secondary magnets (553, figures 1, 5, 6, 7) and two second secondary magnets (551, figures 1, 5, 6, 7), the two first secondary magnets (553, figures 1, 5, 6, 7) are disposed on two opposite sides of the primary magnet (53, figures 1, 5, 6, 7), the two second secondary magnets (551, figures 1, 5, 6, 7) are disposed on another two opposite sides of the primary magnet (53, figures 1, 5, 6, 7), and wherein each of the two second secondary magnets (551, figures 1, 5, 6, 7) comprises a body portion and extension portions (555, 557, figures 1, 5, 6, 7), the extension portions (555) extend from the body portion (557) to the two first secondary magnets (553) and projections, along an extension direction of the short axis edges (331) of the voice coil (33), of the extension portions (555) are at least partially located in the voice coil (figures 1, 7).
Zhong et al. teaches the magnetic yoke (51) that is fixed to the frame (figures 1, 5, 6). Zhong et al. does not specifically disclose that the magnetic yoke (51) that is fixed on the frame. However, providing a magnetic yoke being fixed on a frame of a speaker device or a sounding device is known in the art.
Gu and/or Ren et al. teaches a speaker device or a sounding device comprising a magnetic yoke (23, figures 2, 3 in Gu; and 31, figures 2, 3, 4 in Rent et al.) that is fixed on a frame (3, figures 2, 3 in Gu; 1, 11, figures 2, 3, 4 in Rent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to provide the magnetic yoke in the system of Zhong et al. to be fixed to any frame such as providing the magnetic yoke being fixed on a frame, as taught by Gu and/or Ren et al. depending on the applications and for providing a better frame to the system.
Regarding claim 2, Zhong et al. teaches the sounding device, wherein the projections, along the extension direction of the short axis edges (331) of the voice coil (33), of the extension portions (555) are all located in the voice coil (figures 1, 7).
Regarding claim 3, as broadly claimed, Zhong et al. teaches the sound device, wherein projections, along an extension direction of the long axis edges (333) of the voice coil (33), of the two first secondary magnets (553) are all located in the extension portions (555, figures 1, 7).
Regarding claim 8, Zhong et al. teaches the sounding device, wherein the two first secondary magnets (553) are disposed on two sides of the long axis edges (333) of the voice coil (33, figures 1, 7), and the two second secondary magnets (551) are disposed on two sides of the short axis edges (331) of the voice coil (33, figures 1, 7).
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (US 2022/0174412) in view of Gu (US 10,820,106) and/or Ren et al. (US 2023/0030909) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shi et al. (US 10,034,110).
Regarding claim 9, Zhong et al. in view of Gu and/or Ren et al. teaches a sound device, wherein the magnetic circuit system (5 in Zhong et al.) further comprises a primary pole core (59 in Zhong et al.), a secondary pole core (57, paragraph [0041] in Zhong et al.), the primary pole core (59 in Zhong et al.) is disposed on the primary magnet (53 in Zhong et al.), the secondary pole core (57 in Zhong et al.) is disposed on the secondary magnets (55, 551, 553, figures 1, 5, 6 in Zhong et al.).
Zhong et al. in view of Gu and/or Ren et al. does not teach an upper magnet that is disposed on the primary pole core (59 in Zhong et al.) as claimed. However, providing an upper magnet being disposed on a primary pole core in a magnetic circuit system is known in the art.
Shi et al. teaches a loudspeaker comprising a magnetic circuit system (2, figures 2, 3) comprising an upper magnet (2213) that is disposed on a primary pole core 2212, figures 2, 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to provide an upper magnet, as taught by Shi et al., to be disposed on the primary pole core in the system of Zhong et al. in view of Gu and/or Ren et al. for providing a better magnetic flux in the system.
Regarding claim 10, Shi et al. shows the vibrating diaphragm (3, 31, figures 2, 3) that is fixed on the upper magnet (2213, figures 2, 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li et al. (US 2014/0056464) teaches a micro-speaker including a vibrating unit including a diaphragm, a voice coil, and a magnetic circuit unit (2), wherein the magnetic circuit unit (2) includes a base board (21), a first magnetic conduction member (221), and a second magnetic conduction member (222) disposed at a periphery portion of the base board for forming a magnetic gap with the first magnetic conduction member (221).
Liang et al. (US 11,770,654) teaches a speaker device including a frame, a vibration unit fixed to a frame and a magnetic circuit unit driving the vibration unit to vibrate and produce sound, and wherein the magnetic circuit unit is provided with a magnetic gap.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUYEN D LE whose telephone number is (571) 272-7502. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 am-6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HUYEN D LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694 HL
August 17, 2026
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