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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/2/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Claims 8 and 19 were previously objected to. Claim 8 depended from claims 7, 3, 2, and 1; claim 19 dependent from claims 18, 14, 13, and 11. Applicant has removed significant structure from claims 1 and 11, added dependent claims 3 and 8 and into claim 1, omitting claims 2 and 7; added depended claims 19 and 14, omitting claims 18 and 13. Therefore, these amendments have been given new consideration because of the drastic changes in scope. Please see the rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 13, applicant claims “first protrusion on the first swing arm is located in the first rotation shaft part”. Examiner notes that the “rotation shaft part” are semi-circular, and that the protrusion of the support plate cannot be “in” the rotation shaft part unless the hinge is in the folded position. If this is not applicant’s intent, examiner suggests amendment.
Regarding claims 10 and 20, both require “two rotation components”. Examiner notes that applicant does not previously claim or define “two rotation components”. Examiner notes that [0051] states that the rotation mechanism includes two rotation components 10, as understood, is best shown in figure 7. The device 10, shown twice is in figure 7, is NOT claimed in claim 1, since claim 1 requires the first support plate and the second support plate. Applicant does not define a “rotation component” at all in claim 1, and does not discern how to make two of them in claims 10 and 20. Applicant’s choice of defining a “rotation mechanism” in claim 1 rather than a “rotation component”, confuses the scope of claims 10 and 20.
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) 1-5, 7, 9-16, 18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 2020/0329574 Lee in view of 2021/0318723 Cheng.
Examiner notes that claim 1 is broader than claim 11. Claim 1 claims the mechanism, while claim 11 claims a foldable terminal having the mechanism of claim 1 with two housings. Examiner will consider claims 11 and 1 together, since by meeting claim 11, examiner has met claim 1. All subsequent similar claims will be treated together in a similar manner.
PNG
media_image1.png
690
575
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
323
683
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Lee discloses a foldable terminal (figure 2), comprising:
a rotation mechanism (figure 5a, detailed in figure 4a), comprising:
a fixed base 550 provided with a first sliding groove 450b and a second sliding groove (shown in alternating fashion in figure 5a);
a first swing arm (511, 513, 531, 533 in figure 5a, detailed in figure 4a as part 410) comprising a first rotation shaft part 411, wherein the first rotation shaft part 411 is installed in the first sliding groove 450b and is configured to rotate relative to the fixed base (figures 5a-5c), wherein the first rotation shaft part 411 is provided with a first sliding hole 411a, and the first sliding hole 411a runs through the first rotation shaft part 411 in a thickness direction of the first rotation shaft part (is a through hole);
a second swing arm (other of 511, 513, 531, 533 in figure 5a, detailed in figure 4a as part 410) comprising a second rotation shaft part 411, wherein the second rotation shaft part 411 is installed in the second sliding groove (as shown in figure 5a) and is configured to rotate relative to the fixed base (figures 5a-5c), wherein the second rotation shaft part 411 is provided with a second sliding hole 411a, and the second sliding hole runs through the second rotation shaft part 411 in a thickness direction of the second rotation shaft part (is a through hole), and wherein rotation directions of the first rotation shaft part and the second rotation shaft part rotate are opposite relative to the fixed base (as shown in figure 5a);
a first limiting member 470 disposed in the first sliding hole 411a and fixedly connected to the fixed base 450 (integral, shown in figure 4a), wherein when the first rotation shaft part 411 rotates relative to the fixed base 450, the first limiting member 470 slides along the first sliding hole 411a relative to the first rotation shaft part 411; and
PNG
media_image3.png
325
578
media_image3.png
Greyscale
a second limiting member 470 (identical for the other three arms in figure 5a) disposed in the second sliding hole 411a and fixedly connected to the fixed base 450 (integral, shown in figure 4a), wherein when the second rotation shaft part 411 rotates relative to the fixed base 450, the second limiting member 470 slides along the second sliding hole 411a relative to the second rotation shaft part 411;
a first housing 211 (figure 2) fixedly connected to the first swing arm; and a second housing 213 fixedly connected to the second swing arm (on opposite sides, figure 2), wherein the second sliding groove comprises an identical curved surface and an identical fixing hole as the first curved surface and the first fixing hole;
a first support plate 731 fixedly connected to the first swing part; and a second support plate 733 is fixedly connected to the second swing part (figure 7).
PNG
media_image4.png
402
592
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Lee does not disclose the shape of the support plates 731/733, but it is shaped in a manner that can attach the plates to the rotation mechanism.
Cheng discloses a similar hinge for an electronic device with a flexible screen 30, two support plates 60 (best shown in figure 7), and a hinge 25 (figure 3) having a fixed base 251, a swing arm 253, a second swing arm 253 that folds the electronic device in the identical manner to applicant’s figure 20, and Lee figure 6. Cheng discloses each support plate 60 (figure 7) comprises a first protrusion and first notch 64 connected to a surface of the support plate facing the opposite support plate 60 (figure 7), the projection is located “in the rotation shaft part” (as best understood, shown in figure 12), wherein when the rotation mechanism is in a flattened state (figure 9), the opposite protrusions and notches are engaged (figure 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to change the shape of the existing support plates of Lee to be shaped in order to attach to the hinge of Lee in an appropriate manner, such as the old and well known shape in a similar hinge as taught by Cheng. Since Lee does not disclose the shape of the support plates, any known shape that is appropriate to attach the existing support plates to the existing hinge, does not alter the form, function, or use, of the hinge of Lee. A change of shape is considered a matter of choice. See MPEP 2144.04 (IV) (b). Examiner contends that these are known equivalents and are used for the same purpose within the ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144 (I): “rationale to modify or combine the prior art does not have to be expressly stated in the prior art…it may be reasoned from knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art”.
Regarding claim 12, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claim 11, further comprising a display screen 250, comprising: a first display part; a second display part; and a foldable part, the foldable part is connected between the first display part and the second display part, wherein the first display part is installed in the first housing, the second display part is installed in the second housing, and the foldable part is disposed opposite to the rotation mechanism (as shown in figure 2, shown above).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claims 1 and 11, wherein the first swing arm (all swing arms are identical) further comprises a first swing part 413 fixedly connected to the first rotation shaft part 411, the first swing part 413 projects relative to the first sliding groove 450b, and a top surface of the first limiting member 470 is located between a top surface of the first swing part 413 and a top surface of the first rotation shaft part 411, and wherein the second swing arm 410 further comprises a second swing part 413 fixedly connected to the second rotation shaft part 411, the second swing part projects relative to the second sliding groove (as shown in figure 4a), and a top surface of the second limiting member 470 is located between a top surface of the second swing part and a top surface of the second rotation shaft part 411.
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claims 3 and 14, wherein when the rotation mechanism is in a flattened state (figure 7), a top surface of the first support plate 731 and a top surface of the second support plate 733 form a support surface (planar surface, figure 7).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claims 3 and 14, wherein when the rotation mechanism is in a folded state (figure 6), the first support plate, the second support plate, and the fixed base are surrounded to form an avoidance space (601 with distance d between the folded arms/plates, figure 6).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claims 3 and 14, wherein the rotation mechanism comprising two rotation components (support plates 731 and 733), which are not shown with any particular structure.
Cheng discloses a first avoidance hole 62 in the support plates 60, the hole 62 is fully through the thickness of the support plates 60 so as to avoid the limiting members.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use “avoidance holes” on the plates of the hinge of Lee in order to attach the plates of Lee to the pivoting swing arms of Lee in a well-known manner taught by similar hinge Cheng.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claims 3 and 14, wherein when the rotation mechanism is in a flattened state (figures 2, 5a, 7), the first rotation shaft part and the second rotation shaft part are arranged in an X- axis direction (based on the orientation of the directional ordinance in figures 4 and 5, the Lee rotation shafts are arranged in the same orientation).
Regarding claim 9, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claim 1, further comprising a first auxiliary member 430 located on a side of the first rotation shaft part 411 that faces away from a groove bottom wall of the first sliding groove 450b, wherein the first auxiliary member 430 is fixedly connected to the fixed base 450 (by connector 470), a first limiting hole 431 connected to the first sliding groove 450b is disposed in the first auxiliary member 430, and the first limiting member 470 is further disposed in the first limiting hole 431 (with pin 470); and
a second auxiliary member located on a side of the second rotation shaft part that faces away from a groove bottom wall of the second sliding groove, wherein the second auxiliary member is fixedly connected to the fixed base, the second auxiliary member is provided with a second limiting hole connected to the second sliding groove is disposed in the second auxiliary member, and the second limiting member is further disposed in the second limiting hole (all arms of the hinge have the same structure).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Lee as modified discloses the foldable terminal of claims 1 and 11, please see 112b above. Examiner assumes that applicant is claiming two rotation mechanisms “arranged at intervals in a y-axis direction” on the foldable terminal, which is not claimed in claim 1. Lee discloses the use of a foldable terminal with two pairs of swing arms and bases, see figure 2.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY M MORGAN whose telephone number is (303)297-4260. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8-5 MST.
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, Jason San can be reached at (571)272-6531. 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.
/EMILY M MORGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677