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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claim 13 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/15/25.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-8, 11, 14, 15 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Great Performance Ind. Co. (DE202013001150, written below as “Great”).
Regarding Claim 1 Great discloses a door mechanism (Figure 1), comprising: a housing 10 (Figure 1), provided with a receiving hole 13 (Figure 1); and a movable member 30 (figure 1), configured to be movable relative to the housing in a first stroke between an initial position (Figure 2) and a press position(figure 2, when 43 is pressed), and slidable relative to the housing in a second stroke when the movable member moves to the press position (Figure 3), wherein the second stroke has a first slide position for opening the receiving hole and a second slide position for covering the receiving hole (Figure 2 and 3).
Regarding Claim 2 Great discloses a direction of the first stroke is substantially perpendicular to a direction of the second stroke (Figure 2, the button presses downwardly and the cover slides sideways).
Regarding Claim 3 Great discloses the door mechanism further comprises a drive portion 32/33/41 (Figure 1), and the drive portion is configured to generate a driving force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position (paragraph 26).
Regarding Claim 4, Great discloses the drive portion comprises a torsion spring 33 (figure 1), the torsion spring comprises a spring body 33 (Figure 1)and two support legs (each end of the spring) extending from the spring body, one support leg (Figure 1) is fixed on the movable member 32 (Figure 1), and another support leg is reversely fixed on the housing (Figure 1); and when the movable member slides relative to the housing, the torsion spring is deformed to generate an elastic force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position (Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 7 Great discloses the second slide position and the press position are a same position (when button pressed figure 2); and the drive portion generates the driving force that positions the movable member to the second slide position, to move the movable member to the initial position (paragraph 26).
Regarding Claim 8 Great discloses the movable member comprises a cover plate 30 (figure 1) and a slide panel 32 (Figure 1); the cover plate is configured to be movable relative to the housing in the first stroke, and slidable together with the slide panel relative to the housing in the second stroke when the cover plate moves to the press position (Figure 5); and when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the second slide position, the cover plate is movable to the initial position (figure 2 and 3).
Regarding Claim 11 Great discloses the door mechanism further comprises an elastic member 41 (figure 1), and the elastic member is arranged between the cover plate and the slide panel (Figure 1); and when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the second slide position (Figure 3), the elastic member provides a restoring force to make the cover plate movable to the initial position (paragraph 26).
Regarding Claim 14, Great discloses the door mechanism further comprises a drive portion 32/33/41 (Figure 1), and the drive portion is configured to generate a driving force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position (paragraph 26).
Regarding Claim 15, Great discloses the drive portion comprises a torsion spring 33 (Figure 1), the torsion spring comprises a spring body (Figure 1) and two support legs (each end of 33, figure 1) extending from the spring body, one support leg is fixed on the movable member 32 (Figure 1), and another support leg is reversely fixed on the housing (Figure 1); and when the movable member slides relative to the housing, the torsion spring is deformed to generate an elastic force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position (figure 1, paragraph 26).
Regarding Claim 18, Great discloses the second slide position and the press position are a same position (when button pressed, figure 2); and the drive portion generates the driving force that positions the movable member to the second slide position, to move the movable member to the initial position (Figure 26).
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) 6, 9, 10, 12, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Great Performance Ind. Co. (DE202013001150, written below as “Great”) in view of China Tobacco Hunan Ind. Co (CN209807155).
Regarding Claim 6, Great teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the drive portion comprises a fourth magnetic member and a fifth magnetic member with magnetic poles of same polarity arranged correspondingly, the fourth magnetic member is fixed on the movable member, and the fifth magnetic member is fixed on the housing; and when the movable member slides relative to the housing, the fourth magnetic member is biased toward a position of the fifth magnetic member in the direction of the second stroke in the first slide position or the second slide position, so that the fifth magnetic member generates a repulsive force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position. However, China teaches the drive portion comprises a fourth magnetic member 5 (Figure 4) and a fifth magnetic member 6 (Figure 4) with magnetic poles of same polarity arranged correspondingly (paragraph 42), the fourth magnetic member is fixed on the movable member (Figure 4), and the fifth magnetic member is fixed on the housing (Figure 4); and when the movable member slides relative to the housing, the fourth magnetic member is biased toward a position of the fifth magnetic member in the direction of the second stroke in the first slide position or the second slide position, so that the fifth magnetic member generates a repulsive force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position (paragraph 42). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Great to include the above, as taught by China, in order to have easy closing and sliding movement and since the magnets are a well-known alternative to using springs.
Regarding Claim 9, Great teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for a first guide rail protruding toward the slide panel is provided on an inner surface of the housing; when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the first slide position, the cover plate is slidable along the first guide rail; and when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the second slide position, the cover plate is detachable from the first guide rail. However, China teaches a first guide rail 401 (figure 4 and 7) protruding toward the slide panel is provided on an inner surface of the housing (Figure 7); when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the first slide position, the cover plate is slidable along the first guide rail (figure 4); and when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the second slide position, the cover plate is detachable from the first guide rail (paragraph 52, figures 4 and 7). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Great to include the above, as taught by China, in order to help maintain the position of the slide panel.
Regarding Claim 10, Great teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for a second guide rail protruding toward the slide panel is provided on the inner surface of the housing, and a protrusion distance of the second guide rail is longer than a protrusion distance of the first guide rail; and when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the first slide position or the second slide position, the slide panel is slidable along the second guide rail. However, China teaches a second guide rail 401 (Figure 4 and 7) protruding toward the slide panel is provided on the inner surface of the housing (Figure 7), and a protrusion distance of the second guide rail is longer than a protrusion distance of the first guide rail (Figure 7); and when the cover plate and the slide panel slide together to the first slide position or the second slide position, the slide panel is slidable along the second guide rail (paragraph 52). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Great to include the above, as taught by China, in order to help maintain the position of the slide panel.
Regarding Claim 12, Great teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the door mechanism further comprises a holder fixed inside the housing; and the holder is provided with a sliding groove, and the slide panel is at least partially inserted in the sliding groove. However, China teaches the door mechanism further comprises a holder 7 (Figure 1) fixed inside the housing; and the holder is provided with a sliding groove 401 (Figures 4 and 7), and the slide panel is at least partially inserted in the sliding groove (Figure 4). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Great to include the above, as taught by China, in order to help maintain the position of the slide panel.
Regarding Claim 17, Great teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the drive portion comprises a fourth magnetic member and a fifth magnetic member with magnetic poles of same polarity arranged correspondingly, the fourth magnetic member is fixed on the movable member, and the fifth magnetic member is fixed on the housing; and when the movable member slides relative to the housing, the fourth magnetic member is biased toward a position of the fifth magnetic member in the direction of the second stroke in the first slide position or the second slide position, so that the fifth magnetic member generates a repulsive force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position. However, China teaches the drive portion comprises a fourth magnetic member 5 (Figure 4) and a fifth magnetic member 6 (Figure 4) with magnetic poles of same polarity arranged correspondingly (paragraph 42), the fourth magnetic member is fixed on the movable member (Figure 4), and the fifth magnetic member is fixed on the housing (Figure 4); and when the movable member slides relative to the housing, the fourth magnetic member is biased toward a position of the fifth magnetic member in the direction of the second stroke in the first slide position or the second slide position, so that the fifth magnetic member generates a repulsive force that positions the movable member to the first slide position or the second slide position (paragraph 42). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Great to include the above, as taught by China, in order to have easy closing and sliding movement and since the magnets are a well-known alternative to using springs.
Claim(s) 5 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Great Performance Ind. Co. (DE202013001150, written below as “Great”) in view of China Tobacco Hunan Ind. Co (CN209807155; written below as “China”) and Alexander (U.S. Pub. No. 20140305927).
Regarding Claims 5 and 16, Great teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the drive portion comprises a first magnetic member, a second magnetic member, and a third magnetic member, the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member are fixed on the movable member at an interval, and the third magnetic member is fixed on the housing; when the movable member slides to the first slide position, the first magnetic member and the third magnetic member attract each other to generate an attractive force that positions the movable member to the first slide position; and when the movable member slides to the second slide position, the second magnetic member and the third magnetic member repel each other to generate a repulsive force that positions the movable member to the second slide position. However, China teaches a second magnetic member 5 (Figure 4) and a third magnetic member 6 (Figure 4) the second magnetic member are fixed on the movable member and the third magnetic member is fixed on the housing (Figure 4); when the movable member slides to the first slide position, when the movable member slides to the second slide position, the second magnetic member and the third magnetic member repel each other to generate a repulsive force that positions the movable member to the second slide position (paragraph 42). Alexander teaches a first magnetic member attracted to a third magnetic member wherein the first magnetic member is on a movable member and the third on a housing to attract to one another and hold in position (paragraph 377). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Great to include the above, as taught by China and Alexander, in order have to easy closing and sliding movement and since the magnets are a well known alternative to using springs.
Applicant is duly reminded that a complete response must satisfy the requirements of 37 C.F. R. 1.111, including: “The reply must present arguments pointing out the specific distinctions believed to render the claims, including any newly presented claims, patentable over any applied references. A general allegation that the claims “define a patentable invention” without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references does not comply with the requirements of this section. Moreover, “The prompt development of a clear Issue requires that the replies of the applicant meet the objections to and rejections of the claims.” Applicant should also specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure. See MPEP 2163.06 II(A), MPEP 2163.06 and MPEP 714.02. The ''disclosure'' includes the claims, the specification and the drawings.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH J VOLZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11am-7pm est.
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/ELIZABETH J VOLZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3733