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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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; or
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
3. Claims 1-4 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wheeler et al. (US 20090120264 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wheeler discloses a case (Figs. 1-2; para. 0097) comprising:
an exterior member (e.g., first cheek-board 112) comprising a first surface (side wall surface of 112 with drain aperture 174) including an external surface of a first sheet (para. 0126: “Surfaces of demountable components that are visibly exposed after assembly preferably receive one or more decorative/protective finishes. … such decorative and or protective finishes may preferably comprise plastic laminates, wood veneers, lacquered finishes, painted finishes, etc.”) and a second surface (top edge surface of 112) connected to the first surface; and an attachment member (106) to which the exterior member is attached, having a facing surface (bottom surface of 106 that contacts the top edge surface of 112) disposed to face the second surface, and arranged in such a manner that a projecting end of the facing surface projects further than the first surface when viewed in cross section (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Wheeler discloses: wherein the attachment member comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias the exterior member in one direction (para. 0098, 0116, 0125).
Regarding claim 3, Wheeler discloses: wherein the biasing mechanism biases the exterior member in a backward direction (e.g., toward the bottom surface of 106 in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Wheeler discloses: wherein the exterior member is fastened to the attachment member with a screw in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the biasing mechanism biases the exterior member (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 6, Wheeler discloses: wherein the first surface (the side wall of 112) comprises a side surface, and a front surface and a back surface which connect to the side surface, and wherein a projection amount of the projecting end which projects from the back surface is larger than a projection amount of the projecting end which projects from the front surface and a projection amount of the projecting end which projects from the side surface (see Fig. 1, see also annotated Fig. 2 below).
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Regarding claim 7, Wheeler discloses: wherein the first sheet is a pseudo-wood sheet (para. 0126).
Regarding claim 8, Wheeler discloses: a keyboard instrument (Figs. 1-2) comprising: a keyboard (105); and the case according to claim 1 which is disposed as an arm of the keyboard (Figs. 1-2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wheeler et al.
Regarding claim 5, Wheeler discloses: wherein the biasing mechanism is provided to be integrated with the attachment member (Fig. 7: the cam-and-post fastener is provided to be integrated with the top panel 106 and can be assembled or disassembled using a screwdriver).
Wheeler is silent on: wherein the biasing mechanism is an elastic member.
Examiner take official notice that: industrial cam-lock or cam-and-post fasteners specifically designed to connect components under an elastic preload are well-known in the art. it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate such well-known elastic cam-lock fasteners into Wheeler’s biasing mechanism to arrive the claimed invention. The mere application of a known technique to a specific instance by those skilled in the art would have been obvious.
Contact Information
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIANCHUN QIN whose telephone number is (571)272-5981. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5:30PM EST M-F.
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, Dedei Hammond can be reached at (571)270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JIANCHUN QIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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