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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 July 1, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed June 2, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-2, 5, and 12-13 have been amended. The amendments to the claims have overcome each and every §112 rejection previously set forth in the Office Action mailed April 2, 2026. Claims 1-3, 5-9, 12-13, and 15-20 are pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed June 2, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant contends that U.S. Pub. No. 2023/0359252 A1 (hereinafter “Kang”) fails to teach or suggest all the features of amended claim 1 for the following reasons.
First, Applicant argues that Kang fails to disclose that stopper 360 has a support side and a back side opposite to the support side in its thickness direction. Examiner respectfully disagrees. As shown in Fig. 5, annotated and reproduced below, stopper 360 comprises a support side and a back side opposite to the support side in its thickness direction.
PNG
media_image1.png
498
563
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Second, Applicant argues that it is not an obvious matter of design choice that the guiding hole have an oblong shape. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant argues that the oblong shape is used for the particular purpose of “controlling and smoothing the bending form of the wire arrangement, thereby reducing stress concentration and improving reliability of the wire arrangement.” To support this, Applicant points to ¶ 0043 of their Specification. However, ¶ 0043 states that “[o]ptionally, the guiding hole 51 is an oblong hole (long circular hole).” Guiding hole 51 is a different feature than the guiding hole being claimed in claim 1. The guiding hole of claim 1 supports “a guiding post extending in the thickness direction,” whereas guiding hole 51 supports rod body 211 which extends along the D direction (see Figs. 2-3 of the present application). ¶ 0043 is therefore not germane to the particular guiding hole described in claim 1. The particular guiding hole described in claim 1 corresponds most closely to element 52 (“the second guiding part”) in the present application (see ¶¶ 0034-0036 and Fig. 3 of the present application). The Specification does not offer any reason as to why it is beneficial for the second guiding part 52 to have an oblong shape. As long as the shape of the first guiding part 115 corresponds to the shape of the second guiding part 52, movement of supporting plate 5 will be restricted so that it is only able to move in the thickness direction.
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 5-9 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.
Claim 5 recites the limitations “the first rotating member” and “the second rotating member” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 6-9 are rejected based on their dependence to claim 5.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 5-9, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang.
Regarding claim 1, Kang discloses a hinge (hinge structures 300a and 300b), comprising:
a base (stopper 360), comprising a support side (side of 360 towards the -y direction) and a back side (side of 360 towards the +y direction) opposite to the support side in a thickness direction (along the y-axis) of the base (see annotated Fig. 5 above);
a supporting plate (support portion 350), movably disposed on the base (360) along the thickness direction of the base (see ¶ 0120); and
a first rotating assembly (first bracket 311 and first arm portion 321) and a second rotating assembly (second bracket 312 and second arm portion 322), each of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) being rotatably disposed on the base (360) between an unfolded position (shown in Figs. 10A and 12A) and a folded position (shown in Figs. 10B and 12B), and at least one of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) directly fitting with the supporting plate (350) to move the supporting plate (350) in the thickness direction of the base (from ¶ 0118: “The support portion 350 may move in an upper direction (e.g., the +y direction of FIG. 5) by means of the first arm rib 321b constructed in one region of the first arm portion 321 and the second support rib 322b constructed in one region of the second arm portion 322.”),
wherein one of the base and the supporting plate (350) comprises a first guiding part (protrusion region 351), the other of the base (360) and the supporting plate comprises a second guiding part (through-hole 360c), and the first guiding part (351) is fitted with the second guiding part (360c; from ¶ 0119: “[A] protrusion region 351 of the support portion 350 may be inserted in a lower direction of the stopper 360 by passing through the through-hole 360c.”);
one of the first guiding part (351) and the second guiding part is a guiding post extending in the thickness direction (351 is a post extending along the y-axis), the other of the first guiding part and the second guiding part (360c) is a guiding hole (360c is a through-hole), and the guiding post is fitted in the guiding hole (see ¶ 0119).
Kang does not explicitly disclose that through-hole 360c has an oblong shape. Although in Fig. 9 it does appear to have a slightly oblong shape, at least when compared to the hole on shaft bracket 335. Regardless, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to use an oblong guiding hole since Applicant has not disclosed that the use of an oblong guiding hole solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose. It appears that the invention would perform equally well as long as the shape of the guiding hole corresponds to the shape of the guiding post.
Regarding claim 2, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Kang further teaches that at least one of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) brings the supporting plate (350) to move toward the support side along the thickness direction (-y direction) when the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) rotate from the unfolded position to the folded position (see Figs. 10A-B and 12A-B), and at least one of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) brings the supporting plate (350) to move toward the back side along the thickness direction (+y direction) when the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) rotate from the folded position to the unfolded position (see Figs. 10A-B and 12A-B).
Regarding claim 3, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above. Kang further teaches a first rotating member (321) and a second rotating member (322), the first rotating member (321) being rotatably disposed on the base (360) and connected with the first rotating assembly (from paragraph 0094: “[T]he first bracket 311 and the first arm portion 321 may be coupled through a first fixing portion 323.”), the second rotating member (322) being rotatably disposed on the base (360) and connected with the second rotating assembly (from paragraph 0096: “[T]he second bracket 312 and the second arm portion 322 may be coupled through a second fixing portion 324.”), and at least one of the first rotating member (321) and the second rotating member (322) being connected with the supporting plate (350), wherein at least one of the first rotating member (321) and the second rotating member (322) brings the supporting plate (350) to move toward the support side (-y direction) along the thickness direction when the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) rotate from the unfolded position to the folded position (see Figs. 10A-B and 12A-B), and the at least one of the first rotating member (321) and the second rotating member (322) brings the supporting plate (350) toward the back side (+y direction) along the thickness direction when the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) rotate from the folded position to the unfolded position (see Figs. 10A-B and 12A-B).
Regarding claim 5, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Kang further teaches that a first rotating member (321) and a second rotating member (322) comprises:
a rod body (first shaft 331) rotatably disposed on the base (360) and connected with a corresponding one of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly; and
an eccentric part disposed on the rod body (see Figs. 6A-7 showing an end of first shaft 331 having an eccentric shape), spaced from a rotating axis of the rod body (rotation axis L3) in a radial direction of the rod body, and connected with the supporting plate (connected to support portion 350 via first auxiliary member 363; support portion 350 and first auxiliary member 363 could also together be considered “the supporting plate”).
Regarding claim 6, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 5 as stated above. Kang further teaches that the at least one of the first rotating member (321) and the second rotating member further comprises a first connecting part (363), the first connecting part (363) extends along the radial direction of the rod body (331), one end of the first connecting part (363) is connected with the rod body (331), and the other end of the first connecting part (363) is connected with the eccentric part (end of 331; see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 7, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 5 as stated above. Kang further teaches that
the rotating axis of the rod body (L3) is adjacent to the support side (-y direction) relative to the eccentric part (end of 331) in the thickness direction when the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) are located in the unfolded position (see Fig. 6A); and/or
the eccentric part (end of 331) is adjacent to the support side (-y direction) relative to the rotating axis of the rod body (L3) in the thickness direction when the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) are located in the folded position (see Fig. 6C).
Regarding claim 8, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 5 as stated above. Kang further teaches that
the eccentric part is an eccentric post (the end of 331 can be considered an eccentric post, it has an oval shape with a small length); or
the eccentric part is an eccentric hole, the supporting plate has a second connecting part, and the second connecting part is fitted in the eccentric hole.
Regarding claim 9, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 8 as stated above. Kang further teaches that the first rotating member (321) and the second rotating member (322) are spaced along a first direction (x-axis as shown in Fig. 5), the first direction is one of a width direction and a length direction of the base, wherein the eccentric part is an eccentric post (the end of 331 can be considered an eccentric post), the supporting plate comprises a guiding hole extending along the first direction (hole in auxiliary member 363), and the eccentric post (end of 331) is movably fitted in the guiding hole along the first direction (see Figs. 6A-C).
Regarding claim 12, Kang teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Kang lacks a specific teaching that the first guiding part is plural and the plurality of the first guiding parts are spaced along a second direction, the second guiding part is plural and the plurality of the second guiding parts are spaced along the second direction, wherein the plurality of the first guiding parts are fitted with the plurality of the second guiding parts in one-to-one correspondence, and the second direction is one of a width direction and a length direction of the base.
Kang discloses the claimed invention except that there is only a single first guiding part and a single second guiding part. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the present application to provide plural first guiding parts and plural second guiding parts spaced along a second direction since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. V. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. Doing so would provide more stable movement of the supporting plate.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang in view of U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0129046 A1 (hereinafter “Baek”).
Kang discloses an electronic device (electronic device 101), comprising:
a hinge (300a and 300b) comprising:
a base (360), comprising a support side (side of 360 towards the -y direction) and a back side (side of 360 towards the +y direction) opposite to the support side in a thickness direction (along the y-axis) of the base (see annotated Fig. 5 above);
a supporting plate (350);
a first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and a second rotating assembly (312 and 322), each of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) being rotatably disposed on the base (360) between an unfolded position (shown in Figs. 10A and 12A) and a folded position (shown in Figs. 10B and 12B), and at least one of the first rotating assembly (311 and 321) and the second rotating assembly (312 and 322) directly fitting with the supporting plate (350) to move the supporting plate (350) in the thickness direction of the base (from ¶ 0118: “The support portion 350 may move in an upper direction (e.g., the +y direction of FIG. 5) by means of the first arm rib 321b constructed in one region of the first arm portion 321 and the second support rib 322b constructed in one region of the second arm portion 322.”);
wherein one of the base and the supporting plate (350) comprises a first guiding part (351), the other of the base (360) and the supporting plate comprises a second guiding part (360c), and the first guiding part (351) is fitted with the second guiding part (360c; from ¶ 0119: “[A] protrusion region 351 of the support portion 350 may be inserted in a lower direction of the stopper 360 by passing through the through-hole 360c.”);
wherein one of the first guiding part (351) and the second guiding part is a guiding post extending in the thickness direction (351 is a post extending along the y-axis), the other of the first guiding part and the second guiding part (360c) is a guiding hole (360c is a through-hole), and the guiding post is fitted in the guiding hole (see ¶ 0119); and
wherein the guiding hole (360c) guides the supporting plate (350) to only move in the thickness direction of the base during folding and unfolding of the electronic device and the hinge (see ¶ 0086; through-hole 360c surrounds the outer circumferential surface of protrusion region 351, thus preventing support portion 350 from moving in any direction other than the thickness direction).
Kang does not explicitly disclose that through-hole 360c has an oblong shape. Although
in Fig. 9 it does appear as slightly oblong, at least when compared to the hole on shaft bracket 335. Regardless, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to use an oblong guiding hole since Applicant has not disclosed that the use of an oblong guiding hole solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose. It appears that the invention would perform equally well as long as the shape of the guiding hole corresponds to the shape of the guiding post. As long as the shape of the guiding hole matches the shape of the guiding post, the supporting plate will be unable to move in any direction other than in the thickness direction.
Kang lacks a specific teaching that a wire arrangement with a middle part thereof in its extending direction connected with the supporting plate of the hinge and located between the supporting plate and the base in the thickness direction of the base.
Baek discloses a wire arrangement (wiring members 470 and 480) with a middle part thereof in its extending direction (x-axis as shown in Fig. 4B) connected with a supporting plate (hinge plate assembly 440) of a hinge (hinge module 460) and located between the supporting plate (440) and a base (hinge cover 450) in a thickness direction of the base (see Fig. 11 showing flange of reinforcing member 1011 underneath plate 441 and above support member 431; support member 431 sits above base 450 as shown in Fig. 14A).
Kang and Baek are considered to be analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to modify the device taught by Kang to include a wire arrangement with a middle part in its extending direction between the supporting plate and the base. Doing so would provide wiring to run/power a display. Placing the wiring between the supporting plate and the base would protect the wiring assembly from damage during folding and unfolding of the device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-20 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.
Regarding claim 15, Kang does not disclose a first housing having a first inclined face nor a second housing having a second inclined face. Further, as stated above, Kang does not disclose a wire arrangement.
Baek discloses a first support dummy (1411) having a first inclined face and a second support dummy (1412) having a second inclined face (see Fig. 15A). The wire arrangement of Baek has first (fixing portions 471 and 481) and second (fixing portions 472 and 482) ends disposed on the first and second inclined faces (see Fig. 15A). However, the overall hinge structure of Baek, specifically the supporting plate (hinge plate assembly 440) and base (hinge cover 450), is very different than that of Kang (support portion 350 and stopper 360). It is not obvious how one of ordinary skill in that art would incorporate the dummy structure taught by Baek into the electronic device of Kang, considering that the base of Kang (360) requires a specific shape in order for its support plate (350) to function as intended.
Claims 16-20 depend, either directly or indirectly, on claim 15 and would therefore be allowable for at least the reasons stated above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROSS TERRY MULARSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-0284. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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, Imani Hayman can be reached at (571)270-5528. 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.
/R.T.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights