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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 13 and 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robertson et al. (USPAT 6034653, of record) in view of Jorn (USPAT 3843272).
Regarding claim 1, Robertson discloses a display device comprising:
an optical assembly for displaying images (10);
a frame (120) comprising a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface in a first direction, and a side surface connecting the first surface and the second surface (Figs. 5 and 8); and
an adjustment assembly comprising a spherical bearing, a connecting rod, and a cover (Fig. 9 which shows two spherical bearings, 230 and 260, a connecting rod 150 and a plurality of covers, 160x2 and 130x2);
wherein the frame and the optical assembly are arranged at intervals (Figs. 1 and 8-9), a first recess is concave in a first direction from a side of the frame (245 includes recessed concave portions), a through hole penetrates the frame and an end of the through hole communicates with the first recess (Fig. 8 shows that 161 has a through hole formed by 160 to accommodate 230);
a part of the spherical bearing is received in the first recess, and the spherical bearing movably abuts against an inner surface defining the first recess (Figs. 8 and 9);
the connecting rod extends through the through hole, one end of the connecting rod is fixed to the spherical bearing (Fig. 9), and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the optical assembly (Fig. 9 where 130 comprises an optical assembly);
the cover is arranged on a side of the spherical bearing facing away from the frame (Fig. 9) and the cover is adjustably connected to the frame in the first direction to selectively apply or remove a pressure to the spherical bearing (Col. 6 lines 28-39).
Robertson does not disclose wherein first recess is concave in the first direction from the first surface of the frame toward the second surface of the frame, a through hole penetrates the second surface of the frame and an end of the through hole communicates with the first recess in the first direction, the first recess and the through hole are spaced apart from the side surface of the frame, respectively; a friction layer is formed on an inner surface defining the first recess, a part of the spherical bearing is received in the first recess, and the spherical bearing movably abuts against the friction layer.
However, Jorn teaches a ball joint assembly comprising a first recess is concave (the mating portion that accepts the ball joint as seen in Figs. 1-6) in the first direction from the first surface of the frame toward the second surface of a frame (at least Figs. 1 and 5 both show a bolted frame and Fig. 2 shows frame 7), a through hole penetrates the second surface of the frame and an end of the through hole communicates with the first recess in the first direction (at least Figs. 1-2 and 5 where the ball join is inserted through the frame via a hole), the first recess and the through hole are spaced apart from the side surface of the frame (Figs. 1-2 and 5 where the side surface would be the edges of the frame to the left and right), respectively; a friction layer is formed on an inner surface defining the first recess, a part of the spherical bearing is received in the first recess, and the spherical bearing movably abuts against the friction layer (layer 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to combine Robertson and Jorn such that the ball joint was attached to the frame assembly via a through hole and ball joint having a friction layer motivated by simplifying assembly (Col. 2 lines 26-30).
Regarding claim 2, modified Robertson discloses wherein the adjustment assembly further comprises a fastener (Figs. 1 and 5 of Jorn show fasteners holding the ball joint to the frame), the cover comprises a fixing portion (Figs. 1 and 5 of Jorn show the cover fixed via the fasteners), an adjustment portion (Fig. 5 includes a spring), and an elastic portion fixedly connected between the fixing portion and the adjustment portion (3 is elastic);
the elastic portion corresponds to the first recess in the first direction, the spherical bearing is arranged between the first recess and the elastic portion (Figs. 1 and 5), the fixing portion is fixedly connected to a surface of the frame (Figs. 1 and 5) and the fixing portion is located on a side of the first recess (Figs. 1 and 5), the adjustment portion is movably arranged on a side of the first recess facing away from the fixing portion, the adjustment portion is configured to drive the elastic portion to apply the pressure to the spherical bearing (tightening the fasteners results in pressure applied to the bearing as shown in Figs. 1 and 5);
the fastener is connected between the adjustment portion and the frame to limit a position of the adjustment portion relative to the frame (Figs. 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 3, modified Robertson discloses wherein a side of the elastic portion facing the first recess is provided with a second recess recessed along the first direction, an inner surface defining the second recess is configured to abut against a portion of the spherical bearing located outside the first recess (Fig. 9 of Robertson where 245 includes two recessed portions abutting 230 and see also Jorn’s Figs. 1-5).
Regarding claim 4, modified Robertson discloses wherein a contour of the inner surface defining the second recess corresponds with a contour of an outer surface of the spherical bearing (Fig. 9 of Robertson and see also Jorn’s Figs. 1-5).
Regarding claim 5, modified Robertson discloses wherein the elastic portion further comprises two openings and a movable part separating the openings from each other (235, 245 and 250 of Robertson are all shown with a pair of openings, which is separated by 230, 235 or 245 and see also Jorn’s Figs. 1-5), the adjustment portion is fixedly connected to the movable part (Fig. 9 of Robertson and see also Jorn’s Figs. 1-5).
Regarding claim 6, modified Robertson discloses wherein a friction layer formed on the inner surface defining the second recess (Figs. 1 and 5 of Jorn where the inner recess comprises a top and bottom recess portion, first and second, and the friction layer, 3, is located on bother portions).
Regarding claim 7, modified Robertson discloses wherein the fastener comprises a screw head and a screw rod connected to the screw head along a second direction (Jorn’s Figs. 1 and 5), a periphery of the screw head protrudes from a periphery of the screw rod in a radial direction perpendicular to the second direction (Jorn’s Figs. 1 and 5), the adjustment portion comprises a connecting hole (Jorn’s Figs. 1 and 5), the screw rod extends through the connecting hole (Jorn’s Figs. 1 and 5), the screw rod is connected to the frame (Jorn’s Figs. 1 and 5), and the adjustment portion is located between the screw head and the frame (Jorn’s Figs. 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 8, modified Robertson discloses wherein the connecting rod comprises a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion (282 of Robertson), the first connecting portion extends through the through hole (Fig. 9), one end of the first connecting portion is fixedly connected to the spherical bearing (Fig. 9), and the other end of the first connecting portion is fixedly connected to the second connecting portion (260);
the second connecting portion is bent relative to the first connecting portion and connected to the first connecting portion (Fig. 9 indicates 282 is formed of non-linear sections), and an end of the second connecting portion away from the first connecting portion is fixedly connected to the optical assembly (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 13, modified Robertson discloses wherein a contour of the inner surface defining the first recess corresponds with a contour of an outer surface of the spherical bearing (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 15, modified Robertson discloses wherein the inner surface defining the first recess is an arc-shaped surface (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 16, modified Robertson discloses wherein the first connecting portion extends in a radial direction of the spherical bearing (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 17, modified Robertson discloses wherein the display device further comprises a wearing assembly connected to the frame (via 160 to 106).
Regarding claim 18, modified Robertson discloses wherein the wearing assembly is a glasses holder, a strap, or a helmet (Figs. 13-14).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robertson in view of Jorn and further in view of Sugihara et al. (PGPUB 20100245757, of record).
Regarding claim 10, Robertson does not disclose wherein the optical assembly comprises a display member and a waveguide sheet, one side of the display member is fixedly connected to the connecting rod, and another side of the display member is fixedly connected to the waveguide sheet, the display member is configured to transmit imaging light into the waveguide sheet, the waveguide sheet is configured to display images.
However, Sugihara teaches a head mounted display wherein the optical assembly comprises a display member and a waveguide sheet (2b), one side of the display member is fixedly connected to the connecting rod (via 3’), and another side of the display member is fixedly connected to the waveguide sheet (Fig. 11), the display member is configured to transmit imaging light into the waveguide sheet, the waveguide sheet is configured to display images ([0043]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to combine modified Robertson and Sugihara such that the display included a waveguide motivated by reducing visual obstruction for the user.
Regarding claim 11, modified Robertson disclose wherein the waveguide sheet comprises a first region and a second region, the first region is received in the display member for receiving the imaging light of the display member, the second region is located outside the display member for displaying images (Fig. 11 of Sugihara where there is a first region, 2b1, and an output region 2b2).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robertson in view of Jorn and further in view of Ichikawa et al. (USPAT 6680802).
Regarding claim 9, Robertson does not disclose wherein a diameter of the through hole gradually increases outward from the first recess.
However, Ichikawa teaches a head mounted display comprising a ball joint where in the frame (62a) includes a chamfer such that the diameter of the whole gradually increases outward from the recess (Fig. 9 where 62a is shown to be chamfered).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to combine Robertson and Ichikawa such that the through hole included diameter gradually increased outwardly motivated by allowing a wider range of angular manipulation for the joint.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robertson in view of Jorn in view of Sugihara and further in view of Chaum et al. (PGPUB 20100149073).
Regarding claim 12, modified Robertson discloses a waveguide but does not explicitly disclose wherein the waveguide sheet is a grating optical waveguide or a geometric array optical waveguide.
However, Chaum teaches a head mounted display comprising a ball joint attaching an optic and frame ([1362]), and a waveguide having a gratings ([0760]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to combine modified Robertson and Chaum such that the waveguide comprised gratings motivated by improving light exit control ([1221]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-13 and 15-18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAVIS S FISSEL whose telephone number is (313)446-6573. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM.
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/TRAVIS S FISSEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872