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finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/25/2025 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 9-10 cite “a second rotation axis the second housing” Appropriate correction is required to include “to rotate”.
Claim 16 objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 9-10 cite “a second rotation axis the second housing” Appropriate correction is required to include “to rotate”.
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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 9-10, 12, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu et al (US 20230403347; “Liu” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses: a foldable electronic device comprising:
a first housing (11, fig. 2);
a second housing (13, fig. 2);
a hinge module (12, fig. 2) rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing with each other (¶[0282]); and
a flexible display (2, fig. 3) extending from one surface of the first housing to one surface of the second housing across an area in which the hinge module is disposed (fig. 3),
wherein the hinge module comprises:
a gear member (3281, figs. 68-69) comprising a first rotation axis (axis of 3281b, figs. 68-69) to rotate the first housing and a second rotation axis (axis of second instance of 3281b, figs. 68-69) the second housing;
a first rotation bracket (3261, 3262, 3263, figs. 68-69) rotatably connected to the gear member;
a second rotation bracket (3271, 3272, 3273, figs. 68-69) rotatably connected to the gear member;
a first hinge plate (324, fig. 82) rotatably connected to the first rotation bracket by being coupled with at least a part of the first rotation bracket (fig. 81); and
a second hinge plate (325, fig. 82) rotatably connected to the second rotation bracket by being coupled with at least a part of the second rotation bracket (fig. 81),
wherein each of the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket comprises a base (3263, 3273), a plurality of arms (see annotated fig. 68 below), and a fastening portion (annotated as FP, in annotated fig. 68 below) protruding from one surface of the base in a longitudinal direction of the foldable electronic device (fastening portion FP is clearly shown protruding in the longitudinal direction of pin 3240 in fig. 71, 83),
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wherein the fastening portion of the first rotation bracket is formed to fasten the first hinge plate and the first rotation bracket to each other (through 3230 and 3235, figs. and 71, 82), and the fastening portion of the second rotation bracket is formed to fasten the second hinge plate and the second rotation bracket to each other (through 3225 and 3240, figs. and 71, 82), and
wherein the fastening portion of the first rotation bracket forms a third rotation axis to rotate the first hinge plate therearound and the fastening portion of the second rotation bracket forms a fourth rotation axis to rotate the second hinge plate therearound (as disclosed upon examination of figs. and 71, 82, 85-86, where through 3230 corresponds to the third rotation axis, and through 3240 corresponding to the fourth rotation axis).
Regarding claim 2, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses:
wherein the hinge module is configured to rotate the first housing around the first rotation axis and to rotate the second housing around the second rotation axis (figs. 84-85 teaches this limitation).
Regarding claim 9, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses:
wherein the plurality of arms of each of the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket comprises: a first arm (annotated as FA in annotated fig. 68 below) protruding from the one surface of the base in the longitudinal direction of the foldable electronic device; and a second arm (annotated as SA in annotated fig. 68 below) extending from the first arm in a direction parallel to the one surface of the base.
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Regarding claim 10, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 9, and further discloses:
wherein the second arm of each of the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket comprises a guide pin hole formed in a surface of the second arm (guide pin hole 3262c, and 3272c, fig. 68 ).
Regarding claim 12, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 10, and further teaches:
wherein the gear member comprises a first gear (3281, fig. 68) and a second gear (second instance of 3281, fig. 68),
wherein the hinge module further comprises:
a first hinge arm (322, fig. 71) connected to the first gear (fig. 73); and
a second hinge arm (323, fig. 71) connected to the second gear (fig. 73),
wherein the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are configured to respectively rotate the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket in response to an unfolding or a folding of the first housing and the second housing (figs. 72-73, 85-86), and
wherein the foldable electronic device further comprises a pair of second pin members (3230, 3240, fig. 82) respectively fastening the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm to the guide pin hole of the first rotation bracket and the guide pin hole of the second rotation bracket (as disclosed in fig. 82).
Regarding claim 14, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses:
wherein the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate are at least partially supported by a hinge cover (3211, fig. 88) of the hinge module, when the foldable electronic device is in an unfolded state.
Regarding claim 15, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses:
wherein each of the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate is configured to rotate using a rotation axis different from a rotation axis around which the first housing and the second housing rotate, and wherein the rotation axis around which the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate are rotatable is located on a rear surface of the flexible display (as disclosed upon examination of annotated figures 85-86 below).
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Regarding claim 16, Liu teaches: a foldable electronic device comprising:
a first housing (11, fig. 2);
a second housing (13, fig. 2);
a hinge module (12, fig. 2) rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing with each other (¶[0282]); and
a flexible display (2, fig. 3) disposed on a first surface of the first housing and a second surface of the second housing, and extending between the first surface and the second surface across the hinge module (fig. 3),
wherein the hinge module comprises:
a gear member (3281, figs. 68-69) comprising a first rotation axis (axis of 3281b, figs. 68-69) to rotate the first housing and a second rotation axis (axis of second instance of 3281b, figs. 68-69) the second housing;
a first rotation bracket (3261, 3262, 3263, figs. 68-69) rotatably connected to the gear member;
a second rotation bracket (3271, 3272, 3273, figs. 68-69) rotatably connected to the gear member;
a first hinge plate (324, fig. 82) rotatably connected to the first rotation bracket by being coupled with at least a part of the first rotation bracket (fig. 81); and
a second hinge plate (325, fig. 82) rotatably connected to the second rotation bracket by being coupled with at least a part of the second rotation bracket (fig. 81),
wherein each of the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket comprises a base (3263, 3273), a plurality of arms (see annotated fig. 68 below), and a fastening portion (annotated as FP, in annotated fig. 68 below) protruding from one surface of the base in a longitudinal direction of the foldable electronic device (fastening portion FP is clearly shown protruding in the longitudinal direction of pin 3240 in fig. 71, 83),
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wherein the fastening portion of the first rotation bracket is formed to fasten the first hinge plate and the first rotation bracket to each other (through 3230 and 3235, figs. and 71, 82), and the fastening portion of the second rotation bracket is formed to fasten the second hinge plate and the second rotation bracket to each other (through 3225 and 3240, figs. and 71, 82), and
wherein the fastening portion of the first rotation bracket forms a third rotation axis to rotate the first hinge plate therearound and the fastening portion of the second rotation bracket forms a fourth rotation axis to rotate the second hinge plate therearound (as disclosed upon examination of figs. and 71, 82, 85-86, where through 3230 corresponds to the third rotation axis, and through 3240 corresponding to the fourth rotation axis).
wherein each of the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket comprises a first arm (annotated as FA in annotated fig. 68 below) formed to protrude from the one surface of the base in the longitudinal direction of the foldable electronic device, a second arm (annotated as SA in annotated fig. 68 below) extending from the first arm in a direction parallel to the one surface of the base, and a guide pin hole (3262c, 3272c, fig. 68) formed on one surface of the second arm (fig. 68), and
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wherein the hinge module comprises a first hinge arm (322, fig. 71) and a second hinge arm (323, fig. 71) configured to rotate the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket in response to an unfolded or folded state of the first housing and the second housing (see at least figs. 72-73).
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.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Kim et al (US 20190369668; “Kim” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 3, Liu discloses the limitations of claim 2, and further discloses: wherein the gear member comprises a first gear (3281) and a second gear (second instance of 3281, fig. 69),
wherein the first gear is aligned with the first rotation axis and the second gear aligned with the second rotation axis (claim 1 mapping teaches this limitation).
Liu does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the hinge module further comprises an interlocking gear interlocking the first gear and the second gear with each other.
However, Kim teaches:
a hinge module (300, fig. 12A) further comprises an interlocking gear (342, 352, fig. 12A-12C) interlocking a first gear (341, fig. 12A-12C) and a second gear (352, fig. 12A-12C) with each other (¶[0129]-[0130]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to apply Kim’s teaching into Liu, such that the hinge module further comprises an interlocking gear interlocking the first gear and the second gear with each other, since the claim would have been obvious because the particular known technique (interlocking gears) was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art, as evidenced by Kim. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity (MPEP 2143).
Regarding claim 4, Liu in view of Kim discloses the limitations of claim 3, and further discloses: wherein the gear member further comprises a fixing bracket (3212, fig. 53-55) configured to fix a position of the first gear by accommodating at least a part of the first gear and to fix a position of the second gear by accommodating at least a part of the second gear (fig. 59 and 70).
Regarding claim 5, Liu in view of Kim discloses the limitations of claim 4, and further discloses: further comprising a fastener (“fastener 3212 may be fastened to the mounting part 3211a by using a plurality of fasteners (not shown in the figure)”, ¶[0519]) fastening the fixing bracket to the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket (fig. 70, 87).
Liu does not explicitly teach:
the fastener being a pin member.
However, Kim teaches:
pin members (532, fig. 10) disposed on a hinge cover (530, fig. 10) as a fastening means between the hinge cover and a bracket (330, fig. 12B, ¶[0165]) of a hinge structure (300, fig. 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to apply Kim’s teaching into Liu, such that a first pin member fastens the fixing bracket to the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket, since the claim would have been obvious because the particular known technique (pins used pas fastening means) was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art, as evidenced by Kim. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity (MPEP 2143).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is 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 13, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claim 1, and a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein the gear member comprises a first gear and a second gear, wherein the hinge module further comprises: a first hinge arm connected to the first gear; and a second hinge arm connected to the second gear, wherein the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are configured to respectively rotate the first rotation bracket and the second rotation bracket in response to an unfolding or a folding of the first housing and the second housing, wherein the first gear comprises a first teeth portion and a first shaft connected to the first teeth portion, wherein the second gear comprises a second teeth portion and a second shaft connected to the second teeth portion, wherein the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are fixedly connected to the first shaft and the second shaft, respectively, and wherein the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm are fixed by press-fitting of an asymmetric cross-sectional structure of an end of the first shaft and an asymmetric cross- sectional structure of an end of the second shaft. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/SAGAR SHRESTHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841