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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/13/2026 have been fully considered.
Specification amendments filed 5/13/2026 are entered.
Drawing amendments filed 5/13/2026 are entered. Applicant states that the friction plates 401 are shown in the positions of claim 17 in figures 1 and 12. Examiner notes that the position of the friction plates 401 in figures 1 and 12 are in identical locations. Applicant asserts that the position of claims 1 and 12 meet ALL three options in claim 17. This argument is not persuasive. Drawings of 5/13/2026 are still objected to for this reason. The friction plates 401 are not “between the first rotating member 201 and the supporting base 100” in figure 1; plates 401 are between base bodies 101, and are not disclosed to be between any other parts. Therefore, not all three locations of claim 17 are shown in the drawings.
Regarding 112a rejections: applicant merely asserts the drawings show the locations. Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a definite invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims are definite. Arguments are not persuasive. 112a rejection is maintained.
Regarding the art rejection: Applicant includes two phrases to claim 1, the first being “first rotating members…are sequentially arranged in the first direction”. Examiner notes that this phrase is not definite. Examiner notes that claims only that each flip parts has “a first rotating member”. Therefore, each flip part has only one first rotating member, and the first rotating members must be on opposite sides of the supporting base. There is no manner how one on each side can be mounted “sequentially”. The second phrase requires “distributed on two sides of the supporting base in the second direction” (which is already required by the claim language above) “are not symmetrically distributed relative to the supporting base”. Examiner assumes this is applicant’s intent for the first phrase, but the inclusion of “distributed on two sides of the supporting base in the second direction” is already required by the claim language above by “each of the at least two flip parts” having the first rotating member.
Applicant argues that “other cited documents obviously do not disclose” this feature. Examiner notes that cited references Hu (both), Cheng (used in the rejection), Shang, Cheng, Kim (both), Yao, disclose the “not symmetrically distributed relative to the supporting base” concept. The location of the first rotating members along the elongated axis (being offset/sequential/”not symmetrically distributed” or directly opposite each other), does not affect the rotational function of the hinge structure claimed. The location of the multiple attachment points of the hinges to the hinged device is irrelevant, as long as the two folding parts on either side of the supporting base are attached to the hinging body at some point. Applicant does not argue or disclose that where the first rotating members are located along the hinge axis makes a difference in rotation. Newly applied reference Hu shows this concept most clearly. The device of Hsu with the rotating members in the location of that taught by Hu is an obvious modification, removing parts and therefore causing less material costs. Further, the “not symmetrically distributed” feature is only permitted by the inclusion of the torsion part, which separates the left/right sides of the hinge along the axis. Examiner contends that the inclusion of this location necessarily requires “torsion parts”.
Drawings
The drawings of 5/13/2026 are objected to because:
The friction plates 401 are shown in only one position, only in figure 12, and none of the locations claimed in claim 17 are that which is shown in figure 12. The washers 401 are between base bodies 101, and are not disclosed to be between any other parts.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1 and its dependents 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.
Regarding claim 1, applicant claims
“respective first rotating members….are sequentially arranged in the first direction”. Examiner notes that applicant requires only one first rotating members per flip part (line 7 of claim 1), and therefore, having one first rotating member on each side of the supporting base cannot have the any “sequence”. If applicant intends that the first rotating members are not opposite each other, this intent is in the second phrase of this paragraph. If applicant intends to claim three first rotating members which are mounting in an alternating fashion, applicant has not claimed this structure.
“respective first rotating members…distributed on two sides of the supporting base in the second direction are not symmetrically distributed relative to the supporting base”. Examiner notes that the first rotating members are associated with the flip parts, requiring the first rotating members “distributed on two sides of the supporting base in the second direction”, making this phrase redundant.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 17, applicant claims the friction plate(s) are located “between first rotating member and the supporting base”, “between the rotating assembly and the supporting base”, or “between two adjacent flip parts”. Examiner notes that the location of friction plates 401 are shown ONLY in the position of figure 12, which is not between any of the flip parts or any portion of the flip parts. The friction plates 401 are shown only exterior of the supporting base 10 and mounted on transmission shafts. Applicant does not show or have support for the friction plates in any other location than that shown in figure 12.
Dependent claims inherit the same issues from parent claims and do not resolve any indefinite issues.
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 17-18 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.
Regarding claim 17, applicant claims the friction plate(s) are located “between first rotating member and the supporting base”, “between the rotating assembly and the supporting base”, or “between two adjacent flip parts”. Examiner notes that the location of friction plates 401 are shown ONLY in the position of figure 12, which is not between any of the flip parts or any portion of the flip parts. The friction plates 401 are shown only exterior of the supporting base 10 and mounted on transmission shafts. Examiner assumes that applicant’s friction plates are claimed to be exterior of the base body, as disclosed.
Dependent claims inherit the same issues from parent claims and do not resolve any indefinite issues.
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) 1-2, 16-18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 11408214 Hsu, in view of 2021/0355988 Cheng, in further view of 2022/0247843 Hu.
Regarding claim 1, Hsu discloses a hinge, comprising:
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a supporting base (base body 10) extending in a first direction (along axis c in figure 2); and at least two flip parts 2 (detailed in figure 5, annotated below), each flip part 2 being rotatably connected to the supporting base 10 (flat or as in figure 8), wherein the at least two flip parts 2 are configured to be distributed on two opposite sides of the supporting base in a second direction in case that the hinge is in an unfolded state (flat as shown in figure 1), and the second direction intersects with the first direction (directions are perpendicular),
wherein each of the at least two flip parts 2 comprises a first rotating member 21, and a first connecting portion 213 connected to a first end of the first rotating member 21; and the supporting base 10 has a first arc-shaped sliding groove 12, and a part of the first connecting portion 213 is located in the first arc-shaped sliding groove 12 (as shown in figure
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8);
each of the at least two flip parts 2 further comprises a rotating assembly 22 (both parts 22, detailed in figure 5), a first end of the rotating assembly 22 is rotatably connected to the supporting base (using curved section 221), and a second end of the rotating assembly 22 is slidably connected to a second end of the first rotating member 21 (using sliding groove 212b, figure 5),
the first end of the rotating assembly (both parts 22) has a second rotating member 221 (on opposite side of rotating member 21);
the supporting base 10 further comprises a sliding portion 13 (figure 4), and the second rotating member 221 (on opposite side of rotating member 21) is rotatably connected to the sliding portion 13 (figures 9 and 10).
The sliding portion 13 on the base 10 of Hsu is a groove; the second rotating member 221 is a protrusion that goes within the groove/sliding portion 13 in figures 9 and 10 in Hsu.
Applicant claims the use of two parts on the second rotating member that forms a groove, while the sliding portion on the body is a protrusion, and that these two parts engage each other. Hsu discloses the reverse.
Applicant claims the two first rotating members on opposite sides of the supporting base are “sequentially arranged”. Examiner notes that applicant only requires one first rotating member per flip part, and therefore, one on each side does not make a “sequence”. Examiner assumes that the scope of “sequentially arranged” and the scope of the second phrase “not symmetrically distributed” are identical in scope.
Cheng discloses a similar electronics hinge having a flexible screen 30 over the hinge (figure 2), the hinge including a rotating assembly 2571 with a first connecting portion 255 and a second connecting portion 2552 creating a groove in the rotating assembly 2571 (figure 5) and the supporting base 251 having an arc shaped protrusion 2518 that is within the groove of the rotating assembly 2571.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to place the protrusion of the arc shaped protrusion in an arch shaped groove as taught by Hsu, on the support base instead of the rotating member, as taught by similar hinges such as Cheng. Examiner contends It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to place the arc shaped protrusion on the supporting base of Hsu and have the arc shaped groove on the rotating member, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04 (VI) (a). Examiner contends that these are known equivalents and are used for the same purpose within the ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144 (I): “rationale to modify or combine the prior art does not have to be expressly stated in the prior art…it may be reasoned from knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art”. Examiner which part has the arc shaped protrusion and which part has the arc shaped groove does not affect the form, function, or use, of the hinge of Hsu, since Hsu requires the arc shaped protrusion and groove in the identical location between identical parts as claimed. This modification is similar to reversing which side of a shirt has buttons, and which side of the shirt has holes.
Regarding the “sequentially arranged” and “not symmetrically distributed”, examiner notes that applicant’s claim requires only one first rotating member on each side of the supporting base. Therefore, examiner assumes that “sequentially arranged” and “not symmetrically distributed” are identical in scope.
Hu discloses a similar hinging device for a “flexible display screen” has a first rotating member 123 for flip part 122 on the left side of figure 4, and a first rotating member 123 for flip part 122 on the right side of base 110. These first rotating parts are “distributed on two sides of the supporting base” just like in Hsu, but are “not symmetrically distributed”, as the first rotating parts are separated by “synchronous transmission assembly 127” [0030].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to separate the left/right sides of the hinge of Hsu by torsion parts 127 in the manner old and well known in the art taught by Hu figure 3, in that the location of the mounting parts/first rotating members to the flip parts required by Hsu can be in any old and well known location such as that taught by Hu. Examiner contends that by separating the hinge of Hsu to left/right components allows for a less complicated assembly process for the parts of Hsu and allow them to be mounted in the electronic device in a simpler manner, as taught by Hu. The rearrangement of known parts into a known arrangement is considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.04 (VI) (c).
Regarding claim 20, Hsu as modified discloses the hinge of claim 1 used in a foldable display device (Figure 1) comprising a flexible display panel S, at least two housings (figure 1) and a hinge, wherein the at least two housings are connected to each other through the hinge, the flexible display panel is arranged on and covers the at least two housings.
Regarding claim 2, Hsu as modified discloses the hinge of claim 1, wherein the supporting base 10 further comprises a first hollowed-out groove (between extensions 1 in figure 2), and the first arc-shaped sliding groove 12 is in communication with the first hollowed-out groove (as shown in figure 2); and wherein the first end (with first connecting portion 213 is) of the first rotating member 21 is located in the first hollowed-out groove (as shown in figure 2), and is rotatably connected to the supporting base 10 through the first connecting portion 213 (as shown in figure 8).
Regarding claim 16, Hsu discloses the hinge of claim 1, wherein the flip part 2 (detailed in figure 5) further comprises another connecting portion 321 connected to the second end of the first rotating member 21 (using slots 223), and an axial direction of the another connecting portion 321 is parallel to the first direction (parallel to axis C); and the second end of the rotating assembly 22 has a sliding groove 223, and an end of the another connecting portion 321 facing away from the first rotating member 21 is located in the sliding groove 223 and slidably connected to the rotating assembly 22.
Regarding claim 17, please see 112a, 112b rejections above. Hsu as modified discloses the hinge of claim 3, further comprising a torsion part (detailed in figures 11 and 12, and shown in Hu) connected to the flip part 2 (by fourth connection portion 321), the torsion part comprising one or more friction plates 35; wherein the one or more friction plates are arranged side by side in the first direction (as shown in figures 11-12) exterior of the base body, as disclosed by applicant’s figure 12.
Regarding claim 18, Hsu discloses the hinge of claim 17, wherein the torsion part (figures 11-12) further comprises a transmission shaft 31 connected to the flip part 2 (by way of arm 32 and fourth connecting portion 321), and the one or more friction plates 35 are fitted over the transmission shaft 31 in the first direction.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Chen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of 2023/0217615 Kim.
Regarding claim 19, Hsu as modified discloses the hinge of claim 1, wherein the supporting base comprises a base body, but does not include a protective shell.
Kim discloses a similar hinge with folding parts for a device having a foldable flexible screen, having a base body and a protective shell, as described in claim 19 above.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add a protective shell like that of Kim to the known hinge of Hsu for “an external cover” [0080] of the similar hinge Hsu. Doing so provides an extra layer of protection of the known devices, or for an aesthetic change, from the existing hinge of Hsu without changing the folding mechanism of Hsu, in a known manner, taught by Kim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY M MORGAN whose telephone number is (303)297-4260. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8-5 MST.
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/EMILY M MORGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677
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