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 objections
Claim 2, line 3, “the same circle center” lacks antecedent basis. Also it is not clear what structure defines the referenced center.
Claim 2, line 3, “the same cylindrical curved surface” lacks antecedent basis. Also it is not clear what structure defines the referenced cylindrical curved surface.
Claim 4, line 3, “the periphery” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, line 1, “the shape” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, line 2, “the diameter” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, line 2, “the lower end” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, line 3, “the diameter” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 5, line 3, “the upper end” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 6, line 1, “the lower end” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 6, line 2, “the upper surface” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 7, line 3, “the upper end” lacks antecedent basis.
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 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazushi (JP2012138254) in view of Guentner (US20160225552).
Regarding claim 1, Kazushi teaches a switch comprising a housing 5, a silent module 6 arranged in the housing, and a guide core 32 arranged in the housing above the silent module and extending from the housing, wherein the silent module comprises a silencing elastic sheet 62 arranged in the housing, and a silencing rubber pad 61 arranged in the housing above the silencing elastic sheet (paragraphs 27-28 of the enclosed translation). Kazushi does not teach the claimed structure of silencing elastic sheet. However, Guentner teaches a similar silencing elastic sheet 10 which is upwardly arched at a central position thereof to form an upper arched portion; a through hole is formed on the upper arched portion; an action sheet 8 is arranged on the silencing elastic sheet at the through hole; and the action sheet is connected to the silencing elastic sheet via at least one connecting arm 14 (Figs. 7-8 and paragraphs 48-50). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Guentner in the switch of Kazushi, since claimed configuration is just one of numerous configurations a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious for the purpose of providing mating surfaces.
Regarding claim 9, Kazushi teaches a keyboard comprising a switch according to claim 1 (paragraph 1 of the enclosed translation).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazushi and Guentner as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Guerrero (US20210050163).
Regarding claim 8, Kazushi does not teach a mouse comprising the claimed switch. However, Guerrero teaches mouse that comprises a similar switch device 200 (Fig. 2 and paragraph 38). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the switch of Kazushi into the mouse of Guerrero since both keyboards and mice are known input devices that use a similar mechanical switches for click actuation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 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 2, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed switch wherein the silencing rubber pad comprises a middle limiting block, and a plurality of arc-shaped support sheets which are annularly arranged at a lower end of the middle limiting block and uniformly distributed, the support sheets having the same circle center and being located on the same cylindrical curved surface.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art fails to teach or show, alone or in combination, the claimed switch wherein the silent module further comprises a contact bubble point module arranged in the cavity and located below the silencing elastic sheet, wherein the contact bubble point module comprises two side contact bubble points arranged in the cavity and located at both sides below the silencing elastic sheet, and a middle contact bubble point arranged in the cavity below the action sheet and located between the two side contact bubble points; and the lower surface of the silencing elastic sheet contacts with the two side contact bubble points.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED M SAEED whose telephone number is (571)270-7976. The examiner can normally be reached 10-8pm.
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/AHMED M SAEED/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833