DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 October 27, 2025 has been entered.
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.
3. Claim(s) 1 and 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese Application CN 216122878 U to Guo et al. (“Guo”) in view of Chinese Application CN 207184805 U to Chang, and further in view of Chinese Application CN 115119099 A to Zhu et al. (“Zhu”).
As to claim 1, Guo discloses sounding device (see figures 1-2; pg. 1, ¶ 0001 of the English translation), including: a frame (1, see figures 1-3; pgs. 8-9, ¶ 0048 - ¶ 0049); a vibration system fixed on the frame (2, see figures 2-3; pg. 8, ¶ 0048; pg. 9, ¶ 0051); a magnetic circuit system for driving the vibration system to vibrate (2, see figures 2-3; pg. 8, ¶ 0048; pg. 9, ¶ 0051), including a magnet unit fixed to the frame (32, see figures 2-3; pg. 8, ¶ 0048; pg. 12, ¶ 0060 - ¶ 0062) and a magnetic yoke connected to the magnet unit (31, see figures 2-3; pg. 8, ¶ 0048); an inner sounding cavity formed by the frame, the magnetic yoke and the vibration system (see figures 2-3; pg. 8, ¶ 0045; pg. 9, ¶ 0050); a sealer which is injection-molded; wherein the sealer is penetrated to form a plurality of leak holes connecting the inner sounding cavity with an outside of the sounding device (4, see figures 1-4, 6 and 8; pg. 8, ¶ 0045, ¶ 0048; pg. 10 ¶ 0052, ¶ 0054); the sealer includes a bottom wall, and a side wall bent and extended from the bottom wall to the vibration system; the side wall is spaced apart from the magnet unit (see figures 1-4, 6 and 8; pg. 8, ¶ 0045).
Guo discloses the sealer, the frame and the magnetic circuit being injection molded and fixed together to collectively form the device enclosure (see figures 1-4; pg. 8, ¶ 0045; pg. 9, ¶ 0049), but does not expressly disclose the sealer with leakage holes being made of plastic, nor the sealer being injection-molded connected to an outer periphery of the magnetic yoke. However such a configuration is known in the art, as taught by Chang, which discloses a similar device, and further discloses the housing including an extension wall 13 with micro hole leakage structure 15 that can be made of plastic and is coupled to the outer periphery of the magnetic yoke formed by bottom wall 11 and side wall 12 (see figures 1-2; pg. 5, ¶ 0028 - ¶ 0029), wherein the frame as a whole can be injection molded together and formed by magnetic metal portions forming the bottom wall 11 and side wall 12 acting as the magnetic yoke, and a plastic extension wall 13 with leakage holes 15 (see figures 1-2; pg. 5, ¶ 0028 - ¶ 0029). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, as it is merely a straightforward possibility from which a skilled person would select when constructing a sound aperture area to discharge airflow out of the speaker housing (Chang pg. 5, ¶ 0028 - ¶ 0029).
Guo in view of Chang further does not expressly disclose the leak holes are formed through the bottom wall and the side wall. However such a configuration is considered an obvious variation, as taught by Zhu, which discloses a similar sounding device, and further discloses the ventilation component 2 with bottom and side portions, the bottom and side portions both having vent holes (see figures 1-4; pg. 21, ¶ 0081 of the English translation). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being to make use of all surfaces on the ventilation component to enable the regulation of airflow in a consistent manner and thereby improve the performance and reliability of the device (Zhu pg. 31, ¶ 0101).
As to claim 3, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses wherein the plurality of leak holes are arranged in an array (Guo figures 1, 3-4 and 8; Chang figures 1-2; Zhu figures 1-4).
As to claim 4, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses having a shape of a rectangle (Guo figures 1-6 and 8; pg. 3, ¶ 0010) but does not expressly disclose including four plastic sealers, wherein the plastic sealers are arranged at four corners of the magnetic yoke at intervals. However it does disclose the use of two plastic sealers arranged on opposite sides of the magnetic yoke (Guo figures 1-2; Zhu figures 1 and 3). The proposed modification of four plastic sealers arranged at four corners of the magnetic yoke at intervals is therefore considered obvious given the teachings of Guo in view of Chang and Zhu, depending on the shape and size of the sounding device, and further as it has been held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance. See In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). In this case, providing four plastic sealers arranged at four corners instead of two plastic sealers would not provide an unexpected result, as the plastic sealers would still be positioned around the magnetic yoke and provide the leakage airflow discharge structures, as taught by Guo in view of Chang and Zhu.
As to claim 5, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses having a shape of a rectangle and including two plastic sealers respectively arranged at two opposite short-axis sides or two long-axis sides of the magnetic yoke (Guo figures 1-3; pg. 3, ¶ 0010; Zhu figures 1 and 3).
As to claim 6, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses wherein the plastic sealer is annular and arranged around the periphery of the magnetic yoke (Guo ring shaped, see figures 4-6 and 8; pg. 3, ¶ 0010; Chang figure 1).
As to claim 7, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses wherein each leak hole is formed through penetrating the side wall (Guo figures 1-4, 6 and 8; Zhu figures 1-4), but does not expressly disclose each leak hole being a rectangular hole. However such a modification is considered obvious as such a configuration involves merely changing the shape of the hole, and further as it has been held that changes in shape are considered a matter of choice and therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). In this case, a change in the shape of the leakage hole to a rectangular hole would still provide the discharge of airflow through the hole structure, as taught by Guo in view of Chang and Zhu.
As to claim 8, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses wherein each leak hole is a circular hole, which is formed through penetrating the bottom wall and the side wall (Guo figures 1-4, 6 and 8; Chang figures 1-2; Zhu figures 1-4).
4. Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Chang and Zhu, and further in view of Chinese Application CN 212727403 U to Liu et al. (“Liu”).
As to claim 9, Guo in view of Chang and Zhu discloses the sounding device as described in claim 1.
Guo in view of Chang and Zhu further discloses wherein the magnet unit includes a main magnet (Guo 321, see figures 2-3 and 6-7; pg. 12, ¶ 0060), and an auxiliary magnet arranged around the main magnet for forming a magnetic gap (Guo 324, see figures 2-3 and 6-7; pg. 12, ¶ 0060); the vibration system includes a diaphragm fixed on the frame (Guo 21, see figures 2-3; pg. 9, ¶ 0051), a dome (Guo figures 2-3; pg. 17, ¶ 0086), and a voice coil for driving the vibration of the diaphragm; the voice coil is inserted into the magnetic gap (Guo 22, see figures 2-3; pg. 9, ¶ 0051); the plastic sealer surrounds the periphery of the auxiliary magnet and is spaced from the auxiliary magnet (Guo figure 3).
Guo in view of Chang and Zhu does not expressly disclose the vibration system further including a skeleton fixed on one side of the diaphragm close to the magnetic circuit system, wherein the dome and voice coil are fixed to the skeleton.
Liu discloses a similar sounding device, and further discloses the speaker having a skeleton below the diaphragm, the skeleton being bonded to the central portion of the diaphragm and the voice coil (see figures 1-5; pgs. 11-12, ¶ 0055 - ¶ 0056; pg. 13, ¶ 0060 of the English translation).
Guo in view of Chang and Zhu, and Liu are analogous art because they are drawn to sounding devices.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a skeleton as taught by Liu in the device as taught by Guo in view of Chang and Zhu. The motivation being as such a structure can improve reliability and acoustic performance of the product by providing a supportive connection between elastic elements of the vibration system (Liu pgs. 11-13, ¶ 0055 - ¶ 0060).
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SABRINA DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1621. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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/SABRINA DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/AHMAD F. MATAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2693