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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference characters not mentioned in the description: 101A and 101B in Figure 5. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference characters in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informality: In line 20, the claim reads: “at least one of long sides of the continuous protruding portion….” Appropriate correction is required.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bessho et al. (US 11,026,340 B2), hereinafter Bessho.
Regarding claim 1, Bessho teaches an electronic device comprising:
a case body (cover 11) including at least a bottom surface (ceiling wall 11c), a first upright wall portion (side wall 11a1), a second upright wall portion (side wall 11a2), a third upright wall portion (side wall 11a3), and a fourth upright wall portion (side wall 11a4) disposed around the bottom surface (11c);
a circuit board (circuit board 3) on which an electronic component (control circuit mentioned in col. 5, line 49) is mounted and which is accommodated in the case body (11); and
a lid portion (rear cover 12) disposed so as to correspond to at least a part of a first top portion (top edge of 11a1) of the first upright wall portion (11a1), a second top portion (top edge of 11a2) of the second upright wall portion (11a2), a third top portion (top edge of 11a3) of the third upright wall portion (11a3), and a fourth top portion (top edge of 11a4) of the fourth upright wall portion (11a4), covering the circuit board (3), and having an inner surface (shown in Figs. 3 and 5) facing the bottom surface (11c) and an outer surface (shown in Figs. 1 and 6) opposite to the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5),
wherein the lid portion (12) includes a contact portion (flat portions surrounding insertion holes 12c) provided on a part of the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5) and configured to be in contact with the circuit board (3),
wherein the lid portion (12) includes a continuous protruding portion (first 12b and second 12d standing walls) that is continuous with a predetermined length along the inner surface (12b and 12d extend along the entire perimeter of rear cover 12) and protrudes toward the bottom surface (11c), and
wherein in a case where the electronic device is disposed with the first upright wall portion (11a1) downward, at least one of long sides of the continuous protruding portion (12b and 12d) on the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5) is disposed above the contact portion (flat portions surrounding 12c) so as to cover the contact portion (12b and 12d surround the inner side of each contact portion).
Regarding claim 2, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above.
Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the lid portion (12) and the circuit board (3) are fastened to each other at the contact portion (flat portions surrounding 12c).
Regarding claim 3, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the lid portion (12) includes a protruding portion (curved parts of 12b and 12d that surround the inner side of each contact portion) corresponding to the contact portion (flat portions surrounding 12c).
Regarding claim 4, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 3 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the lid portion (12) and the circuit board (3) are fastened by a screw at the contact portion (see col. 5, lines 55-60).
Regarding claim 5, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in the case where the electronic device is disposed with the first upright wall portion (11a1) downward, at least one of the long sides of the continuous protruding portion (12b and 12d) on the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5) is obliquely disposed above the contact portion and covers the contact portion (curved parts of 12b and 12d that surround the inner side of each contact portion are obliquely disposed around each contact portion).
Regarding claim 6, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the long side of the continuous protruding portion (12b and 12d) on the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5) is set as a first long side (12b), and wherein the continuous protruding portion (12b and 12d) on the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5) further includes a second long side (12d) along the first long side (12b).
Regarding claim 7, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the electronic device is disposed with the fourth upright wall portion (11a4) downward, at least one of the long sides of the continuous protruding portion (12b and 12d) on the inner surface (Figs. 3 and 5) includes a first inclined side obliquely disposed in a first direction and a second inclined side obliquely disposed in a second direction different from the first direction (curved parts of 12b and 12d each have an inclined side, a direction tangent to those curved parts can be considered a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction).
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Regarding claim 8, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 7 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the first inclined side and the second inclined side are continuously disposed via a corner portion (see annotated Fig. 3 above).
Regarding claim 9, Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Bessho further teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the lid portion (12) is made of metal (see col. 4, lines 56-59).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Bessho.
Bessho teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above. Bessho teaches that the continuous protruding portion is formed on the lid portion made of metal, but is silent as to the method of its formation. The claimed phrase “wherein the continuous protruding portion is formed on the lid portion made of metal by press working” is being treated as a product by process limitation; that is, that the continuous protruding portion is formed by press working. As set forth in MPEP 2113, product-by-process claims are NOT limited to the manipulations of the recited steps, only to the structure implied by the steps. Once a product appearing to be substantially the same or similar is found, a 35 U.S.C. 102/103 rejection may be made and the burden is shifted to applicant to show an unobvious difference. See MPEP 2113.
Thus, even though Bessho is silent as to the process used to form the continuous protruding portion, it appears that the product in Bessho would be the same or similar as that claimed; especially since both applicant’s product and the prior art product is made of metal.
Conclusion
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/R.T.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841