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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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(s) 1, 3, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakitani et al. (US 2009/0038721 A1) in view of Wilson (US 2015/0342308 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wakitani discloses a VR silicone integrated handle protective casing comprising,
a main body protective casing part, configured with an accommodative cavity for holding a handle and a clearance hole in communication with the accommodative cavity, and the clearance hole corresponds to positions of a button and an interface of the handle (see fig. 5 and par. [0088], The cover 100 in this embodiment is formed with windows 114 and 116 at an interval on the top surface. The window 114 allows the cross switch 36 and the A button 42 of the controller 14 to be exposed from the cover 100, and the window 116 allows the operation buttons 38-48 to be exposed from the cover 100);
and wherein the main body protective casing part is made of silicone materials (see par. [0073], The cover 100 is made of an elastic material like silicon rubber).
However, Wakitani does not explicitly disclose a handle strap part, connected to the main body protective casing part; wherein the handle strap part is integrated with the main body protective casing part, and the handle strap part is made of silicone materials.
Wilson teaches an assembly for carrying an electronic device including a handle strap part, connected to the main body protective casing part; wherein the handle strap part is integrated with the main body protective casing part, and the handle strap part is made of silicone materials (see fig. 1 and par. [0040], The strap 14 in two of the disclosed embodiments (FIGS. 1 and 3) is preferably manufactured from a soft, silicone rubber material to provide the proper strength, comfort and look of a sporty or casual watchband). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the protective casing of Wakitani with the strap of Wilson in order to allow the attachment of the entire device to, preferably, a user's wrist (or other body part) (see Wilson, par. [0034]).
Regarding claim 3, Wakitani discloses wherein the main body protective casing part is configured with a strap punching, and one end of the handle strap part away from the main body protective casing part is configured to be passed through the strap punching (see fig 5 and par. [0090], A window 120 formed on the end surface (rear surface) of the cover 100; also see par. [0092], A window 122 on the front surface of the cover 100; both windows can be used to pass a strap through, such as the strap shown in fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Wilson teaches wherein the main body protective casing part is configured with a threading part, and the threading part is configured with the strap punching (see par. [0044], The two ends of the shank 114 have threaded openings which allow the pins 122 to secure each end of the shank to the retention member 112).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakitani et al. (US 2009/0038721 A1) in view of Wilson (US 2015/0342308 A1) and further in view of NPL document “The History of Seiko Dive Watches” (hereinafter referred to as Seiko).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Wakitani and Wilson disclose the VR silicone integrated handle protective casing as discussed above. However, the combination of Wakitani and Wilson does not explicitly disclose wherein a connection section between the handle strap part and the main body protective casing part is configured with grooves, and the handle strap part is configured with grooves at one end near the main body protective casing part.
Seiko teaches a watch with a strap wherein a connection section between the handle strap part and the main body protective casing part is configured with grooves, and the handle strap part is configured with grooves at one end near the main body protective casing part (see figure on pg. 5 and last paragraph on pg. 4, “accordion-style rubber strap”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the strap of Wakitani and Wilson to have grooves as taught by Seiko in order to allow for contracting and expanding (i.e. bending and flexing) (see Seiko pg. 4, last paragraph).
Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wakitani et al. (US 2009/0038721 A1) in view of Wilson (US 2015/0342308 A1) and further in view of Hayes et al. (US 2017/0064854 A1).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Wakitani and Wilson disclose the VR silicone integrated handle protective casing as discussed above. However, the combination of Wakitani and Wilson does not explicitly disclose wherein the handle strap part is configured with a first Velcro on one end away from the main body protective casing part, the handle strap part is configured with a second Velcro on another end near the main body protective casing part, and the first Velcro is configured to be adhered to the second Velcro after being passed through the strap punching.
Hayes teaches a mobile device cover with strap wherein the handle strap part is configured with a first Velcro on one end away from the main body protective casing part, the handle strap part is configured with a second Velcro on another end near the main body protective casing part, and the first Velcro is configured to be adhered to the second Velcro after being passed through the strap punching (see par. [0002], For example, for use when exercising, one may select a case with an arm band strap for attaching the mobile device to ones arm. Typically straps for these cases have a loop and fabric fastener such as VELCRO®). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the strap of Wakitani and Wilson to use Velcro as taught by Hayes in order to allow one to easily adjust and fasten the case with mobile electronic device to ones arm and then easily unfasten the strap for removing the device in the cover from ones arm (see Hayes, par. [0002]).
Regarding claim 5, Hayes teaches wherein a handle strap section between the first Velcro and the second Velcro is configured with a bending part; and the bending part is bent in the same direction as a bending direction of the handle strap section between the first Velcro and the second Velcro (see fig. 4 and par. [0031], thereby securely forming a loop 36).
Regarding claim 6, Wakitani discloses wherein the main body protective casing part is configured with an anti-skid part, and the anti-skid part is located between the handle strap part and the strap punching (see par. [0087], In addition, on the outer surface of the main body portion 102 of the cover 100 in this embodiment, especially, the area corresponding to the left and right side surfaces and the bottom surface of the controller 14, a multiplicity of ridges 112 each extending in the direction of the length L of the controller 14 and being relatively short are formed. The ridges 112 are formed for a non-slip member).
Regarding claim 7, Wakitani discloses wherein the anti-skid part comprises a plurality of bumps provided on the main body protective casing part (see par. [0087], In addition, on the outer surface of the main body portion 102 of the cover 100 in this embodiment, especially, the area corresponding to the left and right side surfaces and the bottom surface of the controller 14, a multiplicity of ridges 112 each extending in the direction of the length L of the controller 14 and being relatively short are formed. The ridges 112 are formed for a non-slip member).
Regarding claim 8, Wakitani discloses wherein one end of the main body protective casing part away from the handle strap part is configured with an opening in communication with the accommodative cavity (see fig 5 and par. [0090], A window 120 formed on the end surface (rear surface) of the cover 100; also see par. [0092], A window 122 on the front surface of the cover 100).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nakajima (US 2009/0318227 A1), Snell (US 5,383,091), Bares et al. (US 2014/0200085 A1)
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/ALLEN CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715 11/20/2025