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 .
Election/Restrictions
. Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 1-15) in the reply filed on November 11, 2025 is acknowledged.
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 1-15 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.
Claim 1, lines 11-12, reads “the plate layer is a remaining thickness of a preliminary plate cut to remove a thickness of the preliminary plate:” It is unclear if “a preliminary plate” is a separate structural element of the plate layer.
Claim 1, lines 13-15, reads “the recessed pattern defined by the thickness portion and the remaining thickness facing each other within the preliminary plate”. It is unclear how “the recessed pattern” is defined by “the thickness portion and the remaining thickness facing each other within the preliminary plate” because the claim previously recites that the preliminary plate is cut to remove the thickness portion, leaving a “remaining thickness”. Thus, it is unclear how the removed thickness portion and the remaining thickness can face each other within the preliminary plate and define the recessed pattern.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nasher et al. (US 10,919,326; hereinafter Nasher).
Regarding claim 1, Nasher discloses (Figs 1A and 12-13) a plate (1310) of a housing within an electronic device (100), the plate (1310) comprising: a plate layer (1340) comprising: an inner surface (1314) defining a groove (groove in 1366 formed by 1372) of the plate (1310) which extends in an extension direction; a cut surface (1312 extending into 1360) directly extending from the inner surface (1314) in a direction away from the groove (groove in 1366 formed by 1372); a first surface roughness (roughness of surface 1312) of the cut surface (1312 extending into 1360) of the plate layer (1340); and a second surface roughness (roughness of surface comprising 1372) of the inner surface (1314) of which is different from the first surface roughness, wherein the plate layer (1340) is a remaining thickness of a preliminary plate (1330 and 1340) cut to remove a thickness portion (thickness of 1330 in Fig 13D) of the preliminary plate (1330 and 1340), the groove (groove in 1366 formed by 1372) of the plate (1310) is a portion of a recessed pattern (1360) of the preliminary plate (1330 and 1340), the recessed pattern (1360) defined by the thickness portion (thickness of 1330 in Fig 13D) and the remaining thickness (thickness of 1340 in Fig. 13D) facing each other within the preliminary plate (1330 and 1340), and the cut surface (1312 extending into 1360) of the plate layer (1340) which has the first surface roughness is an exposed surface of the remaining thickness (thickness of 1340 in Fig. 13D) of the preliminary plate (1330 and 1340) cut along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the groove (groove in 1366 formed by 1372) to remove the thickness portion (thickness of 1330 in Fig 13D) of the preliminary plate (see figs 13A-13D).
Regarding claim 2, Nasher discloses (Figs 1A and 12-13) the plate of claim 1, wherein the second surface roughness (roughness in area comprising 1372) is greater than the first surface roughness (roughness in area comprising 1312).
Regarding claim 3, Nasher discloses (Figs 1A and 12-13) the plate of claim 1, wherein the inner surface (1314) of the plate layer (1340) defines the groove (groove in 1366 formed by 1372) provided in plural including a plurality of grooves (see for Example Fig. 1B-1C, 150 and 160; and Col. 10, lines 12-13 “As shown in FIG. 1A, the marking 120 further includes a first relief feature 150 and a second relief feature 160”) of the plate spaced apart from each other along the plate, and the plurality of grooves of the plate are respectively portions of a plurality of recessed patterns of the preliminary plate which are spaced apart from each other along the preliminary plate, each of the recessed patterns defined by the thickness portion and the remaining thickness facing each other within the preliminary plate.
Regarding claim 6, Nasher discloses (Figs 1A and 12-13) the plate of claim 1, wherein the direction intersecting the extension direction of the groove is inclined or orthogonal to the extension direction of the groove (see Figs 1-1C).
Regarding claim 7, Nasher discloses (Figs 1A and 12-13) the plate of claim 6, wherein the direction intersecting the extension direction of the groove is a linear direction or a spiral direction (see Figs 1-1C).
Regarding claim 10, Nasher discloses (Figs 1A) the plate of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the recessed pattern is a portion of a circle or a polygon.
Claim(s) 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cho et al. (US 10,709,051; hereinafter Cho).
Regarding claim 12, Cho discloses (Figs 5 and 6A) an electronic device comprising: a battery; (440) and a plate (521) on which the battery is seated, wherein the plate (521) comprises: an inner surface defining a groove (523-1) of the plate; a cut surface (surface receiving 610) directly extending from the inner surface in a direction away from the groove; a first surface roughness of the cut surface of the plate; and a second surface roughness of the inner surface of which is different from the first surface roughness (col. 13, lines 7-10).
Regarding claim 13, Cho discloses (Figs 4A, 5 and 6A) the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the cut surface of the plate is a flat surface, and the groove (see fig. 4A) of the plate is provided in plural including a plurality of grooves (grooves form a rectangle shape in fig. 4A) recessed from the flat surface and spaced apart from each other along the plate.
Regarding claim 14, Cho discloses (Figs 4A, 5 and 6A) the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the cut surface of the plate is a flat surface, and the groove of the plate is provided in plural including a plurality of grooves recessed from the flat surface and crossing each other at a point (grooves form a rectangle shape in fig. 4A and meet at respective corners).
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) 4-5, 9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nasher.
Regarding claim 4, Nasher discloses the plate of claim 1. Nasher does not specifically disclose the extension direction of the groove of the plate layer extends in an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction or a diagonal direction.
However, Nasher teaches the groove can extend in any direction (see col 5 lines 51-56).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make Nasher’s plate with the extension direction of the groove of the plate layer extends in an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction or a diagonal direction, depending on the desired visual appearance of the plate.
Regarding claim 5, Nasher discloses the plate of claim 1. Nasher does not specifically disclose the inner surface of the plate layer defines the groove provided in plural including a plurality of grooves respectively extended in extension directions crossing each other.
However, Nasher teaches the groove can extend in any direction (see col 5 lines 51-56).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make Nasher’s plate with the inner surface of the plate layer defines the groove provided in plural including a plurality of grooves respectively extended in extension directions crossing each other, depending on the desired visual appearance of the plate.
Regarding claim 9, Nasher discloses the plate of claim 1. Nasher does not specifically disclose a width of the recessed pattern at the thickness portion is approximately 4 millimeters or greater, the plate layer has a thickness, and a depth of the groove of the plate is less than approximately ½ of the thickness of the plate layer.
However, Nasher teaches the recessed pattern and the groove can be of different thickness (see col. 6, lines 1-9 and lines 24-33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make Nasher’s plate with a width of the recessed pattern at the thickness portion is approximately 4 millimeters or greater, the plate layer has a thickness, and a depth of the groove of the plate is less than approximately ½ of the thickness of the plate layer, depending on the desired visual appearance of the plate.
Regarding claim 11, Nasher discloses the plate of claim 1. Nasher does not specifically disclose the inner surface defining the groove of the plate has a surface roughness of Ra 2.0 micrometers or greater.
However, Nasher teaches the groove can include various shapes (see col 6, lines 24-33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to make Nasher’s plate with the inner surface defining the groove of the plate has a surface roughness of Ra 2.0 micrometers or greater, depending on the desired visual appearance of the plate.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho .
Regarding claim 15, Cho discloses the electronic device of claim 12. Cho does not specifically disclose the plate has a thickness, a depth of the groove is less than approximately ½ of the thickness of the plate, and the second surface roughness is greater than or equal to about Ra 2.0 micrometers.
However, the selection of the depth of the groove and the roughness in the second groove would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art based on the plate material, the adhesive properties and design considerations.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have the plate with a thickness, a depth of the groove is less than approximately ½ of the thickness of the plate, and the second surface roughness is greater than or equal to about Ra 2.0 micrometers in Cho’s electronic device, in order to achieve sufficient adhesive bonding. Furthermore, it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 is 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 and if claim 1 is rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance: The primary reasons for the indication of the allowability of claim 8 are:
Regarding claim 8, the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest in combination with other claimed limitations the plate layer of the plate and the thickness portion of the preliminary plate include a same material as each other.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7893. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
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/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/
Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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