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 § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 7-13 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2024/0143037 to Ahn (i.e., Ref. 1 hereafter).
Referring to claim 1, Ref. 1 discloses an electronic device (Figs. 1-3) comprising: a side member (210/212) comprising a bezel (212) at least partially surrounding a space (not numbered) between a front surface (214) and a rear surface (213) of the electronic device; a speaker hole (211) extending through at least a portion of the side member (210/212); a module case (220) disposed in an interior of the space and surrounding a speaker module comprising a speaker (i.e., “loudspeaker” – col. 4, lines 51-54) configured to emit sound through the speaker hole (211; and a waterproof structure (240, col. 8, lines 63 – col. 9, line 16) disposed between the side member (210/212) and the module case (220), wherein the waterproof structure (240) includes: a waterproof tape member comprising a waterproof tape (“adhesive” e.g., 253, Fig. 3); a porous member (i.e., “thread” – col. 8, line 63 - col. 9, line 17) comprising a porous material (243, Fig. 7) having a plurality of openings (244), the openings having sizes smaller than a size of the speaker hole (211); and a waterproof bond member (i.e., “coating”) comprising a waterproof bonding material (col. 8, line 63 – col. 9, line 16) extending through the plurality of openings (244) and coupled to the waterproof tape member (253) and the porous member (243) while overlapping with the waterproof tape member (253) and the porous member (“thread”). See Figs. 1-3 and 7.
Referring to claim 2, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein when the waterproof structure (240) is viewed from above (Fig. 7), the waterproof structure includes a central area (not numbered), and a peripheral area (242) around the central area, and wherein the waterproof bond member and the waterproof tape member (254) are formed in hollow frame shapes in the central area.
Referring to claim 3, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the porous member (243) is disposed between the waterproof bond member and the waterproof tape member in the peripheral area. Figs. 3 and 7.
Referring to claim 4, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the waterproof bond member (252) is thicker than at least any one of the waterproof tape member (253) and the porous member (“thread”). See Fig. 3.
Referring to claim 7, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the waterproof bond member (252, Fig. 3) is pressed while contacting any one of the module case (220) and the side member, and wherein the waterproof tape member (253) is attached to an other one of the module case and the side member (212).
Referring to claim 8, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the porous member (“thread” 243) includes mesh layers surrounding the plurality of openings (Fig. 7), and wherein the porous member includes at least any one of meshes and nonwoven fabric.
Referring to claim 9, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 8, wherein line widths of the mesh layers are smaller than widths and lengths of the openings. See Fig. 7.
Referring to claim 10, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 8, wherein spacing distances between the mesh layers are greater than spacing distances between the plurality of openings. See Fig. 10.
Referring to claim 11, Ref. 1 discloses an electronic device (Figs. 1-3) comprising: a first mechanical structure (210/212) comprising a surface (212) facing an outside of the electronic device; a second mechanical structure (220) comprising a surface spaced apart from the first mechanical structure (210/212); a through-hole (211) extending through at least a portion of the first mechanical structure (210/212); and a waterproof structure (240) disposed between the first mechanical structure (210/212) and the second mechanical structure (220), wherein the waterproof structure includes: a porous member (i.e., “thread” – col. 8, line 63 - col. 9, line 17) comprising a porous material (243, Fig. 7) connected to the through-hole (211) and having a plurality of openings (244), the openings having sizes smaller than a size of the through-hole; and a waterproof bond member (i.e., “coating”) comprising a waterproof bonding material (col. 8, line 63 – col. 9, line 16) extending into the plurality of openings and coupled to the first mechanical structure (210/212) and the porous member (i.e., “thread”) while overlapping with the first mechanical structure (210/212) and the porous member.
Referring to claim 12, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 11, wherein when the waterproof structure (240) is viewed from above (Fig. 7), the waterproof structure includes a central area (not numbered), and a peripheral area (242) around the central area, and wherein the waterproof bond member and the waterproof tape member (254) are formed in hollow frame shapes in the central area.
Referring to claim 13, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the porous member (243) is disposed between the waterproof bond member and the waterproof tape member in the peripheral area. Figs. 3 and 7.
Referring to claim 17, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 11, wherein the porous member (“thread” 243) includes mesh layers surrounding the plurality of openings (Fig. 7), and wherein the porous member includes at least any one of meshes and nonwoven fabric.
Referring to claim 18, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 17, wherein spacing distances between the mesh layers are greater than spacing distances between the plurality of openings. See Fig. 10.
Referring to claim 19, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first mechanical structure (210/212) includes a side member comprising a bezel (below 214, Fig. 2) at least partially surrounding a space between a front surface (214) and a rear surface (213) of the electronic device, and wherein the second mechanical structure (220) includes a module case surrounding a speaker module disposed in an interior of the side member (see Figs. 2-4).
Referring to claim 20, Ref. 1 discloses the electronic device of claim 11, further comprising: a side member comprising a bezel (below 214, Fig. 2) at least partially surrounding a space between a front surface (214) and a rear surface (213) of the electronic device, wherein the through-hole (211) includes at least any one of a speaker hole (211), a microphone hole, and a sensor hole (i.e., the speaker hole) formed through at least a portion of the side member. See Fig. 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, and 14-16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claim 5, the specific limitations of “at least portion of at least one surface of the waterproof bond member has a curved surface,” in combination with the remaining elements, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claim 6 depends from claim 5 and is therefore allowable for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 14, the specific limitations of “the porous member further includes: at least one fixing recess disposed in the peripheral area, having a size greater than a size of any one of the plurality of openings, wherein the first mechanical structure further includes: at least one fixing boss coupled to the fixing recess,” in combination with the remaining elements, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 15 and 16 depends, either directly or indirectly, from claim 14 and are therefore allowable for at least the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY Q EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2042. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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/Anthony Q Edwards/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
December 19, 2025