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 Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because “in the both” on line 7 should be changed to “in both”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 5, 7, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Simsir et al. [Simsir hereinafter, WO 2019/209213] in view of Li [US 2010/0329500].
In regard to claim 1, Simsir discloses [in figs. 1-4] a rotation detection device comprising: an operation member [2] having an annular shape and configured to be rotatable about a rotation center axis; a base member [1] disposed within the operation member; a switch [3 on the right] that detects a rotation as the operation member [2] rotates and disposed on the base member [1]; and a returning mechanism [5 on the left] configured to return the operation member [2] to an initial position by an elastic force, wherein the returning mechanism is provided within the operation member [2], and is located opposite to the sensor with the rotation center axis interposed between the returning mechanism and the sensor. Simsir does not disclose a switch configured to be pressed as the operation member rotates such that a rotation direction of the operation member coincides with a pressing direction. Li teaches [in Figs. 2-4] a switch [220, 320, 420] configured to be pressed as the operation member [20] rotates such that a rotation direction of the operation member [20] coincides with a pressing direction. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to replace the switch of Simsir with the switch of Li in order to provide a user with the desired tactile feedback.
In regard to claim 5, Simsir discloses some of the limitations of the rotation detection device according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is rotatable in one direction about the rotation center axis, and the switch is configured to detect rotation of the operation member in the one direction.
In regard to claim 7, Simsir discloses some of the limitations of the rotation detection device according to claim 1, wherein the switch is configured to provide a clicking sensation [via 4].
In regard to claim 10, Simsir discloses some of the limitations of the rotation detection device according to claim 1. Simsir does not disclose that an outer surface of the operation member is subjected to antislip treatment. Li teaches [in Figs. 1 and 2] that an outer surface of the operation member [20] is subjected to antislip treatment [40, 50, 60]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention combine the antislip treatment of Li with the device of Simsir in order to provide the user with the desired ease of use.
Claims 8, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Simsir et al. [Simsir hereinafter, WO 2019/209213] in view of Li [US 2010/0329500] further in view of Chiang et al. [Chiang hereinafter, US 2018/0224954].
In regard to claims 8 and 9, Simsir and Li teach the rotation detection device according to claim 1. Simsir and Li do not teach that the rotation detection device is installable on an end portion of a body of a stylus pen, wherein an outer diameter of the operation member is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the body of the stylus pen. Chiang teaches [in Figs. 2-5] a similar rotation detection device [2, 3] is installable on an end portion of a body [11] of a stylus pen, wherein an outer diameter of the operation member [2] is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the body [11] of the stylus pen. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention combine the rotation detection device of Simsir, as modified by Li, with the stylus pen of Chiang in order to easily control an electronic device [Chiang, Abstract].
In regard to claim 11, Simsir and Li teach the rotation detection device of claim 1. Simsir and Li do not teach a stylus pen comprising a body and the rotation detection device installed on an end portion of the body. Chiang teaches [in Figs. 2-5] a stylus pen comprising a body [11] and a similar rotation detection device [2,3] installed on an end portion of the body [11]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention combine the rotation detection device of Simsir, as modified by Li, with the stylus pen of Chiang in order to easily control an electronic device [Chiang, Abstract].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 6 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.
In regard to claim 2, in combination with other limitations, the switch including a pair of switches, the operation member being rotatable in both directions about the rotation center axis, and the pair of switches configured to detect rotation of the operation member in both directions is neither disclosed nor suggested by the prior art.
In regard to claim 6, in combination with other limitations, the returning mechanism includes a cam member disposed within the operation member and having a cam lobe axially oriented along the rotation center axis, an elastic member configured to preload the cam member in an axial direction of the rotation center axis, and a contact portion disposed within the operation member, integrated with the operation member, facing the cam lobe of the cam member, and configured to return the operation member to the initial position upon the cam lobe contacting the contact portion.
Conclusion
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833