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
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwase (USPGP 20170061938) in view of Iwase (USPGP 20140290464).
Regarding Claim 1, Iwase ‘938 discloses a key weight 5,105 that is made of an elastic material (rubber) and is mounted in a key 101 for a keyboard instrument by being inserted from outside into a weight-accommodating portion 130 formed in the key comprising:
a weight body 5,105 that is formed into a block shape;
a guide portion 56;
and a pair of left and right first latched portions 152 that are provided at opposite left and right side surfaces (Figs. 1,5) and are latched with key-side latching portions 39 provided in the weight-accommodating portion 130, and wherein during insertion of the key weight 105 into the weight-accommodating portion 130, when the key weight 105 is pushed into the weight-accommodating portion 130 in a state in which the pair of first latched portions 152 are in contact with the key-side latching portions 39, whereby the first latched portions 152 are latched with the key-side latching portions 39 from below.
Iwase does not explicitly teach that the guide portion that is provided on a front side of the weight body and extends not only in a vertical direction but also further downward than a front surface of the weight body by a predetermined length, and that a lower portion of the guide portion is elastically deformed by reaction forces from the key-side latching portions such that the lower portion is bent rearward, and is restored by disappearance of the reaction forces
Iwase ‘464 teaches a guide portion 3b that is provided on a front side of a weight body 3 and extends not only in a vertical direction but also further downward than a front surface of the weight body 3 by a predetermined length (Fig. 4A), and that a lower portion of the guide portion 3b is elastically deformed (Fig. 3B) by reaction forces such that the lower portion is bent rearward, and is restored by disappearance of the reaction forces (Fig. 3C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to adapt the teachings of Iwase ‘938 with those of Iwase ‘464, so as to allow for use of the Iwase ‘464 guide portion which makes insertion of the weight easier, as is known in the art to be desirable.
Regarding Claim 2, Iwase ‘938 discloses the first latched portions 52, 152 is formed into a tapered shape (Figs. 1, 5) in which the first latched portion 52, 152 is progressively reduced in height dimension as the first latched portion 52, 152 extends forward.
Regarding Claim 3, Iwase ‘938 discloses the weight body 105 has side surfaces thereof provided with second latched portions 52, 152 which are latched with side walls 134 of the weight-accommodating portion 130.
Regarding Claim 4, Iwase ‘938 discloses a key 101 for a keyboard instrument, in which the key weight 105 is mounted, wherein the key 101 includes the weight-accommodating portion 130 formed into a hollow shape open downward, and wherein the weight-accommodating portion 130 includes the key-side latching portions 134 which latch the first latched portions 152 of the key weight 105 by supporting the first latched portions 152 from below in a state in which the key weight 105 is accommodated in the weight-accommodating portion 130 (Fig. 8b).
Regarding Claim 5, Iwase ‘938 discloses the key-side latching portions 152 are formed by a pair of left and right key-side latching portions 152 that are arranged with a predetermined spacing therebetween in a left-right direction (Fig. 5), and latch the pair of first latched portions, respectively (Fig. 8b).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited show related teachings in the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY DONELS whose telephone number is (571)272-2061. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
JEFFREY . DONELS
Examiner
Art Unit 2837
/JEFFREY DONELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights