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
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, 8-9, 12-13, 17-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Hohman (US 2019/0080553).
Claim 1. Hohman discloses a gaming machine comprising:
a cabinet defining an internal space (26 in Fig. 2B); and
a display mountable to the cabinet and at least partly covering the internal space in a closed position (28a, 28c in Figs. 1, 2B) ;
wherein the display is hingedly connected to the cabinet to provide access to the internal space (hinges at end of arms 66, 68, 70 in Fig. 2B); and
wherein the display is pivotable about a first hinge in a first direction from the closed position to a first position (First hinge at the top end of the arm 66 in Fig. 2B, to move or pivot the display to outward position from the first position as illustrated in Figs. 2B and 3B) and pivotable in a second direction about a second hinge from the first position to a second position, the second direction being different to the first direction (second hinge at the top end of the arm 68 connect to the display/door in Fig. 3A, which allows the display to pivot in a downward position. See Figs. 2A, 3A, and 4A.).
See diagram below for details.
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Claim 2. Hohman the gaming machine of claim 1, comprising a mounting assembly for hingedly connecting the display to the cabinet (arms 66, 68 and 70 in Figs. 3A-4B), wherein the mounting assembly is hingedly connected to the cabinet at the first hinge (top of arm 66 See Figs. 3A-4B) and hingedly connected to the display at the second hinge (end of arm 68 in Fig. 3A).
Claim 3. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the mounting assembly comprises a mounting arm supporting the display, the first hinge being located at or adjacent a first end of the mounting arm (top of arm 66 See Figs. 3a-4b) and the second hinge being located at or adjacent a second end of the mounting arm (end of arm 68 in Fig. 3a) (It is interpreted at arms 66 and 68 is a jointed arm).
Claim 4. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the first hinge is at or adjacent a top of the cabinet and the second hinge is located towards or adjacent a lower end of the mounting assembly (First hinge at top of arm 66 and second hinge at lower end of 68 in fig. 2B
Claim 8. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display moves along an arcuate path from the closed position to the first position (Figs. 2b and 3b) and the display moves along another arcuate path from the first position to the second position (Figs. 2b,3a, 4a)
Claim 9. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display in the second position extends away from the cabinet such that an upper end of the display is distal from the cabinet and a lower end of the display is proximal to the cabinet (I.e. Figs. 3a-4b).
Claim 12. Hohman discloses a gaming machine comprising:
a cabinet defining an internal space (26 in Fig. 2B);
a display mountable to the cabinet and at least partly covering the internal space in a closed position (28a, 28c in Figs. 1, 2B);
a first hinge for pivoting the display in an upward direction relative to the cabinet (First hinge at the top end of the arm 66 in Fig. 66, to move or pivot the display to outward and upward position from the first position as illustrated in Figs. 2B and 3B) ; and
a second hinge for pivoting the display in a downward direction relative to the cabinet (second hinge at the top end of the arm 68 connect to the display/door in fig. 3a, which allows the display to pivot in a downward position. See Figs. 2a, 3a, and 4a.); and
wherein the display is pivotable about the first hinge from the closed position to a first position and pivotable about the second hinge from the first position to a second position (Figs. 2A-4B).
Claim 13. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 12, comprising a mounting assembly for hingedly connecting the display to the cabinet (arms 66, 68 and 70 in Figs. 3A-4B), wherein the mounting assembly is hingedly connected to the cabinet at the first hinge (top of arm 66 See Figs. 3A-4B) and is hingedly connected to the display at the second hinge (end of arm 68 in Fig. 3A).
Claim 17. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the display moves along an arcuate path from the closed position to the first position (Figs. 2b and 3b) and the display moves along another arcuate path from the first position to the second position (Figs. 2b,3a, 4a).
Claim 18. Hohman discloses a method of maintenance or repair of a gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising a cabinet and a display mountable to the cabinet, wherein the cabinet defines an internal space and the display at least partly covers the internal space in a closed position, and the display is hingedly connected to the cabinet to provide access to the internal space, the method comprising the steps of (Fig. 2A):
pivoting the display in a first direction about a first hinge from the closed position to a first position (First hinge at the top end of the arm 66 in Fig. 66, to move or pivot the display to outward and upward position from the first position as illustrated in Figs. 2B and 3B); and
pivoting the display in a second direction about a second hinge from the first position to a second position; wherein the first direction is different to the second direction (second hinge at the top end of the arm 68 connect to the display/door in fig. 3a, which allows the display to pivot in a downward position. See Figs. 2a, 3a, and 4a.).
Claim 20. The method of claim 18, comprising moving the display along an arcuate path from the closed position to the first position (Figs. 2b and 3b) and moving the display along another arcuate path from the first position to the second position (Figs. 2b,3a, 4a).
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 5-7, 15-16, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hohman (US 2019/0080553) as applied to claims 1-2, 12, 18 above, and further in view of Ikeda (US 2005/0137019)
Claim 5. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the display is connected to the first hinge (Display is supported by frame connected to the first hinge; Fig. 3a; paragraph 42). However, Hohman fails to explicitly teach that the display is detachably connected. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. In analogous art to gaming machines, Ikeda discloses a gaming machine in which the display device is detachably attached to the cabinet (paragraph 7). This allows the display device to be serviced and replaced. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify Hohman’s invention before the effective filing date and detachably connect the display device in order to provide the predictable result of allowing the display device to be serviced and replaced.
Claim 6. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display is connected to the first hinge (Display is supported by the frame connected to the first hinge; Fig. 3a; paragraph 42). However, Hohman fails to explicitly teach that the display is detachably connected. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. In analogous art to gaming machines, Ikeda discloses a gaming machine in which the display device is detachably attached to the cabinet (paragraph 7). This allows the display device to be serviced and replaced. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify Hohman’s invention before the effective filing date and detachably connect the display device in order to provide the predictable result of allowing the display device to be serviced and replaced.
Claim 7. Hohman discloses the gaming machine of claim 1 as discussed above but fails to teach that the display is removable from the cabinet in the second position. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. Hohman discloses the second position allows access to the interior of the gaming machine including the display device. In analogous art to gaming machines, Ikeda discloses a gaming machine in which the display device is detachably attached to the cabinet (paragraph 7). This allows the display device to be serviced and replaced. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date to modify Hohman’s invention incorporate a display device that is removable from the cabinet in the second position in order to provide the predictable result of allowing the display device to be serviced and replaced.
Claims 15-16, 19. See rejection for claims 5-7 above.
Claim 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hohman (US 2019/0080553) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Nagano (US 2009/0253486)
Claim 10. Hohman the claimed invention as discussed above, further comprising a secondary display mounted above the display (28 B in Fig. 1) but fails to teach that the secondary display is pivotable about a third hinge from a closed position of the secondary display to an open position of the secondary display. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. In analogous art to gaming machines, Nagano discloses a secondary display device (3a-3d) mounted above a primary display device (Fig. 2). Nagano discloses that the display device is pivotable about a hinge from a closed position of the secondary display to an open position of the secondary display (Fig. 6J, paragraph 82). This allows the access to different interior region and maintenance on the display (paragraph 82). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify Hohman’s invention before the effective filing date and incorporate a hinge as claimed in order to provide the predictable result of allowing access and performing maintenance.
Claim 11. Nagano discloses the gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the secondary display is mounted to the cabinet via a support structure (2 in Fig. 3), wherein the secondary display is hingedly connected to the support structure at the third hinge and the support structure comprises a base portion for supporting the secondary display (Fig. 3, 6A, 6J, and 6K) and a bridging portion connecting the secondary display to the cabinet (8a and 8b in Fig. 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify Hohman’s invention before the effective filing date and incorporate the support structure as claimed in order to provide the predictable result of mounting a secondary or plurality of displays.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hohman (US 2019/0080553) as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Chaudhari (US 2021/0095505).
Claim 14. Hohman the gaming machine of claim 13, wherein: the mounting assembly comprises a mounting arm for supporting the display;
a first hinge located at or adjacent a top of the cabinet and at or adjacent respective upper end of the mounting arm (located at top of arm 66 in Figs 3A-4B); and
a second hinge located towards a lower end of the display and at or adjacent respective lower end of the mounting arms (end of arm 68 connected to the display in Figs. 3A-4B).
However, Hohman fails to teach at least two mounting arms, at least two first hinges and at least two second hinges. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. An additional mounting arm with hinges will provide additional support to the display device. In analogous art to gaming machines Chaudhari discloses a display device mounted using two arms (Fig. 13), each arm comprising a first hinge (hinge portion with pivot 368 in Fig. 5) and a second hinge (hinge portion with pivot 358 in Fig. 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify Hohman’s invention before the effective filing date and incorporate the at least two mounting arms as claimed in order to provide the predictable result of providing additional support to the display device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/4/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
102 Rejection anticipated by Hohman
Applicant argues that that Hoffman discloses that the door is rotatable or mounted to the cabinet 26 via one or more hinges 65 which connects a lower portion or edge of the frame 50 to the cabinet 26. Applicant argues that Hoffman’s hinge 65 allows the display to move downward in a single direction and therefore fails to teach two different direction.
The Examiner acknowledges that Hoffman discloses hinges 65 which connects a lower portion or edge of the frame 50 to the cabinet 26. However, Hoffman’s hinges 65 is not relied upon to the claim limitation.
The claim requires the display to be pivotable about a first hinge in a first direction and pivotable about a second hinge in a second direction that is different than the first hinge. As indicated in the rejection, Hoffman discloses that display is pivotable about a first hinge in a first direction from the closed position to a first position (First hinge at the top end of the arm 66 in Fig. 2B, to move or pivot the display to outward position from the first position as illustrated in Figs. 2B and 3B).
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The display is connected to the first hinge with mounting arms 66 and 68. The hinge pushes the display outward in a first direction.
Hoffman also discloses that the display is pivotable in a second direction about a second hinge from the first position to a second position, the second direction being different to the first direction (second hinge at the top end of the arm 68 connect to the display/door in Fig. 3A, which allows the display to pivot in a downward position. See Figs. 2A, 3A, and 4A.).
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The second hinge is more closely mounted to the display and arm is close to 90 degrees relative to the display in a closed position as illustrated in Fig. 2b. The display pivots in a second direction about a second hinge so that the arm is parallel or 0 degrees relative to the display in an open position as illustrated in Fig. 4a.
Applicant provide similar arguments for claims 12 and 18 that hinge 54 discloses a single downward direction. As indicated above, the rejection relies on different hinges. See response arguments above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jasson H Yoo whose telephone number is (571)272-5563. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/JASSON H YOO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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