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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 09/15/2026 has been entered.
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, 2, 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tetsuka et al. [Tetsuka hereinafter, US 11,440,611].
In regard to claims 1 and 2, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] an operating device of a human-powered vehicle, the operating device comprising: a base structure [14D] mountable to a handlebar [VH3] of the human-powered vehicle; a clamp [14J] coupled to the base structure [14D], the clamp [14J] including a clamp opening [opening in 14J] through which a longitudinal center axis of the handlebar [VH3] is to extend; a circuit board [16Q] including a first surface and a second surface provided on a reverse side of the first surface; a first operating member [operating member of SW11] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a second operating member [operating member of SW12] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a third operating member [operating member of SW13] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a first electric switch [SW11] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the first operating member; a second electric switch [SW12] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the second operating member; a third electric switch [SW13] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the third operating member; and the first electric switch [SW11], the second electric switch [SW12], and the third electric switch [SW13] being provided on the circuit board [16Q], wherein the first electric switch [SW11], the second electric switch [SW12], and the third electric switch[SW13] are provided on the first surface.
In regard to claims 10 and 12, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] the operating device according to claim 1, wherein a first minimum distance is defined between the first electric switch [SW11] and the third electric switch [SW13], a second minimum distance is defined between the second electric switch [SW12] and the third electric switch [SW13], and the first minimum distance is different from the second minimum distance, wherein the first minimum distance is shorter than the second minimum distance.
In regard to claim 11, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1, 3-6 and 9] an operating device of a human-powered vehicle, the operating device comprising: a base structure [14D] mountable to a handlebar [VH3] of the human-powered vehicle; a clamp [14J] coupled to the base structure [14D], the clamp [14J] including a clamp opening [opening in 14J] through which a longitudinal center axis of the handlebar [VH3] is to extend; a circuit board [16Q] including a first surface and a second surface provided on a reverse side of the first surface; a first operating member [operating member of SW11] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a second operating member [operating member of SW12] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a third operating member [operating member of SW13] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a first electric switch [SW11] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the first operating member; a second electric switch [SW12] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the second operating member; a third electric switch [SW13] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the third operating member; and a first minimum distance is defined between the first electric switch [SW11] and the third electric switch [SW13], a second minimum distance is defined between the second electric switch [SW12] and the third electric switch [SW13], and the first minimum distance is different from the second minimum distance.
In regard to claim 13, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] the operating device according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit board support [16A], wherein the circuit board [16Q] is fastened to the circuit board support [16A], and the circuit board support [16A] is a separate member from the base structure [14D].
In regard to claim 14, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] the operating device according to claim 13, wherein the circuit board support [16A] at least partially overlaps the circuit board [16Q] as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface.
In regard to claim 15, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] the operating device according to claim 13, wherein the circuit board support [16A] is fastened to the second surface of the circuit board [ 16Q].
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 3-6, 9, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tetsuka et al. [Tetsuka hereinafter, US 11,440,611] in view of Leng [US 6,525,283].
In regard to claims 3 and 4, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] the operating device according to claim 1. Tetsuka does not disclose that the first operating member is pivotally coupled to the base structure about a first pivot axis, and the second operating member is pivotally coupled to the base structure about a second pivot axis, wherein the second pivot axis is provided between the first electric switch and the second electric switch as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. Leng teaches [in Figs. 4 and 5] the first operating member [annotated below] is pivotally coupled to the base structure [11] about a first pivot axis, and the second operating member [annotated below] is pivotally coupled to the base structure [11] about a second pivot axis, wherein the second pivot axis is provided between the first electric switch [annotated below] and the second electric switch [annotated below] as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to replace the operating members of Tetsuka with the operating members of Leng in order to enable switch actuation as desired.
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In regard to claim 5, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] an operating device of a human-powered vehicle, the operating device comprising: a base structure [14D] mountable to a handlebar [VH3] of the human-powered vehicle; a clamp [14J] coupled to the base structure [14D], the clamp [14J] including a clamp opening [opening in 14J] through which a longitudinal center axis of the handlebar [VH3] is to extend; a circuit board [16Q] including a first surface and a second surface provided on a reverse side of the first surface; a first operating member [operating member of SW11] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a second operating member [operating member of SW12] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a third operating member [operating member of SW13] movably coupled to the base structure [14D]; a first electric switch [SW11] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the first operating member; a second electric switch [SW12] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the second operating member; a third electric switch [SW13] configured to be activated in response to a movement of the third operating member. Tetsuka does not disclose that the first operating member is pivotally coupled to the base structure about a first pivot axis, the second operating member is pivotally coupled to the base structure about a second pivot axis, and the second pivot axis is provided between the first electric switch and the second electric switch as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. Leng teaches [in Figs. 4 and 5] that the first operating member [annotated above] is pivotally coupled to the base structure [11] about a first pivot axis, the second operating member [annotated above] is pivotally coupled to the base structure [11] about a second pivot axis, and the second pivot axis is provided between the first electric switch [annotated above] and the second electric switch [annotated above] as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to replace the operating members of Tetsuka with the operating members of Leng in order to enable switch actuation as desired.
In regard to claims 6 and 9, Tetsuka discloses some of the limitations of the operating device according to claim 3. Tetsuka does not disclose that the second pivot axis is provided between the second electric switch and the third electric switch as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface or that the first pivot axis is spaced apart from the second pivot axis as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. Leng teaches in [Figs. 4 and 5] that the second pivot axis is provided between the second electric switch [annotated above] and the third electric switch [annotated above] as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface and that the first pivot axis is spaced apart from the second pivot axis as viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide pivot axes for the pivotally coupled operating members in order to enable switch actuation as desired.
In regard to claims 16 and 17, Tetsuka discloses [in Figs. 1 and 3-6] the operating device according to claim 13. Tetsuka does not disclose a support fastener configured to fasten the circuit board to the circuit board support, wherein the circuit board support includes a support fastener hole, and the support fastener is at least partially provided in the support fastener hole. Leng teaches [in Figs. 4 and 5] a support fastener [16] configured to fasten the circuit board [41] to the circuit board support [14], wherein the circuit board support [14] includes a support fastener hole [under 15], and the support fastener is at least partially provided in the support fastener hole [wall portion surrounding 16]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the support fastener and support fastener hole of Leng with the operating device of Tetsuka in order to firmly secure the parts of the switch.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8 and 18-21 remain 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LHEIREN MAE A CAROC whose telephone number is (571)272-2730. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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