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
Claims 1-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koji (JP 2007-038519 A) in view of Hammer et al. (US 2016/0263818 A1), Tsuchiya (JP 2010-253937 A), and Varghese et al. (US 2007/0295535 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Koji teaches a laminated composite component for use in housing of electronics (Abstract; Fig. 2; Paragraph 0002) comprising a foam material having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other (Fig. 2, Item IIb; Paragraph 0017), a first laminated sheet group disposed on the first surface, wherein the first laminated sheet group comprises a plurality of first sheets (Paragraph 0032; Fig. 2, Top IIa), a second laminated sheet group disposed on the second surface, wherein the second laminated group comprises a plurality of second sheets, (Paragraph 0032; Fig. 2, Bottom IIa), and the foam material layer, the first sheets and second sheets are laminated and pressed to form an integral whole. (Paragraph 0038).
Koji teaches press molding the laminated composite component. (Paragraph 0038). Koji does not specifically teach pressing the laminated component with hot-pressing molding to form a structure.
Hammer teaches hot-press molding a foam core with cover layers, where a cover layer can fiber-reinforced plastic. (Abstract; Claim 1 of Hammer) Hammer teaches this hot-press molding allows for faster production and for better bonding between the foam core and the cover layers. (Paragraph 0012, 0014. 0037). Thus, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art to use hot-press molding as taught by Hammer to the product of Koji to ensure better bonding.
Koji and Hammer do not specifically teach the composite is shaped into a curved and recessed structure.
Tsuchiya teaches molded product comprising foam and unidirectional fibers sheets. (Abstract; Paragraph 0047, 0056), where the FRP/foam product is molded into an electronic housing (Paragraph 0071). Tsuchiya teaches having a recessed structure and a curved structure at the corner, having the structure portion opposite to the curve structure (Fig. 1-3). Tsuchiya teaches these shaped products can be suitable for electronics, as various curvatures allow for holding different components for different types of electronics, allowing a housing to shaped for different electronic purposes. (Paragraph 0039-0040). Thus, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art to shape the laminated composite component of Koji into a curved and recessed shape to allow it to be used for housing various electronic components to form various electronic products.
Koji, Hammer, Tsuchiya do not specifically teach the recessed structure includes a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a third lateral side, the first lateral side is connected to the third lateral side through the second lateral side, and included angles formed by any two of the first lateral side, the second lateral side, and the third lateral side are not equal to one another, wherein the first lateral side, second lateral side, and third lateral side define a triangular area, and the triangular area is right to a corner of the recessed structure.
Varghese teaches a housing for electronics (Title), where the housing has an interior recessed structure. (Fig. 4C). Varghese teaches the recessed structure includes a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a third lateral side, the first lateral side is connected to the third lateral side through the second lateral side, and included angles formed by any two of the first lateral side, the second lateral side, and the third lateral side are not equal to one another, wherein the first lateral side, second lateral side, and third lateral side define a triangular area, and the triangular area is right to a corner of the recessed structure. (Fig. 4C). Varghese teaches this angular interior arrangement reduces sagging when electronic parts are added to the housing. (Paragraph 0023). Thus, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art to have shape the interior recessed structure to the claimed structure as taught by Varghese to avoid sagging of the housing once further assembled with electronics.
Regarding Claim 2, Koji teaches the first sheets is formed from fiber tows arranged in a unidirectional arrangement. (Paragraph 0034).
Regarding Claim 3, Koji teaches the fiber tows are carbon-fiber tows. (Paragraph 0035; Claim 2 of Koji).
Regarding Claim 4, Koji teaches that in the first laminated group, each individual first sheet has unidirectional fibers arranged in a fixed direction and the fixed directions of the first sheets are different from each other angles (Paragraph 0034; Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 5, Koji teaches the fiber tows are carbon-fiber tows. (Paragraph 0035; Claim 2 of Koji).
Regarding Claim 6, Koji teaches the second sheets is formed from fiber tows arranged in a unidirectional arrangement. (Paragraph 0034).
Regarding Claim 7, Koji teaches the fiber tows are carbon-fiber tows. (Paragraph 0035; Claim 2 of Koji).
Regarding Claim 8, Koji teaches that in the second laminated group, each individual second sheet has unidirectional fibers arranged in a fixed direction and the fixed directions of the second sheets are different from each other angles (Paragraph 0034; Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 9, Koji teaches the fiber tows are carbon-fiber tows. (Paragraph 0035; Claim 2 of Koji).
Regarding Claim 10, Koji, Hammer, and Tsuchiya teach the laminated composite structure is hot-press molded to form a curved structure at the corner where the recessed structure is opposite to the curved structure, as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 11, Tsuchiya teaches a radius of curvature of a molded curved electronic housing product should be 0.1 to 5 mm. (Paragraph 0037). This overlaps the claimed point. Tsuchiya teaches this radius of curvature allow for forming of ordinary to complex complicated shapes (Paragraph 0037). Thus, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art to have the claimed radius of curvature to reach certain shapes.
Regarding Claim 13, Koji teaches the laminated composite can have a thickness of 3 mm or less. (Paragraph 0018). This overlaps the claimed point of 0.8 mm. In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. (MPEP §2144.05).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered.
The prior §112 rejections are withdrawn, due to Applicant’s amendments.
New grounds of rejection have been made in view of Applicant’s amendments.
Correspondence
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0358. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday: 9:30am-3:30pm, 8:30PM-10:30PM.
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/Michael Zhang/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781
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