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 1-7, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)as being anticipated by Kawano (US20050274593).
Regarding claim 1, Kawano teaches a switch structure of an operation switch disposed in a housing 4, the switch structure comprising: a head 1 configured to move with respect to the housing, the head being configured to be pressed in a press-in direction parallel to a central axis of the operation switch; a first guided portion (3d and the surface which 3d is extending from) extending from the head in the press-in direction on an inner side of an outline of the head as viewed from the press-in direction; a second guided portion provided at a position different from that of the first guided portion relative to the head and extending from the head in the press-in direction; a first restriction portion (4a and the surface which 4a is extending from) provided in the housing and facing the first guided portion from an outer side of the first guided portion; and a second restriction portion provided in the housing and facing the second guided portion from an inner side of the second guided portion, wherein, during pressing of the head, the first guided portion moves while being guided by the first restriction portion, and the second guided portion moves while being guided by the second restriction portion, and wherein a direction of movement of the first guided portion is restricted by the first restriction portion and is not parallel to a direction of movement of the second guided portion that is restricted by the second restriction portion (Figs. 1-4, annotated figure and paragraphs 41-45).
PNG
media_image1.png
420
696
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Kawano teaches the switch structure further comprising: a third restriction portion (protrusions defining the groove 4a) provided in the housing and facing the first guided portion from an inner side of the first guided portion; and a fourth restriction portion (protrusions defining the groove 4a) provided in the housing and facing the second guided portion from an outer side of the second guided portion, wherein, during the pressing of the head, the first guided portion moves while being guided between the first restriction portion and the third restriction portion, and the second guided portion moves while being guided between the second restriction portion and the fourth restriction portion (annotated figure below and paragraphs 41-45).
Regarding claim 3, Kawano teaches the switch structure wherein: a plurality of sets, including a first set (left side) and a second set (right side), each including the first guided portion and the first restriction portion are provided, and the second set is disposed at a position with respect to the first set so that a phase difference exceeds 90° in a circumferential direction around the central axis (annotated figure below).
Regarding claim 4, Kawano teaches the switch structure wherein the first set and the second set are disposed at positions facing each other across the central axis (annotated figure below).
Regarding claim 5, Kawano teaches the switch structure wherein: a plurality of sets, including a first set (top side) and a second set (bottom side), each including the second guided portion and the second restriction portion are provided, and the second set is disposed at a position with respect to the first set so that a phase difference exceeds 90° in the circumferential direction around the central axis annotated figure below).
Regarding claim 6, Kawano teaches the switch structure wherein the first set and the second set are disposed at positions facing each other across the central axis (annotated figure below).
Regarding claim 7, Kawano teaches the switch structure wherein the direction of movement of the first guided portion restricted by the first restriction portion and the direction of movement of the second guided portion restricted by the second restriction portion are perpendicular to each other (annotated figure below and paragraphs 41, 45).
Regarding claim 14, Kawano teaches the switch structure wherein the second guided portion extends from the outline of the head in the press-in direction (Figs. 1-2 and annotated figure below).
Regarding claim 15, Kawano teaches an acoustic processing device (no patentable weight is given to the preamble) comprising: a switch structure of an operation switch disposed in a housing 4, the switch structure comprising: a head 1 configured to move with respect to the housing, the head being configured to be pressed in a press-in direction parallel to a central axis of the operation switch; a first guided portion (3d and the surface which 3d is extending from) extending from the head in the press-in direction on an inner side of an outline of the head as viewed from the press-in direction; a second guided portion provided at a position different from that of the first guided portion relative to the head and extending from the head in the press-in direction; a first restriction portion (4a and the surface which 4a is extending from) provided in the housing and facing the first guided portion from an outer side of the first guided portion; and a second restriction portion provided in the housing and facing the second guided portion from an inner side of the second guided portion, wherein, during pressing of the head, the first guided portion moves while being guided by the first restriction portion, and the second guided portion moves while being guided by the second restriction portion, and wherein a direction of movement of the first guided portion is restricted by the first restriction portion and is not parallel to a direction of movement of the second guided portion that is restricted by the second restriction portion, wherein sound information is input in accordance with the pressing of the head (Figs. 1-4, annotated figure and paragraphs 41-45).
Claims 1 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cai (US20210181861).
Regarding claim 1, Cai teaches a switch structure of an operation switch disposed in a housing 213, the switch structure comprising: a head (211, 212) configured to move with respect to the housing, the head being configured to be pressed in a press-in direction parallel to a central axis of the operation switch; a first guided portion 2121 (left and right sides) extending from the head in the press-in direction on an inner side of an outline of the head as viewed from the press-in direction; a second guided portion 2121 (top and bottom sides) provided at a position different from that of the first guided portion relative to the head and extending from the head in the press-in direction; a first restriction portion 21322 (left and right sides) provided in the housing and facing the first guided portion from an outer side of the first guided portion; and a second restriction portion 21322 (top and bottom sides) provided in the housing and facing the second guided portion from an inner side of the second guided portion, wherein, during pressing of the head, the first guided portion moves while being guided by the first restriction portion, and the second guided portion moves while being guided by the second restriction portion, and wherein a direction of movement of the first guided portion is restricted by the first restriction portion and is not parallel to a direction of movement of the second guided portion that is restricted by the second restriction portion (the guide portions and the restriction potions guide the linear movement of the head and restrict the lateral movement, see Figs. 7-8).
Regarding claim 8, Cai teaches the switch structure wherein, in a non-pressed state of the head (211, 212), a lower end position of the head in the press-in direction is lower than an upper end position of the first restriction portion (the bottom side of the bottom surface 2111 is lower than a top surface 21322 of the restriction portion (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 9, Cai teaches the switch structure wherein a side surface 2111 of the head on a side where the first restriction portion 21322 is disposed is flush with a side surface of the housing 213 on the side where the first restriction portion is disposed (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 10, Cai teaches the switch structure wherein an end position of the head 211 on a side where the first restriction portion 21322: is disposed to protrude from a side surface of the housing 213 on the side where the first restriction portion is disposed (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 11, Cai teaches the switch structure wherein the first restriction portion 21322 is disposed on a side where a user who operates the operation switch is situated (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 12, Cai teaches the switch structure wherein the housing further includes a reaction force generator 214 configured to be elastically deformed to generate a reaction force during the pressing of the head 211 (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 13, Cai teaches the switch structure further comprising: a movable contact 2141 configured to move in conjunction with the pressing of the head, wherein the housing further includes a fixed contact 221 configured to be brought into an electrically conductive state by contacting the movable contact (Fig. 8 and paragraph 27).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED M SAEED whose telephone number is (571)270-7976. The examiner can normally be reached 10-8pm.
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, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571) 272-2009.
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.
/AHMED M SAEED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
Prosecution Insights