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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7, 8, 10, 18 were withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2025-12-01. In addition, claim 9 depends from withdrawn claim 8, and therefore claim 9 is withdrawn along with claim 8, claims 4, 6, and 19 are withdrawn as drawn to the embodiment of species IV FIG.7A-FIG.7C, and claims 13 and 14 are withdrawn as drawn to the plurality of bending areas of species II FIG.5.
In summary claims 4, 6-10, 13, 14, 18, and 19 are withdrawn as drawn to non-elected species.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 11, 12, 15-17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HIRAKATA et al. (US 2015/0062927).
Regarding claim 1 HIRAKATA discloses:
A foldable sheet, comprising:
a body area (e.g. FIG.4C1) comprising a first body (e.g. 111 FIG.4C1) and a second body (e.g. 113 FIG.4C1) spaced apart from the first body;
a folding area (e.g. between 111 and 113 FIG.4C1) disposed between the first body and the second body and folded in a first direction such that the first body and the second body face each other in a folded state (e.g. shown FIG.4C2); and
a bending area comprising a first bending area (e.g. from left constricted portion of 112 up to 111 FIG.4C2) connecting one end of the folding area and the first body and a second bending area (e.g. from right constricted portion of 112 down to 113 FIG.4C2) connecting the other end of the folding area and the second body, wherein the bending area is provided in a structure that is bent at least twice to protrude in a second direction opposite to the first direction to allow the first body and the second body to be arranged in parallel when the folding area is in an unfolded state (e.g. shown FIG.4C1).
Regarding claim 2 HIRAKATA discloses:
the first bending area comprises a first bending hole (e.g. for left S FIG.4C2) penetrating in a direction from the folding area to the first body, and the second bending area comprises a second bending hole (e.g. for right N FIG.4C2) penetrating in a direction from the folding area to the second body.
Regarding claim 3 HIRAKATA discloses:
a center cover (e.g. section of 112 between constricted sections FIG.4C2) disposed on one surface of the folding area in the second direction (e.g. shown FIG.4C1) and comprising a plurality of fasteners (e.g. N&S FIG.4C2) to be inserted into the first bending hole and the second bending hole, respectively, when the folding area is in the unfolded state.
Regarding claim 5 HIRAKATA discloses:
the center cover is formed of a material with greater rigidity than the folding area (e.g. described paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 11 HIRAKATA discloses:
the body area, the folding area, and the bending area are provided as a single body in which they are continuous with each other (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.2).
Regarding claim 12 HIRAKATA discloses:
the body area, the folding area, and the bending area are formed of at least some of a metallic material, a polymeric compound (e.g. described paragraph [0185]), or a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP).
Regarding claim 15 HIRAKATA discloses:
An electronic device, comprising:
a hinge unit (e.g. described paragraph [0113]) that is folded in a folding direction and is unfolded in an unfolding direction (e.g. described paragraph [0113]);
a pair of housings (e.g. lower 111 & 113 FIG.4C1) coupled to the hinge unit to be folded in opposite directions with respect to the hinge unit (e.g. shown FIG.4C2); and
a foldable sheet (e.g. 101, 102 FIG.2) connected to one surface of the pair of housings in the folding direction (e.g. shown FIG.4C2), wherein the foldable sheet comprises:
a body area comprising a first body (e.g. upper 111 FIG.4C1) and a second body (e.g. upper 113 FIG.4C1)spaced apart to be respectively connected to the pair of housings;
a folding area (e.g. between 111 & 113 FIG.4C1) disposed between the first body and the second body and folded in conjunction with the hinge unit; and
a bending area comprising a first bending area (e.g. from left constricted portion of 112 up to 111 FIG.4C2) connecting one end of the folding area and the first body and a second bending area (e.g. from right constricted portion of 112 down to 113 FIG.4C2) connecting the other end of the folding area and the second body, wherein the bending area is provided in a structure that is bent at least twice to protrude in the unfolding direction to allow the first body and the second body to be arranged in parallel when the folding area is unfolded (e.g. shown FIG.4C1).
Regarding claim 16 HIRAKATA discloses:
the first bending area comprises a first bending hole (e.g. for left S FIG.4C2) formed by penetrating in a direction from the folding area to the first body, and the second bending area comprises a second bending hole (e.g. for right N FIG.4C2) formed by penetrating in a direction from the folding area to the second body.
Regarding claim 17 HIRAKATA discloses:
the foldable sheet comprises: a center cover (e.g. section of 112 between constricted sections FIG.4C2) disposed between the folding area and the hinge unit and comprising a plurality of fasteners (e.g. N&S FIG.4C2) inserted into the first bending hole and the second bending hole, respectively, when the folding area is unfolded.
Regarding claim 20 HIRAKATA discloses:
A foldable sheet, comprising:
a folding area (e.g. between 111 and 113 FIG.4C1) disposed between a first body (e.g. 111 FIG.4C1) of the foldable sheet and a second body (e.g. 113 FIG.4C1) of the foldable sheet;
a bending area comprising a first bending area (e.g. from left constricted portion of 112 up to 111 FIG.4C2) connecting one end of the folding area and the first body and a second bending area (e.g. from right constricted portion of 112 down to 113 FIG.4C2) connecting the other end of the folding area and the second body; and
a first gap (e.g. gap between 111 and 112 FIG.2) between the first body and the bending area, and a second gap (e.g. gap between 113 and 112 FIG.2) between the second body and the bending area.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references cited on the PTO-892 disclose/teach similar flexible/hinged housings for circuit boards as those disclosed in the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THERON S MILLISER whose telephone number is (571)270-1800. The examiner can normally be reached 9-6.
Limited examiner interviews are available.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani N. Hayman can be reached at (571) 270-5528. 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.
/THERON S MILLISER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841