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 . All the claims have been examined on the basis of the merit of the claims.
Priority
The present application is a continuation of PCT/JP2022043452 filed on 11/25/2022 which claims foreign priority benefits from JP2021205891 filed in Japan on 12/20/2021. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/15/2024 is considered and attached.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the main surface" in line 04. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 12-15 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by KANAI (US-20190163294-A1, hereinafter as KANAI).
In regard to claim 1, KANAI discloses a vibration structure (referring fig.2, as a vibration structure) comprising: a housing (overall casing structure as shown as the housing, figs. 1-2); a panel having a main surface (surface of the touchpad module 1 as the main surface, fig.2); an inner frame physically connected to the panel and the housing, the inner frame including a first portion overlapping the housing as viewed in a normal direction of the main surface (frame 31 as the inner frame, fig.2 connected to the panel and housing, any one of the corner sections as first portion); an outer frame physically connected to the panel and the housing, the outer frame surrounding the inner frame as viewed in the normal direction, and the outer frame including a second portion overlapping the panel as viewed in the normal direction (fig.2, frame of 50 as outer frame surrounding inner frame 31 and any one of corner sections as the second portion); and a vibration body that vibrates the panel, wherein (A) or (B): (A) the vibration body is attached to the panel or the inner frame (This limitation appears in an “or” clause and only this limitation is read. A vibration motor 5, fig.2); or (B) the vibration body is attached across the panel or the inner frame, and the housing or the outer frame (this limitation is not read).
In regard to claim 12, KANAI discloses the vibration structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a sensor that detects bending of the panel, and wherein (C) or (D): (C) the sensor is attached to the panel or the inner frame (Only C limitation is read as it appears in an or clause. para 0021, when pressing by a finger is detected by a pressure sensor (not illustrated) of the touchpad 103, the touchpad 103 is made to vibrate by the touchpad module 1); or (D) the sensor is attached across the panel or the inner frame, and the housing or the outer frame (not read).
In regard to claim 13, KANAI discloses the vibration structure according to claim 12, wherein the sensor is any one of a strain gauge (only one limitation is read. pressure sensor, para 0021), a capacitive sensor, and a piezoelectric sensor.
In regard to claim 14, KANAI discloses the vibration structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a spring portion having elasticity, the spring portion physically connecting the inner frame and the outer frame (fig.2, spring portions 32A-32D, para 0027, The spring portions 32A to 32D connect the outer frame portion 31 and the support portion 33 to each other.).
In regard to claim 15, KANAI discloses the vibration structure according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes an opening, the panel is surrounded by the opening as viewed in the normal direction, and the main surface is exposed from the opening (fig.1, opening 1011A, para 0018).
In regard to claim 18, KANAI discloses a housing module comprising: a housing (overall casing structure as shown as the housing, figs. 1-2); an inner frame physically connected to the housing, the inner frame including a first portion overlapping the housing as viewed in a normal direction of the main surface (frame 31 as the inner frame, fig.2 connected to the panel and housing, any one of the corner sections as first portion); an outer frame physically connected to the housing, the outer frame surrounding the inner frame as viewed in the normal direction, and the outer frame including a second portion extending outwardly past the housing as viewed in the normal direction (fig.2, frame of 50 as outer frame surrounding inner frame 31 and any one of corner sections as the second portion); and a vibration body, wherein (A) or (B): (A) the vibration body is attached to the inner frame (This limitation appears in an “or” clause and only this limitation is read. A vibration motor 5, fig.2); or (B) the vibration body is attached across the inner frame and the housing, or the inner frame and the outer frame (this limitation is not read).
In regard to claim 19, KANAI discloses the housing module according to claim 18, further comprising: a first cushioning material overlapping the first portion as viewed in the normal direction and physically connecting the housing and the inner frame (dampers D2 as first cushioning material overlapping around the corner areas of the frame 31 and connecting frame 50 (part of overall casing structure) and the inner frame 31).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In regard to claim 2, KANAI discloses the vibration structure according to claim 1, and a second cushioning material overlapping the second portion as viewed in the normal direction and physically connecting the panel and the outer frame (KANAI does not disclose this limitation). KANAI only discloses “further comprising: a first cushioning material overlapping the first portion as viewed in the normal direction and physically connecting the housing and the inner frame (dampers D2).”
Claims 3-11 depend on claim 2.
Claims 16-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In regard to claim 16, KANAI discloses a panel module comprising: a panel having a main surface (surface of the touchpad module 1 as the main surface, fig.2); an inner frame physically connected to the panel, the inner frame including a first portion extending outwardly past the panel as viewed in a normal direction of the main surface (frame 31 as the inner frame, fig.2 connected to the panel and housing, any one of the corner sections as first portion); an outer frame physically connected to the panel, the outer frame surrounding the inner frame as viewed in the normal direction (fig.2, frame of 50 as outer frame surrounding inner frame 31 and indirectly connected to the panel any one of corner sections as the second portion),
and a vibration body that vibrates the panel, wherein (A) or (B): (A) the vibration body is attached to the panel or the inner frame (This limitation appears in an “or” clause and only this limitation is read. A vibration motor 5, fig.2); or (B) the vibration body is attached across the panel and the outer frame, or the inner frame and the outer frame (this limitation is not read).
KANAI does not disclose “and the outer frame including a second portion overlapping the panel as viewed in the normal direction.”
Accordingly, the independent claim 16 is allowable. Claim 17 depends on claim 16 and would also be allowable based on its dependency from the independent claim 16.
Conclusion
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/DEEPROSE SUBEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627