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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/03/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a2) as being anticipated by Wang et. al. (US 2023/0063509 A1).
Regarding claim 1 Wang teaches (figs. 1-3) a hinge structure for smart glasses, comprising at least a first (3) and second hinge frames (4) provided along a pre-set direction, where the first and second hinge frames are hinged by a hinged shaft (44) (para. 0027);
the hinged shaft is provided with a reset assembly (para. 0048), such that after the first hinge frame at a first end of the hinge shaft swings to a pre-set angle toward a pre-set outward flipping direction relative to the second hinge frame at a second end of the hinge shaft (para. 0027), the reset assembly provides a reset force to the first hinge frame, so that the corresponding hinge frame has a motion tendency opposite to the pre-set outward flipping direction (para. 0051);
the hinged shaft is provided with a damping elastic piece (61,62), and the damping elastic piece presses against at least one the first or the second hinge frames to provide a damping force thereto when the corresponding hinge frame swings (para. 0048).
Regarding claim 2 Wang teaches (figs. 1-3) a hinge structure, where a pressing force of the damping elastic piece pressing against the corresponding hinge frame is adjustable (para. 0048).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 3 contains the limitation where the first and second hinge frames were fixed to the mounting late and that the elastic piece press against the two adjacent mounting plates that are connected to the first and second hinge frames.
Claims 4-10 are objected to as depending on claim 3.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Further armature hinge structures include Baines (US 5,258,784), Bohn (US 2012/0120618 A1), Bohn et. al. (US 2012/0257368 A1), Zhang et. al. (US 8,627,546 B2), and Wiencke (US 2023/0324716 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT E TALLMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3958. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10 a.m. -6 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at 571-272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Robert E. Tallman/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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