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 .
Claims filed 4-10-2024
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 4-10-2024 was filed on the mailing date of the application filed on 4-10-2024. 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 Objections
Claim 8, line 1 objected to because of the following informalities: --- remove the word wherein the “slim” speaker ---. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-5, 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 in view of Won KR101052622
Regarding claim 1, Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 discloses a speaker (Figs 1-4), comprising:
a frame portion (Fig 1, frame 20, page 10 of 25) forming an exterior of a speaker (speaker 100);
a magnetic field formation portion disposed inside the frame portion and forming a magnetic field (Fig 1, yoke 31 which is a bottom plate, a permanent magnet 32, top plate 33 positioned above the permanent magnet 32 for focusing magnetic flux, page 12 of 25);
a voice coil portion (Fig 1, front voice coils 34, page 12 of 25) disposed adjacently to the magnetic field formation portion, and linked to the magnetic field formation portion so as to vibrate according to an electrical signal (claim 1, page 10-12 of 25);
a terminal portion having a portion thereof exposed to the frame portion and electrically connected to the voice coil portion (a terminal portion/(suspension terminal 46 respectively formed on the portions belonging to the first and second suspension 40a, 40b of the outer ring connected to the two front voice coil 34 and front diaphragm 50, page 11-14 of 25 and page 19-20 of 25, claim 1); and
a diaphragm connected to the voice coil portion (front diaphragm 50 that is driven by voice coil drives 30, 70, and vibrates to generate small waves in the air to form sound waves, page 10-11 of 25).
Yoo Jong does not explicitly disclose wherein the voice coil portion is connected to the diaphragm through a first portion of the terminal portion. However, it could be easily derived by a person skilled in the art from a suspension 40 that supplies sound signals for sound reproduction to a voice coil drive; suspension terminals 46 formed in portions belonging to first and second suspensions 40a, 40b, respectively; a front diaphragm 50 disposed on the suspension 40; and a front voice coil 34 provided on the first and second semi-circular arc portion of front and rear arc rings 43, 47 of the suspension 40, respectively; page 11-14 of 25 and page 19-20 of 25, claim 1).
Yoo Jong further does not explicitly disclose second portion being farther away from the diaphragm than the first portion, and the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion.
It would have been obvious matter of design choice to have second portion being farther away from the diaphragm than the first portion, and the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion by changing a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won KR101052622’s Figs 3-4.
Therefore, having the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion is just a matter of design choice by the manufacturers or one having ordinary skill in the art which would have yielded predictable results.
Regarding claim 2, Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 discloses the speaker of claim 1, wherein the voice coil portion (Fig 1 voice coil portion 30, page 10-11 of 25) and the magnetic field formation portion are disposed in a first direction (magnets, 33, 32, page 12 of 25), and the diaphragm (front diaphragm 50, rear diaphragm 80, page 10 of 25) includes an edge portion (front edge 60, pages 10 and 15 of 25) connecting the frame (20, pages 10 and 15 of 25) and the diaphragm on the outside (Figs 1, 4 shows).
Regarding claim 3, Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 discloses the speaker of claim 1, further comprising:
a suspension (seat portion 23, page 11 of 25) located between the frame portion (20) and the diaphragm (diaphragms 50, 80, page 15 of 25), enabling vibration of the diaphragm relative to the frame portion (20),
wherein the frame portion and the suspension are formed integrally (suspension/ seating portion 23 is formed around the voice coil drive seating portion 21, 27, i.e., on the upper surface of the frame 20, and is stepped and recessed along the edge side thereof; and a connection groove 24 that is cut to the height of the upper surface of the suspension seating portion 23 is formed, so that each of the suspension terminals 46 of the first and second suspensions 40a, 40b is exposed outside the frame 20 through the connection groove 24, see Fig 2, page 11-12 of 25).
Yoo Jong does explicitly disclose surrounding at least the bent portion and the second portion of the terminal portion.
However, it would have been obvious matter of design choice to have at least the bent portion and the second portion of the terminal portion by changing a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won KR101052622’s Figs 3-4.
Therefore, having the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion is just a matter of design choice by the manufacturers or one having ordinary skill in the art which would have yielded predictable results.
Regarding claim 4, Yoo Jong discloses the speaker of claim 3, wherein the terminal portion (Figs 3- 5, suspension connection terminal 46, page 11 and 14-15 of 25) is formed by insert injection into the frame portion (20) and the suspension (40a, 40b, page 14-15 of 25).
Regarding claim 5, Yoo Jong discloses the speaker of claim 1, wherein the voice coil portion (voice coil drives 30, page 10-11 of 25) and the magnetic field formation portion are disposed in a first direction (the suspension seating portion 23 is formed around the voice coil drives seating portions 21, 27, i.e., on the upper surface of a frame 20, and is stepped and recessed along the edge side thereof; and a connection groove 24 that is cut to the height of the upper surface of the suspension seating portion 23 is formed, so that each of the suspension terminals 46 of the first and second suspensions 40a, 40b is exposed outside the frame 20 through the connection groove 24, see Fig 2, page 11-14 of 25 and page 19-20 of 25).
Yoo Jong does not explicitly disclose the first portion and the second portion are located in different positions in the first direction.
Won KR101052622 teaches the first portion and the second portion are located in different positions in the first direction.
However, it would have been obvious matter of design choice to have the first portion and the second portion could be located in different positions by changing a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won’s Figs 3-4. Therefore, having the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion is just a matter of design choice by the manufacturers or one having ordinary skill in the art which would have yielded predictable results.
Regarding claim 10, Yoo long does not explicitly disclose the speaker of claim 2, wherein the second portion extends with a bent when viewed from the first direction.
It would have been obvious matter of design choice to have wherein the second portion extends with a bent when viewed from the first direction by changing a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won’s Figs 3-4, which is a bent portion between the first portion and a second portion.
Therefore, having the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion is just a matter of design choice by the manufacturers or one having ordinary skill in the art which would have yielded predictable results.
Regarding claim 11, Yoo Jong discloses the speaker of claim 2, wherein in the first portion, when viewed from the first direction, a portion thereof corresponding to the voice coil portion (voice coil drives 30, page 10-11 of 25) and a terminal portion (suspension terminal 46, page 11-12 of 25) located inside the voice coil portion are all exposed (Fig 1 shows).
Regarding claim 12, Yoo Jong discloses the speaker of claim 2, wherein a portion of a terminal portion on the same plane as the first portion and located above the voice coil portion is surrounded by the suspension (the suspension/seat portion 23 located between the frame portion 20 and the diaphragms 50, 80; the suspension/seating portion 23 is formed around the voice coil drive seating portions 21,27, i.e., on the upper surface of the frame 20, and is stepped and recessed along the edge side thereof; and a connection groove 24 that is cut to the height of the upper surface of the suspension seating portion 23 is formed, so the each of the suspension terminal 46 of the first and second suspensions 40a, 40b is exposed outside the frame 20 through the connection groove 24, see Fig 2, page 11-12 of 25).
Regarding claim 13, Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 discloses a speaker (Figs 1-4), comprising:
a frame portion (Fig 1, frame 20, page 10 of 25) forming an exterior of a speaker (speaker 100);
a magnetic field formation portion disposed inside the frame portion and forming a magnetic field (Fig 1, yoke 31 which is a bottom plate, a permanent magnet 32, top plate 33 positioned above the permanent magnet 32 for focusing magnetic flux, page 12 of 25);
a voice coil portion (Fig 1 voice coil 34, page 12 of 25) disposed adjacently to the magnetic field formation portion, and linked to the magnetic formation portion so as to vibrate according to an electric signal (claim 1, page 10-11 of 25);
a terminal portion having a portion thereof exposed to the frame portion, and electrically connected to the voice coil portion (a terminal portion/suspension terminal 46 respectively formed on the portions belonging to the first and second suspension 40a, 40b of the outer ring connected to the two front voice coil 34 and front diaphragm 50, page 11-14 of 25 and page 19-20 of 25, claim 1); and
a diaphragm connected to the voice coil portion (front diaphragm 50 that is driven by voice coil drives 30, 70, and vibrates to generate small waves in the air to form sound waves, page 10-11 of 25); and
a suspension (seat portion 23, page 11 of 25) located between the frame portion (20) and the diaphragm (diaphragms 50, 80, page 15 of 25), and surrounding a portion of the terminal portion (46),
wherein the voice coil portion Fig 1 voice coil portion 30) and the magnetic field formation portion (magnets, 33, 32 are disposed in a first direction)
Yoo Jong does not explicitly disclose wherein the voice coil portion is connected to the diaphragm through a first portion of the terminal portion, However, it could be easily derived by a person skilled in the art from a suspension 40 that supplies sound signals for sound reproduction to a voice coil drive; suspension terminals 46 formed in portions belonging to first and second suspensions 40a, 40b, respectively; a front diaphragm 50 disposed on the suspension 40; and a front voice coil 34 provided on the first and second semi-circular arc portion of front and rear arc rings 43, 47 of the suspension 40, respectively; page 11-14 of 25 and page 19-20 of 25, claim 1).
Yoo Jong further does not explicitly disclose wherein the terminal portion includes a second portion and a bent portion, the second portion being farther away from the diaphragm than the first portion and the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are located in different positions in the first direction.
Won KR101052622 teaches wherein the terminal portion includes a second portion and a bent portion, the second portion being farther away from the diaphragm than the first portion and the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion.
It would have been obvious matter of design choice to have teaches wherein the terminal portion includes a second portion and a bent portion, the second portion being farther away from the diaphragm than the first portion and the bent portion being bent between the first portion and the second portion by changing a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won’s Figs 3-4.
Yoo Jong further does not explicitly disclose wherein the first portion and the second portion are located in different positions in the first direction.
However, it would have been obvious matter of design choice to have a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won’s Figs 3-4; the first portion and the second portion could be located in different positions.
Therefore, having the first portion and the second portion could be located in different positions is just a matter of design choice by the manufacturers or one having ordinary skill in the art which would have yielded predictable results.
Regarding claim 14, Yoo Jong further does not explicitly disclose the speaker of claim 13, wherein a distance between the second portion and the diaphragm is greater than a distance between the first portion and the diaphragm.
However, wherein a distance between the second portion and the diaphragm is greater than a distance between the first portion and the diaphragm. It would have been obvious matter of design choice to have a fixing part connection part 320, which connects one surface of a coil fixing part 420 to one surface of a damping connection part 310 as taught by Won’s Figs 3-4. Therefore, having a distance between the second portion and the diaphragm is greater than a distance between the first portion and the diaphragm is just a matter of design choice by the manufacturers or one having ordinary skill in the art which would have yielded predictable results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 and 15 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.
Claim 6 objected because the prior art references Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 in view of Won KR101052622 fails to teach the claimed limitation, “the speaker of claim 5, wherein the frame portion has a length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction longer than a length in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, a portion of the second portion of the terminal portion extends in the second direction, and the bent portion extends in the first direction.”
Claims 7-9 are rejected because they are depending on the objected claim 6.
Claim 15 objected because the prior art references Yoo Jong KR101499514B1 in view of Won KR101052622 fails to teach the claimed limitation “the speaker of claim 14, wherein the frame portion has a length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction longer than a length in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and a portion of the second portion of the terminal portion extends in the second direction.”
Conclusion
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/JULIE X DANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692