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 .
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 3 and 4 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.
In regard to claim 3, it is unclear which extending directions are being referred to in lines 5-7.
In regard to claim 4, it is unclear which orientation “the orientation” on line 6 is referring to.
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, 2 and 4-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 56-110527 [‘527 hereinafter].
In regard to claim 1, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] an electronic device comprising: an operation button [1] having a flange [1-2]; and a device case [2] formed with an opening [2-1] into which the operation button [1] is inserted, wherein the device case [2] is provided with a restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] that does not overlap the flange [1-2] when the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] in an orientation, and that overlaps the flange [1-2] when the operation button [1] is to be inserted into the opening [2-1] in an orientation other than the orientation.
In regard to claim 2, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the device case [2] is provided with, as the restricting portion, a guide rib [2-3, 2-4]] that guides the reception of the flange [1-2] into a region of the device case [2] when the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1].
In regard to claim 4, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] the electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the device case [2] is provided with, as the restricting portion, a frame portion [2-3, 2-4] that defines the region, and wherein the frame portion [2-3, 2-4] does not overlap the flange [1-2] when the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] in the orientation, and overlaps the flange [1-2] when the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] in a predetermined orientation other than the orientation.
In regard to claim 5, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] the electronic device according to claim 2, wherein, when the operation button [1] is rotated to an angle, the guide rib [2-3, 2-4] is engaged with the flange [1-2] to prevent the operation button [1] from rotating beyond the angle.
In regard to claim 6, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] preparing a device case [2] formed with an opening [2-1] into which an operation button [1] having a flange [1-2] is inserted; preparing the operation button [1]; and inserting the operation button [1] into the opening [2-1] in an orientation, wherein the device case [2] is provided with a restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] that does not overlap the flange [1-2] when the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] in the orientation, and that overlaps the flange [1-2] when the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] in an orientation other than the orientation.
In regard to claim 7, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the flange [1-2] of the operation button [1] has a shape which each corner of lower left and lower right is cut out, wherein the flange [1-2] is configured to not engage with the restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] in a case where the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] of the device case [2] in a correct orientation, and wherein the flange [1-2] is configured to engage with the restricting portion 2-3, 2-4] in a case where the operation button [1] is inserted into the opening [2-1] of the device case [2] in a wrong orientation different from the correct orientation.
In regard to claim 8, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] is configured such that an interval between the flange [1-2] and the restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] is widened in a case where a pressing operation is performed toward a pressing direction of the operation button [1].
In regard to claim 9, ‘527 discloses [in Figs. 2 and 3] the electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a circuit board [4] provided with a fixed contact [4-1]; and a key contact member [3-1] disposed in the device case [2] and on which the operation button [1] is provided, wherein the key contact member [3-1] is provided with a movable contact [3-2], wherein the restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] of the device case [2] extends along a pressing direction of the operation button [1], wherein the restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] is configured to engage with the flange [1-2] in a case where the operation button [1] is rotated beyond a predetermined angle about an axis orthogonal to an opening surface of the opening [2-1], and wherein the flange [1-2] is configured to not contact with the restricting portion [2-3, 2-4] in a case where the fixed contact [4-1] and movable contact [3-2] are contacted by pushing the operation button [1] in the pressing direction and the operation button [1] contacts with an edge of the opening [2-1].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Inaba [US 4,556,769], Shen [US 8,816,231] and Eguchi [US 2025/0132108] disclose similar electronic devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LHEIREN MAE A CAROC whose telephone number is (571)272-2730. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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