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 § 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.
(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(s) 1-5, 7-16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yajima (JP 2020043527 A).
Re claim 1: Yajima discloses a tiltable display screen assembly (monitor arm 100 in fig 1), comprising:
a tiltable support (monitor support 3 in fig 1) configured to be (i.e., functional language) interconnectable to a display screen (monitor M in fig 1);
a multi-angle adjuster (engaging portion 41b in fig 5) having multiple adjustment features (i.e., concave-convex portions arranged over 360 ° so as to form a radial shape from the center of the through hole H22 as shown in fig 5); and
a tilting screen mechanism pivotable relative to the tiltable support, the tilting screen mechanism comprising: a shaft (40b in fig 5), one or more moveable paddles (main arm 21 and auxiliary arm 22 in fig 5) coupled to the shaft, and
an adjustment member (concave-convex structures of engaging portion 42b extending radially from shaft 40b in fig 5) extending radially outward from the shaft (40b in fig 5) and having an end (i.e., inner end facing engaging portion 41b in fig 5) configured to (i.e., functional language) selectively engage with any one of the multiple adjustment features (i.e., concave-convex portions arranged over 360 ° so as to form a radial shape from the center of the through hole H22 as shown in fig 5) of the multi-angle adjuster (engaging portion 41b in fig 5) in order to (i.e., functional language) provide a tilt angle of the tiltable support, wherein each one of the multiple adjustment features that engages the adjustment member results in a different tilt angle (herein, concave-convex structures on engaging portion 42b engage different concave-convex structures on engaging portion 41b via first operation S1 / second operation S2 to change tilt angle of the tiltable support).
Re claim 2: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the tiltable support comprises a support bracket (pair of projecting walls 312 in fig 5), and wherein the shaft is pivotally mounted (i.e., via screw 401b passing through hole H31 of wall 312 and hole formed inside of the shaft 40b in fig 5) to the support bracket.
Re claim 3: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the support bracket (312) is attached to a mounting member (mounting plate 31 in fig 1) configured to (i.e., functional language) attach to the display screen.
Re claim 4: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the tiltable support (3) comprises a mounting member (mounting plate 31 in fig 1) configured to (i.e., functional language) be attachable to a hand-held device (monitor M in fig 1) comprising the display screen.
Re claim 5: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the mounting member (mounting plate 31 in fig 1) comprises one or more support hooks (311 in fig 1) configured to (i.e., functional language) receive a bottom of the hand-held device.
Re claim 7: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the tiltable support (3) comprises a support bracket (pair of projecting walls 312 in fig 5) and a mounting member (mounting plate 31 in fig 1).
Re claim 8: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the one or more moveable paddles comprise a first moveable paddle (auxiliary arm 22 in fig 5) attached to a first end of the shaft and a second moveable paddle (main arm 21 in fig 5) attached to a second end of the shaft.
Re claim 9: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, further comprising a spring (spring 23 positioned around shaft 40a in fig 5) attached to the shaft (i.e., indirectly attached to the shaft 40b via auxiliary arm 22 in fig 5), wherein the spring is attached offset from a rotational axis of the shaft (herein, spring 23 positioned around shaft 40a is offset from a rotation axis of shaft 40b as shown in fig 5).
Re claim 10: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the spring (spring 23 positioned around shaft 40a in fig 5) is further attached (i.e., indirectly attached via auxiliary arm 22 + shaft 40a in fig 5) to a support bracket (312 in fig 5) of the tiltable support.
Re claim 11: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the shaft has axial restraining features (engaging portion 42b) that limit axial motion of the shaft relative to the tiltable support (herein, convex-concave structure of engaging portion 42b engages with convex-concave structure of engaging portion 41b, which is connected via screw 401b to support 312 of monitor support 3; see figs 5, 8-9).
Re claim 12: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the shaft (40b in fig 5) is supported and radially restrained in bearing supports (H31 in fig 5) of a support bracket (312).
Re claim 13: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, comprising a stop appendage (grooves 422 in figs 5, 7) extending from the shaft (40b in figs 5, 7) and having an end portion configured to (i.e., functional language) engage with a limit stop (pair of ridges 3121 formed on the inner surface of protruding walls 312 in fig 5) to limit rotation of the shaft relative to the tiltable support (herein, the pair of ridges 3121 formed on the inner surface of protruding walls 312 are accommodated in the pair of grooves 422 in order to limit rotation of the engaging portion 42b to the protruding wall 312 of the monitor support 3).
Re claim 14: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the multi-angle adjuster (engaging portion 41b in fig 5) is coupled (i.e., indirectly coupled) to a base (arm support 1 including a base plate 11, a leg 12, and a support 13 in fig 1, 5), and the multi-angle adjuster comprises two or more steps (see convex-concave structure of 41b in fig 5).
Re claim 15: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the tiltable support (3) is adjustable over a tilt angle of at least 15 degrees (see fig 12).
Re claim 16: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the tiltable support comprises a mounting member (31 in fig 1) and the display screen (monitor M in fig 1) is detachable from the mounting member.
Re claim 18: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the mounting member (31 in fig 1) comprises a mount axis (i.e., axis passing through screw 401b in fig 5), and the mounting member is tiltable about the mount axis (see fig 12).
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.
Claim(s) 6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yajima (JP 2020043527 A) in view of Chiu (US 20120267491 A1).
Re claim 6: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly.
Yajima fails to disclose that the mounting member comprises a latch configured to be received in a catch feature on a back surface of the hand-held device.
Chiu discloses a tiltable display screen assembly comprising a mounting member (locking device 10 in figs 5-6) comprising a latch (lip 23 of each of the two locking members 20 in fig 7 and paragraph 35) configured to be received in a catch feature (void 32 in fig 6) on a back surface of a hand-held device (cover 30 of a tablet personal computer 100 in paragraph 30).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the mounting member with a latch configured to be received in a catch feature on a back surface of the hand-held device in order to provide additional means for detachably securing the handheld device to the mounting member for stable support.
Re claim 17: Yajima discloses the tiltable display screen assembly, wherein the mounting member (31 in fig 1) comprises one or more support hooks (311 in fig 1) configured to (i.e., functional language) receive a bottom of the display screen.
Yajima fails to disclose the mounting member comprising a spring-loaded latch configured to be received in a catch feature on a back surface of the display screen.
Chiu discloses a tiltable display screen assembly comprising a mounting member (locking device 10 in figs 5-6) comprising a spring-loaded latch (lip 23 of each of the two locking members 20 in fig 7 and paragraph 35; also see spring 40 in fig 7) configured to be received in a catch feature (void 32 in fig 6) on a back surface of a hand-held device (cover 30 of a tablet personal computer 100 in paragraph 30).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the mounting member with a spring-loaded latch configured to be received in a catch feature on a back surface of the display screen in order to provide additional means for detachably securing the display screen to the mounting member for stable support.
Claim(s) 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yajima (JP 2020043527 A) in view of Janway et al. (US 10655779 B2).
Re claim 19: Yajima discloses a handheld device (monitor M in fig 1), comprising:
a base (arm support 1 including a base plate 11, a leg 12, and a support 13 in fig 1, 5);
a display screen (monitor M in fig 1) rotatably coupled to the base; and
a tiltable display screen assembly interconnected between the base and the display screen, the tiltable display screen assembly comprising:
a tiltable support (monitor support 3 in fig 1) interconnected to the display screen, the tiltable support comprising a support bracket (pair of projecting walls 312 in fig 5) attached to a mounting member (31 in fig 1) configured to (i.e., functional language) attach to the display screen;
a multi-angle adjuster (engaging portion 41b) coupled (i.e., indirectly coupled) to the base, the multi- angle adjuster having multiple adjustment features (i.e., concave-convex portions arranged over 360 ° so as to form a radial shape from the center of the through hole H22 as shown in fig 5) thereon; and
a tilting screen mechanism pivotable relative to the tiltable support, the tilting screen mechanism comprising: a shaft (40b in fig 5), one or more moveable paddles (main arm 21 and auxiliary arm 22 in fig 5) coupled to the shaft, and
an adjustment member (concave-convex structures of engaging portion 42b extending radially from shaft 40b in fig 5) extending radially outward from the shaft (40b in fig 5) and having an end (i.e., inner end facing engaging portion 41b in fig 5) configured to (i.e., functional language) selectively engage with any one of the multiple adjustment features (i.e., concave-convex portions arranged over 360 ° so as to form a radial shape from the center of the through hole H22 as shown in fig 5) of the multi-angle adjuster (engaging portion 41b in fig 5) in order to (i.e., functional language) provide a tilt angle of the display screen relative to the base, wherein each one of the multiple adjustment features that engages the adjustment member results in a different tilt angle (herein, concave-convex structures on engaging portion 42b engage different concave-convex structures on engaging portion 41b via first operation S1 / second operation S2 to change tilt angle of the tiltable support).
Yajima fails to disclose that the handheld device is a diagnostic analyzer.
Janway discloses a diagnostic analyzer (1920 in fig 10a; see column 97, lines 44-49) supported on a rack (1910 in fig 10a).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to support a diagnostic analyzer on the tiltable display screen assembly of Yajima in order to adjust viewing angle of the display screen of the diagnostic analyzer for the user’s convenience.
Method claim 20: The method steps recited in the claim are obviously necessitated by the device structure as taught by Yajima in view of Janway.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 5/12/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the applicants’ arguments that Yajima fails to disclose “an adjustment member extending radially outward from the shaft and having an end configured to selectively engage with any one of the multiple adjustment features of the multi-angle adjuster in order to provide a tilt angle of the tiltable support, wherein each one of the multiple adjustment features that engages the adjustment member results in a different tilt angle,” the examiner respectfully disagrees.
The examiner herein notes that in the device of Yajima, an adjustment member (concave-convex structures of engaging portion 42b extending radially from shaft 40b in fig 5) extending radially outward from the shaft (40b in fig 5) and having an end (i.e., inner end facing engaging portion 41b in fig 5) configured to (i.e., functional language) selectively engage with any one of the multiple adjustment features (i.e., concave-convex portions arranged over 360 ° so as to form a radial shape from the center of the through hole H22 as shown in fig 5) of the multi-angle adjuster (engaging portion 41b in fig 5) in order to (i.e., functional language) provide a tilt angle of the tiltable support, wherein each one of the multiple adjustment features that engages the adjustment member results in a different tilt angle (herein, concave-convex structures on engaging portion 42b engage different concave-convex structures on engaging portion 41b via first operation S1 / second operation S2 to change tilt angle of the tiltable support).
The applicant further argues that Yajima's engaging portions 41b and 42b are mating clutch surfaces that mesh together to lock a joint. That is, Yajima's engagement is achieved via distributed surface-to-surface coupling between co-planar concave- convex structures formed on interacting components, not via a projecting adjustment member extending outward from a shaft with an end that interfaces with different adjustment features to result in different tilt angles, the examiner herein notes that the applicant are arguing about a subject matter that is not claimed.
The applicant also argues that regardless of how Yajima's engaging portion 42b
(corresponding to Applicant's adjustment member) is rotated about second shaft portion 40b before the concave and convex features of both engaging portions 42b and 41b (corresponding to Applicant's multiple adjustment features) mate, different tilt angles do not result. Indeed, the mating of engaging portions 42b and 41b does not result in any particular tilt angle, it merely forms a joint, the examiner respectfully disagrees.
The examiner herein notes that in the device of Yajima, engaging portion 42b is integrally formed with shaft 40b and fixed to the main arm 21. The tilt angle of the monitor support 3 is changed by concave-convex features of engaging portion 42b engaging different concave-convex projections on engaging portion 41b, which is integrally formed with auxiliary arm 22. According to the written description of Yakima, upon receiving the second operation S2 (see NOTE* below), both the rotations of the first joint 4a and the second joint 4b are switched from the prohibited state to the allowable state. Therefore, the user changes the angle between the arm 2 and the arm support 1 while pressing the center of the top surface of the operation receiving unit 222, and also changes the angle between the arm 2 and the monitor support 3; By stopping the pressing in a state where both angles become desired, the angle between the arm unit 2 and the arm support unit 1 and the angle between the arm unit 2 and the monitor support unit 3 can be simultaneously adjusted to a desired value.
NOTE*: The second operation S2 is performed by pressing the central portion of the operation receiving unit 222 in the longitudinal direction. This is an operation for moving the auxiliary arm 22 in parallel with the main arm 21.
The applicant further argues that Chiu and Janway do not disclose or suggest the above-recited features of amended independent claim 1 and/or the similar features recited in amended independent claims 19 and/or 20. The examiner herein notes that it was never the intention of the examiner to use the references of Chiu or Janway for teaching the above-recited features. The examiner has used Yajima for teaching that limitation.
Therefore, the arguments are non-persuasive and the rejection is unchanged.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nidhi Thaker whose telephone number is (571)270-3408. The examiner can normally be reached M, TH, F 10am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani 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.
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/NIDHI THAKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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