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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Sound Device with Symmetrical Sound Quality.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. Claim 4 recites the limitation "one through hole symmetrically arranged” with a perpendicular bisector of the long edge as the axis of symmetry, but omits what that one through hole is symmetric with. A symmetry requires a component arranged opposite of the one through hole with the axis of symmetry in the center of the hole and the component. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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) 1-2, 6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao (CN 212519411) in view of Xiao2 (CN213906928).
Regarding claim 1, Xiao teaches A sound device comprising: a housing having a receiving space (Xiao figures 1-5 and ¶0036, “housing 1 with a receiving cavity”), including: an upper cover; a bottom cover engaged with the upper cover (Xiao ¶0042, upper cover 11, basin stand 12 and lower cover 13); and a side wall having a sound outlet (Xiao figures 1-5 and ¶0042, first sound outlets 14); a speaker unit received in the receiving space and enclosed a front cavity with the upper cover (Xiao ¶0039 and figures 3 and 5, vibration system 2 and space between upper cover 11 and diaphragm 22 or front cavity), including: a basket (Xiao figure 3, first, second and third frames 231, 232, 233); a vibration system mounted on the basket (Xiao ¶0044, discloses the frame holding parts of the vibration system 2), including: a diaphragm (Xiao figure 2, diaphragms 22, 25, 24); a coil configured to drive the diaphragm (Xiao figure 2, voice coil 21); and a frame configured to support the coil (Xiao figures 3 and 5, skeleton assembly 23); a magnet system configured to drive the vibration system to generate sound signal (Xiao figure 2, ¶0007, “loudspeaker,” ¶0008, “magnetic circuit system for driving the vibration system to vibrate,” magnetic circuit system 3), including a central magnet assembly (Xiao figure 4, magnetic circuit system 3) connected with the upper cover (Xiao figure 5, ¶0056, “upper clamp plate 33 is clamped between the upper cover 11 and the first magnet assembly 31”), wherein the frame surrounds the central magnet assembly (Xiao figures 3 and 5, ¶0038, “a skeleton assembly 23…connecting the voice coil 21”), a through hole is provided on a side of the frame away from the sound outlet (Xiao figure 3, different parts of skeleton assembly 23 have through holes, such as hole 2333 of frame 233 and the holes of frame 232), an elastic member configured to support the vibration system (Xiao ¶0053, “the vibration system 2 further includes a flexible circuit board 26…electrically connected to the voice coil 21,” with BRI since the circuit board provides signals and processing to the vibration system, it is supporting it), however does not explicitly teach an elastic member configured to support the vibration system.
Xiao2 teaches an elastic member configured to support the vibration system (Xiao figures 2-4 ¶0038, “The elastic circuit board 351 is elastic, and the lower diaphragm and the elastic circuit board 351 can work together to suppress the swaying of the frame 31(and voice coil 32) during vibration”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of Xiao2 to improve the known sound device of Xiao to achieve the predictable result of reduced swaying of the frame and voice coil during vibrations (Xiao figures 2-4 ¶0038).
Regarding claim 2, Xiao in view of Xiao2 teaches wherein the frame comprises a flat portion connected to the diaphragm (Xiao ¶0044, “first frame-shaped main body portion 2311 for holding the first diaphragm,” “second frame-shaped main body 2321 for holding the second diaphragm,” “third frame-shaped main body 2331 that holes the first diaphragm 22”), a first connection portion extended from an inner edge of the flat portion and fixed to the coil (Xiao ¶0044, “a first support portion 2312 extending from the first frame-shaped main body portion 2311 for connecting the voice coil 21”), a second connection portion extended from an outer edge of the flat portion and fixed to the elastic member, the through hole is provided on the flat portion (Xiao2 figures 4-5, skeleton 31 with holes on top surface and grooves 3141 and ¶0038, “two ends of the flexible circuit board 351 are respectively connected to the frame 31 and the basket 10”).
Regarding claim 6, Xiao in view of Xiao2 teaches wherein the central magnet assembly comprises a first main magnet (Xiao figure 4 and ¶0060, magnet 311 in the middle. Xiao2 figure 3, yoke 21), a second main magnet fixed on the first main magnet (Xiao figure 4, magnet 312. Xiao2 figure 3, main magnet 223), and a third main magnet fixed on the second main magnet (Xiao figure 4, another magnet 311 right below upper clamping plate 33. Xiao2 figure 3, main pole core 222); the magnet system further comprises a side magnet spaced apart from the central magnet assembly (Xiao figure 4, magnets of assembly 32. Xiao2 figure 3, auxiliary magnet 232 and auxiliary pole core 231); a magnetic gap is formed between the side magnet and the central magnet assembly(Xiao figure 5, gap between magnet assemblies 31 and 32. Xiao2 figure 3, magnetic gap 24); the third main magnet is fixedly connected to the upper cover (Xiao figures 4-5, top magnet 311 is connected to upper clamping plate 33 which is attached to upper cover 11 Xiao2 figure 3, frame 10).
Regarding claim 8, Xiao in view of Xiao2 teaches wherein the diaphragm comprises a dome (Xiao figure 2, dome 223. Figure 3, dome 242), an outer edge portion connected to one end of the dome, and an inner edge portion connected to the other end of the dome (Xiao figure 5, dome 223 and 242); the outer edge portion comprises a first fixation portion fixed to the basket; the inner edge portion comprises a second fixation portion fixed to the second main magnet (Xiao figure 5 and ¶0054, dome 223 is connected to upper cover 11 and central magnet assembly 33).
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao (CN 212519411) in view of Xiao2 (CN213906928) in further view of Hu (US 2020/0045435).
Regarding claim 3, Xiao in view of Xiao2 teaches wherein the flat portion comprises two long edges opposite to each other, and two short edges connecting the two long edges, the through hole is in a rectangle shape and arranged on the long edge (Xiao2 figure 5, skeleton 31 has 4 openings on the top surface along the long edge), however does not explicitly teach rounded rectangle shape.
Hu teaches rounded rectangle shape (Hu ¶0013, “through holes are in the shape of rounded rectangles”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of Hu to improve the known sound device of Xiao in view of Xiao2 to achieve the predictable result of improved durability of components (Hu ¶0013).
Regarding claim 4, Xiao in view of Xiao2 in further view of Hu teaches wherein the frame comprises one through hole symmetrically arranged with a perpendicular bisector of the long edge as the axis of symmetry (Xiao2 figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Xiao in view of Xiao2 in further view of Hu teaches wherein the frame comprises a plurality of through holes symmetrically arranged with a perpendicular bisector of the long edge as the axis of symmetry (Xiao2 figure 4).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao (CN 212519411) in view of Xiao2 (CN213906928) in further view of Lin (CN 109982218).
Regarding claim 7, Xiao in view of Xiao2 teaches wherein the magnet system further comprises a yoke configured to bear the first main magnet, the second main magnet, and the third main magnet (Xiao2 figure 4, yoke 21);however, does not explicitly teach the speaker unit further comprises a support portion connected the yoke with the bottom cover.
Lin teaches the speaker unit further comprises a support portion connected the yoke with the bottom cover (Lin figures 1-3, yoke 4 and bottom frame 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of Lin to improve the known sound device of Xiao in view of Xiao2 to achieve the predictable result of bidirectional sound generation (Lin ¶0006).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao (CN 212519411) in view of Xiao2 (CN213906928) in further view of Ren (CN 217693686).
Regarding claim 9, Xiao in view of Xiao2 teaches wherein the speaker unit further comprises a circuit board fixed to one end of the elastic member (Xiao2 figure 4 and ¶0038, “elastic circuit board 351”), however does not explicitly teach an electrical connector fixed to the other end of the elastic member; an external circuit provides power supply for the coil via the circuit board, the elastic member, and the electric connector.
Ren teaches an electrical connector fixed to the other end of the elastic member; an external circuit provides power supply for the coil via the circuit board, the elastic member, and the electric connector (Ren ¶0026).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known technique of Ren to improve the known sound device of Xiao in view of Xiao2 to achieve the predictable result of reducing the size of the device by using an external power source.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NORMAN YU whose telephone number is (571)270-7436. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri 11am-7pm.
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/NORMAN YU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693