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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
1.Claims 4, 6-8, 11-16, and 22-26 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2.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.
3.Claim(s) 1, 5, 9-10, 17-21, and 27-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (WO 2021201640) in view of TONG et al. (US 20230034922).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a sound apparatus, comprising: a sound generating module ((Paragraph: 0033 and 0093: Kim discusses output sound through an audio output device; and how the vibration of diaphragm generate sound); an enclosure disposed at the sound generating module with an internal space therebetween (Paragraphs: 0097-0099 and 0214: Kim discusses how the interior space such that the entirety of the speaker is surrounded by the speaker enclosure; and discusses an internal space in the speaker enclosure), the enclosure including an opening part connected to the internal space (Paragraphs: 0110-0111: Kim discusses how an opening area may be formed through at least a portion of the lower wall to connect with the internal space); and a coupling part configured to couple the enclosure to a mount object (Paragraphs: 00145-0146 and 0179: Kim discusses how the speaker module mounted can be adjusted depending on the degree to which the first edge portion protrudes),
Kim discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “the coupling part is connected to the internal space and comprises a hollow part including at least one chamfer portion”
Tong however discloses a system wherein the coupling part is connected to the internal space and comprises a hollow part including at least one chamfer portion (abstract and Paragraphs: 0022-0023, 0029: Tong discusses how the speaker vibration assembly driven by a speaker driving module to vibrate, which comprises a first frame body, a vibrating diaphragm, and a plurality of covering members; and how the first frame body comprises a hollow part wherein the frame body and the hollow part are rectangular (i.e. chamfer portion); Tong also discusses how the internal space of the speaker is in communication (i.e. coupling) with the mesh through the first opening of the vibrating diaphragm).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Kim, and modify a system wherein the coupling part is connected to the internal space and comprises a hollow part including at least one chamfer portion, as taught by Tong, thus the first opening of the speaker assembly provided with the covering element having multiple through holes, so that the vibrating diaphragm maintains structural continuity even the multiple openings are provided, as discussed by Tong.
Considering claim 5, Tong discloses the sound apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hollow part is connected to the internal space through the opening part and/or comprises a slit shape including a long axis and a short axis (Paragraphs: 0005 and 0022-0024: Tong discusses how the vibrating diaphragm is disposed at the first frame body and covers the hollow part; and how the vibrating diaphragm comprises a plurality of first openings).
Considering claim 9, Tong further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure further comprises a protrusion part protruding from an outer surface of the enclosure to surround the opening part (Paragraphs: 0007 and 0031).
Considering claim 10, Tong further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling part further comprises a hook member configured to be accommodated into the opening part through the mount object and the protrusion part and to be coupled to an inner surface of the enclosure in the internal space (Paragraphs: 0007 and 0031: Tong discusses how the system providing a covering member having a plurality of through holes on the first openings; and how the inner side of the speaker can be communicated with the outer side).
Considering claim 17, Kim further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sound generating module comprises: a vibration member; and a vibration apparatus configured at the vibration member (Paragraphs: 0093 and 0109-0110: vibration plate).
Considering claim 18, Kim further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 17, wherein the vibration member is disposed to cover the internal space of the enclosure (Paragraphs: 0094 and 0109-0110: Kim discusses how a vibration plate may be positioned to face the lower wall; and how sound can vibrate to secured inside the speaker enclosure).
Considering claim 19, Tong further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 17, wherein the vibration apparatus comprises: a first vibration apparatus connected to a first surface of the vibration member; and a second vibration apparatus connected to a second surface different from the first surface of the vibration member, or connected to the first vibration apparatus (Paragraphs: 0007-0008 and fig.2, 20: vibrating diaphragm and plurality of covers).
Considering claim 20, Kim further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 17, wherein the vibration member (Paragraph: 0109) comprises at least one or more holes, and wherein the at least one or more holes do not overlap the opening part (Paragraphs: 0070, 0129 and 0151: a first connector hole accommodates a connector with a second connector hole, i.e. without overlap).
Considering claim 21, Tong further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises: a first enclosure including the opening part; and a second enclosure connected to the first enclosure (fig.2), and wherein the sound generating module is configured at the internal space (Paragraph: 0027: the internal space of the speaker could communicate with the externals).
Considering claim 27, Kim further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: a protection member disposed at the vibration apparatus; and a coupling member disposed between the enclosure and the vibration member (Paragraphs: 0092-0094 and 0110: Kim discusses how the diaphragm can vibrate together with the vibration of the voice coil to generate sound; and how sound can vibrate can be secured inside the speaker enclosure through a predetermined gap).
Considering claim 28, Kim further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 27, wherein the protection member comprises a material different from a material of the coupling member (Paragraphs:0049 and 0095: Kim discusses how a protection of internal components can be a rigid material such as metal or a fabric mesh, i.e.it would have been obvious that a material of the protection member can be any material which can be different from a material of the coupling member depends on a design choice).
Considering claim 29, Kim further discloses a vehicular apparatus, comprising: an interior material exposed at an interior space; and at least one or more sound generating apparatuses disposed at the interior material to output a sound to the interior space, wherein the at least one or more sound generating apparatuses comprise the sound apparatus of claim 1 (Paragraphs: 0097 and 0134: Kim discusses speaker contained within the interior space).
Considering claim 30, Kim further discloses the vehicular apparatus of claim 29, wherein the mount object in the at least one or more sound generating apparatuses is the interior material (Paragraphs: 0097, 0134 and 0138).
4.Claim(s) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (WO 2021201640) in view of TONG et al. (US 20230034922) and further in view of Baker et al. (US 11632448).
Considering claim 2, Kim in view of Tong fail to disclose claim 2. Baker however discloses the sound apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one chamfer portion comprises a non-rectangular shape (Col.94 lines 13-16: Baker discusses rounded shape chamfers, i.e. non-rectangular shape).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Kim and Tong, and modify a system wherein the at least one chamfer portion comprises a non-rectangular shape, as taught by Baker, thus providing a device that offers a wide range of functionality and improve the performance of the device, as discussed by Baker.
Considering claim 3, Baker further discloses the sound apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one chamfer portion comprises one or more of a curved shape and a slope shape (Col.94 lines 7-16).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5149. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30 M-F.
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/YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691