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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “bonding member” of claim 13 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
It must be noted that paragraph [0107] of the present application specifically states that the bonding member is “(not shown)”, and furthermore there does not appear to be any element in the drawings that one of ordinary skill in the art appears to match the “bonding member” either as described in the specification or recited in the claims.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1-11, 13-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by PARK et al. (US 2023/0084065).
Regarding claim 1 PARK discloses:
An electronic device comprising:
a first housing (e.g. 210 FIG.2); and
a second housing (e.g. 220 FIG.2), wherein the first housing includes:
a rear plate (e.g. 210b FIG.5) including at least one first opening (e.g. at least one opening shown in 210b FIG.5), a support bracket (e.g. 400, 500 FIG.4) disposed adjacent to the rear plate to support the rear plate, and at least one rubber member (e.g. 550 FIG.5) disposed to penetrate the first opening of the rear plate (e.g. shown FIG.5), and wherein the support bracket includes:
a fastening part (e.g. 540 FIG.5) disposed adjacent to the at least one rubber member, at least one fixing part (e.g. fixing 330 FIG.4) extending from one side of the fastening part, a supporting part (e.g. 531 FIG.7) extending from the at least one fixing part and at least partially disposed to face the rear plate (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.4), and at least one rotating part (e.g. 400 FIG.7) connected to the supporting part and rotatably coupled to the supporting part (e.g. via unbalanced forces FIG.11a-FIG.11E).
Regarding claim 2 PARK discloses:
the fastening part, the at least one fixing part, the supporting part, and the at least one rotating part are integrally formed (e.g. shown FIG.7).
Regarding claim 3 PARK discloses:
the at least one rotating part includes: a first area (e.g. sides of 410 FIG.7), an end of which is connected to the supporting part (e.g. via 440 FIG.7);
a second area (e.g. 430 FIG.7) extending from the first area at a specified angle; and
a third area (e.g. 440 FIG.7) extending from the second area and disposed substantially perpendicular to the first area (e.g. e.g. horizontal vs. vertical).
Regarding claim 4 PARK discloses:
in a first state in which the at least one rotating part and the supporting part are folded (e.g. shown at 90 degrees to one another FIG.3) as the at least one rotating part rotates with respect to the supporting part, wherein one surface of the first area is configured to contact the supporting part (e.g. at the sides as indicated FIG.7), and wherein one surface of the third area is configured to contact the fastening part (e.g. set into the side of 540 indicated FIG.7).
Regarding claim 5 PARK discloses:
a hinge (e.g. 300, 530 FIG.5) including at least one hinge screw (e.g. at least one shown FIG.5) and rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing (e.g. as indicated FIG.5), wherein the support bracket further includes a front plate (e.g. to which 540 attaches FIG.5)configured to receive the hinge screw (e.g. via 540 FIG.5) and at least partially contacting the rear plate (e.g. shown attached at the edges FIG.5), and wherein the hinge is located between the front plate and the support bracket.
Regarding claim 6 PARK discloses:
the hinge includes a hinge shaft, and a hinge plate, and wherein the hinge plate includes: a first portion configured to surround the hinge shaft, and a second portion extending from the first portion, disposed between the front plate and the fastening part, and configured to receive the hinge screw (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.5).
Regarding claim 7 PARK discloses:
in the first state, another surface of the third area is configured to contact the hinge plate (e.g. at the edges as indicated FIG.7).
Regarding claim 8 PARK discloses:
the at least one rubber member includes a hook (e.g. 551 FIG.6) protruding in a front direction, and wherein the supporting part includes a protruding part (e.g. shown not labeled FIG.6 in hole in 410 FIG.7) configured to be coupled to the hook.
Regarding claim 9 PARK discloses:
the at least one rotating part and the at least one fixing part are alternately disposed around the fastening part (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.7).
Regarding claim 10 PARK discloses:
the at least one rotating part includes a protrusion on a side surface of the rotating part (e.g. edges of 440 FIG.7), and wherein one surface of the rotating part, which is in contact with the protrusion of the at least one fixing part, includes a recess (e.g. cutout sections for fitting 440 shown FIG.7) corresponding to the protrusion of the rotating part.
Regarding claim 11 PARK discloses:
the hook of the rubber member is coupled to the support bracket such that a position of the rubber member is fixed (e.g. as indicated FIG.11A).
Regarding claim 13 PARK discloses:
a bonding member disposed between the first area of the at least one rotating part and the supporting part and configured to attach the first area to the supporting part.
Regarding claim 14 PARK discloses:
a keyboard module (e.g. 206 FIG.2) disposed to penetrate the front plate (e.g. shown FIG.2).
Regarding claim 15 PARK discloses:
a printed circuit board (e.g. unlabeled FPCB shown attaching to top of keyboard FIG.4) disposed in the first housing and electrically connected to the keyboard module (e.g. as indicated FIG.1).
Regarding claim 16 PARK discloses:
An electronic device comprising:
a first housing (e.g. 210 FIG.2);
a second housing (e.g. 220 FIG.2); and
a hinge (e.g. 300, 530 FIG.5) including at least one hinge screw (e.g. at least one shown FIG.5) and rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing (e.g. as indicated FIG.5), wherein the first housing includes:
a rear plate (e.g. 210b FIG.5) including at least one first opening (e.g. at least one opening shown in 210b FIG.5), a support bracket (e.g. 400, 500 FIG.4) disposed adjacent to the rear plate to support the rear plate, and at least one rubber member (e.g. 550 FIG.5) disposed to penetrate the first opening of the rear plate (e.g. shown FIG.5), and wherein the support bracket includes:
a fastening part (e.g. 540 FIG.5) configured to receive the hinge screw (e.g. shown FIG.5) and disposed adjacent to the at least one rubber member (e.g. shown FIG.5), at least one fixing part (e.g. fixing 330 FIG.4) extending from one side of the fastening part, a supporting part (e.g. 531 FIG.7) extending from the at least one fixing part and at least partially disposed to face the rear plate (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.4), and at least one rotating part (e.g. 400 FIG.7) connected to the supporting part and rotatably coupled to the supporting part (e.g. via unbalanced forces FIG.11a-FIG.11E).
Regarding claim 17 PARK discloses:
the at least one rotating part includes:
a first area (e.g. sides of 410 FIG.7), an end of which is connected the supporting part (e.g. via 440 FIG.7);
a second area (e.g. 430 FIG.7) extending from the first area at a specified angle; and
a third area (e.g. 440 FIG.7) extending from the second area and disposed substantially perpendicular to the first area (e.g. e.g. horizontal vs. vertical).
Regarding claim 18 PARK discloses:
in a first state in which the at least one rotating part and the supporting part are folded (e.g. shown at 90 degrees to one another FIG.3) as the at least one rotating part rotates with respect to the supporting part in a first rotating direction, wherein one surface of the first area is configured to contact the supporting part (e.g. at the sides as indicated FIG.7), and wherein one surface of the third area is configured to contact the fastening part (e.g. set into the side of 540 indicated FIG.7).
Regarding claim 19 PARK discloses:
the support bracket further includes a front plate (e.g. to which 540 attaches FIG.5) configured to receive the hinge screw (e.g. via 540 FIG.5) and at least partially contacting the rear plate (e.g. shown attached at the edges FIG.5), and wherein the hinge is located between the front plate and the support bracket (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.5).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PARK et al. (US 2023/0084065) in view of CHEN (US 2011/0316398).
Regarding claim 12 PARK discloses:
The electronic device of claim 1
PARK does not explicitly disclose:
the at least one rotating part includes a first rotating part, a second rotating part, and a third rotating part disposed at a regular interval with respect to the fastening part, and wherein the at least one fixing part includes a first fixing part disposed between the first rotating part and the second rotating part, a second fixing part disposed between the second rotating part and the third rotating part, and a third fixing part disposed between the first rotating part and the third rotating part
CHEN teaches:
the at least one rotating part (e.g. 372 FIG.5) includes a first rotating part (e.g. first 372 FIG.5), a second rotating part (e.g. second 372 FIG.5), and a third rotating part (e.g. third 372 FIG.5) disposed at a regular interval with respect to the fastening part (e.g. 13 FIG.4), and wherein the at least one fixing part (e.g. sections between each adjacent 135 FIG.3) includes a first fixing part (e.g. first section between each adjacent 135 FIG.3) disposed between the first rotating part and the second rotating part, a second fixing part (e.g. second section between each adjacent 135 FIG.3) disposed between the second rotating part and the third rotating part, and a third fixing part (e.g. third section between each adjacent 135 FIG.3) disposed between the first rotating part and the third rotating part (e.g. shown FIG.7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teachings of CHEN, as pointed out above, in PARK, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have would have recognized the teaching, suggestion, and motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings (as pointed out above) to arrive at the claimed invention, and would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification would have allowed for: increased durability and decreased detachability of the support structure and securing feet of the electronic device (paragraph [0004]).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PARK et al. (US 2023/0084065) in view of ABE et al. (US 2012/0250284).
Regarding claim 20 PARK discloses:
The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the hinge includes a hinge shaft (e.g. plural shafts connected to 300 shown FIG.4), and a hinge plate (e.g. 340, 530 FIG.7), and wherein the hinge plate includes:
a first portion (e.g. 340 FIG.7) configured to surround the hinge shaft, and a second portion (e.g. 530 FIG.5) extending from the first portion, disposed between the front plate and the fastening part (e.g. shown FIG.5)
hinge screw, hinge plate
PARK does not explicitly disclose:
configured to receive the hinge screw, and wherein in the first state, another surface of the third area is configured to contact the hinge plate
ABE teaches:
Disposed between the front plate (e.g. 21 FIG.8A) and the fastening part (e.g. 44 FIG.8A) configured to receive the screw (e.g. S FIG.8A), and wherein in the first state, another surface of the area is configured to contact the plate (e.g. 54 FIG.8A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teachings of ABE, as pointed out above, in PARK, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have would have recognized the teaching, suggestion, and motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings (as pointed out above) to arrive at the claimed invention, and would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification would have allowed for: "weight of the chassis is reduced and the number of the assembling steps thereof is also reduced" (paragraph [0040]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references cited on the PTO-892 disclose/teach similar circuit board housings as those disclosed in the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THERON S MILLISER whose telephone number is (571)270-1800. The examiner can normally be reached 9-6.
Limited examiner interviews are available.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani N. 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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/THERON S MILLISER/ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/IMANI N HAYMAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights