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 .
Claims filed 6-27-2024.
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 5 is 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.
It is not clear how to read “the speaker as described in claim 4, wherein a gap is provided on at least one of the two long axis sides and the two short axis sides for the coil lead passing through”
Referred to Applicant’s specification’s para [10, 37] and Fig 7 shows that a gap 2327 is provided in the skeleton 23, is provided on at least one of the two long axis sides and the two short axis sides for the coil lead passing through.
Examiner reads a gap 2327 is provided in the skeleton 23.
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) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tao 2022/0210569
Regarding claim 1, Tao discloses a speaker (Figs 1-5), comprising:
a frame (Fig 3 frame 1, para [23, 32];
a vibration system (Fig 1, 3 vibration system 2, para [25] fixed to the frame (1); and
a magnetic circuit system (Fig 3 magnet circuit unit 3, para [39-40] driving the vibration system for generating sounds),
wherein the vibration system comprises a diaphragm (Fig 3 diaphragm 21, para [30] fixed to the frame (1), a voice coil (Fig 3, voice coil 24, para [30], and a skeleton (Fig 3 skeleton/holder 23, para [30] connecting the diaphragm (21) and the voice coil (24);
the skeleton (Fig 4, holder 23 comprises a flat part (Fig 3, flat part/main body portion 236, para [30-31] fixed to the diaphragm (diaphragm 21) and a first extension part (Fig 4, first extension part/first extension arm 233, para [30-31] extending from an inner edge of the flat part (Fig 4shows);
the first extension part (Figs 3-4 shows skeleton/holder 23, first extension part 233 comprises a first part bending from the flat part and extending in a direction far away from the diaphragm (21), and
a second part (Figs 3-4 second part/second extension arm 234, para [30-31] bending from the first part (233) and extending in a direction far away from the flat part (Figs 3-4 main body portion 236, para [30-31]);
the voice coil (Fig 3, voice coil 24, para [30-31] is fixed to the second part);
the first extension part (Figs 3-4 first extension arm 233, para [30-31] further comprises a third part bending from at least part of the second part and extending in a direction far away from the voice coil (Figs 3-5, third part is provided on the two long axis sides, the two short axis sides and the four corners of the holder 23 and the holder 23 is of an annular plate structure includes the main body portion 236, first extension arm 233 and second extension arm 234. The main body portion 236 is provided with a rectangular hole 232 in the middle. Four corners of the rectangular hole 232, the first extension arm 233 bends and extends from a hole wall of the rectangular hole 232 of the main body portion 236 to the voice coil 24 and is fixedly connected to the voice coil 24. The second extension arm 234 is arranged at two ends in a length direction of the main body portion 236, which is formed by bending from an outer periphery of the main body portion 236 in a same direction as the first extension arm 233. The dome 22, the voice coil 24 and the first diaphragm 21 are connected through the holder 23, para [30-32]).
Regarding claim 2, Tao discloses the speaker as described in claim 1, wherein the first extension part (Figs 4-5 shows skeleton/holder 23 comprising first extension arm 233, para [30-31] is provided with two long axis sides opposite to each other),
two short axis sides opposite to each other (Figs 4-5 shows), and four corners connecting the two long axis sides and the two short axis sides (Figs 4-5 shows);
the third part is provided on at least one of the two long axis sides, the two short axis sides and the four corners (Figs 4-5 shows, para [30-32]).
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) 3-4, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tao 2022/0210569 in view of Mao 2018/0027333
Regarding claim 3, Tao discloses the speaker as described in claim 2, wherein the magnetic circuit system (Fig 3 magnetic circuit unit 3, para [39-40] comprises a bottom plate (Fig 3 bottom plate/yoke 34, para [40-41]), a main magnetic member (Fig 3 main magnet 31, para [40-41] fixed to the bottom plate (yoke 34, para [40]) and
a secondary magnetic member (Fig 3, two second auxiliary magnets 32 and 33, para [40-41] disposed around the main magnetic member (31) for forming a magnetic gap (para [40] discloses the first auxiliary magnet 32 and second auxiliary magnet 33 and the main magnet 31 form the magnetic gap); the voice coil locates in the magnetic gap (para [39] discloses voice coil 24 is inserted into the magnetic gap);
the main magnetic member comprises a first main magnet (Fig 3 first main magnet 33), a main yoke (Fig 3 main yoke/main pole plate 35, para [39]) and
a second main magnet stacked in sequence from the bottom plate; the secondary magnetic member comprises a secondary magnet fixed to the bottom plate and
a secondary yoke (Fig 3 secondary yoke/auxiliary pole plate 36 attached to one side of the first auxiliary magnet 32 and second auxiliary magnet 33 para [40] attached to the secondary magnet; the secondary yoke is fixed to the frame.
Tao does not explicitly disclose a second main magnet. However, provided a second main magnet is well known in the art.
Mao teaches a second main magnet/second magnet 533, para [16] Fig 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Mao in Tao’s invention as modified by Tao, the magnetic performance of the miniature speaker is improved. See Mao’s para [19].
Regarding claim 4, Tao discloses the speaker as described in claim 3, wherein the vibration system further comprises a flexible circuit board (Fig 3, flexible printed circuit board 4, para [30-33] spaced apart from the diaphragm (diaphragm 21, para [30]);
the skeleton (Fig 3 skeleton/holder 23, para [31] further comprises a second extension part (Figs 3-5, second extension arm 234, para [31] extending from an outer edge of the flat part (Fig 3 flat part/main body portion 236, para [31] toward the bottom plate (Fig 3 bottom plate/yoke 34); the voice coil (Fig 3, voice coil 24, para [25-26] is provided with a coil lead electrically connecting with the flexible circuit board (para [30-33] discloses skeleton/holder 23 connected through flexible printed circuit board 4 fixedly connected to voice coil 24);
the flexible circuit board (Figs 3-4, flexible printed circuit board 4, Abstract, para [25, 30-33] discloses comprises a main body part fixed to the second extension part, an outer connecting part extending outward from an outer edge of the main body part and an inner connecting part extending from an inner edge of the main body part to the flat part; the inner connecting part is fixed to the flat part and electrically connects with the voice coil through the coil lead).
Regarding claim 6, Tao discloses the speaker as described in claim 4, wherein a containing groove (Figs 3 and 6 shows containing groove/recesses 362, 363, para [43] is provided on the secondary yoke/auxiliary pole plate 36, para [39] for containing at least part of the coil lead, para [39, 42-43] discloses the auxiliary pole plate 36/second yoke is arranged around the voice coil 24).
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tao 2022/0210569 in view of Mao 2018/0027333 further in view of Song 2022/0174384
Regarding claim 5, Tao does not explicitly disclose the claimed limitation as recited in claim 5.
Referred to 112 rejection above. Examiner reads a gap 2327 is provided in the skeleton 23.
Song 2022/0174384 teaches the speaker as described in claim 4, wherein a gap is provided on at least one of the two long axis sides and the two short axis sides for the coil lead passing through (Fig 3, skeleton/holder 35 includes plurality of gaps 357, the second connecting portion 355 is provided with a plurality of gaps 357 are provided on the long axis sides and short axis sides of the skeleton/holder 35. The plurality of gaps 357 divide the second connecting portion 355 into a plurality of isolation portions 359 that are spaced apart from each other. The voice coil 33 is fixed to the plurality of isolation portions 359. When the voice coil 33 is connected to the second connecting portion 355, the gap 357 enable an air flow channel between the voice coil 33 and the second connecting portion 355 to balance an air pressure in the speaker device during vibration, para [33]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to the teaching of Song 2022/0174384 in Tao’s invention as modified by Mao, the plurality gaps provided in the skeleton/holder enable an air flow channel to balance an air pressure in the speaker device during vibration. See Song 2022/0174384’s para [33].
Claim(s) 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tao 2022/0210569 in view of Mao 2018/0027333 further in view of Song 2020/0204923
Regarding claim 7, Tao discloses the speaker as described in claim 3, wherein the diaphragm (Fig 3, diaphragm 21, para [23, 32-33] comprises an inner suspension (Fig 3, inner suspension/first connection portion 213, para [32-33] fixed to the second main magnet,
an outer suspension (Fig 3, outer suspension/first suspension 212 fixed to the frame (frame 1), and a dome connecting the inner suspension and the outer suspension and covering the flat part (para [30-33] discloses vibration system 2 includes skeleton/holder 23 and a dome 22, the holder 23 supporting the voice coil 24, the voice membrane includes a dome 22 and a diaphragm 21 includes inner and outer suspensions 213, 212 are fixed to the skeleton/holder 23, the holder includes a main body portion/flat part connected to the dome and the diaphragm 21, a first extension arm bending and extending from an inner periphery of the main body portion, and a second extension arm bending and extending from an outer periphery of the main body portion. The first extension arm is fixedly connected to the voice coil to suspend the voice coil below the dome, the second extension arm is fixedly connected to the flexible printed circuit board, para [9, 25-31]).
Tao does not explicitly disclose a second main magnet. However, provided a second main magnet is well known in the art.
Mao teaches a second main magnet/second magnet 533, para [16] Fig 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Mao in Tao’s invention as modified by Tao, the magnetic performance of the miniature speaker is improved. See Mao’s para [19].
Tao discloses in Figs 1-3 the vibration system includes diaphragm 21, dome 22, skeleton/holder 22, voice coil 24, magnetic circuit unit 3 are fix together. Tao does not explicitly discloses the dome and the flat part are glued together. However, using glue for holding all the component together is well known in the art.
Song 2020/0204923 teaches in para [14, 20] glue part 5 for adhered dome 312 is fixed to the membrane 311, the dome 312 is fixed to the upper surface of the membrane 311 by adhesive. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Song 2020/0204923 in Tao’s invention as modified by Mao, in order to fix/adhered the dome together with skeleton.
Regarding claim 8, Tao as modified by Mao does not disclose the claimed limitation as recited in claim 8.
Song 2020/0204923 teaches the speaker as described in claim 7, wherein the flat part has a gluing surface glued to the dome and is provided with two glue storage grooves depressed from the gluing surface along a vibration direction of the diaphragm, and the two glue storage grooves are in a strip shape and respectively locate on both sides of the inner suspension (para [20-22], Figs 1- 2 shows two glue storage grooves/though holes 4 penetrates through membrane 311, the through holes 4 are long-strip- shaped, the glue part 5 is filled in the through holes to enable the voice coil to be connected with the diaphragm through the glue part 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Song 2020/0204923 in Tao’s invention as modified by Mao, a glue part is filled in the through holes to enable the voice coil to be connected with the diaphragm through the glue part, so that the glue is prevented from overflowing to the surface of the diaphragm to occupy the vibration space of the diaphragm. Furthermore, the actual vibration space of the diaphragm is equal to the theoretical design space, the z-direction space utilization rate is better, and the sound performance of the sound generator is improved. See Song 2020/0204923’s para [22].
Regarding claim 9, Tao discloses the speaker as described in claim 7, wherein an avoidance groove is provided on the bottom plate for avoiding the voice coil (Fig 3 shows bottom plate/yoke 34 includes an avoidance groove).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIE X DANG whose telephone number is (571)272-0040. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Carolyn R Edwards can be reached at 571-270-7136. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JULIE X DANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692