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 .
Response to Arguments
Arguments filed 14 January 2026 have been fully considered, but are not persuasive. Applicant argues Shim fails to disclose the subject matter of independent claims 1, 15, and 23. The Office disagrees for at least the following reasons. First, with regard ‘technical feature 1’, at the point of connection with the housing, the second element rotates as the hinge operates. Thus, under the breadth of the claim, it is the Office’s opinion that Shim continues to read upon the claim that the second end is ‘rotatably connected’ to one of the housings. With regard to ‘technical feature 2’, the Office disagrees with applicant’s characterization of the rotation axes. As [0176] clearly states, the operation of 311 and 312 is ‘within a specified range’ which is about ‘virtual ‘ axes L1 and L2. Applicant appears to show in their own simplified schematic (14 January 2026 remarks, pg. 13) a fixed axis/radius (L0) in which the brackets are assumed to operate. The rotation provided in Applicant’s schematic is not disclosed in Shim, nor do the claims require such. The same can be said for the claimed housings being rotatable around ‘a first rotation’ axis, which was defined in the office action, to be an axis running alone the center line of the hinge fold – which is below and between L1 and L2, and further away from the second connecting ends. See Shim, as Fig. 10a-c show the movement of brackets during the rotation of the bracket and Fig. 19a-19c show the rotation of the housing. The Office has presented a simplified schematic below for clarification.
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When the bracket and housing are rotated, each bracket 312 moves downward and outward around L1/L2 and each housing rotates around the designated ‘a first rotation’ axis, thus satisfying the requirements of claim 1. Applicant further argues that the rotational angles of the elements should coincide. However, applicant seems to disregard the three-dimensional nature of the elements. Applicant also argues a U-shaped screen configuration, rather than a water drop shape. The Office fails to find such a requirement in the claims. Therefore, the claims are not patentably distinct over Shim.
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.
Claims 2 and 23 are 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.
Regarding claim 2, the recitation of “the first rotation axes of the tow housings are spaced apart form each other” renders the claim ambiguous. Claim 1, from which claim 2 depends only claims ‘a first rotation axis’, not multiple axes in which the two housings rotate around. Thus rendering claim 2 ambiguous. Clarification is required.
Regarding claim 23, the recitation of “the first rotation axes of the two housings are spaced apart are located between” renders the claim ambiguous. Claim 23, only claims ‘a first rotation axis’, not multiple axes in which the two housings rotate around. Thus rendering claim 23 ambiguous. Clarification is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, 15-17, 19, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shim (US 2021.0247815).
Regarding claim 1, Shim disclose:
A rotating shaft assembly for an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a flexible screen and two housings (see Fig. 3, 6; [0101, 0104, 0113]; rotating shaft assembly 300; electronic device 101; first and second housings 211/212; flexible display 220),
the rotating shaft assembly comprising: a base; and two first rotating members, rotating in opposite directions, wherein each of the two first rotating members comprises a first connecting end and a second connecting end disposed opposite to the first connecting end(see Fig. 6, 10; base 313; first two rotating members 311 and 312; first connecting ends 311a and 312a; second connecting ends 311b and 312b)
the first connecting end is rotatably connected to the base, the second connecting end is configured to be rotatably connected to a corresponding one of the two housings, and each of the two first rotating members that is rotatable about second rotation axis is configured to cooperate with a corresponding one of the two housings that is rotatable about a first rotation axis to support the flexible screen (see Fig. 6, 10; [0118, 0120, 0175, 0189]; 311 rotates by sliding inside first groove 313a through first rail portion 311a and second bracket 312 rotates by sliding inside second groove 313b and second rail portion 312a; 311/312 rotate around axis L1/L, where 311 and 312 are coupled (cooperate with) to first/second housings; where first axis is along center portion of housing in which the hinge 300 which supports flexible screen 220)
wherein along a direction substantially parallel to an arrangement direction of the second rotation axes of the two first rotating members, the first rotation axes of the two housings are located between the second rotation axes of the two first rotating members; and the rotating shaft assembly has a folded state where a distance between the first connecting ends of the two first rotating members is greater than a distance between the second connecting ends of the two first rotating members (see Fig. 10a, c ; first axes (centerline of hinge 300) is between L1/L2 and the distance between 331 and 332 is greater than the distance between 323 and 324 when the assembly is in the folded state).
Regarding claim 2, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
the first rotation axes of the two housings are spaced ap)art from each other when the rotating shaft assembly is in the folded state, along a direction substantially perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the second rotation axes of the two first rotating members, each of the second rotation axes is disposed closer to a corresponding one of the second connecting ends than a corresponding one of the first rotation axes (see Fig. 10a-c, 19a-c; simple schematic 2 below; assembly in folded state, second rotation axes L1/L2 are closer than the corresponding second connecting ends 311/312 and the two housings paced apart from each other and rotate around the ‘rotation axes’ (assuming there are two))
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Regarding claim 5, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
a rotating space is defined on a side of the base; each of the two first rotating members comprises a mounting portion and a connecting portion disposed on a side of the mounting portion, the connecting portion comprises the first connecting end, and the mounting portion comprises the second connecting end: and a first rotating portion is disposed on an outer peripheral sidewall of the connecting portion, a second rotating portion is disposed on an inner sidewall of the rotating space, and the first rotating portion and the second rotating portion are configured to cooperate with one another to enable the two first rotating members to be rotatably connected to the base (see Fig. 6, 10; [0175]; rotation space on upper side of base; rotating member 311/312 have connecting portions 311b/312b on sides of mounting portion 311/312; first rotating portion 311a on outer peripheral side wall 311b and 313a is inner side wall of rotating space to cooperate and rotatably connect with the base)
Regarding claim 15, claim 15 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, the rejection of claim 15 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
a first support, disposed between the two first rotating members and configured to abut against the flexible screen: wherein a raised portion is disposed on a side of each of the two first rotating members that faces the other one of the two first rotating members: the electronic device has an unfolded state where an extending direction of each of the two first routing members is substantially parallel to an arrangement direction of the two first rotating members and when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, the first support abuts against the raised portion; and when the raised portion rotates, the first support is driven by the raised portion to move along a direction toward the base; and after the first support abuts against the base, the first support is separated from the raised portion (see Fig. 6, 10, 14a; [0153]; first support 350 between 311 and 312 to abut the flex display 220; raised portion 321b/322b on each side of the first rotating members; unfolded state where 311 and 312 are substantially parallel and 321b/322b abut 350 and move away from 350 toward base in a folded state)
Regarding claim 17, the rejection of claim 16 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
a bracket, disposed on a side of the first support away from the flexible screen and connected to the first support; and a third elastic member, disposed between the bracket and the base; wherein when the raised portion rotates, the third elastic member is in a deformation state that enables the third elastic member to drive the first support to move along a direction toward the base through a bouncing force (see Fig. 14a; [0226-0227]; bracket 3505; third elastic member 361 between 3505 and base and is deformed through bounce force)
Regarding claim 19, the rejection of claim 17 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
the third elastic member is disposed in a pre-deformation state between the base and the bracket, when the first support abuts against the base, the third clastic member remains in the deformation state (see Fig. 14a,b)
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 is rejected under the same rationale as claims 15 and 16, where Shim further disclose:
along a direction substantially parallel to an arrangement direction of the second rotation axes of the first two rotating members, the first rotation axes of the two housings are located between the second rotation axes of the two first rotating members (see Fig. 10a-c, 19a-c, simplified schematic below).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 3, 4, 6-7, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim in view of Xu (WO 2021.129882).
Regarding claim 3, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Shim is not explicit as to, but Xu disclose:
two second rotating members, wherein an end of each of the two second rotating members is rotatably connected to the second connecting end of a corresponding one of the two first rotating members, and another end of each of the two second rotating members is configured to be connected to a corresponding one of the two housings (see Fig. 12, 16; pg. 34; two second rotating members 241 and 242; rotatably connected to second end 2432 of arm 243 connected to 241; where 241 is connected to housing 11 and 242 connected to housing 12).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of applicant’s invention, to combine the known techniques of Xu to that of Shim to predictably provide an improved connection to the housing.
Regarding claim 4, the rejection of claim 3 is incorporated herein. Shim as modified by Xu disclose:
each of the two first rotating members comprises a mounting face that is configured to mount the flexible screen and at least a part of each of the two second rotating members is disposed at a side adjacent to a surface of a corresponding one of the two first rotating members apposite to the mounting face (see Shim Fig. 14a,b; 311/312 have mounting face to mount flexible display 220; see also Xu Fig. 12; where 241/242 are at side adjacent to mounting face surface).
Regarding claim 6, the rejection of claim 3 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
two third rotating members, a third rotation axis of each of the two third rotating members being spaced apart from the first rotation axis of a corresponding one of the two housings; wherein an end of each of the two third rotating members is rotatably connected to the base, another end of each of the two third rotating members is configured to be slidably connected to a corresponding one of the two housings or a corresponding one of the two second rotating members, and the two third rotating members are enabled to be driven by the two housings to rotate and to slide with respect to the two housings or the two second rotating members (see Fig. 6, 10; two third rotating members 321/322 spaced apart across middle axis along the length of the fold and rotatably connected to the base; slidably connected to 311/312 and to rotate and slide together).
Regarding claim 7, the rejection of claim 6 is incorporated herein. Shim further disclose:
a synchronizing unit, wherein an end of the synchronizing unit is rotatably connected to one of the two third rotating members and another end of the synchronizing unit is rotatably connected to the other one of the two third rotating members (see Fig. 6; synchronizing unit 333/334 connected to 311/312)
Regarding claim 20, the rejection of claim 15 is incorporated herein. Shim is not explicit as to, but Xu disclose:
a second support, comprising a supporting portion and a sliding portion slidably connected to the supporting portion, wherein the supporting portion is connected to the two first rotating members and the sliding portion is configured to be connected to the flexible screen; the electronic device has an unfolded state where an extending direction of each of the two first rotating members is substantially parallel to an arrangement direction of the two first rotating members; and when the electronic device is in the unfolded state, a sliding direction of the sliding portion is substantially parallel to the arrangement direction of the two first rotating members (see Fig. 5a; second support 21, 22, 23 with support 21 and sliding portions 22, 23 to be connected to first rotating members and flex display, where when unfolded substantially parallel arrangement occurs with first two rotating member 243/244 and 22/23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of applicant’s invention, to combine the known techniques of Xu to that of Shim to predictably provide an improved connection between the display and housing .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-13 and 21 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 KENNETH BUKOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-7913. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday // 0730-1530.
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/kenneth bukowski/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621