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 6 April 2026 have been fully considered, but are moot in view of a new rejection.
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 Liao (US 2021.0368032).
Regarding claim 1, Liao disclose:
A rotating shaft assembly for an electronic device, the electronic device comprising two second supports, a flexible screen and two housings, 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, 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, each of the two first rotating members is rotatable about second rotation axis and each of the two housings that rotatable about a first rotation axis (see Fig. 1-2, 4-5, 7, 10, 15-16, 29-30; rotating shaft assembly 10 for electronic device; two second supports 12a,b; flexible screen 40; two housings 20, 30; base 11; first two rotating members 13a,b; first connecting end 132; second connecting end disposed opposite thereto, 132 rotatably connected to corresponding housing; where each is rotatable about as second axis [0073]; where ach of the two housings is rotatable around first axis (Fig. 4 vs 15-16) )
wherein each of the two first rotating members is fixed to a corresponding one of the two second supports, and the second supports and the housings are configured to support the 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. 1-2, 4-5, 7, 10, 15-16, 29-30; where 12 is fixed (e.g., fixed in place in relation to 13 – Fig. 4 vs 16) corresponding to 13 at 1 and is configured to support 40 along a substantially parallel arrangement direction of the axes, such that in the folded stat, the distinct between the first connecting ends of 132 is greater than the distance between the second ends of 13a,b (Fig. 16), consequently the flexible display is formed in to a waterdrop shape (Fig. 16, 29-30; [0112])).
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. 15-16)
Regarding claim 3, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Liao further 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. 7-8; [0068, 0102, 0105]; 14a,b rotatable connected to 13a,b and the other end is ‘connected’ to a corresponding housing via 11 and 15).
Regarding claim 4, the rejection of claim 3 is incorporated herein. Liao further 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 Fig. 30; [0110]).
Regarding claim 5, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Liao 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 (see Fig. 7-8, 15; 13a,b comprising connecting portion at 132, mounting portion at top of 13; second connecting end hole at opposite end (at 16)) 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. 10; [0072]; first rotating portion 132 on outer side wall of 13 second rotating portion 114 to cooperate so the rotating members 13 are rotatably connected to 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. Liao 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. 1-4, 15-16; first support at 10 between 12a,b)
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 is rejected under the same rationale as claims 15 and 16.
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) 6-7, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Shim (US 2021.0247815).
Regarding claim 6, the rejection of claim 3 is incorporated herein. Liao is not explicit as to, but 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).
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 Shim to that of Liao in order to predictably provide an improved connection and stability for the hinge device.
Regarding claim 7, the rejection of claim 6 is incorporated herein. While Liao disclose a synchronizing unit 142, it is not explicit as to, but 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).
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 Shim to that of Liao in order to predictably provide a balanced and concurrent opening and closing of the hinge device.
Regarding claim 17, the rejection of claim 16 is incorporated herein. Liao is not explicit as to, but 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)
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 Shim to that of Liao in order to predictably provide an elastic restoration force of the hinge device ([0144]).
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)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-13 and 20-21 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
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
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