DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 17/533815, filed on November 23, 2021.
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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takashima (JP2006079053). Takashima teaches a shoe apparatus comprising: a plurality of connection terminals (4802/4804), where a first direction (X direction, see annotated fig. 20) is an attachment direction to an accessory shoe apparatus included in an electronic apparatus, which are arranged in a second direction (Y direction, see annotated fig. 20) orthogonal to the first direction; and a connector that includes protrusion portions (58) that protrude in a third direction (Z direction, see annotated fig. 20) orthogonal to the first and second directions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, wherein in an area where a position in the third direction is a first position in each of the protrusion portions, a surface (surface A, A’, see annotated fig. 20) on a side far from the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction of the protrusion portion has a larger inclination with respect to the third direction than a surface (surface B, B’) on a side near to the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction of the protrusion portion.
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Regarding claim 2, fig. 19 teaches an accessory 200 comprising the shoe apparatus.
Regarding claim 3, Takashima teaches an accessory shoe apparatus 100 attachable to and detachable from an accessory (200) in a first direction (X direction, see annotated fig. 15 below), the accessory shoe apparatus comprising: a plurality of connection terminals (1602/1604) arranged in a second direction (Y direction, see annotated fig. 15) orthogonal to the first direction; and a holding member (10) configured to hold the plurality of connection terminals, wherein the holding member includes groove portions (24) on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, and wherein in an area where a position in a third direction (Z direction) orthogonal to the first and second directions is a first position in each of the groove portions, a surface (C, C’ see annotated fig. 15) facing an inside in the second direction of the groove portion has a larger inclination with respect to the third direction than a surface facing an outer side (D,D’, see annotated fig. 15) in the second direction of the groove portion.
Regarding claim 4, fig. 14 teaches an electronic apparatus comprising the accessory shoe apparatus.
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Regarding claim 5, figs. 6 and 20 teach a shoe apparatus attachable to and detachable from the accessory shoe apparatus.
Regarding claim 6, fig. 19 teaches an accessory (200) comprising the shoe apparatus.
Regarding claim 7, annotated fig. 20 shows that the surface (B, B’) on the side near to the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction of the protrusion portion is substantially parallel to the third (Z) direction.
Regarding claim 8, fig. 19 shows an accessory 200 comprising the shoe apparatus.
Regarding claims 9-10, on page 4, paragraph 2, teaches that the accessory is an illumination apparatus. “In many cases, an imaging device (hereinafter referred to as an electronic device) such as a digital camera or a video camera is equipped with an accessory for attaching accessory devices such as a flashlight for emitting auxiliary light or a microphone for recording sound. Is provided.”
Regarding claim 11, annotated fig. 15 shows that the surface (D, D’) facing the outer side in the second direction (Y) of the groove portion is substantially parallel to the third direction (Z).
Regarding claim 12, fig. 14 teaches an electronic apparatus comprising the accessory shoe apparatus.
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) 13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Takashima (JP2006-79053). Regarding claim 13, Takashima teaches (see annotated fig. 20) a shoe apparatus comprising: a plurality of connection terminals (4804/4802), where a first direction (X) is an attachment direction to an accessory shoe apparatus included in an electronic apparatus, which are arranged in a second direction (Y) orthogonal to the first direction; and a connector that includes protrusion portions (58) that protrude in a third direction (Z) orthogonal to the first and second directions on both outer sides of the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction, wherein a surface (A, A’) on a side far from the plurality of connection terminals in the second direction of the protrusion portion has a tilt angle. The applicant is directed to review annotated fig. 20. Surface A in fig. 20 appears to have a tilt in a range of 45°±20° to the second direction. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize a tilt in the range of 45°±20 for the purpose of using an optimum range for guidance. The applicant should note that it has been held that where the general working conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 15, on page 4, paragraph 2, teaches that the accessory is an illumination apparatus. “In many cases, an imaging device (hereinafter referred to as an electronic device) such as a digital camera or a video camera is equipped with an accessory for attaching accessory devices such as a flashlight for emitting auxiliary light or a microphone for recording sound. Is provided.”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14 and 16 are allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E MAHONEY whose telephone number is (571)272-2122. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30.
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/CHRISTOPHER E MAHONEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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