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 .
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.
Claims 1-4, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US2022/0167079A1), hereinafter “Kim”.
As to Claim 1, Kim teaches an electronic device( electronic device, abstract, Figures 13a-13b #300) comprising: a housing( speaker enclosure 320) including a first speaker hole ( sound hole 348, Figures 13a , 13b, [0140]); and a speaker assembly ( speaker assembly 300) disposed in the housing( speaker enclosure 320) and configured to radiate a sound to an outside of the electronic device through the first speaker hole( sound hole 348,[0140]), wherein the speaker assembly(300) includes: a speaker ( speaker unit 310) including a diaphragm( vibration plate 313, Figure 13b), a first speaker cover ( second metal plate 350 having fist side 351 forming a part of speaker enclosure 320, Figures 13a, 13b, [0152] facing the diaphragm( 313) and spaced apart from the diaphragm(313), a sound space( second opening 346) formed between the diaphragm( vibration plate 313) and the first speaker cover( second metal plate 350), a first supporting structure( second case 340) including a first portion( protruding portion 343, [0147]) formed to surround a portion of the sound space( second opening 346. See at least Figure 13a, 13b and as the second metal plate (350) is adhered to the protruding portion (343) by forming the second opening portion (346), a space between the second metal plate (350) and the extending portion (342) communicates with the second through hole (347). See at least [0149] , and a step structure(extending portion 342 extending from inner surface of side wall 341 of second case 340) disposed adjacent to an area where a portion of the first portion of the first supporting structure( protruding portion 343 of case 340) contacts the first speaker cover ( the second metal plate 350 is bonded to the protruding portion 343) and disposed to be spaced apart from the speaker ( the extending portion 342 spaced apart from the speaker unit 310 forming a third chamber C3. See at least [0160].
As to Claim 2, Kim teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the step structure (extending portion 342 extending from inner surface of side wall 341 of second case 340) is disposed not to overlap the diaphragm (313) when the speaker cover (second metal plate 350), is viewed from thereabove (Figure 13a, 13b).
As to Claim 3, Kim teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the first supporting structure (second case 340) further includes a second portion (protruding portion 343 on closer to path P3) extending from the first portion (protruding portion 343. See at least Figure 13B) and including a passage ( travel path P3) connecting the sound space( second opening 346) and the first speaker hole( 348), wherein the first portion ( protruding portion 343) of the first supporting structure (second case 340) includes a first sidewall ( See reproduced image below) at least partially facing the passage( P3) and wherein at least a portion of the step structure( extending portion 342) is disposed adjacent to an area where the first sidewall contacts the first speaker cover( Side wall of protruding portion 343 bonded to metal cover 350. See reproduced Figure 13b below).
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As to Claim 4, Kim teaches the limitations of Claim 3 and wherein the step structure (extended portion 342, Figure 13B) is formed to protrude from a portion of the first sidewall (See reproduced Figure 13B on Claim 3) to the passage(P3) by a designated distance (Figure 13b).
As to Claim 16, Kim teaches a speaker assembly ( speaker assembly 300) comprising: a speaker ( speaker unit 310) including a diaphragm( vibration plate 313, Figure 13b), a first speaker cover ( second metal plate 350 having fist side 351 forming a part of speaker enclosure 320, Figures 13a, 13b, [0152] facing the diaphragm( 313) and spaced apart from the diaphragm(313), a sound space( second opening 346) formed between the diaphragm( vibration plate 313) and the first speaker cover( second metal plate 350), a first supporting structure( second case 340) including a first portion( protruding portion 343, [0147]) formed to surround a portion of the sound space( second opening 346. See at least Figure 13a, 13b and as the second metal plate (350) is adhered to the protruding portion (343) by forming the second opening portion (346), a space between the second metal plate (350) and the extending portion (342) communicates with the second through hole (347). See at least [0149] , and a step structure(extending portion 342 extending from inner surface of side wall 341 of second case 340) disposed adjacent to an area where a portion of the first portion of the first supporting structure( protruding portion 343 of case 340) contacts the first speaker cover ( the second metal plate 350 is bonded to the protruding portion 343) and disposed to be spaced apart from the speaker ( the extending portion 342 spaced apart from the speaker unit 310 forming a third chamber C3. See at least [0160].
As to Claim 17, Kim teaches the limitations of Claim 16, and wherein the first supporting structure (second case 340) further includes a second portion (protruding portion 343 on closer to path P3) extending from the first portion (protruding portion 343. See at least Figure 13B) and including a passage ( travel path P3) connecting the sound space( second opening 346) and the first speaker hole( 348), wherein the first portion ( protruding portion 343) of the first supporting structure (second case 340) includes a first sidewall ( See reproduced image below) at least partially facing the passage( P3) and wherein at least a portion of the step structure( extending portion 342) is disposed adjacent to an area where the first sidewall contacts the first speaker cover( Side wall of protruding portion 343 bonded to metal cover 350. See reproduced Figure 13b below).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-15, 18-20 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 SUNITA JOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7227. The examiner can normally be reached 8-3.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at 5712727503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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