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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claims 1-5, 12 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US Patent No. 8947882 B2 and Kim hereinafter) in view of Yaguchi et al (US Patent No. 8308503 B2 and Yaguchi hereinafter)
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses (figs 1-9 and annotated figs below) an electronic device comprising: a housing (102); a display (151) disposed in the housing; a first printed circuit board (205) disposed within the housing; a flexible printed circuit board (220) disposed within the housing, wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes a first surface (FS) and a second surface (SS) opposite to the first surface;
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a connector (207) configured to connect at least a portion of the first surface of the flexible printed circuit board and the first printed circuit board; a reinforcement member (208) coupled to the second surface of the flexible printed circuit board, wherein at least a portion of the reinforcement member is disposed to face the connector with the flexible printed circuit board interposed therebetween (fig.5). Kim does not explicitly disclose a support member disposed between the first surface of the flexible printed circuit board and the first printed circuit board, wherein at least a portion of the support member is disposed to face the reinforcement member with the flexible printed circuit board interposed therebetween; a first adhesive member configured to adhere the support member and the first surface of the flexible printed circuit board to each other; and a second adhesive member configured to adhere the support member and the first printed circuit board to each other. However, Yaguchi teaches (annotated fig below) a support member (20) disposed between the first surface of the flexible printed circuit board (1) and the first printed circuit board (22), wherein at least a portion of the support member is disposed to face the reinforcement member (10) with the flexible printed circuit board interposed therebetween; a first adhesive member (FA) configured to adhere the support member and the first surface of the
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flexible printed circuit board to each other; and a second adhesive member (SA) configured to adhere the support member and the first printed circuit board to each other. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a first/second adhesive members as claimed with support member of Yaguchi to the device of Kim in order to prevent lifting from the printed wiring board at the middle portion in the width direction of the flexible PCB even when a mechanical load such as vibration or impact is applied (Yaguchi and col 9, lines 60-65)
Regarding claim 2, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Kim further discloses (figs 1-9 and annotated figs below) a second printed circuit board (202) disposed within the housing and spaced apart from the first printed circuit board, wherein the flexible printed circuit board further includes a first portion (P1) configured to be connected to the connector and a second portion (P2) extending from the first portion toward the second printed circuit board, and wherein at least a portion of the second portion is configured to be electrically connected to the second printed circuit board (fig.5).
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Regarding claim 3, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the electronic device of claim 2. Kim teaches wherein the first portion has a first width in a first direction, a first length (L1) in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a first thickness in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein the connector has a second width in the first direction, a second length (L2) in the second direction, and a second thickness in the third direction, and wherein the first width is larger than the second width.
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Regarding claim 4, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the electronic device of claim 3. Yaguchi discloses wherein sum of thicknesses of the support member, the first adhesive member, and the second adhesive member in the third direction are substantially equal to the second thickness (see figs 7 and 8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a thickness as claimed with support member of Yaguchi to the device of Kim in order to reduce external mechanical force which acts on the connecting portion. (Yaguchi and col 3, lines 20-25)
Regarding claim 5, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Kim teaches (see annotated fig below) wherein the flexible printed circuit board further includes a first portion configured to be coupled to the connector and the reinforcement member, and a second portion extending from the first portion, wherein the reinforcement member extends in a first direction including a (1-1)th direction and a (1-2)th direction opposite to the (1-1)th direction and includes a first edge (PP) oriented in the (1-1)th direction and a second edge (SP) oriented in the (1-2)th direction, wherein the connector includes a first side surface (EF) oriented in the (1-1)th direction and a second side surface (ES) oriented in the (1-2)th direction, and wherein at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface is disposed between the first edge and the second edge with reference to the first direction.
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Regarding claim 12, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Kim further discloses (figs 1-9 and annotated figs below) a second printed circuit board (202) spaced apart from the first printed circuit board, wherein the display includes a touch sensor (touch electrode) electrically connected to the first printed circuit board and a display panel electrically connected to the second printed circuit board, and wherein the flexible printed circuit board further includes a first portion (PP) electrically connected to the first printed circuit board, and a second portion (PS) electrically connected to the second printed circuit board.
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Regarding claim 15, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Kim further discloses (figs 1-9) a third adhesive member (bonding, not shown) configured to adhere the connector and the support member to each other.
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses (figs 1-9 and annotated figs below) a support structure of a connection circuit board comprising: a printed circuit board (205); a connector (207) disposed on and electrically coupled to the printed circuit board; a flexible printed circuit board (220) disposed on and electrically coupled to the connector; a reinforcement member (208) disposed on and coupled to the flexible printed circuit board, wherein the reinforcement member covers an entirety of the connector in a plan view (fig.5), an area of the reinforcement member is greater than an area of the connector in the plan view (fig.5), and the flexible printed circuit board is disposed between the connector and the reinforcement member (fig.5).
Kim does not explicitly disclose a support member disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the printed circuit board, wherein the support member partially overlaps the reinforcement member in the plan view. However, Yaguchi teaches a support member (20) a support member disposed between the flexible printed circuit board (1) and the printed circuit board (22), wherein the support member partially overlaps the reinforcement member (10) in the plan view.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a support member of Yaguchi to device of Kim in order to prevent from lifting from the printed wiring board at the middle portion in the width direction of the flexible PCB even when a mechanical load such as vibration or impact is applied (Yaguchi and col 9, lines 60-65)
Regarding claim 17, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the support structure of claim 16. Yaguchi further teaches (annotated fig above) a first adhesive member (FA) configured to adhere the support member and a first surface of the flexible printed circuit board to each other; and a second adhesive member (SA) configured to adhere to support member and the printed circuit board. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a first/second adhesive members as claimed with support member of Yaguchi to device of Kim in order to prevent from lifting from the printed wiring board at the middle portion in the width direction of the flexible PCB even when a mechanical load such as vibration or impact is applied (Yaguchi and col 9, lines 60-65)
Regarding claim 18, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the support structure of claim 17. Yaguchi further teaches (figs.7A and 8) wherein the support member is configured to support at least a portion of a first portion (8) of the flexible printed circuit board (1), and wherein the first portion of the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to the printed circuit board (22). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the first portion of the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to the printed circuit board of Yaguchi to device of Kim in order to provide electrically conductive therewith (Yaguchi and col 10, lines 10-15)
Regarding claim 19, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the support structure of claim 18. Yaguchi further teaches (figs.7A and annotated fig above) wherein the first adhesive member i(FA) s configured to fix the flexible printed circuit board to the support member, and wherein the second adhesive member (SA) is configured to fix the support member to the printed circuit board. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a first/second adhesive members as claimed with support member of Yaguchi to the device of Kim in order to prevent lifting from the printed wiring board at the middle portion in the width direction of the flexible PCB even when a mechanical load such as vibration or impact is applied (Yaguchi and col 9, lines 60-65)
Regarding claim 20, Kim/ Yaguchi discloses the support structure of claim 16. Kim further discloses (figs 1-9) a third adhesive member (bonding, not shown) configured to adhere the connector and the connector to each other.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11 and 13-14 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.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art fails to disclose, “wherein at least a portion of the support member is disposed between the second edge and the second side surface with reference to the first direction.”
Claims 7-9 are objected being depend on claim 6.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art fails to disclose, “wherein at least a portion of the support member is disposed between the first edge and the first side surface.”
Claim 11 is objected being depend on claim 10.
Regarding claim 13, the prior art fails to disclose, “wherein the support member comprises a third side surface oriented in a (1-1)th direction and a fourth side surface oriented in a (1-2)th direction opposite to the (1-1)th direction, wherein the third side surface is disposed to face the connector, and wherein the fourth side surface is disposed to face the second printed circuit board.”
Claim 14 is objected being depend on claim 13.
However, the prior art (included in PTO 892), when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at 303-297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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