DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the amendments filed 7/2/2026, Claims 1-15 are pending and have been examined.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 6, and 11, have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-4, 6-15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al, US Publication No. 2022/0070589 A1, in view of Zhang, CN 108289272 A.
Regarding Claim 1, Cho et al teaches, A voice coil module (Title/Abstract), comprising: a plate body (FIG. 6A, Voice Coil Plate 661, 662); and a voice coil wire wrapped from a first surface of the plate body to a second surface of the plate body (FIG. 6A Voice Coil 665, 666), and then the voice coil wire wrapped from the second surface of the plate body back to the first surface of the plate body (FIG. 6A, though a two dimensional view, the voice coil is shown to wrap around to both sides of the Voice Coil Plate).
Cho et al does not further teach, a plate body, comprising a plurality of perforations; and then the same voice coil wire wrapped from the second surface of the plate body back to the first surface of the plate body through the plurality of perforations.
However, Zhang, in a similar invention the same field of endeavor teaches, a plate body, comprising a plurality of perforations (See Page 2, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, comprising an audio amplifier, an enamelled wire and a bamboo carbon fibre layer, wherein the bamboo carbon fibre layer is a circular structure, the middle of the bamboo-carbon fibre layer is provided with multiple first thread holes; and a plurality of first pass holes uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction,”, describes a layer corresponding to a plate structure, containing multiple thread holes for passing the wire through.); and then the same voice coil wire wrapped from the second surface of the plate body back to the first surface of the plate body through the plurality of perforations (See Page 3, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, the enamelled wire passes in turn, passing through the first passing hole is uniformly wound on the bamboo charcoal fibre layer to form coil windings, namely the enamelled wire from one first pass-wire hole penetrates, the passing, then, and then penetrates out from the other one of the first passing hole, and wire sequence along the circumferential direction, passes through the plurality of first threading hole, completing coil winding process, therefore, the invention is in the middle of the bamboo charcoal fibre layer is provided with multiple first threading hole, each of the first passing hole only for enamelled wire passes through.”).
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 teachings of a plate body comprising a plurality of perforations, and the voice coil wire wrapping from both sides of the plate body through the plurality of perforations, as taught by Zhang, with the system as taught by Cho et al. The motivation being to allow for an improved resonance effect, and to give the structure more stability and strength.
Regarding Claim 2, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein the plate body is a printed circuit board (Paragraph 53, “In all embodiments of the speaker, each voice coil may be comprised of any electrically-conductive material, including but not limited to, any variant of copper wire, printed circuit board, flexible printed circuit board, or other conductive metal or alloy.”, FIG. 2B and 2C further display the structure of the voice coil plates).
Regarding Claim 3, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and Zhang further teaches, the voice coil wire is wrapped from the first surface of the plate body to the second surface of the plate body through one of the perforations, and the voice coil wire is wrapped from the second surface of the plate body to the first surface of the plate body through another one of the perforations (See Page 3, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, the enamelled wire passes in turn, passing through the first passing hole is uniformly wound on the bamboo charcoal fibre layer to form coil windings, namely the enamelled wire from one first pass-wire hole penetrates, the passing, then, and then penetrates out from the other one of the first passing hole, and wire sequence along the circumferential direction, passes through the plurality of first threading hole, completing coil winding process, therefore, the invention is in the middle of the bamboo charcoal fibre layer is provided with multiple first threading hole, each of the first passing hole only for enamelled wire passes through.”).
Regarding Claim 4, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein a part of the voice coil wire positioned on the first surface of the plate body acts as a first surface wire, another part of the voice coil wire positioned on the second surface of the plate body acts as a second surface wire, and a trajectory of the first surface wire is different from a trajectory of the second surface wire (Paragraph 47, “Voice coil 765 and voice coil 766 are each driven, electrically out of phase, by a single signal source 205 so that current in the top of coil 765 runs in the opposite direction of the top of coil 766, and the current in the bottom of voice coil 765 runs in the opposite direction as the current in the bottom of coil 766. This provides mechanical movement of voice coils 765 and 766 in the same direction so that each coil plate can drive the diaphragm in tandem.”).
Regarding Claim 6, Cho et al teaches a speaker (Title/Abstract), comprising: a basket (FIG. 6A, Frame 670); at least one voice coil module disposed in the basket (FIG. 6A, Voice Coil 665 666, Voice Coil Plate 661 662), the at least one voice coil module comprising a plate body (FIG. 6, Voice Coil Plate 661 662) and a voice coil wire (FIG. 6A, Voice Coil 665 666), the voice coil wire wrapped from a first surface of the plate body to a second surface of the plate body, and then the voice coil wire wrapped from the second surface of the plate body back to the first surface of the plate body (FIG. 6A, though a two dimensional view, the voice coil is shown to wrap around to both sides of the Voice Coil Plate); at least one magnetic component disposed on the plate body of the at least one voice coil module (FIG. 6A, Paragraph 43, “Upper plate 620 is attached to the upper part of bar magnet 610, and lower plate 630 is attached to the lower part of bar magnet 610. Upper plate 620 and lower plate 630 operate in tandem with yoke 640 to contain and direct the magnetic field in the area between the magnet and the yoke where the voice coil plates 661 and 662 reside. Upper plate 620 and lower plate 630 optionally may extend beyond bar magnet 610 into the magnetic gap to increase the magnetic flux density induced in the magnetic gap.”); and at least one drum paper disposed on the basket (FIG. 6A, Diaphragm 650).
Cho et al does not further teach, the plate body comprising a plurality of perforations; and then the same voice coil wire wrapped from the first surface of the plate body to the second surface of the plate body through the plurality of perforations.
However, Zhang, in a similar invention the same field of endeavor teaches, the plate body comprising a plurality of perforations (See Page 2, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, comprising an audio amplifier, an enamelled wire and a bamboo carbon fibre layer, wherein the bamboo carbon fibre layer is a circular structure, the middle of the bamboo-carbon fibre layer is provided with multiple first thread holes; and a plurality of first pass holes uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction,”, describes a layer corresponding to a plate structure, containing multiple thread holes for passing the wire through.); and then the same voice coil wire wrapped from the first surface of the plate body to the second surface of the plate body through the plurality of perforations (See Page 3, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, the enamelled wire passes in turn, passing through the first passing hole is uniformly wound on the bamboo charcoal fibre layer to form coil windings, namely the enamelled wire from one first pass-wire hole penetrates, the passing, then, and then penetrates out from the other one of the first passing hole, and wire sequence along the circumferential direction, passes through the plurality of first threading hole, completing coil winding process, therefore, the invention is in the middle of the bamboo charcoal fibre layer is provided with multiple first threading hole, each of the first passing hole only for enamelled wire passes through.”).
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 teachings of a plate body comprising a plurality of perforations, and the voice coil wire wrapping from both sides of the plate body through the plurality of perforations, as taught by Zhang, with the system as taught by Cho et al. The motivation being to allow for an improved resonance effect, and to give the structure more stability and strength.
Regarding Claim 7, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 6, and Cho et al further teaches, at least one supporting frame disposed in the basket, and the at least one supporting frame disconnected from the at least one voice coil module (FIG. 6A, Yoke 640, Plate 630, Plate 620).
Regarding Claim 8, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 7, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein the at least one voice coil module comprises a plurality of voice coil modules (FIG. 6A, Voice coil 665, 666, Voice Coil Plates 661 662), the at least one magnetic component comprises a plurality of magnetic components (FIG. 6A, Bar Magnet, Voice Coil Plates 661, 662), every two magnetic components of the plurality of magnetic components are disposed respectively on the first surface and the second surface of the plate body of each of the plurality of voice coil modules (FIG. 6A, Paragraph 43, “Upper plate 620 is attached to the upper part of bar magnet 610, and lower plate 630 is attached to the lower part of bar magnet 610. Upper plate 620 and lower plate 630 operate in tandem with yoke 640 to contain and direct the magnetic field in the area between the magnet and the yoke where the voice coil plates 661 and 662 reside. Upper plate 620 and lower plate 630 optionally may extend beyond bar magnet 610 into the magnetic gap to increase the magnetic flux density induced in the magnetic gap.”, Paragraph 52, “It can be appreciated that speaker 900 is similar in design to speaker 200, except that the voice coil plate 960 is located further above the magnetic area generated by bar magnet 910, such that the top half of voice coil 962 does not interact magnetically at all with the magnetic area formed by bar magnet 910, yoke 940, and plates 990 and 930. That is, all movement of voice coil plate 960 is caused by the magnetic forces acting upon the lower portion of voice coil 962.”, while not explicitly stated, the voice coil plates are shown to be magnetic to react to the bar magnet in the typical embodiments.), the at least one supporting frame comprises a plurality of supporting frames, and the plurality of the supporting frames and the plurality of the voice coil modules are staggered alternately (FIG. 6A, Yoke 640, Plate 630, Plate 620, further displays multiple unlabeled supporting components).
Regarding Claim 9, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 6, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein the at least one drum paper comprises two drum papers, the two drum papers are arranged on opposite sides of the basket, and the at least one voice coil module is disposed between the two drum papers (FIG. 8A, Diaphragms shown at the top and bottom of the frame/basket).
Regarding Claim 10, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 6, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein the plate body is a printed circuit board (Paragraph 53, “In all embodiments of the speaker, each voice coil may be comprised of any electrically-conductive material, including but not limited to, any variant of copper wire, printed circuit board, flexible printed circuit board, or other conductive metal or alloy.”, FIG. 2B and 2C further display the structure of the voice coil plates).
Regarding Claim 11, Cho et al teaches a speaker (Title/Abstract), comprising: a basket (FIG. 6A, Frame 670); a plurality of voice coil modules disposed in the basket (FIG. 6A, Voice Coil 665 666, Voice Coil Plate 661 662), wherein each of the plurality of the voice coil modules comprising a plate body (FIG. 6, Voice Coil Plate 661 662) and a voice coil wire (FIG. 6A, Voice Coil 665 666), the voice coil wire wrapped from a first surface of the plate body to a second surface of the plate body, and then the voice coil wire wrapped from the second surface of the plate body back to the first surface of the plate body (FIG. 6A, though a two dimensional view, the voice coil is shown to wrap around to both sides of the Voice Coil Plate); and a plurality of magnetic components (FIG. 6A, Paragraph 43, “Upper plate 620 is attached to the upper part of bar magnet 610, and lower plate 630 is attached to the lower part of bar magnet 610. Upper plate 620 and lower plate 630 operate in tandem with yoke 640 to contain and direct the magnetic field in the area between the magnet and the yoke where the voice coil plates 661 and 662 reside. Upper plate 620 and lower plate 630 optionally may extend beyond bar magnet 610 into the magnetic gap to increase the magnetic flux density induced in the magnetic gap.”), wherein every two magnetic components of the plurality of magnetic components are disposed respectively on the first surface and the second surface of the plate body of each of the plurality of voice coil modules (Paragraph 52, “It can be appreciated that speaker 900 is similar in design to speaker 200, except that the voice coil plate 960 is located further above the magnetic area generated by bar magnet 910, such that the top half of voice coil 962 does not interact magnetically at all with the magnetic area formed by bar magnet 910, yoke 940, and plates 990 and 930. That is, all movement of voice coil plate 960 is caused by the magnetic forces acting upon the lower portion of voice coil 962.”, while not explicitly stated, the voice coil plates are shown to be magnetic to react to the bar magnet in the typical embodiments.).
Cho et al does not further teach, the plate body comprising a plurality of perforations; and then the same voice coil wire wrapped from the first surface of the plate body to the second surface of the plate body through the plurality of perforations.
However, Zhang, in a similar invention the same field of endeavor teaches, the plate body comprising a plurality of perforations (See Page 2, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, comprising an audio amplifier, an enamelled wire and a bamboo carbon fibre layer, wherein the bamboo carbon fibre layer is a circular structure, the middle of the bamboo-carbon fibre layer is provided with multiple first thread holes; and a plurality of first pass holes uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction,”, describes a layer corresponding to a plate structure, containing multiple thread holes for passing the wire through.); and then the same voice coil wire wrapped from the first surface of the plate body to the second surface of the plate body through the plurality of perforations (See Page 3, “An electroacoustic transducer of the invention, the enamelled wire passes in turn, passing through the first passing hole is uniformly wound on the bamboo charcoal fibre layer to form coil windings, namely the enamelled wire from one first pass-wire hole penetrates, the passing, then, and then penetrates out from the other one of the first passing hole, and wire sequence along the circumferential direction, passes through the plurality of first threading hole, completing coil winding process, therefore, the invention is in the middle of the bamboo charcoal fibre layer is provided with multiple first threading hole, each of the first passing hole only for enamelled wire passes through.”).
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 teachings of a plate body comprising a plurality of perforations, and the voice coil wire wrapping from both sides of the plate body through the plurality of perforations, as taught by Zhang, with the system as taught by Cho et al. The motivation being to allow for an improved resonance effect, and to give the structure more stability and strength.
Regarding Claim 12, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 11, and Cho et al further teaches, a plurality of supporting frames disposed in the basket, and the plurality of the supporting frames are disconnected from the plurality of the voice coil modules (FIG. 6A, Yoke 640, Plate 630, Plate 620, further displays multiple unlabeled supporting components).
Regarding Claim 13, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 12, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein the plurality of the supporting frames and the plurality of the voice coil modules are staggered alternately (FIG. 6A, Yoke 640, Plate 630, Plate 620, further displays multiple unlabeled supporting components, appear to be staggered in a manner throughout the speaker 600).
Regarding Claim 14, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 13, and Cho et al further teaches, two drum papers arranged on opposite sides of the basket (FIG. 8A, displays Diaphragms set upon both sides of the frame/basket), and the plurality of the voice coil modules are disposed between the two drum papers (FIG. 8A, displays multiple voice coil modules at the top and bottom).
Regarding Claim 15, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 11, and Cho et al further teaches, wherein a part of the voice coil wire positioned on the first surface of the plate body acts as a first surface wire, another part of the voice coil wire positioned on the second surface of the plate body acts as a second surface wire, and a trajectory of the first surface wire is different from a trajectory of the second surface wire (Paragraph 47, “Voice coil 765 and voice coil 766 are each driven, electrically out of phase, by a single signal source 205 so that current in the top of coil 765 runs in the opposite direction of the top of coil 766, and the current in the bottom of voice coil 765 runs in the opposite direction as the current in the bottom of coil 766. This provides mechanical movement of voice coils 765 and 766 in the same direction so that each coil plate can drive the diaphragm in tandem.”).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al, US Publication No. 2022/0070589 A1, in view of Zhang, CN 108289272 A, further in view of Jordan, US Patent No. 5,181,253.
Regarding Claim 5, Cho et al in view of Zhang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, but does not further teach wherein the plate body comprises a plurality of openings disconnected from the voice coil wire.
However, Jordan, in a similar invention in the same field of endeavor teaches, wherein the plate body comprises a plurality of openings disconnected from the voice coil wire (Column 4, Lines 1-10, “In a more preferred embodiment center section 29 is provided with slot 34 through which electrical wires 35 and 36 from a power source (not shown) pass to operatively contact printed circuit (PC) board 37 as described in more detail below. In addition center section 29 is provided with multiple openings 38 (See FIG. 4C) through which screws 39 can pass to attach base member 9 to a permanent mounting plate (not shown) recessed in a wall or car door or any other place where it is desired to mount the loudspeaker.”, Column 4, Lines 14-22, “As seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, PC board 37 is constructed of a circular support plate 42 and two concentric, but non-contacting circular electrical surface plates 43 and 44. Plates 42, 43, and 44 have openings which are aligned to form to openings 45 and 46 wherein solder rivets 47 and 48 are affixed. Openings 45 and 46 are positioned over slot 34 so that wires 35 and 36 can be soldered or otherwise affixed to solder rivets 47 and 48, respectively.”).
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 teachings of a plate body comprising a plurality of openings, disconnected from the voice coil wire, as taught by Jordan, with the system as taught by Cho et al in view of Zhang. The motivation being that said openings are described as an attempt to reduce weight and increase air circulation, removing material in a manner to leave the space open to the outside environment being known as a method of accomplishing both of these intended functions.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/DYLAN MAGUIRE NEECE/Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
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