DETAILED ACTION
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
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “comprising,” “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because “Wherein” and “The” should not be capitalized.
Claims 2 and 9 are objected to because “The” should not be capitalized.
Claim 15 is objected to because “One” should not be capitalized. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “The switching type sound and silence mechanism” in line 12 and “the elastic piece” in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “the switching sound and silence mechanism” and “the elastic sheet”, respectively.
Claim 2 recites the limitations “the first conducting terminal” in line 2, “the outer side” in lines 3 and 4, “the tail end” in line 7 and “the head end” in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “the first conduction terminal,” “an outer side,” “a tail end, and “a head end”, respectively.
Claim 3 recites the limitation “the conductive contact sheet” on line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the conduction contact sheet”.
Claim 4 recites the limitations “the upward arch” on line 2, “the conductive contact sheet” and “the downward extension” on line 3, and “the inner wall” in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “an upward arch, “the conduction contact sheet,” “a downward extension” and “an inner wall,” respectively.
Claim 5 recites the limitations “the conductive contact sheet” on line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the conduction contact sheet”.
Claim 6 recites the limitation “the conductive contact piece” on lines 1-2, “the elastic piece” and “the head end” on line 2, and “the arched elastic piece” in lines 2-3, “the lower end” and “the elastic piece” in line 3, and “the lower end face” in lines 3-4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “the conduction contact sheet, “the elastic sheet,” “a head end” and “the arched elastic sheet” “a lower end,” and “a lower end face”,” respectively.
Claim 7 recites the limitations “the inner wall” on line 2, “the lower ends,” and “the end” on line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “an inner wall”, “lower ends,” and “an end,” respectively.
Claim 8 recites the limitations “the lower end face” and “the conductive contact sheet” on line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “a lower end face” and “the conduction contact sheet,” respectively.
Claim 9 recites the limitations “the lower ends” and “The conductive contact piece” on line 4 and “the end part” on line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “lower ends,” “the conduction contact sheet,” and “an end part,” respectively.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “the lower end face” on lines 1-2, “the conductive contact piece” on line 2, “the second conductive terminal” on lines 2-3, and “the upper end face” online 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “a lower end face”, “the conduction contact sheet,” and “the second conduction terminal,” respectively.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “the toggle switch assembly” on line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the toggle switching component”.
Claim 13 recites the limitations “the switchable silent microswitch” on lines 1-2, “the lower side,” “the rotating mounting seat,” and “the side” on line 3 and “the lower side” on line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “the microswitch,” “a lower side,” “the rotary mounting seat,” “a side,” and “a lower side,” respectively.
Claim 14 recites the limitation “the lower part” on line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “a lower part”.
Claim 15 recites the limitations “the sounding percussion block” on lines 2-3, “the upper end,” on line 3, “the lower end” on line 4, “the side limiting opening” on line 5, “the upper tapping sound part” on lines 5-6 and “the lower tapping sound part” on line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “the sound striking block,” “an upper end,” “a lower end,” “a side limit opening,” “the upper percussion sounding part,” and “the lower percussion sounding part,” respectively.
Claim 16 recites the limitations “the distance” and “the upper tapping sound generating part” on line 2, and “the lower tapping sound generating part” on line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, these limitations will be interpreted as “a distance,” “the upper percussion sounding part,” and “the lower percussion sounding part,” respectively.
Claim 17 recites the limitation “the sounding percussion block” on line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitations in the claim. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the sound striking block.”
In regard to claims 2-17, “The switchable silent microswitch” on line 1 lacks antecedent basis.
In regard to claim 9, it is unclear what is meant by the limitation “The conductive contact piece is for by that downward extension of the head end of the arched spr piece.” For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the conduction contact sheet is formed by a downward extension of the head end of the arched elastic sheet.”
In regard to claim 11, it is unclear if “a base” on line 3 is the same base recited in claim 1, or a different base. For the purposes of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the base”.
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 1-6, 8 and 10-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. [Wu hereinafter, CN 218274370].
In regard to claim 1, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] a microswitch capable of switching sound and silence comprises a base [1] and a cover [2] arranged above the base [1], wherein the cover [2] and the base [1] are combined to form an accommodating cavity, a guide core [4] is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and an upper opening [21] for the upper end of the guide core [4] to pass through is opened on the cover [2], and is characterized by further comprising a conducting mechanism [5] and a switching sound and silence mechanism [6], wherein, the conduction mechanism [5] comprises a first conduction terminal [51] and a second conduction terminal [52] respectively arranged on the base [1], and an elastic component [53] arranged in the accommodating cavity, wherein the elastic component [53] comprises an elastic sheet [531] which is erected on the first conduction terminal [51] and positioned below the guide core [4], an arched elastic sheet [532] which supports the elastic sheet [531] upwards, and a conduction contact sheet [533] which is positioned above the second conduction terminal [52] and extends to one side far away from the switching sound and silence mechanism [6]; the switching sound and silence mechanism [6] comprises a sound striking block [61] for the elastic sheet [531] to strike, a toggle switching component [62], an upper soft part [63] connected to the toggle switching component [62], and a lower soft part [64] connected to the toggle switching component [62] and located below the upper soft part [63].
In regard to claims 2, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 1 wherein the first conduction terminal [51] is provided with a first connecting part [511] and a second connecting part [512] located above the base, and an outer side of the first connecting part [511] is provided with a first clamping groove [5111], and an outer side of the second connecting part [512] is provided with a second clamping groove [5121]; the elastic sheet [531] is provided with a first opening [5311] for the first connecting part [511] to pass through and a second opening [5312] for the arched elastic sheet [532] to pass through, an inner wall of the first opening [5311] of the elastic sheet [531] is clamped in the first clamping groove [5111], a tail end of the arched elastic sheet [532] is clamped in the second clamping groove [5121], and a head end of the arched elastic sheet [532] supports the elastic sheet [531] upwards.
In regard to claims 3-5, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 2, wherein the arched elastic sheet [532], the conduction contact sheet [533] and the elastic sheet [531] are connected into a whole, wherein the arched elastic sheet [532] is formed by an upward arch of an inner wall of the second opening [5312] of the elastic sheet [531], and the conduction contact sheet [533] is formed by a downward extension of an inner wall of the second opening [5312] of the elastic sheet [531], wherein the head end of the arched elastic sheet [532] is integrally connected with the elastic sheet [531] by two elastic strips [5321], and the end of the conduction contact sheet [533] connected with the elastic sheet [531] is located between the two elastic strips [5321].
In regard to claim 6, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 2, wherein the conduction contact sheet [533] is connected with the elastic sheet [531] into a whole, and a head end of the arched elastic sheet [532] extends to a lower end of the elastic sheet [531] and abuts against a lower end face of the elastic sheet [531].
In regard to claim 8, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 2, wherein the head end of the arched elastic sheet [532] extends to the lower end of the elastic sheet [531] and abuts against a lower end face of the elastic sheet [531], and the conduction contact sheet [533] is connected with the arched elastic sheet [532] into a whole.
In regard to claim 10, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 1, wherein a lower end face of the conduction contact sheet [533] is provided with a moving contact [5330], and the second conduction terminal [52] is provided with an arched contact part [520] located at an upper end face of the base [1], and the arched contact part [520] is directly below the moving contact [5330].
In regard to claim 11, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 1, wherein the toggle switching component comprises a rotary mounting seat [621] rotatably arranged on an upper cover [2] or the base [1], and a shifting handle [622] connected to the rotary mounting seat [621] and extending to outer sides of the upper cover and the base, wherein the rotary mounting seat [621] is respectively provided with an upper connecting arm [6211] and a lower connecting arm [6212] below the upper connecting arm, the upper soft part [63] is arranged at a lower end of the upper connecting arm [6211], and the lower soft part [64] is arranged at the lower end.
In regard to claim 12, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 11, wherein the upper soft part [63] and the lower soft [64] part are both made of silica gel.
In regard to claims 13 and 14, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 11, wherein the base is provided with a limiting elastic sheet [65] located at a lower side of the rotary mounting seat [621], a limiting protrusion [651] is protruded on a side of the limiting elastic sheet [65] close to the rotary mounting seat [621], and two limiting grooves [6213] matched with the limiting protrusion [651] are formed on a lower side of the rotary mounting seat [621], wherein an installation groove [11] for installing a lower part of the rotary mounting seat [621] is formed on the base [1], and a limit clamping groove [12] for embedding the limiting elastic sheet is formed on one side of the installation groove [11], and a central rotating shaft [13] is arranged on the installation groove [11], and the rotary mounting seat [621] is rotatably sleeved on the central rotating shaft [13].
In regard to claims 15 and 16, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 1, wherein a side limit opening [611] is formed on the sound striking block [61], an upper percussion sounding part [612] is formed at an upper end of the side limit opening [611], and a lower percussion sounding part [613] is formed at a lower end of the side limit opening [611]; one end of the elastic sheet [531] passes through the side limit opening [611], and the upper percussion sounding part [612] is above one end of the elastic sheet [531], and the lower percussion sounding part [613] is below one end of the elastic sheet [531], wherein a distance between the upper percussion sounding part [612] and the lower percussion sounding part [613] is greater than a distance between the upper soft part [63] and the lower soft part [64].
In regard to claim 17, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 1, wherein the sound striking block [61] is arranged on the base [1] through a connecting terminal [610].
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 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. [Wu hereinafter, CN 218274370] in view of Wu et al. [Wu478 hereinafter, CN 217035478].
In regard to claim 7, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 6. Wu does not disclose that the conduction contact sheet is formed by extending downward from the inner wall of the second opening of the elastic piece, two first abutting blocks are formed on the inner wall of the second opening of the elastic piece, the head end of the arched elastic piece has two first abutting strips abutting against the lower ends of the two first abutting blocks, and the end of the conductive contact piece connected with the elastic piece is located between the two first abutting strips. Wu478 teaches [in Figs. 7 and 8] that the conduction contact sheet [533] is formed by extending downward from an inner wall of the second opening [5312] of the elastic piece [531], two first abutting blocks [5313] are formed on the inner wall of the second opening of the elastic piece [531], the head end of the arched elastic sheet [532] has two first abutting strips [5322] abutting against lower ends of the two first abutting blocks [5313], and an end of the conduction contact sheet [533] connected with the elastic sheet [531] is located between the two first abutting strips [5322]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the two first abutting blocks and two first abutting strips of Wu478 with the microswitch of Wu in order to actuate the microswitch with the desired tactile feedback.
In regard to claim 9, Wu discloses [in Figs. 1-6] the microswitch according to claim 8. Wu does not disclose that two second abutting blocks are formed on the inner wall of the second opening of the elastic sheet, and the head end of the arched elastic sheet is provided with two second abutting strips abutting on the lower ends of the two second abutting blocks; the conduction contact sheet is formed by a downward extension of the head end of the arched elastic sheet, and an end part of the conduction contact sheet connected with the arched elastic sheet is position between two second abutting strips. Wu478 teaches [in Figs. 9 and 10] that two second abutting blocks [5314] are formed on the inner wall of the second opening of the elastic sheet [531], and the head end of the arched elastic sheet [532] is provided with two second abutting strips [5323] abutting on the lower ends of the two second abutting blocks [5314]; the conduction contact sheet [533] is formed by a downward extension of the head end of the arched elastic sheet [532], and an end part of the conduction contact sheet [533] connected with the arched elastic sheet [532] is position between two second abutting strips [5323]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the two second abutting blocks and two second abutting strips of Wu478 with the microswitch of Wu in order to actuate the microswitch with the desired tactile feedback.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cheng [US 7,538,291], Chang et al. [US 2020/0135415], Wu et al. [US 2026/0205118] and Hoshi [US 2026/0260828] disclose similar switches.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
