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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the membrane switch recited in claim 6 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 3 are objected to because “the remaining upper pivoting joint portions” and “the remaining lower pivoting joint portions” on lines 7-8 of claim 2 lack antecedent basis. 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 6-8 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.
In regard to claim 6, it is unclear how the sensor module is a membrane switch since the pushing portion [pointed to at 12 in Fig. 4] of the pushing module is positioned over a hole in the sensor module [in Fig. 4].
In regard to claim 7, it is unclear if “a substitute pushing module” is the same substitute pushing module recited in claim 1, from which claim 7 depends, or a different substitute pushing module. It is noted that if “a substitute pushing module” is the same substitute pushing module recited in claim 1, lines 2-5 and 7-9 are redundant and should be deleted.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 4 and 5 are allowed. Claims 2 and 3 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the objection set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. In regard to claim 1, in combination with other limitations, a bottom plate that includes a bottom plate body, two limiting portions upwardly extending from said bottom plate body, spaced apart from each other, detachably engaging said installing plate, and adapted for detachably engaging the substitute installing plate of the substitute pushing module to secure the substitute pushing module on said bottom plate when said pushing module is removed, and a plurality of lower pivoting joint portions upwardly extending from said bottom plate body, and a sensor module that is disposed between said keycap and said bottom plate body, and that is formed with two limiting holes and a plurality of pivoting joint holes, said limiting portions respectively extending through said limiting holes, said lower pivoting joint portions respectively extending through said pivoting joint holes is neither disclosed nor suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Pan [US 6,002,092], Yamada et al. [US 6,064,020], and Cheng [US 6,880,995] disclose similar push button devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LHEIREN MAE A CAROC whose telephone number is (571)272-2730. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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