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 as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “251” has been used to designate both first printed circuit board and second printed circuit board. More in detail, the specification discloses “a first printed circuit board 251 disposed in the first housing 210, and a second printed circuit board 252 disposed in the second housing” (paragraph [0088]), however, figs. 4, 11, and 12 show element 251 disposed in first housing 210 while figs. 6A-6B, 8A-8B, fig. 10 show element 251 disposed in second housing 220.
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 “drive motor … disposed at an edge of the second housing closest to the second printed circuit board” (Claim 2, ln. 1-3) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. More in detail, figs. 6A and 6B show the electronic device in the slide-in and slide-out state respectively; however, the drive motor, 260, does not appear to be disposed at an edge of the second housing, 220, closest to the second printed circuit board, 252.
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 “at least one electronic component is electrically connected to the third printed circuit board via a through hole formed in at least a portion of the first side surface member” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show “the electronic device 200 may include at least one electronic component disposed in the second space 2201 … the at least one electronic component may include a first printed circuit board 251 disposed in the first housing 210, and a second printed circuit board 252 disposed in the second housing” as described in the specification ([0088]). Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). More in detail, the statement “at least one electronic component disposed in second space 2201” (of the second housing 220) does not seem compatible with the “the at least one electronic component may include a first printed circuit board 251 disposed in the first housing 210, and a second printed circuit board 252 disposed in the second housing” because the former would restrict the location of the at least one electronic component to the second housing, while the latter would allow it to be located at both the first and second housing (e.g., see fig. 4 of the instant application).
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show “one end of the drive motor 260 may be electrically connected to the second printed circuit board 252 disposed in the second space 2201 of the second housing 220, and the other end of the drive motor 260 may be electrically connected to the second printed circuit board 252 via the flexible printed circuit board F1 electrically connected to the third printed circuit board 255” as described in the specification ([0088]). Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). The electrical connection as described does not seem to have support in the drawings and “the other end” of the drive motor is not defined explicitly. For instance fig. 8B shows one end (left end) of the drive motor 260 electrically connected to the second printed circuit board 252 via the flexible printed circuit board F1, while the other end (right end) of the drive motor 260 is shown connected to the pinion gear 261.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0104] recites “disposed in the second space 2201 of the second housing 220 by being are disposed at an edge of the support bracket”. This appears to be an error. Appropriate correction is required.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 20, in lines 4-5, recites: “wherein antenna member is electrically connected to the first printed circuit board”. It should read: wherein the antenna member is electrically connected to the first printed circuit board, in order to avoid lack of antecedent.
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 10-20 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 10, in lines 15-17 and Claim 14, in lines 16-18, recite “a third printed circuit board … electrically connected via an expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space”. This limitation is confusing because it is not clear what the third printed circuit board is electrically connected to. Clarification is required. For purposes of examination, the limitation will be read as: a third printed circuit board … electrically connected to an expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space.
Claims 11-13 and 15-20 are rejected based on their dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4, 8-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek (KR 20190101605 A, and Baek hereinafter) in view of Shin (US 20240222873 A1, and Shin hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 1, Baek discloses an electronic device comprising:
a first housing (420, fig. 4. See also 220, fig. 3);
a second housing (410, fig. 4. See also 210, fig. 3) slidably connected to the first housing (figs. 2A and 3 in view of “The electronic device 400 of FIG. 4 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3”, [0062]);
a rollable display (430, fig. 4) disposed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing (fig. 5) and having a display area contracted or expanded based on a slide-in state or a slide-out state of the second housing (figs. 2A and 3 in view of “The electronic device 400 of FIG. 4 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3”, [0062]);
a support member (including 460 and 470, fig. 4) disposed on a rear surface of the rollable display to support at least a portion of the rollable display (fig. 5);
a first printed circuit board (447, fig. 4) disposed in the first housing (fig. 5);
a second printed circuit board (412, fig. 4) disposed in the second housing (fig. 4);
a flexible printed circuit board (4471, fig. 5) configured to connect the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board (fig. 5) and configured to be folded or unfolded based on the slide-in state or slide-out state of the second housing (“sub PCB 447 may be electrically connected to the PCB 412 through an electrical connection member 4471 (eg, FPCB) including a bent portion having a bending characteristic. The electrical connection member 4471 includes a second support member 450 and a sub PCB in which the first plate 411 of the first structure 410 is fixed to a second structure (eg, the second structure 420 of FIG. 4 )”, [0115]);
a battery (418, fig. 4)
Baek does not disclose a drive motor disposed in the first housing, electrically connected to the first printed circuit board, and configured to provide a driving force to drive the second housing; the battery disposed in the first housing and configured to supply power to the drive motor; a pinion gear disposed in the first housing and configured to transmit power based on the driving force of the drive motor; and a rack gear disposed in the second housing to be engaged with the pinion gear;
Shin discloses a drive motor (201, figs. 5(a) and 5(b)) disposed in a first housing (102, figs. 5(a) and 5(b)), electrically connected to a first printed circuit board (“main board 181 is connected to various electronic components to take charge of overall control of the mobile terminal 100”, [0115]), and configured to provide a driving force to drive a second housing (101, fig. 5(b); “The drivers 201, 202, and 203 may provide driving forces to the first frame 101”, [0116]);
a battery (191, fig. 5(b)) disposed in the first housing (fig. 5(b) and configured to supply power to the drive motor (“The battery 191 provides power to each component of the mobile terminal 100”, [0115]);
a pinion gear disposed in the first housing (“The motor and the pinion gear 202 of the drivers 201, 202, and 203, a housing of the drivers 201, 202, and 203, and the like may be located on the second frame 102”, [0117]) and configured to transmit power based on the driving force of the drive motor (“a motor that provides a rotational force and rack and pinion gears that change the rotational force of the motor to a linear motion”, [0116]); and
a rack gear disposed in the second housing (“the rack gear 203 extending in the first direction may be located on the first frame 101”, [0116]) to be engaged with the pinion gear (“The pinion gear 202 rotating by the rotational force of the driving motor 201 may maintain a state of being engaged with an upper side of the rack gear 203”, [0157]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek to incorporate the teachings of Shin so that it comprises a drive motor disposed in the first housing, electrically connected to the first printed circuit board, and configured to provide a driving force to drive the second housing; the battery disposed in the first housing and configured to supply power to the drive motor; a pinion gear disposed in the first housing and configured to transmit power based on the driving force of the drive motor; and a rack gear disposed in the second housing to be engaged with the pinion gear, in order to automate the sliding process to an expanded state while allowing the center of gravity to be located at a lower side even in the extended mode (“The drivers 201, 202, and 203 may provide driving forces to the first frame 101 and the second frame 102 to change the size of the mobile terminal 100, and the drivers 201, 202, and 203 may include a motor”, [0116] of Shin; and “Because the battery 191 and the main board 181, which occupy most of a weight of the mobile terminal 100, are located on the second frame 102, the mobile terminal 100 has an advantage that the center of gravity may be located at a lower side even in the extended mode”, [0119] of Shin).
Regarding Claim 2, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein, in the slide-in state, the drive motor is disposed at the second housing (fig. 5(a) of Shin), but does not explicitly disclose at an edge closest to the second printed circuit board.
However, a person of ordinary skill would have recognized that disposing the drive motor at an edge closest to the second printed circuit board would be equivalent to a mere rearrangement of parts. Absent disclosure of a functional role, rearrangements of parts have been ruled to carry no patentable weight (In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). See also MPEP § 2144.04, VI, C.). A person of ordinary skill could be motivated to do said modification to, for instance, make room for the battery located in the first housing (see rejection of Claim 1 above) and/or reduce heat accumulation in small region.
Regarding Claim 4, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the rack gear is disposed to have a length parallel to a direction of movement of the second housing (fig. 6 of Shin), and wherein the second housing has a sliding distance determined depending on a length of the rack gear (necessary condition given the role and location of the rack gear as shown in fig. 6 of Shin).
Regarding Claim 8, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 1 but does not explicitly disclose at least one electronic component electrically connected to the second printed circuit board in the second housing.
Shin further discloses at least one electronic component (121a, fig. 5) electrically connected to the second printed circuit board in the second housing (“An auxiliary board 187 on which … the front camera 121 a … are mounted”, [0134]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek and Shin to incorporate the additional teachings of Shin so that it further comprises at least one electronic component electrically connected to the second printed circuit board in the second housing, in order to capture images of objects/users located in front of the device.
Regarding Claim 9, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one electronic component includes at least one of at least one camera module (121, a fig. 5 of Shin: “front camera”. See rejection of Claim 8 above), a speaker, a microphone, a socket module, a connector module, a key button, or at least one sensor module.
Regarding Claim 10 (as best understood), Baek discloses an electronic device comprising:
a first housing (420, fig. 4. See also 220, fig. 3) including a first space formed through a first side surface member (4211-4213, fig. 4) and a first printed circuit board (447, fig. 4) disposed in the first space (figs. 4-5);
a second housing (410, fig. 4. See also 210, fig. 3) slidably coupled to the first housing and including a second printed circuit board (412, fig. 4) disposed in a second space formed through a second side surface member (4111, fig. 4);
a rear surface cover (419, fig. 4) disposed on an outer surface of the first side surface member (fig. 4. See also fig. 11I);
at least one electronic component disposed between the first side surface member and the rear surface cover (412, fig. 4);
a rollable display (430, fig. 4) disposed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing (fig. 5), wherein the rollable display has a display area that is expanded when at least a portion of the second housing is switched from a slide-in state in which the at least a portion of the second housing is accommodated in the first space to a slide-out state in which the at least a portion of the second housing is moved in a direction (figs. 2A and 3 in view of “The electronic device 400 of FIG. 4 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3”, [0062]);
Baek does not explicitly disclose a third printed circuit board disposed in the first space and electrically connected via an expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space; a drive motor including a pinion gear electrically connected to the third printed circuit board at a position adjacent to the third printed circuit board in the first space; and a rack gear disposed in the second space and engaged with the pinion gear, wherein the at least one electronic component is electrically connected to the third printed circuit board via a through hole formed in at least a portion of the first side surface member.
Shin discloses a printed circuit board (181, fig. 5) disposed in a first space (internal space of 102, fig. 5) a drive motor (including 201 and 202, figs. 5(a) and 5(b)) including a pinion gear (“The motor and the pinion gear 202 of the drivers 201, 202, and 203, a housing of the drivers 201, 202, and 203, and the like may be located on the second frame 102”, [0117]) electrically connected to a third printed circuit board (“main board 181 is connected to various electronic components to take charge of overall control of the mobile terminal 100”, [0115]) at a position adjacent to the third printed circuit board in a first space (fig. 5); and
a rack gear disposed in the second space (“the rack gear 203 extending in the first direction may be located on the first frame 101”, [0116]) and engaged with the pinion gear (“The pinion gear 202 rotating by the rotational force of the driving motor 201 may maintain a state of being engaged with an upper side of the rack gear 203”, [0157]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek to incorporate the teachings of Shin so that it comprises a third printed circuit board disposed in the first space; a drive motor including a pinion gear electrically connected to the third printed circuit board at a position adjacent to the third printed circuit board in the first space; and a rack gear disposed in the second space and engaged with the pinion gear, in order to automate the sliding process to an expanded state (“The drivers 201, 202, and 203 may provide driving forces to the first frame 101 and the second frame 102 to change the size of the mobile terminal 100, and the drivers 201, 202, and 203 may include a motor”, [0116] of Shin). Since Baek does not disclose a motor or a printed circuit board able to control it, this modification would be implemented by adding a motor and an additional, (third) printed circuit board, capable of controlling the operation of said motor (“the main board 181 is connected to various electronic components to take charge of overall control of the mobile terminal 100” [0115] of Shin). Furthermore, Baek discloses electrical connection of auxiliary circuit boards to the main printed circuit board is realized by use of flexible printed circuit board (“the sub-PCB 447 may be electrically connected to the PCB 412 through an electrical connection member 4471 (eg, an FPCB)”, [0115]), a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious to have the third printed circuit board electrically connected to an expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space, because doing so would connect the third printed circuit board to the main printed circuit board by using means that are conventional in the art (flexible printed circuit boards). Since the main circuit board (412, fig. 4 of Baek) containing the at least one electronic component is located in the second housing while the third printed circuit board would be located in the first housing, the electrical connection mentioned above would necessarily be via a through a through hole or similar aperture formed in at least a portion of the first side surface member that allows physical passage through of the flexible printed circuit board.
Regarding Claim 11, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 10, wherein the at least one electronic component includes an antenna member (“conductive unit sidewall 4214 may be electrically connected to a wireless communication circuit of the PCB 412 disposed inside the electronic device to operate as an antenna radiator”, [0072] of Baek).
Regarding Claim 12, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 10, wherein the expandable flexible printed circuit board includes a flexible printed circuit board (“FPCB”. See rejection of Claim 10 above).
Regarding Claim 13, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 10 but does not explicitly disclose in the slide-in state, the drive motor is disposed at an edge of a first side surface member closest to the second printed circuit board.
However, a person of ordinary skill would have recognized that disposing the drive motor at an edge closest to the second printed circuit board would be equivalent to a mere rearrangement of parts. Absent disclosure of a functional role, rearrangements of parts have been ruled to carry no patentable weight (In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). See also MPEP § 2144.04, VI, C.). A person of ordinary skill could be motivated to implement said modification to, for instance, make enough room, during the slide-in state, for larger structural elements (e.g., 440, 450, 460, 470 in fig. 4 of Baek) located in the first housing.
Regarding Claim 14, Baek discloses an electronic device comprising:
a first housing (420, fig. 4. See also 210, fig. 3) including a first side surface member (4211-4213, fig. 4) and a first extension member (4202, fig. 5) extending from the first side surface member into a first space (fig. 5);
a second housing (410, fig. 4. See also 220, fig. 3) slidably coupled to the first housing (figs. 2A and 3 in view of “The electronic device 400 of FIG. 4 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3”, [0062]);
and including a second side surface member (411, fig. 4) and a second extension member (horizontal portion of 4112, fig. 4) extending from the second side surface member to a second space (fig. 5);
a rollable display (430, fig. 4) disposed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing (fig. 5), wherein the rollable display has a display area that is expanded when at least a portion of the second housing is switched from a slide-in state in which the at least a portion of the second housing is accommodated in the first space to a slide-out state in which the at least a portion of the second housing is moved in a direction (figs. 2A and 3 in view of “The electronic device 400 of FIG. 4 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or the electronic device 200 of FIG. 2A to FIG. 3”, [0062]);
a support bracket (including 440, 450, 460 and 470, fig. 4) disposed on at least a portion of the first extension member in the first space (figs. 4-5);
a first printed circuit board (447, fig. 4) disposed in the first housing (fig. 5);
a second printed circuit board (412, fig. 4) disposed in the second housing (fig. 4);
Baek does not disclose a third printed circuit board disposed on the support bracket and electrically connected via an expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space; a drive motor including a pinion gear electrically connected to the third printed circuit board at a position adjacent to the third printed circuit board on the support bracket; and a rack gear disposed in the second space and engaged with the pinion gear, wherein the drive motor is electrically connected to the second printed circuit board via the third printed circuit board and the expandable flexible printed circuit board, and in the slide-in state, the drive motor is disposed at an edge of the support bracket closest to the second printed circuit board.
Shin discloses a printed circuit board (181, fig. 5) disposed on a support bracket (fig. 6(b): structure with vertical sidewalls in direct contact with 181); a drive motor (201, figs. 5(a) and 5(b)) including a pinion gear (“The motor and the pinion gear 202 of the drivers 201, 202, and 203, a housing of the drivers 201, 202, and 203, and the like may be located on the second frame 102”, [0117]) electrically connected to a third printed circuit board (“main board 181 is connected to various electronic components to take charge of overall control of the mobile terminal 100”, [0115]) at a position adjacent to the third printed circuit board on the support bracket (figs. 5 and 9); and
a rack gear disposed in the second space (“the rack gear 203 extending in the first direction may be located on the first frame 101”, [0116]) and engaged with the pinion gear (“The pinion gear 202 rotating by the rotational force of the driving motor 201 may maintain a state of being engaged with an upper side of the rack gear 203”, [0157]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek to incorporate the teachings of Shin so that it comprises a third printed circuit board disposed on the support bracket; a drive motor including a pinion gear electrically connected to the third printed circuit board at a position adjacent to the third printed circuit board in the support bracket; and a rack gear disposed in the second space and engaged with the pinion gear, in order to automate the sliding process to an expanded state (“The drivers 201, 202, and 203 may provide driving forces to the first frame 101 and the second frame 102 to change the size of the mobile terminal 100, and the drivers 201, 202, and 203 may include a motor”, [0116] of Shin). This modification would be implemented by adding a motor and an additional, (third) printed circuit board, capable of controlling the operation of said motor (“the main board 181 is connected to various electronic components to take charge of overall control of the mobile terminal 100” [0115] of Shin). Furthermore, Baek discloses electrical connection of auxiliary circuit boards to the main printed circuit board is realized by use of flexible printed circuit board (“the sub-PCB 447 may be electrically connected to the PCB 412 through an electrical connection member 4471 (eg, an FPCB)”, [0115] of Baek), a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious to have the third printed circuit board electrically connected to an expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space, because doing so would connect the third printed circuit board to the main printed circuit board by using means that are conventional in the art (flexible printed circuit boards). Doing so would necessarily mean the drive motor is electrically connected to the second printed circuit board via the third printed circuit board and the expandable flexible printed circuit board extending from the second printed circuit board to the first space, because the motor is electrically connected to the third printed circuit board.
Regarding Claim 15, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 14, further comprising: a battery (418, fig. 11C) disposed through a seating portion (rectangular portion under 418, fig. 11C of Baek) but does not explicitly disclose provided on the support bracket, wherein the battery is disposed to support at least a portion of a rear surface of the rollable display in the slide-in state.
Shin further discloses a battery disposed through a seating portion (1021, fig. 9) provided on a support bracket (structural element defining 1021, figs. 9-10(a)-10(b)), wherein the battery is disposed to support at least a portion of a rear surface of the rollable display in the slide-in state (fig. 10(a)).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek and Shin to incorporate the additional teachings of Shin so that the battery is disposed through a seating portion provided on the support bracket, wherein the battery is disposed to support at least a portion of a rear surface of the rollable display in the slide-in state, in order to maintain the center of gravity located at a lower side even when the terminal is in the extended mode. (“Because the battery 191 and the main board 181, which occupy most of a weight of the mobile terminal 100, are located on the second frame 102, the mobile terminal 100 has an advantage that the center of gravity may be located at a lower side even in the extended mode”, [0119] of Shin).
Regarding Claim 16, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the support bracket includes a bent area (460, fig. 4 of Baek) configured to support a rear surface of the rollable display (fig. 5 of Baek) but does not explicitly disclose the bent area has a radius of curvature configured to be larger than the radius of curvature of the drive motor.
Choi ‘269 discloses a bent area (curved portion of 411, fig. 4) has a radius of curvature (coincident with of radius of curvature of portion of 500 on left end of fig. 6) configured to be larger than a radius of curvature of a drive motor (602a-602b, figs. 5-6 and 12A-B; e.g., fig. 5 show semicircular portion of 602a is contained between 630 and 640, and fig. 6 shows the total length of 630 and 640 combined is less than the diameter of the left end of 500).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek and Shin to incorporate the teachings of Choi ‘269 so that the bent area has a radius of curvature configured to be larger than a radius of curvature of the drive motor, in order to allow a small size/weight motor, which is in line with current commercial trend of miniaturizing components of electronic display devices.
Regarding Claim 17, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first side surface member and the second side surface member at least partially form an exterior of the electronic device (fig. 4 of Baek).
Regarding Claim 18, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the second side surface member is accommodated in the first space to not be visible from outside of the electronic device in the slide-in state (figs. 2A-2B, 3, and 4 of Baek).
Regarding Claim 19, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the rack gear is disposed to have a length parallel to a direction of movement of the second housing (fig. 6 of Shin), and wherein the second housing has a sliding distance determined depending on a length of the rack gear (necessary condition given the role and location of the rack gear as shown in fig. 6 of Shin).
Regarding Claim 20, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 14, further comprising: an antenna member (490, fig. 5 of Baek; “one conductive construction 490 (e.g., an antenna module…)”, [0069] of Baek) disposed in such a way that the antenna member at least partially penetrates from an outer surface of the first extension member into the first space (fig. 5 of Baek), wherein antenna member is electrically connected to the first printed circuit board (“490 disposed in the second structure 420 may be electrically connected to the PCB 412 disposed in the first structure 410 through the sub PCB 447” [0069] of Baek).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek in view of Shin, further in view of Choi et al (US 20210336356 A1, and Choi ‘356 hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 3, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is expandable (fig. 5 of Baek), but does not explicitly disclose a third printed circuit board located around the drive motor and electrically connected to the drive motor, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to the third printed circuit board.
Choi ‘356 discloses a printed circuit board (213, fig. 8C) located around a drive motor (“PCB/battery module 213 with a motor interposed therebetween”, [0283]) and electrically connected to the drive motor (“in order to deform the flexible display without an external force, a driving unit 210 may be provided”, [0149] implies motor is electrically connected to battery, which in this case would be the PCB/battery module. See also power management module 192, fig. 2 and [0110]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek and Shin to incorporate the teachings of Choi ‘356 so that it further comprises a third printed circuit board located around the drive motor and electrically connected to the drive motor, in order to provide charging/power management means for the motor and the battery ([0110] of Choi ‘356) in a location adjacent to the battery. Furthermore, since the third printed circuit board controls the power from the battery to the electronic components of the device, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious to have the flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the third printed circuit board, in order to supply power to the first and second printed circuit boards and their corresponding electronic components.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek in view of Shin, further in view of Song et al. (US 20210405703 A1, and Song hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 5, Baek/Shin discloses the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a support bracket disposed in the first housing (440, fig. 4 of Baek) but does not explicitly disclose the drive motor is disposed at an edge of the support bracket.
Song discloses a drive motor (510, fig. 10) is disposed at an edge (right edge) of a support bracket (700, fig. 10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek and Shin to incorporate the teachings of Song so that the drive motor is disposed at an edge of the support bracket, in order to allow maximum displacement of one housing relative to the other. More in detail, figs. 10 and 11a-11b of Shin illustrates that locating the motor (and its associated pinion gear) closest to the right edge allows a larger relative displacement of the housings compared to the case where the motor would be located near the left edge. Furthermore, said modification would be considered a rearrangement of parts. It has been ruled by the courts that, absent disclosure of functional criticality, rearrangement of parts carry no patentable weight (In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). See also MPEP § 2144.04, VI, C).
Regarding Claim 6, Baek/Shin/Song discloses the electronic device of claim 5 but does not explicitly disclose the battery is disposed to support at least a portion of the support member in the slide-in state.
However, rearranging the battery to the first housing as taught by Shin (see rejection of Claim 1 above) would necessarily lead to the battery being disposed to support at least a portion of the support member in the slide-in state (fig. 5(a) of Shin and fig. 4 of Baek).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek in view of Shin and Song, further in view of Choi et al. (US 10747269 B1, and Choi ‘269 hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 7, Baek/Shin/Song the electronic device of claim 5, wherein the support bracket includes a bent area (446, fig. 6A of Baek) configured to support a rear surface of the support member (figs. 6C-6E of Baek) but does not explicitly disclose the bent area has a radius of curvature configured to be larger than a radius of curvature of the drive motor.
Choi ‘269 discloses a bent area (curved portion of 411, fig. 4) has a radius of curvature (coincident with radius of curvature of portion of 500 on left end of fig. 6) configured to be larger than a radius of curvature of a drive motor (602a-602b, figs. 5-6 and 12A-B; e.g., fig. 5 show semicircular portion of 602a is contained between 630 and 640, and fig. 6 shows the total length of 630 and 640 combined is less than the diameter of the left end of 500).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Baek, Shin and Song to incorporate the teachings of Choi ‘269 so that the bent area has a radius of curvature configured to be larger than a radius of curvature of the drive motor, in order to provide a small size/weight motor, which is in line with current commercial trend of miniaturizing components of electronic display devices.
Conclusion
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/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/MARTIN ANTONIO ASMAT UCEDA/Examiner, Art Unit 2841