DETAILED ACTION
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park (12,032,417).
Regarding Claim 20: Park teaches a hinge mechanism comprising: a main shaft (350) comprising a first side (fig. 5) and a second side (fig. 5) opposite the first side (fig. 5); a first swing arm (310) disposed on the first side (fig. 5) and rotatably connected to the main shaft (figs. 4-11); a second swing arm (320) disposed on the second side (fig. 5) rotatably connected to the main shaft (figs. 4-11); and a synchronization assembly (components included with the gearing system shown in fig. 5) located between the first swing arm and the second swing arm (fig. 5) along an axial direction of the hinge mechanism (fig. 5), comprising a first gear assembly (223 with 222a and 222) and a second gear assembly (other 223 with 221a and 221), and configured to synchronously rotate the first gear assembly (fig. 5) and the second gear assembly (fig. 5) towards each other during a folding process of an electronic device (figs. 4-11), and synchronously rotate the first gear assembly and the second gear assembly away from each other during an unfolding process of the electronic device (figs. 4-11).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 1-19 are considered to be allowable because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the limitations of the base claims 1 and 18. Claim 1 includes a first gear assembly comprising: a first gear member comprising: a first gear comprising a first gear surface and a first end part, wherein a first axis of the first gear is parallel to and does not coincide with a second axis along which the first swing arm rotates around the main shaft; and a first connection part located on the first end part and facing the first swing arm; and a first connecting rod slidably connected to the first connection part and rotatably connected to the first swing arm; and a second gear assembly comprising: a second gear member comprising: a second gear comprising a second gear surface and a second end part, wherein the second gear surface is engaged with the first gear surface, and wherein a third axis of the second gear is parallel to and does not coincide with a fourth axis along which the second swing arm rotates around the main shaft; and a second connection part located on the second end part and facing the second swing arm; and a second connecting rod slidably connected to the second connection part and rotatably connected to the second swing arm in combination with all other elements of the claim. Claims 2-17 are all dependent upon claim 1 and are considered to be allowable at least for the same reasons as claim 1. Claim 18 includes a synchronization assembly located between the first swing arm and the second swing arm along an axial direction of the hinge mechanism, wherein the synchronization assembly comprises: a first gear assembly comprising: a first gear member comprising: a first gear comprising a first gear surface and a first end part, wherein a first axis of the first gear is parallel to and does not coincide with a second axis along which the first swing arm rotates around the main shaft; and a first connection part located on the first end part and facing the first swing arm; and a first connecting rod slidably connected to the first connection part and rotatably connected to the first swing arm; and a second gear assembly comprising: a second gear member comprising: a second gear comprising a second gear surface and second end part, wherein the second gear surface is engaged with the first gear surface, and wherein a third axis of the second gear is parallel to and does not coincide with a fourth axis along which the second swing arm rotates around the main shaft; and a second connection part located on the second end part and facing the second swing arm; and a second connecting rod slidably connected to the second connection part and rotatably connected to the second swing arm in combination with all other elements of the claim. Claim 19 is dependent upon claim 18 and is considered to be allowable at least for the same reasons as claim 18.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art cited in the PTO-892 notice of references cited is all related in that they are in the field of hinging devices for portable electronic devices with a foldable or flexible display.
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/ANTHONY M HAUGHTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841