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 . 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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of “Species III including claims directed to the alleged species depicted in Figure 7 [and at] least Claims 1-4, 7-11, and 14-18” in the reply filed on 03 November 2025 is acknowledged.
Accordingly, claims 5, 6, 12 and 13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to one or more non-elected inventions/ species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04 September 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the following informality:
In FIG. 6, left-most reference character combination 51f, 56 should be changed to 51e, 56 in order to be consistent with the remainder of the disclosure.
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 title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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, 2, 11 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Omamoto (US 2019/0074615).
With respect to claims 1, 2, 11, 16 and 17, Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) teaches a disk device (see FIGS. 1 and 2, and paragraphs [0018]-[0019], for instance) comprising a housing (10) provided with an internal space (as shown inn FIG. 2, for instance) filled with gas different from air (see paragraph [0022], for instance, i.e., “helium”) and a penetration hole (58, see FIG. 5 and paragraph [0029], for instance, i.e., “rectangular through hole (penetration hole) 58 is formed at one end of the bottom wall 12a of the base 12”) that makes the internal space communicate with an outside; a magnetic disk (18) disposed in the internal space (as shown in FIG. 2, for instance); a printed wiring board (64, see FIG. 7 and paragraph [0032], for instance, i.e., “sealing substrate 64” is considered a printed wiring board because “a conductive path 65 formed in the sealing substrate 64. The conductive path 65 can be formed by a conductive layer…”) including a first surface (64a) attached to the housing (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance), a second surface (64b) located opposite to the first surface (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance), and a side surface (extending from surface 64a to surface 64b) provided between an outer edge of the first surface and an outer edge of the second surface (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance), the printed wiring board being configured to seal the penetration hole (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance); and a film (78) covering the side surface (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance, i.e., at least a portion of 78 covers the side surface) [as per claim 1]; wherein the film includes a metal film (see paragraph [0035], for instance, i.e., “solder” is a metal film) [as per claim 2]; wherein the side surface includes a first region and a second region that defines a recess depressed from the first region (as shown in FIG. 5, for instance), the printed wiring board includes a protrusion protruding from the second region and located inside the recess (as shown in FIG. 5, for instance), and the film covers the first region, the second region, and a part of the protrusion (as shown in FIG. 5 relative to FIG. 7, for instance) [as per claim 11]; wherein the disk device further comprises a magnetic head (32) disposed in the internal space (as shown in FIG. 2, for instance) and configured to read and write information from and to the magnetic disk (see paragraph [0025], for instance, i.e., “a plurality of magnetic heads 32 that records and reproduces information on the magnetic disks 18”); and a flexible printed circuit board (21, see paragraph [0025], for instance, i.e., “board unit 21 is formed of a flexible printed wiring circuit board (FPC)”) that is disposed in the internal space (as shown in FIG. 2, for instance) and electrically connects the magnetic head (see paragraph [0025], for instance, i.e., “FPC is electrically connected to the magnetic head 32”) and the printed wiring board (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance) [as per claim 16]; and wherein the printed wiring board is located outside the internal space (as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, for instance) [as per claim 17].
With respect to claim 18, Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) teaches a disk device (see FIGS. 1 and 2, and paragraphs [0018]-[0019], for instance) comprising a housing (10) provided with a penetration hole (58, see FIG. 5 and paragraph [0029], for instance, i.e., “rectangular through hole (penetration hole) 58 is formed at one end of the bottom wall 12a of the base 12”); a magnetic disk (18) disposed inside the housing (as shown in FIG. 2, for instance); a printed wiring board (64, see FIG. 7 and paragraph [0032], for instance, i.e., “sealing substrate 64” is considered a printed wiring board because “a conductive path 65 formed in the sealing substrate 64. The conductive path 65 can be formed by a conductive layer…”) including a first surface (64a) attached to the housing (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance), a second surface (64b) located opposite to the first surface (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance), and a side surface (extending from surface 64a to surface 64b) provided between an outer edge of the first surface and an outer edge of the second surface (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance), the printed wiring board being configured to seal the penetration hole (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance); and a film (78) covering the side surface (as shown in FIG. 7, for instance, i.e., at least a portion of 78 covers the side surface).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 7-10, 14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. (US 2005/0231848) in view of Akagi et al. (US 2017/0186467).
Hong et al. (US 2005/0231848) teach a disk device (see FIG. 1 and paragraph [0003], for instance, i.e., “An exploded view of the primary components of a base plate and printed circuit board assembly 100 for a conventional one-inch disc drive is shown in FIG. 1”) comprising a housing (includes 102 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and 302 in FIG. 4, for instance) provided with an internal space (as shown in FIG. 1, for instance) and a penetration hole (under “optional tape seal 318” in FIG. 4, for instance, see paragraph [0015], for instance) that makes the internal space communicate with an outside (prior to sealing with epoxy adhesive 310, as shown in FIG. 4, for instance); a magnetic disk (above “disk spin motor 214” in FIG. 4, for instance, see paragraph [0012], for instance, also see paragraph [0002], for instance, i.e., “disc drives store information on rotating discs that are typically… magnetic”) disposed in the internal space (as shown relative to “disk spin motor 214” in FIG. 4, for instance); a printed wiring board (304 in FIG. 4, for instance) including a first surface (facing 302) attached to the housing (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance), a second surface (facing 306) located opposite to the first surface (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance), and a side surface provided between an outer edge of the first surface and an outer edge of the second surface (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance), the printed wiring board being configured to seal the penetration hole (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance); and a film (310) covering the side surface (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance) [as per claim 1]; wherein the film includes a resin film (see paragraph [0014], for instance, i.e., “epoxy adhesive” is a resin film) [as per claim 7]; wherein the disk device further comprises an adhesive including the resin film (see paragraph [0014], for instance, i.e., “epoxy adhesive 310”) and bonding the first surface and the housing to each other (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance) [as per claim 8]; wherein the film further covers the first surface and the second surface (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance) [as per claim 9]; wherein the film covers an entire region of the outer edge of the first surface and an entire region of the outer edge of the second surface (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance) [as per claim 10]; wherein a region of the side surface covered with the film is larger than a region of the side surface separated from the film (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance, i.e. the film covers the entire side surface) [as per claim 14]; and wherein the printed wiring board is located outside the internal space (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance) [as per claim 17].
Hong et al. (US 2005/0231848), however, remain silent as to the internal space of the housing of the disk device being “filled with gas different from air.”
Akagi et al. (US 2017/0186467) teach an internal space of a housing of a disk device being filled with gas different from air (see paragraph [0024], for instance, i.e., “a gas having a density lower than that of air is sealed in the housing space of the case defined by the base member 21 and the cover 5. As the low-density gas, a helium gas, a nitrogen gas, a mixture of helium and nitrogen gases, or the like is preferably used”) in the same field of endeavor for the purpose of “reducing resistance applied to each magnetic disk 4, and thus to reducing vibrations of the magnetic disks 4 which occur during rotation, and minimizing an increase in a power consumption of the motor 3.” It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have had the internal space of the housing of the disk device of Hong et al. (US 2005/0231848) be filled with gas different from air as taught/suggested by Akagi et al. (US 2017/0186467). The rationale is as follows:
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have had the internal space of the housing of the disk device of Hong et al. (US 2005/0231848) be filled with gas different from air as taught/suggested by Akagi et al. (US 2017/0186467) since such reduces resistance, reduces vibrations, and minimizes power consumption.
Claims 3, 4 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) in view of Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511).
Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) teaches the disk device as detailed in paragraph 9, supra. Omamoto (US 2019/0074615), however, remains silent as to “wherein the metal film is electrically connected to a conductor set to ground potential” as per claim 3, “wherein the printed wiring board includes a ground plane, and the metal film is electrically connected to the ground plane” as per claim 4, and “wherein the printed wiring board includes a plurality of stacked insulating layers, and the side surface includes ends of the plurality of insulating layers in a direction along the first surface” as per claim 15.
Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511) teach that a metal film (42a) being electrically connected to a conductor (34) set to ground potential (see FIG. 4 and paragraph [0047], for instance, i.e., “conductor lines 34 are… ground lines”), wherein the printed wiring board includes a ground plane (includes 34, for instance), and the metal film is electrically connected to the ground plane (as shown in FIG. 4, for instance), is a notoriously old and well known grounding configuration in the art.
Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511) also teach that a printed wiring board (30A, see FIG. 4, for instance) including a plurality of stacked insulating layers (i.e., layers of 31 separated by conductor layers 32, see paragraph [0041], for instance, i.e., “layer 31 may be made of an insulating material”), and a side surface including ends of the plurality of insulating layers in a direction along a first surface (30a, as shown in FIG. 4, for instance) is a notoriously old and well known printed wiring board configuration.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have had the metal film of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) be electrically connected to a conductor set to ground potential, and the printed wiring board of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) include a ground plane, and the metal film being electrically connected to the ground plane, as taught suggested by Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511); and to have had the printed wiring board of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) include a plurality of stacked insulating layers, and the side surface of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) includes ends of the plurality of insulating layers in a direction along the first surface, as taught/suggested by Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511). The rationale is as follows:
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have had the metal film of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) be electrically connected to a conductor set to ground potential, and the printed wiring board of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) include a ground plane, and the metal film being electrically connected to the ground plane, as taught suggested by Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511) since such is a notoriously old and well known grounding configuration in the art, and selecting a known grounding configuration on the basis of its suitability for the intended use is considered to be within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have had the printed wiring board of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) include a plurality of stacked insulating layers, and the side surface of Omamoto (US 2019/0074615) includes ends of the plurality of insulating layers in a direction along the first surface, as taught/suggested by Hisakuni et al. (US 2019/0304511) since such is a notoriously old and well known printed wiring board configuration, and selecting a known printed wiring board configuration on the basis of its suitability for the intended use is considered to be within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. This includes Joo (US 2017/0186467), Berding et al. (US 6,934,126), Shindo et al. (US 2008/0165449), Aoyagi et al. (US 2008/0259503), Suzuki et al. (US 2009/0097163), Kouno et al. (US 2009/0168233), Nakatsuka et al. (US 2010/0328815), Andrikowich et al. (US 8,059,364), Sudo et al. (US 2017/0169860), Sudo et al. (US 2017/0169861), Sudo et al. (US 2017/0169862), Onubo et al. (US 2017/0278551), Kaneko et al. (US 2017/0352386), and Onubo et al. (US 2019/0104630), which each individually teaches one or more disk device housing sealing configurations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Craig A. Renner whose telephone number is (571) 272-7580. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Lim can be reached at (571) 270-1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CRAIG A. RENNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688