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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/20/2024 and 10/02/2025 were filed is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is/are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chin-Yang Wang (US 6244553B1, hereinafter referred to as “Wang”).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a display device (Fig 1, col 2, lines 24-25: electronic device (not shown)) comprising: a display set (col 2, lines 11-29: electronic device (not shown) and support member 5); and a swiveling mechanism (Figs 1 and 2, base 1 and pivotable member 2) connected to the display set (col 2, lines 11-29: connected to electronic device (not shown) and support member 5 in Fig 1), wherein the display set comprises a display body and a stand connected to the display body (col 2, lines 23-26: body of electronic device (not shown) and fixture (not shown)), and the swiveling mechanism (base 1 and pivotable member 2) comprises: a swivel top plate (Fig 1, rectangular plate 10) coupled to the stand (coupled to fixture (not shown)); a swivel top bracket (Fig 1, cylindrical member 12) disposed below the swivel top plate (10, when seen in an upside view of Fig 1) and having a first gear (Fig 1, toothed member 14); a swivel bottom bracket (Fig 1, pivotable member 2) having a second gear (222) with which the first gear (14) is detachably engaged (Figs 1 and 2); a swivel bottom plate coupled to the swivel bottom bracket (Fig 2, a round disk plate disposed inside recess 224 coupled to member 2); an elastic member (Fig 1, elastic member 8) provided at a bottom surface of the swivel bottom plate (Fig 1) and placed on an installation surface (Fig 1, surface adjacent 226); a stopper plate (Fig 2, member 22) disposed on the bottom surface of the swivel bottom plate (Fig 2, member 22 on surface of round plate with hole 226); a bolt (Fig 1, fastener 96) passing through the swivel top plate (Figs 1 and 2, bolt (96) pass through plate 10), the swivel top bracket (12), and the stopper plate ( Figs 1 and 3, bolt (96) also pass through member 22); a nut (Fig 1, pin 92 with hole in middle) coupled to the bolt (Figs 1 and 3, bolt (96) coupled to nut (92)); and a spring (Fig 3, spring 8) supported by the swivel bottom plate (Figs 2 and 3, on surface of round plate with hole 226) and elastically deformed by the stopper plate (Fig 3, elastically deformed by member 22).
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses wherein the first gear (Fig 1, toothed member 14) is disposed on a bottom surface of the swivel top bracket (Fig 1, cylindrical member 12, when viewed upside of Fig 2), and the second gear is disposed on a top surface of the swivel bottom bracket (Fig 1, pivotable member 2 has a second gear (222) in upside view of Fig 2).
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses wherein a bolt through-hole through which the bolt passes is defined in each of the swivel top plate, the swivel top bracket, and the stopper plate (Fig 3, pin 92 (nut) with through hole in middle, for bolt (96) to pass through each of swivel top plate (10) , the swivel top bracket (12), and the stopper plate (22)).
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses wherein an accommodation portion (Fig 1, recess 224) in which the stopper plate (22) is accommodated is provided in the swivel bottom plate (Figs 1-3).
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses wherein a space in which the accommodation portion is accommodated is defined between the swivel top bracket and the stopper plate (Fig 3, space defined for accommodating recess 224 between cylindrical member 12, when viewed upside of Fig 2 and stopper plate 22).
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses wherein, in the swivel bottom bracket, an opening that surrounds the accommodation portion is defined larger than the accommodation portion (Fig 1, circular ring region at opening surrounding 224 is at a larger diameter in pivotable member 2 (swive bottom bracket)).
Regarding claim 7, Wang discloses wherein a spring space in which the spring is accommodated is defined between the swivel top bracket and the swivel bottom plate (Figs 2 and 3, spring space for spring 8 between round disk regions with holes for cylindrical member 12 and member 22).
Regarding claim 8, Wang discloses wherein the spring comprises: a spring body; a first bent portion bent at one side of the spring body; and a second bent portion bent at the other side of the spring body (Fig 1, spring 8 is a coil spring with regular bent ends).
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses wherein a swivel bottom plate accommodation portion into which the swivel bottom plate is inserted to be accommodated is defined in the swivel bottom bracket (Fig 1, region around teeth member 14 in pivotable member 2).
Regarding claim 13, Wang discloses wherein a stopper portion protrudes from the swivel bottom plate, and a stopper groove hooked with the stopper portion when the swivel top plate excessively rotates is defined in the swivel top plate (Fig 1, bore defined inside of cylindrical member 22 is through-hole which the stopper portion is inserted into).
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses wherein a stopper portion through-hole through which the stopper portion passes is defined in the swivel bottom bracket (Fig 1, bore defined inside of cylindrical member 22 is through-hole which the stopper portion is inserted into, defined in pivotable member 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 9-11 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a). Cited prior art Wang fails to disclose or teach “wherein a first latch that is in contact with the first bent portion and the second bent portion is provided on the swivel bottom plate, and a second latch that is in contact with one of the first bent portion and the second bent portion is provided on the stopper plate” of claim 9. By virtue of dependency upon claim 9, claims 10-11 likewise also contain allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Dae Sik Yoon (US 20210160451A1) discloses a display stand having a rotating bracket relative to a fixed bracket, alongside a torsion spring between the brackets, and a support plate. Shu Yen (US20070215766A1) disclose a rotating swiveling mount having plate, multiple gears and spring for electronic device. Shin (US 20070064379A1) discloses a swivel mount for a display device having a tilting bracket and tilting spring. Shin (US 7643276B2) discloses a swivel mount for a display device having a bracket, springs, nut and bolt. Davis JR (US 20110109135A1) discloses a swivel mount for chair. Hsu (US 11744027B2) disclose a screen rotating structure with a stand. Zhang (CN 102261548B) discloses a rotary base assembly of display.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DING Y TAN whose telephone number is (303)297-4271. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:00am MT--5:00pm MT. 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, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DING Y TAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3632 /TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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