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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 25 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 2 cites “a screen body”. Appropriate correction is required to address lack of antecedent basis.
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.
Claim 11 is 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 11 line 1 cites claim 11 as being dependent to claim 10. However, claim 10 has being cancelled. For the purpose of examination, the Office will interpret claim 11 as being dependent to claim 28.
Note: if claim 11 depends on claim 28, it would be objected as the numbering of claims is not in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126 which requires the original numbering of the claims to be preserved throughout the prosecution. When claims are canceled, the remaining claims must not be renumbered. When new claims are presented, they must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number next following the highest numbered claims previously presented (whether entered or not). Therefore, claim 11 should not depend on the subsequent claim 28.
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.
Claims 1-2, 7, 25 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (CN 114598760A; “Jiang” hereinafter), in view of Choi et al (US 20200266384; “Choi” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Jiang teaches: a screen decorating member (133 and 134, fig. 2), used in an electronic device (10), the electronic device comprising a screen body (11, figs. 1-2), wherein the screen decorating member comprises a first decorating section (see annotated fig. 1 below), a second decorating section (see annotated fig. 1 below), and a bent section (see annotated fig. 1 below), and the second decorating section comprises a first end portion (see annotated fig. 1 below) and a second end portion (see annotated fig. 1 below);
the first decorating section is connected to the first end portion of the second decorating section by the bent section (as disclosed in fig. 1), the second end portion is located on a side of the first end portion away from the bent section (as disclosed in fig. 1), and the first decorating section, the second decorating section, and the bent section are configured for being disposed around at least part of a circumference of the screen body (as disclosed in fig. 1).
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Jiang does not explicitly disclose:
the bent section and/or the second end portion are/is provided with a stress buffer structure.
However, Choi teaches:
a decoration member (532 and 830c, fig. 9) comprising a stress buffer structure (833c, fig. 9, ¶[0109]) disposed in a groove (834, fig. 9) of a horizontal portion (832c, fig. 9) of the decoration member overlapping an edge of the screen body (100, fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the bent section and/or the second end portion of Jiang’s screen decorating member, with Choi’s teaching, such that a groove is provided in Jiang’s horizontal portion (where element 300 is disposed in fig. 6), and replace element 300, with Choi’s stress buffer portion, in order to prevent and/or reduce introduction of foreign material or moisture through a separation space by contacting the surface of the screen body (¶[0110]).
Regarding claim 2, Jiang in view of Choi teaches the limitations of claim 1, and Jiang further teaches:
wherein the electronic device further comprises a housing (13, fig. 1), the screen body is disposed on a side of the housing (fig. 1), and the screen decorating member comprises a first decorating surface and a second decorating surface that are opposite to each other in a first direction (see annotated fig. 6 below); the second decorating surface is locally recessed in the first direction toward an edge of the screen body to form a notch (see annotated fig. 6 below); a part corresponding to the notch in the screen decorating member in the first direction is a blocking portion (see annotated fig. 6 below), and the blocking portion is configured for blocking the edge of the screen body (annotated as ‘E’ in fig. 6 below); and another part other than the blocking portion in the screen decorating member is a fixing portion (see annotated fig. 6 below), and the fixing portion is configured for being fixed at a circumference of the housing (figs. 1-2, ¶[n0033]).
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Regarding claim 7, Jiang in view of Choi teaches the limitations of claim 2, and the combination further teaches:
wherein the blocking portion comprises a blocking surface facing the screen body (see annotated fig. 6 below); the blocking surface and a side wall of the fixing portion define the notch (see annotated fig. 6 below), and at least one groove is opened in the blocking surface at the second end portion (groove 834 from Jiang meets this limitation, via the combination of Choi into Jiang); and the stress buffer structure comprises the groove (fig. 9, Jiang).
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Regarding claim 25, Jiang in view of Choi teaches: an electronic device (10), comprising the screen decorating member (via the combination of Choi into Jiang) according to claims 1 and a screen body (11).
Regarding claim 26, Jiang in view of Choi teaches the limitations of claim 25, and Jiang further teaches:
wherein the electronic device comprises a foldable terminal (fig. 3), and the foldable terminal further comprises a rotating shaft structure (12, fig. 2) and two bodies (131 and 132, fig. 2); the screen body comprises a flexible display (¶[n0024]), and two screen decorating members are provided (133 and 134, fig. 2); the two bodies comprise a first body (131) and a second body (132), and the two screen decorating members comprise a first screen decorating member (133) and a second screen decorating member (134); one end of the rotating shaft structure (122) is connected to the first body (¶[n0032]), and the other end (122) is connected to the second body (¶[n0032]); the flexible display is located on a side of the rotating shaft structure, the first body, and the second body (figs. 1-2); the flexible display comprises a bent display section (100) and a first flat display section (201, fig. 1) and a second flat display section (202, fig. 1) that are located on two sides of the bent display section (figs. 1 and 3); the screen decorating members are located on a side of the flexible display away from the first body and the second body (figs. 1-2, and 6); and the first screen decorating member is configured for blocking a gap (see annotated fig. 6 below) between an edge of the first flat display section and the first body, and the second screen decorating member is configured for blocking a gap between an edge of the second flat display section and the second body (as disclosed upon examination of figs. 1-2, and annotated fig. 6 below, but for 132, and 202).
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Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (CN 114598760A; “Jiang” hereinafter), in view of Choi et al (US 20200266384; “Choi” hereinafter) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Wang (CN115376413A; “Wang” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 14, Jiang in view of Choi teaches the limitations of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose:
wherein a length of the second end portion is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and is less than or equal to 10 mm; and the length of the second end portion is a size of the second end portion in a third direction, and the third direction is a direction of the second end portion pointing to the first end portion.
However, Wang discloses:
a length of a portion of a decorative member (20, fig. 3), is between 1.4-3.2mm (see page 8, ¶[01]-[04]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to set a length of the second end portion is greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and is less than or equal to 10 mm; and the length of the second end portion is a size of the second end portion in a third direction, and the third direction is a direction of the second end portion pointing to the first end portion, since it has been held, that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the arts. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. The modification would avoid deformation of the decorating member (¶[01]).
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (CN 114598760A; “Jiang” hereinafter), in view of Choi et al (US 20200266384; “Choi” hereinafter) as applied to claim 2, and further in view of Barret et al (US 20210405688; “Barret” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 31, Jiang in view of Choi teaches the limitations of claim 2, but does not explicitly disclose:
wherein at least one groove is opened in a side wall on a side of the fixing portion facing the notch; and the stress buffer structure comprises the groove.
However, Barret teaches:
at least one groove (see annotated fig. 15 below) is opened in a side wall (see annotated fig. 15 below) on a side of a housing (12, fig. 15); and a stress buffer structure (30, fig. 15, ¶[0044]) comprises the groove (fig. 15).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the side wall of the fixing portion of Jiang in view of Choi, with Barret’s teaching, such that at least one groove is opened in a side wall on a side of the fixing portion facing the notch; and the stress buffer structure comprises the groove, since the claim would have been obvious because the particular known technique (grooves in side wall of enclosure components) was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art, as evidenced by Barret. Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of a plurality of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity (§MPEP 2143).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3-6, 8, 11, 15-16, 24, 28-30, 32 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, and to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Regarding claim 3, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claims 1-3, a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein the second decorating section further comprises a main body portion located between the first end portion and the second end portion; the second end portion comprises a first notch, and the main body portion comprises a second notch; a width of the first notch is greater than a width of the second notch, the width of the notch is a size of the notch in a second direction, and the second direction is a direction of the blocking portion pointing to the fixing portion; and the first notch comprises a first part and a second part that are adjacent in the second direction, the first part is a part that is in the first notch and that has a same width as the second notch, and the stress buffer structure comprises the second part. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 4-6 are objected to by virtue of dependency to claim 3.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claims 1-2, 7, a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein a volume of the groove gradually decreases in a unit area of the blocking surface in a third direction, and the third direction is a direction of the second end portion pointing to the first end portion. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 11 and 28 are objected to by virtue of dependency to claim 8.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claims 1-2, a combination of limitations that teaches: , wherein the bent section comprises a third notch, the first end portion comprises a fourth notch, and the first decorating section comprises a fifth notch; a width of the third notch is greater than widths/a width of the fourth notch and/or the fifth notch, the width of the notch is a size of the notch in a second direction, and the second direction is a direction of the blocking portion pointing to the fixing portion; and the third notch comprises a third part and a fourth part that are adjacent in the second direction, the third part is a part that is in the third notch and that has a same width as the fourth notch and/or the fifth notch, and the stress buffer structure comprises the fourth part. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 16 and 30 are objected to by virtue of dependency to claim 15.
Regarding claim 24, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claims 1-2, a combination of limitations that teaches: , wherein a hardness of the fixing portion at the bent section is less than a hardness of the fixing portion at the first decorating section and a hardness of the fixing portion at the second decorating section; and the stress buffer structure comprises the fixing portion of the bent section. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claim 29, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claims 1-2, a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein the second decorating section further comprises a main body portion located between the first end portion and the second end portion; and a hardness of the blocking portion at the second end portion is less than a hardness of the blocking portion at the main body portion; and the stress buffer structure comprises the blocking portion at the second end portion; wherein the first decorating surface is exposed from an outer side, and a protective layer is disposed on the first decorating surface and is configured for blocking the first decorating surface. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claim 32, the prior art of record taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest,
in combination with other limitations recited in claims 1-2 and 31, a combination of limitations that teaches: wherein the bent section comprises a first edge and a second edge, the first edge is in contact with the first end portion, and the second edge is in contact with the first decorating section; and a volume of the groove gradually decreases in a unit area of the side wall from a preset position of the bent section to the first edge and/or the second edge; a plurality of grooves are provided, and a distance between two adjacent grooves gradually increases from the preset position of the bent section to the first edge and/or the second edge; or where a plurality of grooves are provided, and volumes of the plurality of grooves gradually decrease from the preset position of the bent section to the first edge and/or the second edge; wherein lengths, widths, and/or depths of the plurality of grooves gradually decrease from the preset position of the bent section to the first edge and/or the second edge; the width of the groove is a size of the groove from the preset position of the bent section to the first edge and/or the second edge; the depth of the groove is a size of the groove in a second direction, and the second direction is a direction of the blocking portion pointing to the fixing portion; and the length of the groove is a size of the groove in the first direction. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is:
US 20250172972 A1 Electronic Apparatus Comprising Display. This invention relates generally to a support piece is disposed in a recess provided in the support portion of the housing. The frame is coupled to the housing. The frame includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion covers the border area of the display and is exposed to the outside.
US 20220271419 A1 electronic Device. This invention generally relates to a housing can include a sidewall that defines a slot, and a portion of the insulating material that defines the exterior surface can be disposed in the slot. A portion of the exterior surface defined by the insulating material can be flush with a portion of the exterior surface defined by the housing.
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/SAGAR SHRESTHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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