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 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.
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.
1. Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (CN116744192A) in view of Li, Zhen (WO2023045138A1, hereinafter Zhen.
As to Claim 1, Zhang teaches a sound producing unit ( Figures 1-6), comprising: a housing ( bracket 4); and a magnetic circuit system provided on the housing ( a magnetic circuit system 1 fixed to the bracket 4. See at least page 5, [0004]), the magnetic circuit system (magnetic circuit system 1) comprising a magnetic conducting yoke (magnetic yoke 13), a central magnetic part (central magnetic part 11), and an edge magnetic part, (the side magnetic part 12 arranged on the outer side of the central magnetic part 11. See at least page 11, [0007], the side magnet part 12 comprises a side magnet magnet 121 and side magnetic guide plate 122) the central magnetic part ( central magnetic part 11) and the edge magnetic part ( side magnetic part 12) being respectively provided on the magnetic conducting yoke( the magnetic conductive yoke 13 comprises a main body part 131 and a hollow hole 132 set on the main body part 131, one side of the side magnetic part 12 close to the second vibration system 3 is set on the main body part 131.See at least page 12, [0003]), the edge magnetic part( side magnetic part 12) being provided on an outer side of the central magnetic part, ( arranged on the outer side of the central magnetic part, page 11, [0007])the central magnetic part( central magnetic part 11) comprising a central magnetic steel and a central magnetic conducting plate,( the central magnetic part 11 may further comprise a central magnetic conducting plate 113, and one side of the plurality of first sub-central magnets 111 far away from the second vibration system 3 is connected with the central magnetic conducting plate 113. See at least page 12, [0003]) the central magnetic steel having two opposite sides respectively connected to the central magnetic conducting plate and the magnetic conducting yoke, Figures 3, 9 teaches the central magnetic part 11 may further comprise a central magnetic conducting plate 113, and one side of the plurality of first sub-central magnets 111 far away from the second vibration system 3 is connected with the central magnetic conducting plate 113, The magnetic conductive yoke 13 comprises a main body part 131 and a hollow hole 132 set on the main body part 131, one side of the side magnetic part 12 close to the second vibration system 3 is set on the main body part 131, the central magnetic conductive plate 113 can comprise a supporting part 1131 and an extending part 1132 set on the outer side of the supporting part 1131, The extension portion 1132 extends in a first direction, and both ends of the extension portion 1132 are connected to the support portion 1131 and the body portion 131, respectively, the support portion 1131 is disposed opposite to the hollow-out hole 132, and a plurality of first sub-center magnets 111 are fixed to the support portion 1131.See at least page 12, [0003]; the edge magnetic part comprises an edge magnetic steel and an edge magnetic conducting plate, the edge magnetic steel having two opposite sides respectively connected to the edge magnetic conducting plate and the magnetic conducting yoke, the side magnetic part 12 comprises a side magnet 121 and a side magnetic guide plate 122 set on one side of the side magnet 121 far from one side of the second vibration system 3, the side magnet 121. See at least page 11, [[0007]. Zhang does not explicitly teach wherein at least one of the central magnetic conducting plate and/or the edge magnetic conducting plate being is composed of a cobalt alloy material, and wherein the magnetic conducting yoke being is composed of the cobalt alloy material. However, Zhen in related field (Speaker) teaches the materials of the magnetic yoke 131 and the magnetic plate 113, soft magnetic materials can be selected, such as iron, iron alloy, cobalt, cobalt alloy, nickel, nickel alloy and the like. As for the material of the magnet 111, hard magnetic materials can be selected, for example: alnico permanent magnet alloy, iron chromium cobalt permanent magnet alloy, permanent magnet ferrite, rare earth permanent magnet material, composite permanent magnet material and the like. See at least page 8, [0004]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to use a well-known alternative metal such as cobalt or cobalt alloy instead of steel for use in the magnetic circuit of the speaker to improve thermal stability.
As to Claim 15, Zhang in view of Zhen teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and an electronic device (Zhang teaches the electronic device according to the embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention comprises a vibration sound-producing module 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Optionally, the electronic device may be a mobile phone, a PAD, a notebook computer or the like. See at least page 20, [0003]., comprising a sound producing unit of claim 1.
2. Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (CN116744192A) in view of Li, Zhen (WO2023045138A1, hereinafter Zhen and in further view of Xiao et al. (CN108430009A).
As to Claim 2, Zhang in view of Zhen teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the cobalt alloy material of the central magnetic conducting plate is comprising a material grade of Co50 or Co₂₇; and/or a cobalt alloy material of the edge magnetic conducting plate is comprises a material grade of Co50 or Co₂₇. However, Xiao teaches magnetic material is nickel-cobalt alloy. Preferably, the nickel-cobalt alloy is HiperCo 15, or HiperCo 27, or HiperCo 30, or HiperCo50. See at least on page 2, lines 40-42. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to use a cobalt alloy comprising material grade of Co50 or Co₂₇ to achieve its well- known benefits of its mechanical properties such as high temperature strength.
As to Claim 3, Zhang in view of Zhen teaches the limitations of Claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein a cobalt alloy material of the magnetic conducting yoke comprises is of a material grade of Co50 or Co₂₇. However, Xiao teaches magnetic material is nickel-cobalt alloy. Preferably, the nickel-cobalt alloy is HiperCo 15, or HiperCo 27, or HiperCo 30, or HiperCo50. See at least on page 2, lines 40-42. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to use a cobalt alloy comprising material grade of Co50 or Co₂₇ to achieve its well- known benefits of its mechanical properties such as high temperature strength.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7 and 9-14 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNITA JOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7227. The examiner can normally be reached 8-3.
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/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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