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, 7, 10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (WO2020/220709A1), hereinafter “Yang”.
As to Claim 1, Yang teaches an acoustic module (loudspeaker unit, Figure 1, 4, 7-11), comprising a housing( support system 100, Figure 1), a magnet bowl (yoke 23, 230, Figures 7-11), a central magnet ( center magnet 24,240), an edge magnet ( side wall 26, 260), a voice coil ( 31, 301, Figure 4), a vibration diaphragm( dome 34, Figure 4) and a magnetic conductive assembly ( an adjusting device, which is a magnetic component 32, 321, 320 on the vibration system 3. The adjusting device can be configured to always provide a force to the vibration system during the vibration process of the vibration system, and the direction of the force is consistent with the vibration system. The direction of self-recovery is opposite. See at least page 2, lines 37-40), the magnet bowl ( yoke 23, 230, Figure 7, 8)being arranged in the housing ( support system 10 labeled on Figure 1), the central magnet ( central magnet 24, 240) and the edge magnet( side wall 26, 260) being both arranged in the magnet bowl ( yoke 23, 230), the edge magnet( side wall 26, 260) being arranged on an outer side of the central magnet( 24, 240), a first gap( magnetic focusing area that is magnetic gap 21, 210, Figures 7, 8. See page 11, [0006] and See at least page 11, [0005]-[0011], Figures 1, 7-11)) being defined between the edge magnet ( side wall 26, 260) and the central magnet( 24, 240), the vibration diaphragm (dome 34, Figure 4) being arranged in the housing( support system 10) and connected to the housing ( support system 10), and the voice coil ( 31, 301) being arranged on the vibration diaphragm ( dome 34) and being opposite to the first gap ( magnetic focusing area 21); and the magnetic conductive assembly( adjusting device 32,320,321) being arranged on the voice coil( 31), and comprising a first magnetic conductive member(magnetic component 321, Figure 11) and a second magnetic conductive member( magnetic component 320). Regarding the following: the first magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the central magnet, and the second magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the edge magnet, Yang teaches on Figure 4-5 and page 8, [010]-page 9, [0001]), The magnetic component 32 may be located in the middle of the first magnetic focusing area 21 and the second magnetic focusing area 22, or may be arranged at a position deviated from the center of the two magnetic focusing areas. It is ensured that when the vibration system 3 is in the equilibrium position, the attraction force of the magnetic component 32 by the first magnetic focusing region 21 is equal to the attraction of the magnetic component 32 by the second magnetic focusing region 22. Under this design, the size of the magnetic component 32 can be optimized to ensure that the magnetic component 32 can be installed at the bottom end of the voice coil 31. Of course, if necessary, the magnetic component 32 can be arranged in the voice coil to ensure that the total attraction force of the two magnetic regions that the magnetic component 32 receives is zero when it is in the equilibrium position. Yang does not explicitly teaches first magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the central magnet, and the second magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the edge magnet. However, as taught by Yang on page 8, [010]-page 9, [0001]), the magnetic component 32 can be installed at a desired location and the size of the magnetic component 32 can be optimized. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to locate the magnetic member on an edge of the voice coil close to the central magnet, and to locate the second magnetic conductive member on an edge of the voice coil close to the edge magnet to ensure that the total attraction force of the two magnetic regions that the magnetic component 32 receives is zero when it is in the equilibrium position.
As to Claim 7, Yang teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the first and second magnetic conductive members are both annular members and are both arranged around the voice coil, as referring to FIG. 11, there are two sets of magnetic components, which are respectively denoted as separate first magnetic components 321 and second magnetic components 320. The first magnetic component 321 is located on the outer side (upper side) of the first magnetic focusing area 21 and is basically only attracted by the first magnetic focusing area 21. The second magnetic component 320 is located between the first magnetic focusing area 21 and the second magnetic focusing area 22 and is attracted by the first magnetic focusing area 21 and the second magnetic focusing area 22 at the same time. See at least Figure 10c, 11 and page 10, [0006].
As to Claim 10, Yang teaches an electronic device (an electronic device such as a mobile phone, earphone, tablet etc. See at least page 11, [0009] comprising a speaker module or speaker unit or loudspeaker unit) acoustic module (loudspeaker unit, Figure 1, 4, 7-11), wherein the acoustic module( speaker unit or loudspeaker unit , abstract) comprises comprising a housing( support system 100, Figure 1), a magnet bowl (yoke 23, 230, Figures 7-11), a central magnet ( center magnet 24,240), an edge magnet ( side wall 26, 260), a voice coil ( 31, 301, Figure 4), a vibration diaphragm( dome 34, Figure 4) and a magnetic conductive assembly ( an adjusting device, which is a magnetic component 32, 321, 320 on the vibration system 3. The adjusting device can be configured to always provide a force to the vibration system during the vibration process of the vibration system, and the direction of the force is consistent with the vibration system. The direction of self-recovery is opposite. See at least page 2, lines 37-40), the magnet bowl ( yoke 23, 230, Figure 7, 8)being arranged in the housing ( support system 10 labeled on Figure 1), the central magnet ( central magnet 24, 240) and the edge magnet( side wall 26, 260) being both arranged in the magnet bowl ( yoke 23, 230), the edge magnet( side wall 26, 260) being arranged on an outer side of the central magnet( 24, 240), a first gap( magnetic focusing area that is magnetic gap 21, 210, Figures 7, 8. See page 11, [0006] and See at least page 11, [0005]-[0011], Figures 1, 7-11)) being defined between the edge magnet ( side wall 26, 260) and the central magnet( 24, 240), the vibration diaphragm (dome 34, Figure 4) being arranged in the housing( support system 10) and connected to the housing ( support system 10), and the voice coil ( 31, 301) being arranged on the vibration diaphragm ( dome 34) and being opposite to the first gap ( magnetic focusing area 21); and the magnetic conductive assembly( adjusting device 32,320,321) being arranged on the voice coil( 31), and comprising a first magnetic conductive member(magnetic component 321, Figure 11) and a second magnetic conductive member( magnetic component 320). Regarding the following: the first magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the central magnet, and the second magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the edge magnet, Yang teaches on Figure 4-5 and page 8, [010]-page 9, [0001]), The magnetic component 32 may be located in the middle of the first magnetic focusing area 21 and the second magnetic focusing area 22, or may be arranged at a position deviated from the center of the two magnetic focusing areas. It is ensured that when the vibration system 3 is in the equilibrium position, the attraction force of the magnetic component 32 by the first magnetic focusing region 21 is equal to the attraction of the magnetic component 32 by the second magnetic focusing region 22. Under this design, the size of the magnetic component 32 can be optimized to ensure that the magnetic component 32 can be installed at the bottom end of the voice coil 31. Of course, if necessary, the magnetic component 32 can be arranged in the voice coil to ensure that the total attraction force of the two magnetic regions that the magnetic component 32 receives is zero when it is in the equilibrium position. Yang does not explicitly teaches first magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the central magnet, and the second magnetic conductive member being at least partially located on an edge of the voice coil close to the edge magnet. However, as taught by Yang on page 8, [010]-page 9, [0001]), the magnetic component 32 can be installed at a desired location and the size of the magnetic component 32 can be optimized. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to locate the magnetic member on an edge of the voice coil close to the central magnet, and to locate the second magnetic conductive member on an edge of the voice coil close to the edge magnet to ensure that the total attraction force of the two magnetic regions that the magnetic component 32 receives is zero when it is in the equilibrium position.
As to Claim 16, Yang teaches the limitations of Claim 10, and wherein the first and second magnetic conductive members are both annular members and are both arranged around the voice coil, as referring to FIG. 11, there are two sets of magnetic components, which are respectively denoted as separate first magnetic components 321 and second magnetic components 320. The first magnetic component 321 is located on the outer side (upper side) of the first magnetic focusing area 21 and is basically only attracted by the first magnetic focusing area 21. The second magnetic component 320 is located between the first magnetic focusing area 21 and the second magnetic focusing area 22 and is attracted by the first magnetic focusing area 21 and the second magnetic focusing area 22 at the same time. See at least Figure 10c, 11 and page 10, [0006].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 8-9,11-15 and 17-18 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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at 5712727503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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