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 . Claims 1-22 are pending in the current application.
Claim Objections
Regarding Claim 1, line 2, and each subsequent occurrence in the claim set, perhaps the term “long side” should be changed to “long-side.” A similar objection applies to, e.g., Claim 6, line 2, Claim 10, line 2, Claim 14, line 2, and Claim 19, line 2.
Regarding Claim 1, line 3, and each subsequent occurrence in the claim set, perhaps the term “short side” should be changed to “short-side.” A similar objection applies to, e.g., Claim 6, line 3, Claim 10, line 3, Claim 14, line 3, and Claim 19, line 3.
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.
Claims 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Specifically, regarding Claim 1, line 1, the term “long” is indefinite.
Regarding Claim 1, the 3rd to the last line, the term “projections” is indefinite. Furthermore, it is not clear how a “base hole,” “sliding hole,” and “holder hole” comprise “projections.”
Regarding Claim 5, the 3rd to the last line, the language “projection of the pivot hole” is indefinite. Additionally, regarding Claim 5, the 2nd to the last line, the term “projections” is indefinite.
Regarding Claim 6, line 1, the term “long” is indefinite.
Regarding Claim 6, the 3rd to the last line, the term “projections” is indefinite. Furthermore, it is not clear how a “base hole,” “sliding hole,” and “holder hole” comprise “projections.”
Regarding each of Claim 10, 11, and 13, each occurrence, the language “long rectangular” is indefinite. That is, the term “long” is not defined.
Regarding each of Claim 14, 15, and 17, each occurrence, the language “long rectangular” is indefinite. That is, the term “long” is not defined.
Regarding Claim 14, line 3, and each subsequent occurrence, the language “long arm” is not defined.
Regarding Claim 14, the 10th and 11th to the last line, the language “plurality of first connecting portions” is indefinite.
Regarding Claim 14, the 6th and the 7th to the last line, the language “plurality of second connecting portions” is indefinite.
Regarding Claim 14, the 2nd and 3rd to the last line, it is not clear if the “first connecting portions” are included within or are different from the “plurality of first connecting portions” recited in the 10th and 11th to the last line.
Regarding Claim 14, the 2nd to the last line, it is not clear if the “second connecting portions” are included within or are different from the “plurality of second connecting portions” recited in the 6th and 7th to the last line.
Regarding Claim 19, line 1, the term “long” is indefinite. A similar rejection applies for each instance recited in Claims 19, 20, and 22, as the language “long rectangular” is indefinite.
Regarding Claim 19, lines 5-6, and each subsequent occurrence, the language “long arm” is not defined.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. Tsai (U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,566) and Ren (U.S. Pat. No. 9,972,455 B2) each disclose a keycap lifting mechanism comprising first and second supports, but do not disclose that the supports do not have a structure connected to a keycap.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY R. JIMENEZ whose telephone number is 313-446-6518. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 1030am - 9pm.
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, Renee Luebke, can be reached at (571) 272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANTHONY R JIMENEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights