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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is a Non-final Office Action for application number 18/910,724 HOLDER FOR A HANDHELD DEVICE filed on 10/9/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 10/9/2024 and 3/5/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-5 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 5,457,745 to Wang.
With regards to claim 1, the patent to Wang teaches a holder for a handheld device, the holder having a fixed portion having (2) a first engaging portion (left 24) and a second engaging portion (right 24) spaced apart from the first engaging portion; and a moveable portion (5) configured to move relative to the fixed portion, along the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the moveable portion having a third engaging portion (left 54) configured to engage with the first engaging portion; and a fourth engaging portion (right 54) configured to engage with the second engaging portion; and an actuation mechanism (53) configured to selectively actuate the moveable portion between an engaged configuration (See Col. 2, lines 46-49 and 53-55, “Each prong 52 comprises a push button 52 extended outwards from the front end and connected thereto by a toothed member 54 for engagement with respective toothed portions 24…As soon as the push buttons 53 are released, the toothed members 52 engage with respective toothed portions 24 again to hold the slide assembly 5 in place.”) in which the third engaging portion is moved towards the first engaging portion to engage the first engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion is moved towards the second engaging portion to engage the second engaging portion; and a moving configuration (See Col. 2, lines 49-53 “When the push buttons 53 are simultaneously pressed, the prongs 52 are forced to bent inward, making the toothed members 54 disengaged from respective toothed portions 24, thus enabling the slide block 5 to move freely.”) in which the third engaging portion is moved away from the first engaging portion to disengage from the first engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion is moved away from the second engaging portion to disengage from the second engaging portion, thereby allowing the moveable portion to move along the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion.
With regards to claim 2, Wang teaches wherein the first engaging portion (24) is a first toothed rack having a plurality of teeth; and the second engaging portion (24) is a second toothed rack having a plurality of teeth. (See Figure 2)
With regards to claim 3, Wang teaches the third engaging portion (54) is a third toothed rack having at least one tooth; and the fourth engaging portion (54) is a fourth toothed rack having at least one tooth.
With regards to claim 4, Wang teaches a connecting rod (52) having a first end configured to operably engage with the actuation mechanism and a second end configured to operably engage with the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion. The term “operably” is being used as defined (dictionary.com) as “able to be used” and it is clear that the first end of the connecting rod (at 5) is able to be used with the actuation mechanism (53).
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow] With regards to claim 5, Wang teaches a first arm connected to the second end of the connecting rod and operably connected to the third engaging portion; and a second arm
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connected to the second end of the connecting rod and operably connected to the fourth engaging portion; wherein when the actuation mechanism is in the engaged configuration, the first arm and the second arm move the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion away from one another, as a result the third engaging portion moves towards and engages with the first engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion moves towards and engages with the second engaging portion; and when the actuation mechanism is in the moving configuration, the first arm and the second arm move the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion towards one another, as a result the third engaging portion moves away from and disengages from the first engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion moves away from and disengages from the second engaging portion. (See explanation above in claim 1 describing these limitations)
With regards to claim 12, Wang teaches a spring (272) disposed in between the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion.
With regards to claim 13, Wang teaches wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are parallel to one another and fixedly mounted to the fixed portion. (See Figure 2)
With regards to claim 14, Wang teaches the moveable portion (5) comprises a plate (51) slidably engaging with the fixed portion; and the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion are slidably connected to the plate.
With regards to claim 15, Wang teaches that the fixed portion has a channel in between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the channel extending parallel to the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion; and the plate (51) is sized to fit within the channel.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11 and 16-20 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.
With regards to claim 6, the prior art does not teach wherein the third engaging portion comprises a first slot in which the first arm is slidably disposed; and the fourth engaging portion comprises a second slot in which the second arm is slidably disposed. The slots as shown in Figure 2 are shown to be on the first and second engaging portions and not the third and fourth.
With regards to claim 10, the prior art (Wang) teaches wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a button (53), however does not teach that button having a tapered bottom portion abutting the first end of the connecting rod.
With regards to claim 16, the prior art does not each wherein the moveable portion comprises a track; the plate comprises a top surface; the track disposed on the top surface of the plate; the third engaging portion slidably connected to a first portion of the track; and the fourth engaging portion slidably connected to a second portion of the track.
With regards to claim 19, the prior art does not teach a spring-loaded rod having a first end and a second end and wherein the first end of the spring-loaded rod is connected to the fixed portion, and the second end of the spring-loaded rod is connected to the moveable portion.
Cited References
PN 8,833,716 to Funk et al shows a mobile device holder
PN 10,674,000 to Chuang shows a mobile device holder
PN 2019/0052740 to Ormsbee et al. shows a mobile device holder
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227 if the examiner cannot be reached. The examiner can normally be reached (Mon-Fri 8am-5:00pm). The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments), informal amendments or communications 571-273-6823. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
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/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 2/20/26