DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I, claims 1-6, 15-20 in the reply filed on 10/24/25 is acknowledged.
Claims 7-14 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/24/25.
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, 15 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Chen et al (CN 113747720 A which has been machine translated).
As to claims 1, 15 and 21, Chen discloses a shell and preparation method of a shell and electronic device. The shell comprises a shell body 10 (substrate), a film 40, a transparent leather layer 20 (second decoration layer), a bottom coating 50 (membrane layer) a gradient layer 30 (first decoration layer) and cover bottom ink layer 60 (light shielding layer) (paragraph 40 fig 1). The leather layer will read on a decorative layer as its simulating the effect of leather (paragraph 41). The shell body layer 10 is made of glass fibers prepreg with epoxy resin (paragraph 44). The shell 110 can be applied to the mobile phone an electronic device as the back (battery cover) of the mobile phone (paragraph 43). The mobile phone has a display screen and a middle frame with the cover attached to it.
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 2-6 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (CN 113747720 A which has been machine translated) in view of Cheng et al (CN 110901110 A which has been machine translated).
As to claims 2, 3, 16 and 17, Chen anticipates claim 1 for the reasons noted above, however is silent to the specifics of the decoration layer.
Cheng discloses a shell component for an electronic device comprising a substrate, with an ink layer on the inner side of the substrate (abs). The housing comprises a decorative stack 312, applied above an ink layer on the inner side of the substrate (paragraph 48-55). The decorative stack 312 comprises a color layer 3121, a texture layer 3122 and a reflective layer 3123 (paragraph 49). Further the Cheng discloses that a that the color/texture layer can be omitted.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Chen and added the decorative stack of Cheng to the shell of Chen as it would provide a more aesthetically appeasing housing.
As to claims 4 and 17, Chen anticipates claim 1 for the reasons noted above, however is silent to a hardening layer. Chen discloses that the outer leather layer 20 can be embossed and textured, further that the light transmission can be adjusted (paragraphs 41-45).
Cheng discloses the use of a hardening layer 314 provided on the outer surface of the substrate layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Chen and hardening layer formed on the outer surface of the shell as it would increase the protection of the shell. Further it would have been obvious to have frosted the outer surface as Chen discloses adjusting the light transmission of the outer layer as well as texturing/embossing the surface which would read on a frosted layer. This would allow for the shell to provide better protection as well as a more aesthetically pleasing image.
As to claims 5, 6, 19 and 20, Chen anticipates claim 1 for the reasons noted above, however is silent to a glossy coating between the substrate and the first and second decoration layers.
Cheng discloses gloss oil layer 3124 that can be added between the first decoration and the substrate layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Chen and added a gloss layer between the first decoration layer and the substrate as suggested by Cheng and/or between the substrate and the second decoration layer as this layer would allow for a more aesthetically pleasing image as well as providing good adhesion between the layers. See MPEP 2144.06.
As to claim 15, in an alternative view Cheng discloses an electronic device 10, which has a mid frame 100, a display screen 200 and a battery cover 300, however is silent to the specifics of the housing.
Chen discloses a shell and preparation method of a shell and electronic device. The shell comprises a shell body 10 (substrate), a film 40, a transparent leather layer 20 (second decoration layer), a bottom coating 50 (membrane layer) a gradient layer 30 (first decoration layer) and cover bottom ink layer 60 (light shielding layer) (paragraph 40 fig 1). The leather layer will read on a decorative layer as its simulating the effect of leather (paragraph 41). The shell body layer 10 is made of glass fibers prepreg with epoxy resin (paragraph 44). The shell 110 can be applied to the mobile phone an electronic device as the back (battery cover) of the mobile phone (paragraph 43).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Cheng and using the battery cover of Chen to form the mobile device or in the alternative formed the mobile device of Chen with a middle frame and display screen as thought by Cheng as these layers would be suitable alternatives as these are known component for mobile devices.
Conclusion
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/CHRISTOPHER M POLLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1785