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 .
Continued Examination under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/21/26 has been entered. Claims 1,2,4,6,8-14 and 18 remain pending.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
In claim 1, the amended portion “the annular rib is pressed and elastically deformed by the compartment inner wall” is not disclosed in the specification and is therefore considered as new matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1,2,4,6,8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention..
In claim 1, regarding the limitation of “the annular rib is pressed and elastically deformed by the compartment inner wall’,this limitation is considered as new matter, as it is not recited in the originally filed claim 5, as copied below:
5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the soft light-guide member comprises a light-guide body and an annular rib, the annular rib surrounds an outer surface of the light-guide body, the compartment comprises a compartment inner wall, and the annular rib abuts the compartment inner wall.
Appropriate correction is needed.
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 before the effective filing date.
Claims 1-2, 4-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Polak (US 20200029002 A1, cited previously)
Regarding claim 1, Polak teaches an electronic device ([0003]), comprising: a housing (10 in Fig.1), comprising a light-emitting port (output surface of 26 facing the light guide member 18a); a light source 20, providing a light beam; and a soft light-guide member 18a ([0081]-[0082]), disposed in the housing, wherein the soft light guide member comprises a light-entering portion (lower surface of 18a) and a light-emitting portion (upper surface of 18a), the light-entering portion corresponds to the light source 20, the light-emitting portion corresponds to the light-emitting port, the light beam enters the soft light-guide member via the light-entering portion, and leaves the soft light-guide member via the light-emitting portion;
wherein the housing comprises a compartment (24 and 18b), and the soft light-guide member is inserted into the compartment, wherein the soft light-guide member comprises a light-guide body 18a, wherein the light-guide body further comprises a first inclined surface (top curved inclined surface) and a second inclined surface 24a (on left side) , the first inclined surface is connected to the second inclined surface, the light- emitting portion is located on the first inclined surface, the first inclined surface faces the light- emitting port, and the second inclined surface abuts the compartment;
wherein the soft light-guide member further comprises an annular rib, the annular rib surrounds an outer surface of the light-guide body, the compartment comprises a compartment inner wall, the annular rib (the extreme side/peripheral walls also having protrusions /ribs shown on the extreme right and left of 10 in Fig.1), abuts the compartment inner wall and the annular rib is pressed and elastically deformed by the compartment inner wall (see the 112 rejection and objection to specification above).
Further regarding the limitations of “microstructures formed on the light emitting surface”, Polak teaches light-exiting surface with diffusing properties ([0026] and in claim 10 Polak teaches: wherein the light-transparent portion has a light-entering surface with diffusing properties, a light-exiting surface with diffusing properties).
Further, Polak teaches:
[0027] According to another aspect, the light-transparent portion comprises microlenses and/or a structure is formed on the surface of the light-transparent portion. Examples of a structure on the surface of the light-transparent portion can be refractive microlenses, beam homogenizers, and collimators. Such a structure can be placed on the surface that faces towards the light source and/or the surface that faces the field of view. The structure can also be placed inside the body of the light-transparent portion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use microstructures on the light emitting surface, in order to homogenize the output light.
Regarding claim 2, Polak teaches an electronic device, wherein the soft light-guide member comprises transparent silicone rubber ([0023]).
Regarding claim 4, Polak teaches an electronic device, further comprising a circuit board (PCB 22), wherein the light source is disposed on the circuit board, the soft light-guide member abuts the circuit board, and at least a portion of the soft light-guide member protrudes from the compartment (18b and 24).
Regarding claim 5, Polak teaches an electronic device, wherein the soft light-guide member further comprises an annular rib (side ribs on top and on two sides of 18a), the annular rib surrounds an outer surface of the light-guide body; the compartment (18b and 24) comprises a compartment inner wall, and the annular rib abuts the compartment inner wall.
Regarding claim 6, Polak teaches an electronic device, wherein the light-guide body comprises a bottom surface, a recess (opening formed to accommodate the light source 20) is formed on the bottom surface, the light-entering portion is located in the recess, and the light source faces the recess.
Regarding claim 8, Polak teaches an electronic device, wherein an included angle between the first inclined surface and the bottom surface is greater than zero degrees.
See angle below in Polak:
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Claims 14 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Polak (US 20200029002 A1, cited previously) in view of Erich (EP 3717826 B1,cited previously and further in view of Zhang (CN 214041790,cited previously)
Regarding claim 14, Polak teaches a soft light-guide member (at least Fig.1), adapted to guide a light beam provided by a light source 20, comprising: a light-entering portion (lower surface of 18a) and a light-emitting portion, the light-entering portion corresponds to the light source, the light beam enters the soft light-guide member via the light-entering portion, and leaves the soft light-guide member via the light-emitting portion (upper surface of 18), wherein the soft light-guide member comprises transparent silicone rubber ([0023], also see rejection in claim 1 above).
Polak teaches light-exiting surface with diffusing properties ([0026] and in claim 10 of Polak: wherein the light-transparent portion has a light-entering surface with diffusing properties, a light-exiting surface with diffusing properties);
and
wherein the light-guide body further comprises a first inclined surface (top curved inclined surface) and a second inclined surface 24a, the first inclined surface is connected to the second inclined surface, and the light-emitting portion is located on the first inclined surface.
Regarding the limitations of “microstructures formed on the light emitting surface”, Polak teaches light-exiting surface with diffusing properties ([0026] and in claim 10 Polak teaches: wherein the light-transparent portion has a light-entering surface with diffusing properties, a light-exiting surface with diffusing properties).
Further, Polak teaches:
[0027] According to another aspect, the light-transparent portion comprises microlenses and/or a structure is formed on the surface of the light-transparent portion. Examples of a structure on the surface of the light-transparent portion can be refractive microlenses, beam homogenizers, and collimators. Such a structure can be placed on the surface that faces towards the light source and/or the surface that faces the field of view. The structure can also be placed inside the body of the light-transparent portion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use microstructures on the light emitting surface, in order to homogenize the output light.
Polak does not teach a light-guide body and an annular rib, and the annular rib surrounds an outer surface of the light-guide body.
However, it is well known in the art to use annular protrusions formed on outer surface of bodies that are attached to another element within light emitting devices, as a locking mechanism. Erich teaches a seal (44) on an inner jacket in the lower region has an annular rib (39) which engages in a groove of the carrier body (53), Erich teaches another annular rib 38 in the top region (Fig.5) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use annular ribs on the outer surface of the light guide bodies , in order to tightly engage it to a housing.
Polak in view of Erich is silent regarding: a plurality of stands, the stands are disposed on a body surface of the light-guide body, the light- entering portion is located on the body surface.
Zhang teaches a light guide body (Fig.1) with a plurality of stands 500 disposed
on a body surface of the light-guide body, and it would have been obvious to a person
having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the
stands as disclosed in Zhang, such that the light-entering portion is located on the body
surface, in the device of Polak in view of Erich in order to provide accuracy of location of the light guide body (see in Zhang: In the technical solution of the embodiment, through the locating column 500 can conveniently locate the light guide structure, ensuring the accuracy of
the location).
Regarding claim 18, Polak in view of Erich and Zhang teaches the soft light-guide member, further comprising a cylindrical portion and an annular rib (from the teachings of Erich), the cylindrical portion (substantial cylindrical bodies 18 in Polak, also see other embodiments of Polak with modified shapes of the light guide members as in Fig.6) is formed on the light-guide body, the light-emitting portion is located on one end of the cylindrical portion, and the annular rib surrounds an outer surface of the cylindrical portion.
Claims 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Polak in view of Zhang (CN 214041790 U, cited previously)
Regarding claim 9, Polak teaches the invention set forth in claim 4 above, but is silent regarding the soft light-guide member comprises a light-guide body and a plurality of stands, the stands are disposed on a bottom surface of the light-guide body, the light-entering portion is located on the bottom surface, the stands abut the circuit board, and a first gap is formed between the bottom surface and the circuit board.
Zhang teaches a light guide body (Fig.1) with a plurality of stands 500 disposed on a bottom surface of the light-guide body, and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the stands as disclosed in Zhang, such that the light-entering portion is located on the bottom surface, the stands abut the circuit board, and a first gap is formed between the bottom surface and the circuit board, in the device of Polak in order to provide accuracy of location of the light guide body (see in Zhang: In the technical solution of the embodiment, through the locating column 500 can conveniently locate the light guide structure, ensuring the accuracy of the location).
Regarding claim 10, Polak in view of Zhang teaches a first gap between the stands and the circuit board , whereas Polak in view of Zhang also teach a second gap is formed between the housing and the circuit board in other embodiments (see other embodiments in Polak such as 36 and circuit board 22 in Fig.3,4A, 5A, 6A of Polak) , therefore from the combined teachings of Polak in view of Zhang, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to form the first gap (formed in Polak in view of Zhang, from the teachings of stands in Zhang) communicated with the second gap in order to easily assemble/disassemble the circuit board.
Regarding claim 11, Polak in view of Zhang teaches an electronic device, wherein the light- guide body further comprises a third inclined surface (24a on right side), and the third inclined surface abuts the compartment.
Regarding claim 12, Polak in view of Zhang teaches the display device, wherein the soft light-guiding member comprises a cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion is connected to the light-guide body (see objection to Drawings), and the light-emitting portion is located on one end of the cylindrical portion (from central portion of 18 in Polak which is substantially cylindrical, also see shape in Fig.6 of Polak wherein the central portion is completely cylindrical).
Regarding claim 13, Polak in view of Zhang teaches an electronic device, wherein the soft light-guide member comprises a light-guide body (center portion) and an annular rib (side ribs), the annular rib surrounds an outer surface of the light-guide body.
Response to Arguments
The arguments filed by the Applicant on 8/21/26 is acknowledged, however they are not found to be persuasive.
Throughout the Remarks, for both claim 1 and claim 14, Applicant has just argued that the optical element 18, that is light transparent portion 18a AND the light blocking portion 18b are formed by injection molding. Therefore, for this reason, the light transparent portion is neither pressed nor elastically deformed by the light blocking portion 18b.
Polak discloses to the contrary, wherein: [0021] According to one embodiment, the light-transparent portion comprises, in particular is made of, an elastic material. Alternatively the light-blocking portion can comprise, in particular can be made of, an elastic material. Preferably, both the light-transparent portion and the light-blocking portion both comprise, in particular are both made of, an elastic material. Using an elastic material for the light-transparent portion and/or the light-blocking portion helps to avoid noise in the device and additionally helps to improve sealing of the device.Therefore, the previous rejection applies.
Furthermore, new matter was added to the originally claimed claim 5, and therefore 112 rejection and objection to specification apply.
Other art
Cited Previously
Claim 7: CN 110598657 A/CN 206594329 U
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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