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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(1)(2) as being anticipated by Lee (US 20200233464 A1).
Re claim 7: Lee discloses an electronic device (display device 1000 in fig 1) comprising:
a plurality of housings (panel support portions 101, 102, 103 in fig 1 and paragraph 64) rotatably connected to each other with a hinge (hinge portions 151, 152 in fig 1 and paragraph 66) interposed therebetween; and
a stopper (second stopper 562 in figs 14-18 and paragraphs 136-138) located in a space provided between the plurality of housings on the hinge based on the electronic device being unfolded (see fig 14).
Re claim 8: Lee discloses the electronic device, wherein the plurality of housings comprise:
a first housing (101);
a second housing (102) disposed on one side of the first housing and rotatably connected (i.e., via hinge portion 151 in fig 1) to the first housing; and
a third housing (103) disposed on one side of the second housing and rotatably connected to (i.e., via hinge portion 152 in fig 1) the second housing;
wherein the hinge comprises: a first hinge (151) provided between the first housing and the second housing and having a first width; and a second hinge (152) provided between the second housing and the third housing and having a second width greater than the first width (see fig 1), the second hinge comprising the stopper (562).
Claim(s) 7, 9 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US 10028395 B2).
Re claim 7: Chen discloses an electronic device (foldable display device 100 in fig 1) comprising:
a plurality of housings (first portion 113, second portion 114 in fig 1) rotatably connected to each other with a hinge (third portion 115 + hinge 117 + hinge 118 in fig 1) interposed therebetween; and
a stopper (supporting element 130 in figs 2-5) located in a space provided between the plurality of housings on the hinge based on the electronic device being unfolded (see fig 3).
Re claim 9: Chen discloses the electronic device, wherein the hinge comprises:
a hinge device comprising a hinge (117, 118 in fig 1) coupled to the plurality of housings (113, 114); and
a hinge housing (115) configured to cover at least a portion of the hinge device and provided with the stopper (130), at least a portion of the hinge housing defining an exterior of the electronic device (see figs 3-4).
Re claim 12: Chen discloses the electronic device, wherein the hinge comprises:
a hinge device including a hinge (117, 118 in fig 1) coupled to the plurality of housings (113, 114); and
a hinge housing (115) configured to cover at least a portion of the hinge device and provided with an opening (accommodating space 116 in figs 2-5), at least a portion of the hinge housing defining an exterior of the electronic device (see figs 4-5), and wherein, based on the plurality of housings rotating, the stopper (130 in figs 3-4) is configured to (i.e., functional language) cooperate with the hinge device to protrude with respect to the opening in the hinge housing (see fig 3).
Re claim 13: Chen discloses the electronic device, wherein the stopper includes a protrusion (protruding portion 134 in fig 3) protruding from the opening (116) in a state in which the electronic device is unfolded (see fig 3), and a support (flexible element 142) connected to the protrusion (i.e., indirectly connected via main body 132 in fig 3) and configured to be (i.e., functional language) in contact with the hinge device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-16 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.
The best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach an electronic device including, along with other limitations, the hinge device comprising a first rotator coupled to one of the plurality of housings and comprising a first rotation part configured to rotate about a first rotation axis; and a second rotator coupled to a remaining one of the plurality of housings and comprising a second rotation part configured to rotate about a second rotation axis, and wherein the stopper is configured such that one surface of the support is in contact with the first rotation part and the second rotation part as set forth in the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nidhi Thaker whose telephone number is (571)270-3408. The examiner can normally be reached M, TH, F 10am-6pm.
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, Imani Hayman can be reached at 571-270-5528. 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.
/NIDHI THAKER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights