DETAILED ACTION
The Art Unit location of your application in the PTO has changed. To aid in correlating any papers for this application, all further correspondence regarding this application should be directed to Group Art Unit 2691.
This communication is responsive to the claims filed 12/04/2024.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Shiragami (WO 2019/187410 A1) in view of the Related Art (~RA hereafter) in specification of the application (18/969,194).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Shiragami discloses a UTG diaphragm speaker, comprising: a diaphragm (3), wherein a thickness of said diaphragm is between 0.01-0.1 mm (DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS: The diaphragm 3 is composed of a flexible ultra-thin glass plate. The thickness of the diaphragm 3 is preferably 1 to 500 μm, more preferably 4 to 50 μm. As the ultra-thin glass having flexibility, “G-Leaf” (registered trademark) manufactured by Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. is preferably used) as claimed. But Shiragami may not specially teach a magnetic component for generating magnetic field; a voice coil configured corresponding to a diaphragm and said magnetic component to vibrate said diaphragm as claimed. ~RA disclose a similar structured speaker, comprising a magnetic component for generating magnetic field; a voice coil configured corresponding to a diaphragm and said magnetic component to vibrate said diaphragm ([0003-0004]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable and essential elements, such as a magnetic component for generating magnetic field; a voice coil configured corresponding to a diaphragm and said magnetic component to vibrate said diaphragm, for the diaphragm speaker taught by Shiragami, in order to effectively and efficiently manufacture the speaker.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, based on the rejection above (Shiragami in view of ~RA), ~RA further discloses the UTG diaphragm speaker, comprising a suspension connected between said diaphragm with a frame ([0003-0004]).
Regarding claim 3, based on the rejection above, Shiragami further discloses the speaker,
wherein said diaphragm (3) at least includes an upper layer or a lower layer (Fig. 4).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, based on the rejection above, Shiragami further discloses the speaker, wherein a thickness of said upper layer is greater than or equal to 1 micron and less than or equal to 15 microns (DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS: The diaphragm 3 is composed of a flexible ultra-thin glass plate. The thickness of the diaphragm 3 is preferably 1 to 500 μm, more preferably 4 to 50 μm.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, based on the rejection above, Shiragami further discloses the speaker, wherein a thickness of said lower layer is greater than or equal to 1 micron and less than or equal to 15 microns (see above).
Regarding claims 6-7 and 16-17, Shiragami may not specially teach that said upper/lower layer includes aluminum, nickel, copper, diamond, resin or polymer as claimed. Since providing suitable material for a UTG diaphragm of a speaker is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable material, such as resin or polymer, for the upper layer and/or lower layer of the diaphragm of the speaker taught by Shiragami, in order to effectively and efficiently manufacture the speaker.
Regarding claims 8 and 18, based on the rejection above, Shiragami further discloses the speaker, wherein said diaphragm includes planar rectangular, planar circular (Fig. 5), planar oval, or planar oblong shape.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Shiragami may not specially teach that said diaphragm includes cone, dome, cup, bowl, or pyramid shape as claimed. Since providing suitable shaped diaphragm for a UTG diaphragm of a speaker is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable shaped diaphragm, such as cone, dome, cup, bowl, or pyramid shaped diaphragm, for the UTG diaphragm speaker taught by Shiragami, in order to effectively and efficiently manufacture the speaker, especially for certain application.
Regarding claims 10-11 and 20, Shiragami may not specially teach that said diaphragm is employed for headphones, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and televisions as claimed. Since utilizing a UTG diaphragm speaker for a suitable application is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable applications, such as headphones, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and televisions for the UTG diaphragm speaker taught by Shiragami, in order to effectively and efficiently utilize the UTG diaphragm speaker.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUHAN NI whose telephone number is (571)272-7505. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.
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/SUHAN NI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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