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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
1. Claims 1 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (CN111327998A) in view of Xiao, Bo (CN214627352U).
As to Claim 1, Zeng teaches a speaker module (acoustic generator, abstract) comprising: a mounting frame (basin frame, abstract); a damping structure (the elastic support assembly 23 comprises an elastic member 231 and the auxiliary diaphragm 232. See at least page 4, lines 26-27); and a speaker assembly; wherein the damping structure (elastic member 231) is disposed on the mounting frame (basin frame 1, Figure 2); the speaker assembly comprises a vibration system (vibration system 2) and a magnetic circuit system (magnetic system 3), the magnetic circuit system (magnetic system 3) is configured to drive the vibration system (vibration system 2) to vibrate, the magnetic circuit system comprises an upper clamping plate ( Referring to FIG. 1-5, the invention claims a sounder 100, which comprises a frame 1, a magnetic circuit system vibration system 2, and has a magnetic gap 30 of 3, the vibration system 2 and the magnetic circuit system 3 are respectively fixed on two opposite sides of the frame 1. See at least page 4. Lines 12-14. Further, the magnetic circuit system 3 comprises pole core 33 and the upper plate 34. See at least page 6, [0003]. Regarding the following: an anti-overflow layer, the upper clamping plate is disposed on a top portion of the damping structure, and the anti-overflow layer is disposed on the upper clamping plate, the upper clamping plate comprises a first main body, a first hole structure, and a first platform, the first hole structure is disposed at a middle portion of the first main body, and the first platform protrudes upward along an edge area of the first hole structure; and the anti-overflow layer is disposed on a surface of the first main body around a perimeter of the first platform, and the anti-overflow layer is configured to prevent raw materials of the damping structure from overflowing in a molding process, Zeng teaches he upper splint 34 embedded and fixed ring is fixed to the frame 1 of 341 and the fixing ring 341 from extending and overlapped on the magnetic steel pair electrode of 322 core 342, more specifically the vibration along the vertical direction. the secondary pole core 342 by the fixing ring 341 from extending and overlapped on the first magnetic steel 323 of the first auxiliary electrode core 3421 and by the fixing ring 341 from extending and overlapped on the second magnetic steel 324 of the second auxiliary electrode core 3422 the vibration along the vertical direction along the vertical to the vibration direction through the pole core 33 and the upper plate 34 of the secondary pole of the core 342 is set so that the magnetic line of the magnetic circuit system 3 is more intensive, it effectively improves the magnetic performance of the magnetic circuit system 3 to better provide driving force to the vibration system 2. See at least Figures 2-4, page 6, [0003]. Zeng does not explicitly teach “ an anti -overflow layer... and the anti-overflow layer is configured to prevent raw materials of the damping structure from overflowing in a molding process. However, Xiao in related field ( speaker) teaches magnetic circuit system 20 having a magnetic gap; the vibrating system 30 comprises an upper vibrating film 301 fixed on the frame 40 and a voice coil 305 inserted in the magnetic gap; the magnetic circuit system 20 comprises a lower splint 206; an inner magnetic steel 203 arranged on one side of the lower clamping plate 206 towards the upper vibrating film 301; an edge magnetic steel 205 provided with a magnetic gap between the inner magnetic steel 203 and the inner magnetic steel 203, and an upper clamping plate 204 disposed on one side of the side magnetic steel 205 facing the upper vibrating film 301; the upper clamping plate 204 is fixed to the basin frame 40. Further, wherein the upper clamping plate 204 comprises a first short shaft edge 204b and adjacent to the first short shaft edge 204b edge of the first long shaft edge 204a, the first long shaft edge 204a is provided with a through hole 2042.See at least Figures 1-4 and page 4, lines 22-35. Further, on FIG. 3, the side magnetic steel 205 is formed with a reinforcing rib 2041 convex direction concave avoiding part 2051, the avoiding part 2051 is set on the reinforcing rib 2041 corresponding to the position. Specifically, the avoiding part 2051 is formed for containing the reinforcing rib 2041 space, and the avoiding part 2051 is formed on the reinforcing rib 2041 corresponding to the position, and the upper clamping plate 204 and the side magnetic steel 205 can be tightly combined, so as to further strengthens of the loudspeaker 100.See at least page 5, [0004]. Xiao also teaches for further strengthens of the speaker 100, the reinforcing rib 2041 and the avoiding part 2051 for bonding, so as to avoid the speaker 100 when playing the audio caused by the vibration of the vibration system 30 caused by the reinforcing rib 2041 and the avoiding part 2051 is separated; can be adhered by glue, double faced adhesive and other material with adhesive properties, as long as the reinforcing rib 2041 adhered to the material of the avoiding part 2051 can be selected. In some other alternative embodiments, can be bonded by a flexible adhesive material, See at least page 7, [0006]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to further provide an adhesive as an anti-overflow layer to further improve the reliability of the speaker. See at least Xiao on page7, [0006].
As to Claim 10, Zheng in view of Xiao teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and wherein the damping structure is a flexible damping structure, Zheng teaches the elastic support assembly 23 comprises an elastic member 231, See at least page 4, lines 26-27.) and the anti-overflow layer is a flexible glue layer, Xiao teaches by the reinforcing rib 2041 and the avoiding part 2051 is separated; can be adhered by glue, double faced adhesive and other material with adhesive properties, as long as the reinforcing rib 2041 adhered to the material of the avoiding part 2051 can be selected. In some other alternative embodiments, can be bonded by a flexible adhesive material, See at least page 7, [0006].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNITA JOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7227. The examiner can normally be reached 8-3.
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, Duc Nguyen can be reached at 5712727503. 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.
/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
Prosecution Insights