DETAILED ACTION
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)(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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Li et al. (US Patent Application, Pub. No.: US 2025/0106563 A1).
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
In regards to claim 1, Li discloses a speaker (e.g., speaker 100), comprising: a frame (e.g., frame 1); a vibration system (e.g., vibration system 2); and a magnetic circuit system (e.g., magnetic circuit system 3); wherein the vibration system is fixed to the frame, the magnetic circuit system is configured to drive the vibration system to vibrate (See [0029]); the magnetic circuit system comprises a damping component, an upper clamping plate, a lower clamping plate, and a mounting bracket, the upper clamping plate and the lower clamping plate are respectively disposed at a top portion of the damping component and a bottom portion of the damping component, and the mounting bracket is connected to an outer side of the damping component (See [0034] – [0035] and [0048]); the mounting bracket is fixed to a bottom portion of the frame (See [0034]); and a limiting assembly is disposed between the upper clamping plate and the top portion of the damping component (See [0048]).
In regards to claim 2, Li discloses the speaker, wherein the damping component comprises a first main body and two first side plates, the first main body is disposed perpendicular to a vibration direction, and the two first side plates are respectively disposed at two sides of the first main body along the vibration direction (See [0048]); the mounting bracket comprises a second main body and two second side plates, the second main body is disposed perpendicular to the vibration direction, and the two second side plates are respectively disposed at two sides of the second main body along the vibration direction (See [0010] – [0011]); the two first side plates are disposed corresponding to the two second side plates; the upper clamping plate is connected to top portions of the two first side plates; and the limiting assembly comprises first protrusions and first concave grooves, the first protrusions are disposed on one surface of the upper clamping plate facing the two first side plates, the first concave grooves are respectively defined on the top portions of the two first side plates and are respectively matched with the first protrusions; and the first protrusions respectively extend into the first concave grooves (See [0038] – [0039]).
In regards to claim 3, Li discloses the speaker, wherein the first protrusions are respectively disposed at corner areas of the upper clamping plate; each of the first concave groves comprises a first groove edge and a second groove edge, each first groove edge is matched with an inner side of a corresponding one of the first protrusions, and a corresponding second groove edge is matched with an outer side of the corresponding one of the first protrusions (See [0038] – [0039]); each first groove edge extends from a groove bottom of a corresponding one of the first concave grooves to the upper clamping plate; and each second groove edge at least partially extends outward to form a protruding portion protruding out of an outer wall of a corresponding one of the two first side plates, each protruding portion is embedded into a corresponding one of the two second side plates (See [0010] – [0011]); and second concave grooves are respectively defined on the two second side plates, each of the second concave grooves is matched with a corresponding protruding portion (See [0039]).
In regards to claim 4, Li discloses the speaker, wherein a first through hole is defined on a middle area of the first main body, the lower clamping plate is disposed in the first through hole; two first steps are respectively disposed at edge areas, corresponding to the two first side plates, of a bottom surface of the lower clamping plate, two limiting strips are disposed on the first main body, and the two limiting strips are respectively matched with outer walls of the two first steps; and a second through hole is defined on a middle area of the second main body, the first main body is connected to a periphery of the second main body (See [0039] – [0040]).
In regards to claim 5, Li discloses the speaker, wherein second protrusions are respectively disposed on bottom portions of the two first side plates, third concave grooves are respectively defined on bottom portions of the two second side plates, the third concave grooves are respectively matched with the second protrusions (See [0039]).
In regards to claim 6, Li discloses the speaker, wherein a third through hole is defined on a middle area of the upper clamping plate; the magnetic circuit system further comprises an inner magnetic steel, a pole core, an outer magnetic steel, and a side magnetic steel, the inner magnetic steel is disposed on an area, corresponding to the third through hole, of the lower clamping plate, the pole core is disposed at a top portion of the inner magnetic steel, the outer magnetic steel is disposed at a top portion of the pole core, and the side magnetic steel is disposed between the upper clamping plate and the lower clamping plate; and the side magnetic steel is disposed along a circumferential direction of the inner magnetic steel, and a magnetic gap is defined between the side magnetic steel and the inner magnetic steel (See [0048]).
In regards to claim 7, Li discloses the speaker, wherein the vibration system comprises a middle vibrating diagram, a framework, an upper vibrating diagram, two lower vibrating diagrams, and a voice coil, the middle vibrating diagram is disposed above the outer magnetic steel, the framework is disposed along a periphery of the middle vibrating diagram, the upper vibrating diagram is disposed along a periphery of the framework, the two lower vibrating diagrams are disposed at outer sides of the side magnetic steel, and the voice coil is disposed in the magnetic gap; the upper vibrating diagram is connected to the frame, and the framework is configured to support the middle vibrating diagram and the upper vibrating diagram; and the side magnetic steel comprises first side magnetic steels and second side magnetic steels, the first side magnetic steels are respectively connected to the two first side plates, each of the second side magnetic steels is vertically disposed at two sides of each of the first side magnetic steels, the two lower vibrating diagrams are respectively disposed at outer sides of the second side magnetic steels (See [0043] – [0045]).
In regards to claim 8, Li discloses the speaker, wherein the speaker further comprises two flexible circuit boards (FCBs), the two FCBs are respectively disposed above the two lower vibrating diagrams, the framework is fixed above the two FCBs, the frame is disposed above the two FCBs and is connected to outer sides of the two FCBs; and the two FCBs are electrically connected to the voice coil (See [0043] – [0045]).
In regards to claim 9, Li discloses the speaker, wherein the speaker further comprises a metal grille disposed outside the mounting bracket and is fixedly connected to the frame (See [0037] – [0038]).
In regards to claim 10, Li discloses a speaker box (e.g., speaker 100), comprising: a housing (e.g., frame 1), having an accommodating space; and the speaker; wherein the housing comprises a first housing body and a second housing body, the first housing body and the second housing body are fixed to each other, and the speaker is accommodated in the accommodating space (See [0045] – [0048]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THJUAN KNOWLIN ADDY whose telephone number is (571)272-7486. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM - 5:00PM Mon-Fri.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached at (571) 272-7488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THJUAN K ADDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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