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)(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, and
(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.
Claims 1, 29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2022/0283608 to Xianyu et al. (i.e., Ref. 1 hereinafter).
Referring to claim 1, Ref. 1 discloses a hinge (10), comprising: at least two groups of first flip mechanisms (i.e., end portions), wherein one group of the at least two groups of first flip mechanisms (Figs. 1-5) comprises a first support base (2/3) extending in a first direction (y-axis direction) and two first flip assemblies (rotating shafts) which are rotatably connected to the first support base (2/3) and are oppositely arranged (i.e., at opposite ends of 2 and 3, respectively);
at least two groups of second flip mechanisms (end portions), wherein one group of the at least two groups of second flip mechanisms comprises a second support base (4/5) extending in a second direction (x-axis direction) and two second flip assemblies (rotating shafts) which are rotatably connected to the second support base set (4/5) and are oppositely arranged (i.e., at opposite ends of 4 and 5, respectively); and
a transition mechanism (1), wherein two groups of the at least two groups of first flip mechanisms are arranged on both sides of the transition mechanism (1) in the first direction (y-axis direction) and are both rotatably connected to the transition mechanism (1); and two groups of the at least two groups of second flip mechanisms are arranged on both sides of the transition mechanism (1) in the second direction (x-axis direction) and are both arranged separately from the transition mechanism (1);
wherein the first direction is intersected with the second direction. See Figs. 2 and 5, as well as para. [0030-0031].
Referring to claim 29, Ref. 1 discloses a foldable display device (20), comprising: a flexible display panel, a housing, and the hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is fixedly connected to a back of the flexible display panel and is fixedly connected to the hinge. See Figs. 1-5.
Referring to claim 30, Ref. 1 discloses the foldable display device of claim 29, wherein the housing comprises a first housing (6), a second housing (7), a third housing (8), and a fourth housing (9) that are arranged separately; and the first shell (i.e., housing 6) is connected to the second shell (i.e., housing 7) by at least one group of first flip mechanisms disposed on one side of the transition mechanism (1); the third shell (i.e., housing 8) is connected to the fourth shell (i.e., housing 9) by at least one group of first flip mechanisms on the other side of the transition mechanism (1); the first shell (i.e., housing 6) is connected to the third shell (8) by at least one group of second flip mechanisms disposed on one side of the transition mechanism; and the second shell (7) is connected to the fourth housing (9) by at least one group of second flip mechanisms on the other side of the transition body. See Figs. 2 and 5.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 8-14, 20-23 and 17 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, the specific limitations of “wherein a first slide member is arranged at an end of the first support base close to the transition mechanism, the transition mechanism comprises a first arc-shaped slide groove in cooperation with the first slide member, and at least a portion of the first slide member is within the first arc-shaped slide groove,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 3-5 depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 2 and are therefore allowable for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 8, the specific limitations of “wherein the first flip assembly comprises a first swing arm, a first adapter fixing member and a first flip plate; one end of the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the first support base; the first adapter fixing member comprises a first straight slide groove, and the other end of the first swing arm is slidably connected to the first adapter fixing member within the first straight slide groove; and the first flip plate is rotatably connected to the first adapter fixing member; and wherein a side of the first flip plate is configured to be abutted against a back of a flexible display panel in a foldable display device, and the first adapter fixing member is configured to be fixedly connected to a housing of the foldable display device, and the housing is fixedly connected to the back of the flexible display panel,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 9-15 depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 8 and are therefore allowable for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 20, the specific limitations of “wherein the second flip assembly comprises a first drive rod and a second flip plate; and one end of the first drive rod is rotatably connected to the second support base, and the other end of the first drive rod is fixedly connected to the second flip plate; and wherein one side of the second flap is configured to abut against a back of a flexible display panel in a foldable display device; a first axis of an end of the first drive rod around which the end of the first drive rod is rotated relative to the second support base is on a side of the second support base close to the flexible display panel, and a specific distance is defined between the first axis and the second support base,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 21-23 depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim20 and are therefore allowable for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 27, the specific limitations of “wherein one first support base in each group of first flip mechanisms located on one side of the transition mechanism is of one-piece structure, one first support base in each group of first flip mechanisms on the other side of the transition mechanism is of one-piece structure, and a length of the first support base is greater in the first direction than a length of the first support base on the other side of the transition mechanism; and one second support base in each of the groups of second flip mechanisms located on one side of the transition mechanism is of one-piece structure, one second support base in each of the groups of second flip mechanisms located on the other side of the transition mechanism is of one-piece structure and a length of the second support base on one side of the transition mechanism is equal to a length of the second support base on the other side of the transition mechanism in the second direction, and wherein a maximum rotation angle of the first flip assembly relative to the first support base is greater than or equal to 90°, and a maximum rotation angle of the second flip assembly relative to the second support base is less than or equal to 45 degrees,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY Q EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2042. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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/Anthony Q Edwards/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
September 1, 2026
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