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
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liang et al. (US 20180039250; “Liang” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Liang discloses an electronic device comprising: a housing (12, 14) reconfigurable between unfolded and folded configurations about a folding axis (folding axis of the hinge assembly 16) (figs 1-3); and a drive assembly (hinge assembly 16 including: 18, 22, 32, 30, 28, 24, 36) connected to the housing and configured to facilitate reconfiguration of the housing between the unfolded and folded configurations (figs 1-3, par. [0052]), wherein the drive assembly includes: a transmission (18, 22, 24, 28) connected to the housing (12, 14), wherein the transmission includes: a first transmission assembly (241, 243) including a first plurality of gears (241, 243); and a second transmission assembly (241, 243) including a second plurality of gears (241, 243); and at least one motor assembly (32) connected to the transmission such that power from the at least one motor assembly is delivered to the housing via the transmission (par. [0021], [0048], [0049]), wherein the drive assembly defines a first axis of rotation (axis of rotation along the first shaft 18) and a second axis of rotation (axis of rotation along the shaft 22) each extending between the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly (figs . 1-14, par. [0021], [0045], [0048], [0049]).
Regarding claim 2, Liang discloses wherein the first transmission assembly (241, 243) is connected to the second transmission assembly (241, 243) ( fig. 6).
Regarding claim 4, Liang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: one or more anchors (20, 26) extending between and connecting the housing and the transmission (figs 3-6, par. [0045]).
Regarding claim 5, Liang discloses wherein the one or more anchors include: a first anchor (20) engaging the first transmission assembly (18, 241, 243) and spanning the folding axis (figs 4-6); and a second anchor (26) engaging the second transmission assembly (22, 242, 243) and spanning the folding axis (figs 4-6).
Regarding claim 6, Liang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes: a first housing portion (12) movable about the first axis of rotation (first body 12 is connected to the shaft 22 via the connecting portion 20); and a second housing portion (14) movable in relation to the first housing portion (12) about the second axis of rotation (figs. 3-6).
Regarding claim 7, Liang discloses wherein the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly each include: a first end connected to the first housing portion (end of the shaft 18 is connected to the first body 12 via the connecting portion 20, figs 3-6); and a second end connected to the second housing portion (end of the shaft 22 is connected to the second body 14 via the connecting portion 26, figs 3-6).
Regarding claim 8, Liang discloses wherein the first end of the first transmission assembly is spaced from the second end of the first transmission assembly along a first axis (outer end of the shaft 18 is spaced apart from the outer end of the shaft 22), and the first end of the second transmission assembly is spaced from the second end of the second transmission assembly along a second axis extending in generally parallel relation to the first axis (inner end of the shaft 18 is spaced apart from the inner end of the shaft 22, and shaft 18 and shaft 22 are parallel to each other, figs. 4-6), wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are each oriented in generally orthogonal relation to the folding axis.
Regarding claim 9, Liang discloses wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation extend between the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly (rotational axis of the shafts 18 and 22 extends between the transmission gears 241 & 243 and 242 &243).
Regarding claim 10, Liang discloses wherein the drive assembly is configured such that the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are offset along a length of the electronic device (rotational axis of the shafts 18 and 22 are offset along a length of the electronic device 10, figs 3-6).
Regarding claim 11, Liang discloses wherein the drive assembly is configured such that the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are generally aligned along a length of the electronic device (rotational axis of the shafts 18 and 22 are aligned along a length of the electronic device 10, figs 3-6).
Claim(s) 1, 3 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liang et al. (US 20180039250; “Liang” hereinafter) (Note: Liang has been interpreted differently to read on claims 1 and 3).
Regarding claim 1, Liang discloses an electronic device comprising: a housing (12, 14) reconfigurable between unfolded and folded configurations about a folding axis (folding axis of the hinge assembly 16) (figs 1-3); and a drive assembly (hinge assembly 16 including: 18, 22, 32, 30, 28, 24, 36) connected to the housing and configured to facilitate reconfiguration of the housing between the unfolded and folded configurations (figs 1-3, par. [0052]), wherein the drive assembly includes: a transmission (18, 22, 24, 28, 36) connected to the housing (12, 14), wherein the transmission includes: a first transmission assembly (241, 243, 243, 242, 18, 22) including a first plurality of gears (241, 243, 243, 242); and a second transmission assembly (36, 38) including a second plurality of gears (361, 362); and at least one motor assembly (32, 28) connected to the transmission such that power from the at least one motor assembly is delivered to the housing via the transmission (par. [0021], [0045] - [0049]), wherein the drive assembly defines a first axis of rotation (axis of rotation along the first shaft 18, 22) and a second axis of rotation (axis of rotation along the shaft 22) each extending between the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly (figs . 1-6, 13-14, par. [0021], [0045- [0049]).
Regarding claim 3, Liang discloses wherein the second transmission assembly (36) is spaced from the first transmission assembly (241, 242) along the folding axis.
Regarding claim 9, Liang discloses wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation extend between the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly (rotational axis of the shafts 18 and 22 extends between the transmission gears 241 & 242 and 361 & 362).
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.
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang in view of Chi et al. (US 20190376332 ; “Chi” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 12, Liang discloses wherein the at least one motor assembly includes: at least one motor (32).
Liang does not explicitly disclose at least one gear box connected to the at least one motor; and at least one drive shaft connected to the at least one gear box and engaging the transmission.
Chi teaches a hinge assembly comprise a motor (21), a gear box (22), a transmission (23) and a drive shaft (221) connected to the gear box and engaging the transmission (Par. [0032]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Liang to incorporate at least one gear box connected to the at least one motor; and at least one drive shaft connected to the at least one gear box and engaging the transmission as suggested by Chi because such modification help to control the rotation of the hinge assembly.
Regarding claim 13, Liang in view of Chi discloses the electronic device of claim 12, further comprising a synchronizing rod (28, Liang) connecting the first transmission assembly (18, 241, 243, Liang) and the second transmission assembly (22, 242, 243, Liang) (Liang, fig. 5, par. 0046), wherein the synchronizing rod extends in generally parallel relation to the at least one drive shaft (18 or 22, Liang, fig. 5).
Claim(s) 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang in view of Chi as applied to claim 12, and in further view of Cho et al. (US 20220091636 ; “Cho” hereinafter).
Regarding claim 14, Liang in view of Chi discloses the device as claimed in claim 12.
Liang in view of Chi does not explicitly discloses wherein the at least one motor assembly includes a first motor assembly and a second motor assembly.
Cho teaches an electronic display device comprising a drive assembly (400) that further comprises of a first motor (431), a second motor (441).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Liang in view of Chi to have the at least one motor assembly includes a first motor assembly and a second motor assembly as taught by Cho because such modification increases the power source and enhances the rotational mechanism between the first and the second housing portions.
Regarding claim 15, Liang in view of Chi and Cho discloses the device as claimed in claim 14, and Cho further teaches wherein the first motor assembly (341) and the second motor assembly (441) are offset along a length of the electronic device (figs 6-7).
Regarding claim 16, Liang in view of Chi and Cho discloses the device as claimed in claim 14, and Cho further teaches wherein the first motor assembly (341) and the second motor assembly (441) are generally aligned along a length of the electronic device (figs 6-7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance of claim 17:
The prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim, a combination of limitations that the arcuate rib of the first end of the one or more arms is positioned within the arcuate groove such that the one or more arms are repositionable in relation to the bracket; and the arcuate slot included in the second end of the one or more arms receives the one or more arcuate struts such that the one or more arms are repositionable in relation to the one or more anchors; a transmission engaging the one or more anchors; and a motor assembly connected to the transmission, wherein the transmission is configured to transmit power from the motor assembly to the one or more anchors to thereby reconfigure the electronic device between unfolded and folded configurations. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claims 18-20, these claims are allowed based on their dependence on the allowable independent claim 1 discussed above.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure are listed in the form 892.
Yang (US 202301516560 teaches an electronic device comprising a hinge assembly (fig. 2) comprising a bracket (10) and a rotating arm (22).
Hong et al. (US 20230409090) teaches an electronic device comprising a hinge assembly (fig. 2-3) comprising a bracket (31) and a rotating arm (21).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAGAR SHRESTHA whose telephone number is (571)270-1236. The examiner can normally be reached 10 am-6:30 pm, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Parker can be reached on (303)297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAGAR SHRESTHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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