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.
Claims 1-6 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Kang et al. (US Pub No. 2022/0151106 A1 and Kang hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 1, Kang discloses (figs. 1-19) an electronic device comprising:
a first housing (301);
a second housing (302), coupled to the first housing and configured to be slidable with respect to the first housing, including a front cover, and a rear cover disposed on an inner surface of the front cover ([0067]);
a flexible display (303), disposed on an outer surface of the front cover opposite to the inner surface of the front cover, and configured to slide into or out of the first housing by moving of the second housing ([0036]);
a printed circuit board (310) disposed between the inner surface of the front cover and an inner surface of the rear cover facing the inner surface of the front cover (fig. 10 and [0112]);
an air room, disposed in an inside of the first and second housings, and configured to be expanded or contracted by moving of the second housing ([0131] and fig.10);
a vent hole (301-302) penetrating the second housing; and
an airflow path extending, on an outer surface of the rear cover opposite to the inner surface of the rear cover, from the vent hole to the air room and configured to transmit air introduced from the vent hole to the air room or to transmit air within the air room to the vent hole based on the second housing moving (figs 17-19 and [0133] and [0137]).
Regarding Claim 2, Kang discloses electronic device of claim 1, wherein the airflow path is configured to transmit: the air introduced from the vent hole to the air room based on a size of the air room being expanded by the moving of the second housing; and the air within the air room to the vent hole based on the size of the air room being contracted by the moving of the second housing ([0063], [0083], [0137] and [0138]).
Regarding Claim 3, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the vent hole penetrates a lateral surface of the front cover perpendicular to the outer surface of the front cover ([0063], [0083], [0137] and [0138]).
Regarding Claim 4, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second housing is movable in a first direction in which the flexible display is slid outside the first housing and in a second direction in which the flexible display is slid inside the first housing, wherein the vent hole is covered by the first housing in a first state in which the second housing is movable in the first direction among the first and second directions, and wherein the vent hole is exposed to an outside of the first housing in a second state in which the second housing is movable in the second direction among the first and second directions ([0063], [0083], [0137] and [0138]).
Regarding Claim 5, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the airflow path overlaps the printed circuit board when the second housing is viewed from above.
Regarding Claim 6, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a battery (304), spaced apart from the printed circuit board, disposed in the first housing, and wherein the air room is disposed between the printed circuit board and the battery ([fig.10] and figs 14-16, [0064] and [0112-0113]).
Regarding Claim 9, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second housing further includes a slide cover (301-1), disposed on the outer surface of the rear cover, covering the airflow path (figs 4-5, 18-19 and [0090], [0136]).
Regarding Claim 10, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the airflow path is defined by a portion of the rear cover indented toward an inside of the rear cover (figs 4-5, 18-19 and [0090], [0136]).
Regarding Claim 11, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the slide cover is covered by the first housing or exposed to the outside of the first housing, based on moving of the second housing (figs 4-5, 18-19 and [0090], [0136]).
Regarding Claim 12, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, farther comprising: a blocking member (330) comprising a material including a grid, disposed on the vent hole, configured to block entry of foreign substances through the vent hole (figs 4-5, 18-19 and [0090], [0136]).
Regarding Claim 13, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a motor disposed in the first housing; a pinion gear, disposed in the first housing, coupled to the motor and configured to be rotatable with respect to the motor; and a rack gear, disposed on the inner surface of the front cover, and configured to be movable by rotation of the pinion gear, and wherein the air room is disposed between the motor and the printed circuit board ([0093]).
Regarding Claim 14, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board includes a processor disposed on the printed circuit board ([0037]).
Regarding Claim 15, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second housing is movable in a first direction in which the flexible display slid to the outside of the first housing or a second direction in which the flexible display slid into the inside of the first housing, and wherein the air room is configured to be expanded as the second housing moves in the first direction and to be contracted as the second housing moves in the second direction (figs. 17-19).
Regarding Claim 16, Kang discloses (figs.1-19) an electronic device comprising:
a first housing (301);
a second housing (302), coupled to the first housing to be slidable with respect to the first housing, including a front cover, a rear cover disposed the front cover, and a slide cover disposed on the rear cover([0067]);
a flexible display (303), disposed on an outer surface of the front cover, and configured to slide into or out of the first housing by moving of the second housing ([0036]);
a printed circuit board (310) disposed on an inner surface of the front cover opposite to the outer surface of the front cover; a battery (304), spaced apart from the printed circuit board, disposed in the first housing; and
an air room, disposed between the printed circuit board and the battery, and configured to be expanded or contracted by moving of the second housing ([0131] and fig.10); a vent hole penetrating the second housing; and an airflow path extending, between the rear cover and the slide cover, from the vent hole to the air room and configured to transmit air introduced from the vent hole to the air room or to transmit air within the air room to the vent hole when the second housing moves(figs 17-19 and [0133] and [0137]).
Regarding Claim 17, Kang discloses (figs.1-19) the electronic device claim 16, wherein the airflow path is configured to transmit: the air introduced from the vent hole to the air room based on a size of the air room being expanded by the moving of the second housing; and the air within the air room to the vent hole based on the size of the air room being contracted by the moving of the second housing ([0063], [0083], [0137] and [0138]).
Regarding Claim 18, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 16, wherein the vent hole penetrates a lateral surface of the front cover perpendicular to the outer surface of the front cover ([0063], [0083], [0137] and [0138]).
Regarding Claim 19, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 16, wherein the second housing is movable in a first direction in which the flexible display is slid out of the first housing and in a second direction in which the flexible display is slid into the first housing, wherein the vent hole is covered by the first housing in a first state in which the second housing is movable in the first direction among the first and second directions, and wherein the vent hole is exposed to an outside of the first housing a second state in which the second housing is movable in the second direction among the first and second directions ([0063], [0083], [0137] and [0138]).
Regarding Claim 20, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 16, wherein a portion of the airflow path overlaps the printed circuit board when the second housing is viewed from above.
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.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al in view of Kim et al (US Patent No. 11144102 B2 and Kim hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 7, Kang discloses the electronic device of claim 1 but fails to disclose wherein the airflow path includes: a first extending portion extending from the vent hole in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the second housing; and a second extending portion, extending from the first extending portion toward the air room, extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the second housing. However,
Kim teaches (figs. 1-12)wherein the airflow path includes: a first extending portion (E1) extending from the vent hole in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the
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second housing; and a second extending portion (E2), extending from the first extending portion toward the air room, extending in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the second housing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a first/second extending portion of Kim to device of Kang in order to provide a guide flow passage formed on an inner side of the both ends of the side frame, wherein air discharged from the ends of the second channel may move to a space between the display and the side frame through the guide flow passage (Kim and Col 21, lines 15-20)
Regarding Claim 8, Kang/Kim discloses the electronic device of claim7. Kim further teaches (figs. 1-12) wherein at least a portion of the second extending portion is divided between the first extending portion and the air room (2082). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a first/second extending portion as claimed of Kim to device of Kang in order to provide a guide flow passage formed on an inner side of the both ends of the side frame, wherein air discharged from the ends of the second channel may move to a space between the display and the side frame through the guide flow passage (Kim and Col 21, lines 15-20)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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