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 Objections
Claims 11 and 19 objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 11, the limitation “the axis direction of the first rotation assembly” in line 4 is unclear and lacks antecedent basis. The examiner suggests “an axis direction of the first rotation assembly” for clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 19, the limitation “slope;” in line 7 is unclear. The examiner suggests “slope.” for clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen CN 113099007A.
Regarding claim 1, Chen CN 113099007A discloses (in Fig. 3-4) a connection device comprising:
a first rotation assembly (500), including a first connection member (100);
a second rotation assembly (400), rotatably connected to the first rotation assembly (500) and configured to rotate relative to the first rotation assembly (500) to cause relative displacement between a first member (4111) and a second member (4121) of the second rotation assembly (400); and
a support assembly (410/411/412) connected to the first member (4111) and the second member (4121), and including a second connection member (200),
the second connection member (200) being configured to move relative to the first connection member (100) when the second rotation assembly (400) rotates relative to the first rotation assembly (500).
Regarding claim 11, Chen discloses the connection device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first member (4111) and the second member (4121) of the second rotation assembly (400) are configured to move relative to each other in a first direction (vertical direction in Fig. 3-4) to generate a first displacement (vertical displacement; as depicted in Fig. 3-4),
the first direction (vertical direction) and the axis direction of the first rotation assembly (500) meeting a parallel condition (as depicted in Fig. 3-4);
the support assembly (410/411/412) is configured to move relative to an axis of the first rotation assembly (500) in a second direction (horizontal direction in Fig. 3-4) to generate a second displacement (horizontal displacement in Fig. 3-4) not less than the first displacement (vertical displacement; as depicted in Fig. 3-4),
the second direction (horizontal direction in Fig. 3-4) and the axis direction of the first rotation assembly (500) meeting a perpendicular condition (as depicted in Fig. 3-4); and
the support assembly (410/411/412) is further configured to convert the first displacement (vertical displacement) in the first direction (vertical direction) into the second displacement (horizontal displacement) in the second direction (horizontal direction).
Regarding claim 12, Chen discloses the connection device according to claim 11, wherein:
the support assembly (410/411/412) includes a first support member (411/410) and a second support member (412);
the first support member (411) includes a plurality of first sub-support members (portions of 411) hinged in sequence (as depicted in Fig. 3-4);
the second support member (412) includes a plurality of second sub-support members (portions of 412) hinged in sequence (as depicted in Fig. 3-4); and
the plurality of first sub-support members (portions of 411) and the plurality of second sub-support members (portions of 412) are hinged correspondingly to each other such that the first support member (411) and the second support member (412) form a network and extend or shorten after relative rotation (as depicted in Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 13, Chen discloses the connection device according to claim 12, wherein:
corresponding ends of the first support member (411) and the second support member (412) are respectively connected to the first member (4111) and the second member (4121 as depicted in Fig. 3-4); and
corresponding other ends of the first support member (411) and the second support member (412) are connected to the second connection member (200 as depicted in Fig. 3-4).
Regarding claim 14, Chen discloses an electronic device comprising:
a first body (100 in Fig. 2) including an input device (input device of 700 in Fig. 2);
a second body (200 in Fig. 2) including a display device (700 in Fig. 2); and
a connection device (400/500 in Fig. 3-4) including:
a first rotation assembly (500 in Fig. 3-4), including a first connection member (300) connected to the first body (100);
a second rotation assembly (400 in Fig. 3-4), rotatably connected to the first rotation assembly (500) and configured to rotate relative to the first rotation assembly (500) to cause relative displacement between a first member (4111 in Fig. 4) and a second member (4121 in Fig. 4) of the second rotation assembly (400); and
a support assembly (410/411/412) connected to the first member (4111) and the second member (4121), and including a second connection member (end of 410 at 200 in Fig. 3) connected to the display device (700; the end of 410 at 200 is indirectly connected to 700 through 200 as depicted in Fig. 5-6),
the second connection member (end of 410 at 200) being configured to move relative to the first connection member (300) when the second rotation assembly (400) rotates relative to the first rotation assembly (500 as depicted in Fig. 3-4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10 and 15-20 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 prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that “wherein:
the first rotation assembly includes a shaft;
a first guide slope and a second guide slope are provided at a circumference of the shaft and distributed along an axial direction of the shaft;
the first guide slope and the second guide slope are both inclined with respect to the axial direction;
the first member and the second member are rotatably mounted at the first shaft;
the first member abuts against the first guide slope and is configured to be displaced along the first guide slope; and
the second member abuts against the second guide slope and is configured to be displaced along the second guide slope”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 3-8 depending from claim 2 would therefore also be allowable.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that “wherein:
the first rotation assembly includes a shaft, a first guide and a second guide groove are provided at a circumference of the shaft and distributed along an axial direction of the shaft;
the first member and the second member are rotatably sleeved on the shaft;
the first member is provided with a third guide groove, and
the second member is provided with a fourth guide groove;
one of the third guide groove and the first guide groove extends spirally in the axial direction of the shaft; and
one of the fourth guide groove and the second guide groove extends spirally in the axial direction of the shaft”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claim 10 depending from claim 9 would therefore also be allowable.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claims 14, a combination of limitations that “wherein:
the display device is a first display device;
the second body further includes a second display device;
when the electronic device is in a first state, an orthographic projection of the first display device along a thickness direction of the first display at least partially covers the second display device; and
when the electronic device is in a second state, a display surface of the first display device and a display surface of the second display device meet a coplanar condition”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding claim 16, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 14, a combination of limitations that “wherein:
the first rotation assembly includes a shaft;
a first guide slope and a second guide slope are provided at a circumference of the shaft and distributed along an axial direction of the shaft;
the first guide slope and the second guide slope are both inclined with respect to the axial direction;
the first member and the second member are rotatably mounted at the first shaft; the first member abuts against the first guide slope and is configured to be displaced along the first guide slope; and
the second member abuts against the second guide slope and is configured to be displaced along the second guide slope”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 17-20 depending from claim 16 would therefore also be allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Christ US 6532147 Fig. 2-5; Bullister US 6151012 Fig. 22-24; Chen US 20020118151 Fig. 8-13a; Agata US 20010055197 Fig. 2-4 disclose an electronic device with an extendable display hinge mechanism.
Yuan US 20240019910 Fig. 3-4; 박근창 KR 102581776B1 Fig. 5-9 disclose hinge mechanisms with guide slopes.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER L AUGUSTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7659. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 3 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at 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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/CHRISTOPHER L AUGUSTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/JAMES WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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