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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the application filed February 19, 2025. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination. Claims 1 and 16 are independent claims.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), and based on application # 10-2024-0067299 filed in Korea on May 23, 2024 which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Oath/Declaration
The Office acknowledges receipt of a properly signed Oath/Declaration submitted February 19, 2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement filed (February 19, 2025, December 2, 2025 and May 18, 2026) has been received, entered into the record, and considered.
Drawings
The drawings filed February 19, 2025 are accepted by the examiner.
Abstract
The abstract filed February 19, 2025 is accepted by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
8. Claims 1-20 in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “configured” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “configured” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the words “a driving mechanism configured to,
a flexible portion extended from the planar portion, and configured to,
a pinion gear, operatively coupled to the actuator, configured to,
a second gear including second teeth engaged with the first teeth and configured to,
a first shaft, parallel to the rotation axis, connected to each of the actuator and the first gear, and configured to,
a first gear including a first teeth, connected to the actuator, and configured to rotate,
a speaker configured to,
a second gear including second teeth engaged with the first teeth and configured to,
a first shaft, connected to each of the actuator and the first gear and configured to”,
in a claim, such as in claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13,14, 16 and 17 with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 20230421674 A1) in view of Sim et al. (US 20200018657 A1).
As to Claim 1:
Park et al. discloses an electronic device (Park, see Abstract, where Park discloses that the present invention is a mobile terminal capable of switching between a first and second state, expanded in a first direction. The mobile terminal comprising: a body with a first and second frame, which can slide in the first or second direction, a flexible display unit covering one side of the body, with a front and rear surface connected by a side surface, a driving unit for sliding the first frame relative to the second frame using a motor mounted on the second frame. The driving unit includes a motor, a pinion gear, a rack gear and a gear cover covering at least a portion of the rack gear) comprising: a housing including a first housing part (Park, see first frame 101 in figure 4) and a second housing part (Park, see second frame 102 in figure 4), movably coupled to each other (Park, see 4(a) and 4(b)); a driving mechanism configured to cause a movement of the first housing part or a movement the second housing part (Park, see 202 in figure 10 and paragraph [0132], where Park discloses that since the second frame 102 linearly moves with respect to the first frame 101 in the first direction or the second direction, rack and pinion gears configured to convert the rotational force of the motor 201 into linear motion may be used. A pinion gear 202 to receive the rotational force of the motor 201 may be arranged to engage with a rack gear 205 composed of teeth continuously arranged in the first direction. The pinion gear 202 may be fixed to the first frame 101 together with the motor 201 and the rack gear 205 may be positioned on the second frame 102. Alternatively, the rack gear 205 may be positioned on the first frame 101, and the motor 201 and the pinion gear 202 may be arranged on the second frame 102. Since the motor 201 holds the pinion gear 202 such that the pinion gear 202 does not rotate, the second frame 102 may maintain the first state and the second state. However, when large external force is applied, the second frame 102 may be displaced as the pinion gear 202 rotates); a battery disposed in the first housing part (Park, see paragraph [0071], where Park discloses that the power supply unit 190 can be configured to receive external power or provide internal power in order to supply appropriate power required for operating elements and components included in the mobile terminal 100. The power supply unit 190 may include a battery, and the battery may be configured to be embedded in the terminal body, or configured to be detachable from the terminal body), wherein the driving mechanism includes (Park, see paragraph [0008], where Park discloses that a driving unit configured to slide the first frame in the first direction or the second direction with respect to the second frame): an actuator (Park, see 201 in figure 9 and paragraph [0141], where Park discloses that FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the driving unit 200 of the mobile terminal. The driving unit 200 includes the motor 201, the planetary gear and the pinion gear 202 for adjusting the number of rotations of the motor 201, the rack gear 202 that is engaged with the pinion gear 202 to receive rotational force and performs linear motion, and a motor housing 204 into which the motor 201, and the planetary gear and the pinion gear 202 are accommodated. FIG. 9(a) is a plan view of the driving unit, FIG. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 9(a), and FIG. 9(c) is a perspective view illustrating the motor housing 204 and the pinion gear 202 when the rack gear 205 is removed) having a rotation axis parallel to a direction of the movement of the first housing part or the second housing part, and a rack gear disposed parallel to the rotation axis (Park, see 201 and 151 in figure 10), and wherein the battery is positioned over the second region among the first region and the second region (Park, see battery 191 between displays 151 in figure 10(b)).
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Park differs from the claimed subject matter in that Park discloses a printed board assembly (PBA) disposed in the first housing part (Park, see 181 in figure 7), Park does not explicitly disclose a the PBA including: a first region which is a laminating region of printed circuit boards, and a second region which is a non-laminating region.
However in an analogous art, Sim discloses a first region which is a laminating region of printed circuit boards (Sim, see B-2 in figure 7), and a second region which is a non-laminating region (Sim, see B-1 in figure 7).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Park with Sim. One would be motivated to modify Park by disclosing a PBA including: a first region which is a laminating region of printed circuit boards, and a second region which is a non-laminating region as taught by Sim, and thereby reducing production cost while securing a mounting region for mounting various modules (Sim, see paragraph [0006]).
As to Claim 2:
Park in view of Sim discloses that the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is disposed closer to a first edge portion among the first edge portion of the first housing part parallel to the direction of the movement and a second edge portion of the first housing part, opposite to the first edge portion, wherein the rack gear is disposed closer to a third edge portion of the second housing part among the third edge portion at least partially coupled to the first edge portion of the first housing part and a fourth edge portion of the second housing part opposite to the third edge portion, and wherein the battery at least partially occupies a space of the first housing part between the actuator and the second edge portion of the first housing part (Park, see claim mapping in figure 10 below).
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As to Claim 3:
Park in view of Sim discloses that the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism is configured to provide: a first state in which the second housing part is movable in a first direction among the first direction in which the second housing part moves away from the first housing part and a second direction in which the second housing part approaches the first housing part, a second state in which the second housing part is movable in the second direction among the first direction and the second direction, and a plurality of intermediate states between the first state and the second state, and wherein the rack gear is positioned next to the actuator, in the first state (Park, see claim mapping in figure 16 below).
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As to Claim 4:
Park in view of Sim discloses that the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible display, wherein the flexible display includes: a planar portion disposed on the first housing part, and a flexible portion extended from the planar portion, and configured to be at least partially rolled into the second housing part or to be at least partially extracted from an inside of the second housing part, based on a movement of the second housing part (Park, see claim mapping in figure 4 below and paragraph [0147], where Park discloses that a boundary between the first region 151a and the second region 151b of the flexible display unit 151 due to the stepped difference between the front face of the first frame 101 and the front face of the second frame 102. In order to fill a separate space between the front portion 1021 of the second frame and the second region 151b of the flexible display unit 151 and maintain a flat surface of the second region 151 without sagging, a rolling hinge 104 located on the rear face of the second region 151b may be provided).
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As to Claim 11:
Park in view of Sim discloses that the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism comprises: a pinion gear, operatively coupled to the actuator, configured to rotate based on an operation of the actuator, and engaged with the rack gear, and one or more gear connected to each of the actuator and the pinion gear to transmit driving force from the actuator to the pinion gear, wherein the one or more gears comprises: a first gear including a first teeth, connected to the actuator, and configured to rotate based on the operation of the actuator, and a second gear, including a second teeth engaged with the first teeth, connected to the pinion gear, and configured to cause the rotation of the pinion gear based on the rotation of the first gear, and wherein the actuator has revolutions per minute (RPM) based on a gear ratio according to the first teeth and the second teeth (Park, see claim mapping in figure 9 below and paragraph [0131], where Park discloses that The planetary gear serves to amplify or attenuate the number of revolutions of the motor 201 using a plurality of disc gears having different numbers of teeth. The motor 201 may be fixed to the first frame 101 as shown in FIG. 7(a). The position of the motor 201 is fixed even when the second frame 102 moves in the first direction to switch the mobile terminal 100 to the second state, as shown in FIG. 7(b)).
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As to Claim 14:
Park in view of Sim discloses that the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker configured to provide an audio signal and disposed adjacent to the rack gear in the second housing part (Park, see 152 audio output and rack linear guide 230 in figure 7).
As to Claim 15:
Park in view of Sim discloses that the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a connecting terminal disposed adjacent to the rack gear in the second housing part, and connected to a terminal of an external electronic device (Park, see claim mapping in figure 17 below).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10 and 12-13 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.
Referring to claim 5, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the PBA is adjacent to a fifth edge portion perpendicular to the first edge portion of the first housing part parallel to the direction of the movement and spaced apart from the second housing part, and wherein an end portion of the second region of the PBA facing an opposite to the fifth edge portion is spaced apart from an end portion of the flexible portion positioned in the second housing part”.
Referring to claim 6 and dependent claims 7-10, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “a bracket including a guide rail to guide translation of the rack gear, wherein the driving mechanism comprises: a pinion gear, operatively coupled to the actuator, configured to rotate based on an operation of the actuator, and engaged with the rack gear, and one or more gear connected to each of the actuator and the pinion gear to transmit driving force from the actuator to the pinion gear, wherein the guide rail comprises: a first side wall contacted with a portion of a side of the rack gear, and a second side wall contacted with a portion of another side of the rack gear opposite to the side of the rack gear, and including an opening region to reduce a gap between the actuator and the rack gear, and wherein the one or more gears is closer to the second side wall among the first side wall and the second side wall”.
Referring to claim 12, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the driving mechanism comprises: a pinion gear, operatively coupled to the actuator, configured to rotate based on an operation of the actuator, and engaged with the rack gear, and one or more gear connected to each of the actuator and the pinion gear to transmit driving force from the actuator to the pinion gear, wherein the one or more gears is a bevel gear, and wherein teeth of the rack gear face a front of the electronic device or a rear of the electronic device”.
Referring to claim 13, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the driving mechanism comprises: a pinion gear, operatively coupled to the actuator, configured to rotate based on an operation of the actuator, and engaged with the rack gear, and one or more gear connected to each of the actuator and the pinion gear to transmit driving force from the actuator to the pinion gear, wherein the pinion gear and the one or more gears are a helical gear, and wherein teeth of the rack gear face a lateral surface of the electronic device”.
Claims 16-20 are allowed.
Referring to claim 16 and dependent claims 17-20 , the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “ an electronic device comprising: a housing including: a first housing part, and a second housing part movably coupled to the first housing part; a driving mechanism configured to cause a movement of the second housing part relative to the first housing part, the driving mechanism including: an actuator disposed in the first housing part to have a rotation axis parallel to a direction of the movement of the second housing part, a rack gear coupled to the second housing part and extended parallel to the direction, a pinion gear, operatively coupled to the actuator, configured to rotate based on an operation of the actuator, and engaged with the rack gear, and one or more gear connected to each of the actuator and the pinion gear to transmit driving force from the actuator to the pinion gear; and a bracket including a guide rail to guide translation of the rack gear, wherein the guide rail comprises: a first side wall contacted with a portion of a side of the rack gear, and a second side wall contacted with a portion of another side of the rack gear opposite to the side of rack gear, and including an opening region to reduce a gap between the actuator and the rack gear, and wherein the one or more gears are closer to the second side wall among the first side wall and the second side wall”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure. Kang (US 20230103303 A1) discloses an electronic device having a flexible display is provided. The electronic device includes a first housing, a second housing slidably coupled to a side of the first housing, a flexible display including a first area mounted on the first housing and a second area extending from the first area, a gear structure disposed within the first housing, and a mounting member rotatably coupled to the first housing and mounted on or separated from at least a portion of the human body, wherein the flexible display may be rotated and rolled according to rotation of the gear structure in a state in which the first area is exposed to the outside, thereby exposing at least a portion of the second area to the outside.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON ROSARIO whose telephone number is (571)270-1866. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday, 7:30am- 5:00pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Eason can be reached on (571) 270-7230. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NELSON M ROSARIO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624
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