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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Page 1 of the drawings contains the numeral “5” on the left side of the page and it appears to be inadvertently placed. Examiner suggests removing this numeral.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(h)(3) because cross-sectional views in Figures 4-5 do not include hatching.
Hatching must be used to indicate section portions of an object, and must be made by regularly spaced oblique parallel lines spaced sufficiently apart to enable the lines to be distinguished without difficulty. Hatching should not impede the clear reading of the reference characters and lead lines. If it is not possible to place reference characters outside the hatched area, the hatching may be broken off wherever reference characters are inserted. Hatching must be at a substantial angle to the surrounding axes or principal lines, preferably 45°. A cross section must be set out and drawn to show all of the materials as they are shown in the view from which the cross section was taken. The parts in cross section must show proper material(s) by hatching with regularly spaced parallel oblique strokes, the space between strokes being chosen on the basis of the total area to be hatched. The various parts of a cross section of the same item should be hatched in the same manner and should accurately and graphically indicate the nature of the material(s) that is illustrated in cross section. The hatching of juxtaposed different elements must be angled in a different way. In the case of large areas, hatching may be confined to an edging drawn around the entire inside of the outline of the area to be hatched. Different types of hatching should have different conventional meanings as regards the nature of a material seen in cross section.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5-6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 5,
Claim 5, Ln. 4, “the outer surface” lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Examiner suggests “the outer surface” should read --an outer surface--
Claim 6 is rejected due to its dependency on claim 5.
Regarding Claim 12,
Claim 12, Ln. 2, “the mobile electronic device” lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Examiner suggests “the mobile electronic device” should read --a mobile electronic device--
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.
(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 1-3, 7, 9, 13-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Qin (CN 209283298 U).
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Figure 1. Annotated Figure 1 from Qin
Regarding Claim 1, Qin, Figures 1-3 and annotated Figure 1 above, teaches a mobile electronic device strap stand, comprising a stand body 1 and a flexible strap 4, wherein
the stand body 1 is provided with a groove-shaped slide rail 12, and a sliding member 5 is disposed within the groove-shaped slide rail 12 and is slidable back and forth within the groove-shaped slide rail 12 (See Qin, Para. 0023); and
the flexible strap 4 is located on one side of the stand body 1 and has a first end 4a and a second end 4b, wherein the first end 4a of the flexible strap 4 is connected to the stand body 1, while the second end 4b extends to the sliding member 5 (See Qin, Para. 0023); and
a first connector 100 is interposed between the sliding member 5 and the second end 4b of the flexible strap 4, and the sliding member 5 and the flexible strap 4 are interconnected through the first connector 100; and
when the sliding member 5 slides back and forth within the groove-shaped slide rail 12, the flexible strap 4 is arched or straightened by the sliding member 5 (See Qin, Fig. 2, Para. 0024, 0028); and
the groove-shaped slide rail 12 is sequentially provided with a plurality of first positioning parts 3’ along a sliding direction of the sliding member 5, and the sliding member 5 is provided with second positioning parts 6’ that cooperate with the first positioning parts 3’ (See Qin, Para. 0022-0024); and
after the sliding member 5 slides, the second positioning parts 6’ are selectively locked with some of the first positioning parts 3’, thereby maintaining the flexible strap 4 in an arched or straightened state (See Qin, Para. 0022-0024).
Regarding Claim 2, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the first positioning part 3’ is an arc-shaped groove 3 (See Qin, Fig. 1), and the arc-shaped groove 3 is provided on an inner surface of the groove-shaped slide rail 12 (See Qin, Fig. 1, Para. 0022).
Regarding Claim 3, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the second positioning part 6’ is an arc-shaped protrusion 6a (“the snap ring 6 is in the shape of a 3”; See Qin, Fig. 1, Para. 0029), and the arc-shaped protrusion 6a is capable of sliding into or out of the arc-shaped groove 3 (See Qin, Para. 0024).
Regarding Claim 7, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the stand body 1 comprises a strip part 1a, and the groove-shaped slide rail 12 is disposed on the strip part 1a and extends along a length direction of the strip part 1a (See Figure 1 above).
Regarding Claim 9, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the first end 4a of the flexible strap 4 is installed at an end 1b of the strip part 1a away from the sliding member 5, and the sliding member 5 selectively slides towards the first end 4a or away from the first end 4a (See Figure 1 above; See Qin, Fig, 1-3, Para. 0022-0024).
Regarding Claim 13, Qin, Figures 1-3 and annotated Figure 1 above, teaches a mobile electronic device strap stand, comprising a stand body 1 and a flexible strap 4, wherein
the stand body 1 is provided with a groove-shaped slide rail 12, a sliding member 5 is disposed in the groove-shaped slide rail 12, and the sliding member 5 is slidable back and forth within the groove-shaped slide rail 12 (See Qin, Para. 0023); and
the flexible strap 4 is located on one side of the stand body 1 and has a first end 4a and a second end 4b, wherein the first end 4a of the flexible strap 4 is connected to the stand body 1, and the second end 4b is attached to the sliding member 5 (See Qin, Para. 0023); and
when the sliding member 5 slides back and forth within the groove-shaped rail 12, the flexible strap 4 is arched or straightened by the sliding member 5 (See Qin, Fig. 2, Para. 0024, 0028); and
the groove-shaped rail 12 is sequentially provided with a plurality of first positioning parts 3’ along a sliding direction of the sliding member 5, and the sliding member 5 is provided with second positioning parts 6’ that cooperate with the first positioning parts 3’ (See Qin, Para. 0022-0024); and
after the sliding member 5 slides, the second positioning parts 6’ are selectively locked with some of the first positioning parts 3’, thereby maintaining the flexible strap 4 in an arched or straightened state (See Qin, Para. 0022-0024).
Regarding Claim 14, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the first positioning part 3’ is an arc-shaped groove 3 (See Qin, Fig. 1), and the arc-shaped groove 3 is provided on an inner surface of the groove-shaped rail 12 (See Qin, Fig. 1, Para. 0022).
Regarding Claim 15, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the second positioning part 6’ is an arc-shaped protrusion 6a (“the snap ring 6 is in the shape of a 3”; See Qin, Fig. 1, Para. 0029), and the arc-shaped protrusion 6a is capable of sliding into or out of the arc-shaped groove 3 (See Qin, Fig. 1, Para. 0024).
Regarding Claim 16, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the sliding member 5 is provided with an elastic part 6 (component 6 is a spring which makes it elastic), and the arc-shaped protrusion 6a is disposed on the elastic part 6 (See Figure 1 above); and
when the arc-shaped protrusion 6a slides out of the arc-shaped groove 3, the elastic part 6 undergoes elastic deformation and allows the arc-shaped protrusion 6a to slide out of the arc-shaped groove 3 (“retaining springs 6 are in an open state and inserted into the slots in the reset slots 2 or position slots 3. The retaining springs 6 are in a compressed state in the sliding groove 12”; See Qin, Para. 0022).
Regarding Claim 18, Qin, Figures 1-3 and annotated Figure 1 above, teaches a mobile electronic device strap stand, comprising a stand body 1 and a flexible strap 4, wherein
the stand body 1 is provided with a groove-shaped slide rail 12, a sliding member 5 is disposed within the groove-shaped slide rail 12, and the sliding member 5 is slidable back and forth within the groove-shaped slide rail 12 (See Qin, Para. 0023); and
the flexible strap 4 is located on one side of the stand body 1 and has a first end 4a and a second end 4b, wherein the first end 4a of the flexible strap 4 is connected to the stand body 1, while the second end 4b extends to the sliding member 5 (See Qin, Para. 0023); and
a first connector 100 is interposed between the sliding member 5 and the second end 4b of the flexible strap 4, and the sliding member 5 and the flexible strap 4 are connected to each other through the first connector 100 (See Figure 1 above); and
when the sliding member 5 slides back and forth within the groove-shaped slide rail 12, the flexible strap 4 is arched or straightened by the sliding member 5 (See Qin, Fig. 2, Para. 0024, 0028).
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 4 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 209283298 U) as applied to claims 1-3, 7, 9, 13-16, and 18 above, and further in view of Jang (US 2020/0297103).
Regarding Claim 4, Qin is advanced above.
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for a buffer chamber.
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Figure 2. Annotated Figure 8 from Jang
However, Jang, Figures 7-9 and annotated Figure 2 above, teaches wherein the sliding member 320 is provided with a buffer chamber 323a, the buffer chamber 323a has an elastic side wall 324’ (“the protrusions 324 of the lower plate 323 may have an elasticity”; See Jang, Para. 0080), and the arc-shaped protrusion 324 is disposed on the elastic side wall 324’; and
when the arc-shaped protrusion 324 slides out of the arc-shaped groove 350a, the elastic side wall 324’ bends toward the buffer chamber 323a and undergoes elastic deformation (wall 324’ with protrusion 324 is elastic and becomes compressed toward central axis of 334 when moving between arc-shaped grooves 350a; See Jang, Para. 0080-0084).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Qin with a buffer chamber, as taught by Jang, for the purpose of increasing convenience when removing or replacing the sliding member (i.e., allowing the sliding member to be easily detached by a user due to the chamber configuration keeping the elastic parts fixed with the sliding member and shielded by cover 326) (See Jang, Para. 0016, 0081).
Regarding Claim 17, Qin is advanced above.
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for a buffer chamber.
However, Jang, Figures 7-9 and annotated Figure 2 above, teaches wherein the sliding member 320 is provided with a buffer chamber 323a having an elastic side wall 324’, the elastic side wall 324’ is configured as the elastic part (“the protrusions 324 of the lower plate 323 may have an elasticity”; See Jang, Para. 0080), and the arc-shaped protrusion 324 is disposed on the elastic side wall 324’; and when the arc-shaped protrusion 324 slides out of the arc-shaped groove 350a, the elastic side wall 324’ bends toward the buffer chamber 323a and undergoes elastic deformation (wall 324’ with protrusion 324 is elastic and becomes compressed toward central axis of 334 when moving between arc-shaped grooves 350a; See Jang, Para. 0080-0084).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Qin with a buffer chamber, as taught by Jang, for the purpose of increasing convenience when removing or replacing the sliding member (i.e., allowing the sliding member to be easily detached by a user due to the chamber configuration keeping the elastic parts fixed with the sliding member and shielded by cover 326) (See Jang, Para. 0016, 0081).
Claims 5-6 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 209283298 U) as applied to claims 1-3, 7, 9, 13-16, and 18 above, and further in view of Xiong (CN 221467784 U) and as evidenced by Yeo (US 10,610,004) and Zhong (CN 221929940 U).
Regarding Claim 5, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein a guiding through slot 11 is provided along the sliding direction of the sliding member 5 in the groove-shaped slide rail 12, and the first connector 100 comprises a head 101 and an insertion part 102, wherein the head 101 is attached to the outer surface 4c of the flexible strap 4, the insertion part 102 sequentially passes through the flexible strap 4 and the guiding through slot 11 (See Figure 1 above).
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for the insertion part being inserted into the sliding member and the insertion member being slidably connected to the guiding through slot.
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Figure 3. Annotated Figure 4 from Xiong
However, Xiong, Figures 1-7 and annotated Figure 3 above, teaches wherein the insertion part 14a sequentially passes through the flexible strap 2 and the guiding through slot 8, and the insertion part 14a is slidably connected to the guiding through slot 8 (See Xiong, Para. n0033).
Although Xiong does not explicitly teach the insertion part being inserted into the sliding member, Xiong discloses “connecting plate 14 is connected to the clamp 6” (See Xiong, Para. n0033), which suggests that the sliding member (clamp 6) can be connected to the insertion part 14a by conventional means such as by inserting the insertion part into the sliding member, which is further evidenced by Yeo (the insertion part 112 is inserted into the sliding member 113; See Yeo, Fig. 3, 5, and 9, Col. 6, Ln. 62-63) and Zhong (the insertion part 321 is inserted into the sliding member 31; See Zhong, Fig. 3-4, Para. n0033) and the connecting means is an obvious matter of design choice.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Qin, Xiong, Yeo, and Zhong to provide the insertion part being inserted into the sliding member and being slidably connected to the guiding through slot for the purpose of securing the strap to the sliding member and providing additional guiding features for the sliding member to maintain alignment within the strap stand.
Regarding Claim 6, Qin in view of Xiong are advanced above.
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Figure 4. Annotated Figure 2 from Qin
Qin, annotated Figures 1 and 4 above, teaches wherein the sliding member 5 is provided with a guiding protrusion 5a, the guiding protrusion 5a extends into the guiding through slot 11 and is slidably connected to the guiding through slot 11 (See Qin, Para. 0022).
Regarding Claim 19, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein a guiding through slot 11 is provided along the sliding direction of the sliding member 5 within the groove-shaped slide rail 12, and the first connector 100 comprises a head 101 and an insertion part 102, wherein the head 101 is attached to an outer surface 4c of the flexible strap 4, the insertion part 102 sequentially passes through the flexible strap 4 and the guiding through slot 11 (See Figure 1 above).
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for the insertion part being inserted into the sliding member and the insertion member being slidably connected to the guiding through slot.
However, Xiong, Figures 1-7 and annotated Figure 3 above, teaches wherein the insertion part 14a sequentially passes through the flexible strap 2 and the guiding through slot 8, and the insertion part 14a is slidably connected to the guiding through slot 8 (See Xiong, Para. n0033).
Although Xiong does not explicitly teach the insertion part being inserted into the sliding member, Xiong discloses “connecting plate 14 is connected to the clamp 6” (See Xiong, Para. n0033), which suggests that the sliding member (clamp 6) can be connected to the insertion part 14a by conventional means such as by inserting the insertion part into the sliding member, which is further evidenced by Yeo (the insertion part 112 is inserted into the sliding member 113; See Yeo, Fig. 3, 5, and 9, Col. 6, Ln. 62-63) and Zhong (the insertion part 321 is inserted into the sliding member 31; See Zhong, Fig. 3-4, Para. n0033) and the connecting means is an obvious matter of design choice.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Qin, Xiong, Yeo, and Zhong to provide the insertion part being inserted into the sliding member and being slidably connected to the guiding through slot for the purpose of securing the strap to the sliding member and providing an additional guiding feature for the sliding member to maintain alignment within the strap stand.
Regarding Claim 20, Qin in view of Xiong are advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the sliding member 5 is provided with a guiding protrusion 5a, the guiding protrusion 5a extends into the guiding through slot 11 and is slidably connected to the guiding through slot 11 (See Figures 1 and 4 above; See Qin, Para. 0022).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 209283298 U) as applied to claims 1-3, 7, 9, 13-16, and 18 above, and further in view of Chen (CN 117440077 A).
Regarding Claim 8, Qin is advanced above.
Qin further teaches wherein the plurality of the first positioning parts 3’ are uniformly disposed along the length direction of the groove-shaped slide rail 12 (See Qin, Fig. 9, Para. 0022).
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for wherein the sliding member and the groove-shaped slide rail are both made of metal.
However, Chen, Figures 1-7, teaches wherein the sliding member 23 and the groove-shaped slide rail 3 are both made of metal (See Chen, Para. n0036).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Qin with the sliding member and the slide rail being made of metal, as taught by Chen, for the purpose of increasing durability.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 209283298 U) as applied to claims 1-3, 7, 9, 13-16, and 18 above, and further in view of Yeo (US 10,610,004).
Regarding Claim 10, Qin is advanced above.
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for a magnet.
However, Yeo, Figures 1-14, teaches wherein a magnet 124 is embedded in the strip part 120, and the stand body 100 is attracted to a mobile electronic device 20 through the magnet 124 (See Yeo, Col. 5, Ln. 49-56).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Qin with a magnet, as taught by Yeo, for the purpose of increasing convenience when the stand is attached to or detached from the mobile electronic device (i.e., fixing the stand to the mobile device with magnets instead of using adhesive which can leave residue on the mobile device) (See Yeo, Col. 5, Ln. 49-56).
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 209283298 U) as applied to claims 1-3, 7, 9, 13-16, and 18 above, and further in view of Han (CN 219041828 U).
Regarding Claim 11, Qin is advanced above.
Qin teaches all the elements of the mobile electronic device strap stand except for an annular part.
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Figure 5. Annotated Figure 3 from Han
However, Han, Figures 1-8 and annotated Figure 5 above, teaches wherein the stand body 1 further comprises an annular part 4 connected to the strip part 5, the first end 2a of the flexible strap 2 is installed on the annular part 4 (See Han, Fig. 4 and 7, Para. n0037-n0039), and the sliding member 2c selectively slides towards the first end 2a or away from the first end 2a (See Han, Para. n0003, n0040).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Qin with an annular part, as taught by Han, for the purpose of increasing convenience when the stand is attached to or detached from the mobile electronic device (i.e., fixing the stand to the mobile device with magnets instead of using adhesive which can leave residue on the mobile device) (See Han, Para. n0003-n0004, n0028).
Regarding Claim 12, Qin in view of Han are advanced above.
Han further teaches wherein a magnet 3 is embedded inside the annular part 4, and the stand body 1 is attracted to the mobile electronic device through the magnet 3 (See Han, Para. n0028-n0031).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Qin with a magnet, as taught by Han, for the purpose of increasing convenience when the stand is attached to or detached from the mobile electronic device (i.e., fixing the stand to the mobile device with magnets instead of using adhesive which can leave residue on the mobile device) (See Han, Para. n0003-n0004, n0028).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIFFANY DOMONIQUE JEFFERSON whose telephone number is 571-272-0403. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10:30am-7:30pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Victoria Augustine can be reached at 313-446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T.D.J./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/Victoria P Augustine/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654
