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
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) 1-4 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liao US 11846997.
PNG
media_image1.png
836
882
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 1, Liao US 11846997 discloses a foldable electronic device, comprising:
a first housing (20 in Fig. 1);
a second housing (30 in Fig. 1);
a hinge module (10 in Fig. 1) coupled to the first housing (20) and the second housing (30), such that the first housing (20) and the second housing (30) are capable of rotating about a folding axis (axis of 10 as depicted in Fig. 1-3); and
a flexible display (40 in Fig. 1),
wherein the hinge module (10) comprises:
a first rotating member (12a in Fig. 5 and 15-17a) connected to the first housing (20);
a second rotating member (12b in Fig. 5 and 15-17a) connected to the second housing (30);
a first arm member (14a in Fig. 14) comprising a first cam structure (14ac in annotated Fig. 14) formed at one end of the first arm member (14a) and a first protrusion (14ap in annotated Fig. 14) formed at another end of the first arm member (14a);
a second arm member (14b in annotated Fig. 14) comprising a second cam structure (14bc in annotated Fig. 14) formed at one end of the second arm member (14b) and a second protrusion (14bp in annotated Fig. 14) formed at another end of the second arm member (14b);
a third arm member (other 14a of 12b not numbered, shown in Fig.15 and in annotated Fig. 14) comprising a third cam structure (other 14ac in annotated Fig. 14) formed at one end of the third arm member (other 14a) and a third protrusion (other 14ap in annotated Fig. 14) formed at another end of the third arm member (other 14a);
a fourth arm member (other 14b of 12b not numbered, shown in Fig.15 and in annotated Fig. 14) comprising a fourth cam structure (other 14bc in annotated Fig. 14) formed at one end of the fourth arm member (other 14b) and a fourth protrusion (other 14bp in annotated Fig. 14) formed at another end of the fourth arm member (other 14b);
a first guide member (13a in annotated Fig. 14) connected to the first rotating member (12a) and comprising a first rail (13ar1 in annotated Fig. 14) formed on a first surface to receive the first protrusion (14ap) of the first arm member (14a) and a second rail (13ar2) formed on a second surface to receive the second protrusion (14bp) of the second arm member (14b as depicted in Fig. 13); and
a second guide member (13b in annotated Fig. 14 and in Fig. 15) connected to the second rotating member (12b) and comprising a third rail (other 13ar1 in annotated Fig. 14) formed on a third surface to receive the third protrusion (other 14ap) of the third arm member (other 14a) and a fourth rail (other 13ar2 in annotated Fig. 14) formed on a fourth surface to receive the fourth protrusion (other 14bp) of the fourth arm member (other 14b as depicted in Fig. 13 and 15).
Regarding claim 2, Liao discloses the foldable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:
in response to a relative motion of the first housing (20) with respect to the second housing (30),
the first protrusion (14ap) of the first arm member (14a) is configured to move along a first movement path on the first rail (13ar1), and
the third protrusion (other 14ap) of the third arm member (other 14a) is configured to move along a third movement path, which is symmetrical with the first movement path with respect to the folding axis, on the third rail (other 13ar1), and
in response to the relative motion of the first housing (20) with respect to the second housing (30), the second protrusion (14bp) of the second arm member (14b) is configured to move along a second movement path on the second rail (13ar2), and the fourth protrusion (other 14bp) of the fourth arm member (other 14b) is configured to move along a fourth movement path, which is symmetrical with the first movement path with respect to the folding axis, on the fourth rail (other 13ar2).
Regarding claim 3, Liao discloses the foldable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first elastic member (183) disposed between the first arm member (14a) and the second arm member (14b) to elastically connect the first arm member (14a) and the second arm member (14b); and
a second elastic member (other 183) disposed between the third arm member (other 14a) and the fourth arm member (other 14b) to elastically connect the third arm member (other 14a) and the fourth arm member (other 14b).
Regarding claim 4, Liao discloses the foldable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
a gear member (gear of 14a/gear of 14b in annotated Fig. 14);
a first shaft (shaft of gear of 14a in annotate Fig. 14) configured to form a first interlocking axis (axis of 14a in annotate Fig. 14);
a second shaft (shaft of gear of 14b in annotate Fig. 14) configured to form a second interlocking axis (axis of 14b in annotate Fig. 14);
a first gear (gear of 14a in annotate Fig. 14) positioned on the first interlocking axis (axis of 14a); and
a second gear (gear of 14b in annotate Fig. 14) positioned on the second interlocking axis (axis of 14b).
Regarding claim 20, Liao discloses a hinge module, comprising:
a rotating member (12a in Fig. 5 and 14) connected to a housing (20 in Fig. 2) of a foldable electronic device (of Fig. 5 and 14);
a first arm member (14a in Fig. 14) comprising a first cam structure (14ac in annotated Fig. 14) formed at one end of the first arm member (14a) and a first protrusion (14ap in annotated Fig. 14) formed at another end of the first arm member (14a);
a second arm member (14b in annotated Fig. 14) comprising a second cam structure (14bc in annotated Fig. 14) formed at one end of the second arm member (14b) and a second protrusion (14bp in annotated Fig. 14) formed at another end of the second arm member (14b); and
a guide member (13a in annotated Fig. 14) connected to the rotating member (12a) and comprising a first rail (13ar1 in annotated Fig. 14) formed on a first surface to receive the first protrusion (14ap) of the first arm member (14a) and a second rail (13ar2) formed on a second surface to receive the second protrusion (14bp) of the second arm member (14b as depicted in Fig. 13).
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) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Liang CN 114135567A.
Regarding claim 5, Liao discloses the foldable electronic device of claim 4.
Liao does not explicitly disclose an interlocking gear configured to interlock the first gear and the second gear,
wherein the interlocking gear comprises a third gear forming a first rotational axis for rotating the first housing and
a fourth gear configured to be engaged with the third gear and forming a second rotational axis for rotating the second housing.
However, Liang CN 114135567A discloses an interlocking gear (278) configured to interlock a first gear (2771) and a second gear (2772),
wherein the interlocking gear (278) comprises a third gear (278) forming a first rotational axis (axis of 2795) for rotating a first housing (21) and
a fourth gear (other 278) configured to be engaged with the third gear (278) and forming a second rotational axis (other axis 2795) for rotating a second housing (other 21).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an interlocking gear configured to interlock the first gear and the second gear,
wherein the interlocking gear comprises a third gear forming a first rotational axis for rotating the first housing and
a fourth gear configured to be engaged with the third gear and forming a second rotational axis for rotating the second housing, as taught by Liang, in order to drive the first and second gears to synchronously rotate.
Regarding claim 6, Liao in view of Liang discloses the foldable electronic device of claim 5, further comprising a fixing bracket (111 in Fig. 5 of Liao) on which the first rotating member (12a of Liao) and the second rotating member (12b of Liao) are coupled to be rotatable about the first rotational axis (axis of 12a of Liao) and the second rotational axis (axis of 12b of Liao), respectively.
Regarding claim 7, Liao in view of Liang foldable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the fixing bracket comprises a first guide rail (guide rail of 111 in Fig. 5 of Liao) guiding the first rotating member (12a of Liao) to be rotatable with respect to the first rotational axis (axis of 12a of Liao) and a second guide rail (other guide rail of 111 in Fig. 5 in Liao) guiding the second rotating member (12b of Liao) to be rotatable with respect to the second rotational axis (axis of 12b of Liao).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-19 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 8, 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 guide member comprises a first vertical plate comprising the first surface and the second surface and
a first horizontal plate comprising a first base surface perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, and
the second guide member comprises a second vertical plate comprising the third surface and the fourth surface and a second horizontal plate comprising a second base surface perpendicular to the third surface and the fourth surface”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 9-13 depending from claim 8 would therefore also be allowable.
Regarding claim 14, 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 when the first arm member is coupled to the second arm member, the first cam structure of the first arm member is configured to receive the second cam structure of the second arm member therein”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
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 claim 1, a combination of limitations that “further comprising a fixing cam member comprising a fifth cam structure configured to be engaged with the first cam structure and the second cam structure, wherein: a position of the hinge module is fixed at a flex section as long as no external force acts when the first cam structure and the second cam structure are engaged with the fifth cam structure, and the flex section is configured to be variable based on a relative motion of the first housing with respect to the second housing”.
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 1, a combination of limitations that “wherein: the first housing is movable with respect to the second housing in each of:
a first flex section associated with opening the foldable electronic device,
a second flex section associated with closing the foldable electronic device, and
one or more non-flex sections associated with opening or closing the foldable electronic device; and
a first torque associated with the first flex section is different from a second torque associated with the second flex section”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 17 depending from claim 16 would therefore also be allowable.
Regarding claim 18, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in the claim, a combination of limitations that “a first arm member comprising a first cam structure;
a second arm member comprising a second cam structure; and
a fixing cam member comprising a fixing cam structure which is configured to couple the first cam structure and the second cam structure,
wherein the foldable electronic device is capable of changing between a folded state and an unfolded state depending on the angle between the first housing and the second housing,
wherein the hinge module causes a position of the first cam structure relative to the second cam structure to move farther apart when the foldable electronic device changes from the unfolded state to the folded state, and
wherein the hinge module causes the position of the first cam structure relative to the second cam structure to move closer together when the foldable electronic device changes from the folded state to the unfolded state, in order to engage with fixing cam structure”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claim 19 depending from claim 18 is therefore allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu US 20220261040 Fig. 20a-26; Quynh US 20220120124 Fig. 5; Kim US 20220011827 Fig. 3-10; Cheng US 20230384839 Fig. 7-8 disclose hinge structures with rails and gears
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHRISTOPHER L AUGUSTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/JAMES WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights