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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0037] recites “the movable member 20 is provided with a second guiding member 22; in this embodiment, the second guiding member 20 is a guiding groove”. It should read: the movable member 20 is provided with a second guiding member 22; in this embodiment, the second guiding member 22 is a guiding groove.
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)(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 1-4 and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Silvanto et al. (US 20230251693 A1, and Silvanto hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 1, Silvanto discloses a retractable connection device adapted to be assembled with an electronic device,
wherein the retractable connection device comprises:
a substrate (516, fig. 5C);
a movable member on the substrate (portion of 502 that is shown without hatching in fig. 5C. See annotated figure I below), wherein the movable member is selectively slidable with respect to the substrate along a moving direction (502, fig. 5C in view of fig. 3A and “retention rib 307 includes a low friction material … that allows cover 322 to slide freely along retention rib 307”);
a flexible sheet (portion of 502 that is shown as hatched in fig. 5C. See annotated figure I below) having a first side (annotated figure I below) and a second side opposite to the first side (annotated figure I below), wherein the first side is fixed to the movable member (fig. 5C);
a device connection member connected to the second side of the flexible sheet (507 and 509, fig. 5C); and
a plurality of elastic members (514, fig. 5C in view of fig. 5E showing a plurality of instance of 502) between the movable member and the substrate and spaced apart from each other (fig. 5C), wherein each of the elastic members generates an elastic pulling force toward the substrate for the movable member (“Coil spring 514 can be coupled to second housing 516 such that when cover 502 is bent over curved surface 506 of mandrel 508, a return force is exerted on cover 502”, [0097]).
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Regarding Claim 2, Silvanto discloses the retractable connection device according to claim 1, wherein each of the elastic members has a first end (fig. 5C, right end of 514) and a second end (fig. 5C, left end of 514), the first end is connected to the substrate, and the second end is connected to the movable member (fig. 5C and annotated figure I above).
Regarding Claim 3, Silvanto discloses the retractable connection device according to claim 2, wherein each of the elastic members is a tension spring (fig. 5C; “(“Coil spring 514 can be coupled to second housing 516 such that when cover 502 is bent over curved surface 506 of mandrel 508, a return force is exerted on cover 502”, [0097]), the first end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the substrate, and the second end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the movable member (fig. 5C. See also rejection of claims 1 and 2 above).
Regarding Claim 4, Silvanto discloses the retractable connection device according to claim 3, wherein each of the elastic members has an extension direction, and the extension direction is identical to the moving direction (fig. 5C).
Regarding Claim 10, Silvanto discloses an input apparatus adapted to be assembled with an electronic device, wherein the input apparatus comprises a retractable connection device according to claim 1 (see rejection of Claim 1 above); and
an input unit (116, fig. 1) connected to the substrate of the retractable connection device (figs. 1 and 5C).
Regarding Claim 11, Silvanto discloses the input apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the elastic members has a first end (fig. 5C, right end of 514) and a second end (fig. 5C, left end of 514), the first end is connected to the substrate, and the second end is connected to the movable member (fig. 5C and annotated figure I above).
Regarding Claim 12, Silvanto discloses the input apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the elastic members is a tension spring (fig. 5C; “(“Coil spring 514 can be coupled to second housing 516 such that when cover 502 is bent over curved surface 506 of mandrel 508, a return force is exerted on cover 502”, [0097]), the first end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the substrate, and the second end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the movable member (fig. 5C. See also rejection of claims 1 and 2 above).
Regarding Claim 13, Silvanto discloses the input apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein each of the elastic members has an extension direction, and the extension direction is identical to the moving direction (fig. 5C).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Silvanto in view of Choi (US 20130058048 A1, and Choi hereinafter).
Regarding claim 19, Silvanto discloses the input apparatus according to claim 10 but does not explicitly disclose the device connection member of the retractable connection device has an electrical connector, and the electrical connector is electrically connected to the input unit.
Choi discloses a device connection member (2, fig. 11) has an electrical connector (92, fig. 11), and the electrical connector is electrically connected to an input unit (4, fig. 11; [0050]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Silvanto to incorporate the teachings of Choi so that the device connection member of the retractable connection device has an electrical connector, and the electrical connector is electrically connected to the input unit, in order to provide integration and synchronization between the input and display parts for an enhanced user experience (see also [0006] of Choi).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9 and 14-18 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 Claims 5 and 14, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “the movable member has a plurality of slide grooves, the first end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the substrate, and the second end of each of the elastic members is slidably connected to a corresponding one of the slide grooves of the movable member”. Silvanto (US 20230251693 A1), Choi (US 20130058048 A1), Miyamoto (US 12632084 B2), Yang (US 6781819 B2), Yasuda (US 20060279942 A1), and Wu (US 20100271771 A1) are cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a substrate, a movable member, elastic members and/or slide grooves. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For instance, Silvanto discloses a retractable apparatus comprising a substrate (516, fig. 5C); a movable member movable member slidable with respect to the substrate along a moving direction (502, fig. 5C; [0081]); a flexible sheet; a plurality of elastic members (514, fig. 5C); wherein each of the elastic members is a torsion spring (“any suitable mechanism … For example, one or more extension spring, torsion spring”, [0103]). Silvanto lacks the movable member has a plurality of slide grooves, the first end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the substrate, and the second end of each of the elastic members is slidably connected to a corresponding one of the slide grooves of the movable member. Choi discloses a movable member (6, fig. 6) and a plurality of slide grooves (23, fig. 5); however slide grooves are not part of the movable member.
Regarding Claims 6 and 15, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “the substrate is provided with a first guiding member, the movable member is provided with a second guiding member, the first guiding member and the second guiding member extend along the moving direction, and the second guiding member is slidably connected to the first guiding member”. Silvanto (US 20230251693 A1), Ito (US 5177672 A), Shimoda (US 20040171411 A1), Choi (US 20130058048 A1), Yang (US 6781819 B2), and Chen (US 10398228 B2) are cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a substrate, a movable member, elastic members and/or slide grooves. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For instance, Silvanto discloses a retractable apparatus comprising, inter alia, a substrate (516, fig. 5C) and a movable member movable member slidable with respect to the substrate along a moving direction (502, fig. 5C; [0081]); and a guiding member (508, [0051]). Silvanto lacks the movable member is provided with a second guiding member, the first guiding member and the second guiding member extend along the moving direction, and the second guiding member is slidably connected to the first guiding member. Choi discloses a movable a guiding member (23, fig. 5) but said guide member is not part of a movable member or a substrate as claimed, therefore, it does not cure the deficiencies indicated above.
Regarding claims 7 and 16, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “the first limiting groove is adjacent to the first plate side, the first limiting groove has a first side surface and a second side surface, and the first side surface is nearer to the first plate side as compared with the second side surface; the movable member has a first limiting plate, the first limiting plate is in the first limiting groove, the first limiting plate has a firs side edge and a second side edge, the first side edge is nearer the first plate side as compared with the second side edge, and a distance between the first side edge and the first side surface is less than a distance between the second side edge and the second side surface”. Silvanto (US 20230251693 A1), Mori (US 20230376080 A1), Hong (US 20210307186 A1 ), Ye (US 20240281025 A1), Miyamoto (US 12632084 B2), and Wang (US 20210124390 A1) are cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a substrate, a movable member, a groove, a plate, and/or side edges. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For instance, Silvanto discloses a retractable apparatus comprising the main features of claim 1 (see above), including, inter alia, a substrate; a movable member movable member slidable with respect to the substrate along a moving direction; a flexible sheet; a plurality of elastic members. Silvanto lacks the first limiting groove is adjacent to the first plate side, the first limiting groove has a first side surface and a second side surface, and the first side surface is nearer to the first plate side as compared with the second side surface; the movable member has a first limiting plate, the first limiting plate is in the first limiting groove, the first limiting plate has a firs side edge and a second side edge, the first side edge is nearer the first plate side as compared with the second side edge, and a distance between the first side edge and the first side surface is less than a distance between the second side edge and the second side surface. Mori discloses a connector comprising a plurality of plates (72a and 72b, fig. 8A) including a first plate side and a second plate side opposite to the first plate side (fig. 8A), and a plurality of limiting grooves (60a and 88a, figs. 10-11); however, the structural arrangement of Mori is such that it does not allow for a direct implementation of said features into the apparatus disclosed by Silvanto, at least as an obvious modification. For instance, the limiting grooves are part of separate elements and the first limiting plate is not in the first limiting groove.
Regarding claims 8 and 17, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “a plurality of swing bars, wherein each of the swing bars has a pivot end and a slide end, the pivot end is pivotally connected to the substrate, the slide end is slidably connected to the movable member, a first end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the substrate, and a second end of each of the elastic members is fixed between the pivot end and the slide end of a corresponding one of the swing bars”. Silvanto (US 20230251693 A1), Jin (US 12575045 B2), Vroom (US 20230182011 A1), Pao (US 6208506 B1), and Lee (US 20060262496 A1) are cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a substrate, a movable member, elastic members, and/or swing bars. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For instance, Silvanto discloses a retractable apparatus comprising the main features of claim 1 (see above), including, inter alia, a substrate; a movable member movable member slidable with respect to the substrate along a moving direction; a flexible sheet; a plurality of elastic members. Silvanto lacks a plurality of swing bars, wherein each of the swing bars has a pivot end and a slide end, the pivot end is pivotally connected to the substrate, the slide end is slidably connected to the movable member, a first end of each of the elastic members is fixed to the substrate, and a second end of each of the elastic members is fixed between the pivot end and the slide end of a corresponding one of the swing bars. Jin discloses a plurality of slidable swing bars (SGB1 and SGB2, figs. 22B-22C), wherein each of the swing bars has a pivot end (OP4 and OP6, figs. 22B-22C) and a slide end (ends opposite to OP4 and OP6 respectively); and elastic members; however, the structural arrangement of Jin is such that it does not allow for a direct implementation of said features, at least as an obvious modification, into the apparatus disclosed by Silvanto. Therefore, Jin does not cure the deficiencies indicated above.
Regarding claims 9 and 18, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “a rollable member, wherein the rollable member is rotatably connected to the movable member, and an outer periphery of the rollable member contacts a surface of the substrate”. Silvanto (US 20230251693 A1), Miyamoto (US 12632084 B2), Jin (US 12575045 B2), Mori (US 20230376080 A1), Brocklesby (US 20200249726 A1), Manuel (US 20180049336 A1), and Ahn (US 20120099267 A1) are cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a substrate, a movable member, elastic members, and/or a rollable member. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For instance, Silvanto discloses a retractable apparatus comprising the main features of claim 1 (see above), including, inter alia, a substrate; a movable member movable member slidable with respect to the substrate along a moving direction; a flexible sheet; and a plurality of elastic members. Silvanto lacks a rollable member, wherein the rollable member is rotatably connected to the movable member, and an outer periphery of the rollable member contacts a surface of the substrate. Miyamoto discloses a rollable member (46, fig. 2) rotatably connected to a movable member (34, fig. 2B). However, Miyamoto lacks an outer periphery of the rollable member contacts a surface of the substrate. Therefore, Miyamoto does not cure the deficiencies indicated above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin A Asmat-Uceda whose telephone number is (571)270-7198. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 5 PM.
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/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/MARTIN ANTONIO ASMAT UCEDA/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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