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 § 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 3-8 and 13-20 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.
Claims 3, 13, 19, and 20 recites the limitation "the flat panel group" in claim 3 line 2, claim 13 line 1, claim 19 line 3, and claim 20 line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. Claims 4-8 and 14-18 are included due to their dependency on claim 3.
For the purpose of examination, phrase “flat panel group” is assumed to mean “plate group” as defined in claim 1 and claim 19.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Kim (US 20230269891 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches an electronic apparatus, comprising:
a first body (BD1 first body);
a connective structure (HGM hinge module),
wherein the connective structure includes a plate group (SPT support plates),
and the plate group includes four or more plates (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, AND SPT4, ¶158);
a second body (BD2 second body),
wherein the second body is connected to the first body through the connective structure (¶121);
and a deformable screen (DM display module),
wherein the deformable screen includes a first portion (NFA1 first non-folding area) fixed to the first body (¶119),
a second portion (NFA2 second non-folding area) fixed to the second body (¶119),
and a deformable portion (FA folding area) disposed between the first portion and the second portion (¶87),
wherein: when the first body and the second body are in a first apparatus posture through the connective structure (Fig 23A shows an opened state),
the plate group of the connective structure forms a flat surface for supporting the deformable portion in a first state (Fig 23A, ¶119-120);
when the first body and the second body are in a second apparatus posture through the connective structure (Fig 23C shows a closed state),
the plate group of the connective structure forms an accommodation space for accommodating and protecting the deformable portion in a second state (space in between BD1 and BD2, Fig 23C),
wherein the accommodation space includes a polygonal space formed by the four or more plates (Fig 23);
and the deformable portion changes between the first state and the second state (Fig 23A-23C) as the electronic apparatus changes between the first apparatus posture and the second apparatus posture (23A shows the opened state, 23B shows the movement of the two sides of the device as it closes, and 23C shows the device in a closed state).
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the four or more plates in the plate group (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, AND SPT4, ¶158)
are each in contact with the deformable portion (Fig 23C) in the second state (closed state shown in 23C).
Regarding claim 3 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the flat panel group (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, AND SPT4, ¶158) at least includes:
a first subgroup (combination of plates on the left side of the midline in Fig 23B),
at least including two first flat panels (SPT1 first support plate and SPT1’ first support plate) of the four or more plates (Fig 23B);
and a second subgroup (combination of plates on the right side of the midline in Fig 23B),
at least including two second plates (SPT4 fourth support plate and SPT3’ third support plate) of the four or more plates (Fig 23B), wherein:
a first plate of the two first flat panels is rotatably connected to a second plate
of the two second plates (SPT2 second support plate is rotatably connected to SPT3’ third support plate via SPT2 second support plate, Fig 23B).
Regarding claim 4 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:
when the plate group (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, AND SPT4, ¶158) forms the polygonal space (Fig 23B),
a rotational connection point between the first plate and the second plate (SPT3’ third support plate is rotatably connected to SPT3’ third support plate via SPT2 second support plate, Fig 23B) corresponds to a tangent point of an are surface of the deformable portion in the second state (each of the support plates shown in Fig 23B are tangent to the DM display module, Fig 23B).
Regarding claim 5 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein:
when the plate group forms the polygonal space (Fig 23B-C),
the first subgroup (combination of plates on the left side of the midline in Fig 23B) provides deformation force to make the deformable portion be in the second state (¶243),
and the second subgroup (combination of plates on the right side of the midline in Fig 23B) provides protection for the deformable portion in the second state (¶243 and 239).
Regarding claim 6 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the connective structure (HGM hinge module) further includes
a control component (HIG1 first hinge), wherein:
the control component provides abutment force to change a relative position relationship between the second plate of the second subgroup and the first plate of the first subgroup (HIG1 first hinge is comprised of gear and cam structure made up of gears GR1 and GR2 and cams CAM1 and CAM2 which drives movement of the device from an open to a closed state, Fig 19, 22A-C),
when the electronic apparatus changes between the first apparatus posture and the second apparatus posture (HIG1 first hinge provides rotation about rotational axes RX1 and RX2, ¶135, Fig 23B shows rotation midway between the open state 23A and closed state 23C).
Regarding claim 7 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 6,
the control component (HIG1 first hinge ) includes two inclined surfaces that are opposite to each other, wherein:
in a process of the electronic apparatus switching (Fig 22B) from the first apparatus posture (Fig 22A) to the second apparatus posture (Fig 22C),
the second plate of the second subgroup (SPT3’ third support plate) and the first subgroup (SPT3 third support plate), in a first relative position relationship,
are moved to a position with an angle consistent with an inclined surface of the two inclined surfaces (Fig 23B);
and the inclined surface provides abutment force for the second plate of the second subgroup to change the first relative position relationship with respect to the first plate of the first subgroup (¶243 and 239),
until the second plate of the second subgroup is in a second relative position relationship with respect to the first subgroup (HIG1 first hinge is comprised of gear and cam structure made up of gears GR1 and GR2 and cams CAM1 and CAM2 which drives movement of the device from an open to a closed state, Fig 19, 22A-C).
Regarding claim 8 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the connective structure (HGM hinge module) further includes:
a torsion structure (TQC torque controller);
a connection component group (combination of parts, shown in Fig 22C),
including a first connection component (H hole end of BCM1 bracket cam) fixedly connected to the first body (BD1 first body, Fig 22C), and a second connection component (H hole end of BCM2 bracket cam) fixedly connected to the second body (BD2 second body);
a transmission component group (BCM1 bracket cam and BCM2 bracket cam),
movably connected with the connection component group and the torsion structure (Fig 22A-C, ¶166-168);
and a movement component group (BBD1 and BBD2 bracket bodies) ,
fixedly connected to the first subgroup (¶186), and movably connected to the connection component group (¶Fig 14).
Regarding claim 9, Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
when the deformable portion (FA folding area) of the deformable screen (DM display module) is a planar structure,
the deformable portion is in the first state (Fig 23A);
and when the deformable portion of the deformable screen is a waterdrop-shaped structure (Fig 23C),
the deformable portion is in the second state (Fig 23C).
Regarding claim 10, Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
when the first body (BD1 first body) and the second body (BD2 second body) are in the first apparatus posture through the connective structure (Fig 23A shows an opened state),
a side of the first body facing the deformable screen (DM display module),
the flat surface formed by the plate group of the connective structure, and a side of the second body facing the deformable screen are in a same plane (Fig 23C).
Regarding claim 11, Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
a part of the four or more plates (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, AND SPT4, ¶158) is in contact with the deformable portion in the second state (Fig 23C shows the FA folding area of the DM display module in contact with SPT2),
and another part of the four or more plates has a spacing from the deformable portion in the second state (Fig 23C shows a gap where the SPT2 and SPT3 connect and are not in contact with the FA folding area of the DM display module).
Regarding claim 12, Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the plate group includes four plates (SPT1, and SPT3),
including two first plates (SPT1 first support plates) and two second plates (SPT2 second support plates);
and the two first plates are symmetrically disposed on two sides of a center line of the deformable portion (SPT1 are symmetrical along DR3, ¶160),
and the two second plates are symmetrically disposed on two sides of the center line of the deformable portion (SPT2 are symmetrical along DR3, ¶160).
Regarding claim 13 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the flat panel group further includes an elastic connection piece (RTS 1 first rotation surface and RTS2 second rotation surface), wherein:
the elastic connection piece is located on a side of the first plate (¶128) and the second plate facing away from the deformable portion (Fig 18);
and the first plate and the second plate located on a same side of a center line of the deformable portion are connected through the elastic connection piece (¶120, 128).
Regarding claim 14 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the plate group further includes a connection shaft (shaft portion of GR1 gear 1), wherein:
the first plate and the second plate on a same side of a center line of the deformable portion (Fig 22A) are rotatably connected through the connection shaft (Fig 22A-C shows the rotation of SPT plates about the GR1 gear shaft portion).
Regarding claim 15 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:
a groove (GG guide grooves) is formed on a side of the control component (BBD1 and BBD2 first and second bracket bodies) facing the deformable screen (Fig 14),
wherein a sidewall of the groove is the inclined surface (Fig 14, ¶189).
Regarding claim 16 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:
the connective structure (HGM hinge module) includes two movement component groups of the movement component group (BBD1 and BBD2 bracket bodies),
and the two movement component groups are symmetrically disposed on two sides of a center line of the deformable portion (Fig 14, symmetric along the DR1 axis);
and one movement component group of the two movement component groups is movably connected to the first connection component of the connection component group (connected to the H hole end of BCM1 bracket cam),
and another movement component group of the two movement component groups is movably connected to the second connection component of the connection component group (H hole end of BCM2 bracket cam).
Regarding claim 17 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:
the connective structure includes two transmission component groups of the transmission component group (BCM1 bracket cam and BCM2 bracket cam),
and the two movement component groups are symmetrically disposed on two sides of a center line of the deformable portion (Fig 14, symmetrical along the DR1 axis);
and one transmission component group of the two transmission component groups is movably connected to the first connection component of the connection component group (connected to the BCM1 bracket cam, Fig 14),
and another transmission component group of the two transmission component groups is movably connected to the second connection component of the connection component group (connected to the BCM2 bracket cam, Fig 14).
Regarding claim 18 (as best understood), Kim teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:
the two transmission component groups (BCM1 bracket cam and BCM2 bracket cam) are connected through an intermediate connection component (connected via RPN1 and RPN2 rotation Pin which are in turn connected to FM1 first frame, Fig 14m ¶166).
Regarding claim 19 (as best understood), Kim teaches the connective structure, comprising
a plate group (SPT support plates), wherein:
the plate group includes four or more plates (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, SPT4, SPT1’, ¶158);
the flat panel group is capable of switching between a first posture and a second posture;
when the flat panel group is in the first posture (opened state shown in Fig 23A),
the flat panel group forms a flat surface capable of supporting a screen in a first state (Fig 23A, ¶119-120);
when the flat panel group is in the second posture (closed state shown in Fig 23C),
the flat panel group forms an accommodation space for accommodating and protecting the screen in a second state (space in between BD1 and BD2, Fig 23C),
and the accommodation space includes a polygonal space formed by the four or more flat panels (Fig 23A);
and the screen switches between the first state and the second state (Fig 23A to 23C as the flat panel group switches between the first posture and the second posture (23A shows the opened state, 23B shows the movement of the two sides of the device as it closes, and 23C shows the device in a closed state).
Regarding claim 20 (as best understood), Kim teaches the connective structure according to claim 9,
wherein the flat panel group (SPT1, SPT2, SPT3, AND SPT4, ¶158) at least includes:
a first subgroup (combination of plates on the left side of the midline in Fig 23B),
at least including two first flat panels (SPT1 first support plate and SPT1’ first support plate) of the four or more plates (Fig 23B);
and a second subgroup (combination of plates on the right side of the midline in Fig 23B),
at least including two second plates (SPT4 fourth support plate and SPT3’ third support plate) of the four or more plates (Fig 23B), wherein:
a first plate of the two first flat panels is rotatably connected to a second plate of the two second plates (SPT2 second support plate is rotatably connected to SPT3’ third support plate via SPT2 second support plate, Fig 23B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Morino (US 11758672 B2) and Yun (US 11729932 B2) both teach foldable display devices with a teardrop shaped display in their folded states.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELISA SASSERATH whose telephone number is (703)756-5847. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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 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.
/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/E.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights