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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi KR 20210010137A.
Regarding claim 1, Choi KR 20210010137A discloses an arrangement for an electronic assembly, the arrangement comprising:
a housing (12 in Fig. 4b); and
a holder (11 in Fig. 4b), to which an electronic circuit (circuit of 21 in Fig. 4b) is mounted,
wherein at least a portion of the housing (12) is molded onto the holder (11), and
wherein the holder (11) has an outer contour which is wholly or partially complementary to an inner contour of the housing (11 as depicted in Fig. 4b).
Regarding claim 2, Choi discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the holder (11) is a die-cast aluminum part, a bent sheet metal part, or a deep-drawn sheet metal part (see pg. 2 paragraph 10 and 11).
Regarding claim 3, Choi discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the holder (11) has mounting structures (grooves not numbered holding 21 in Fig. 4b) for the electronic circuit (circuit of 21).
Regarding claim 4, Choi discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the holder (11) forms an electromagnetic shield (inherent property of 11 as it is metal including aluminum alloy see pg. 2 paragraph 11) for further components of the electronic circuit (circuit of 21).
Regarding claim 5, Choi discloses an electronic assembly comprising the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit (circuit of 21) is arranged in the housing (12) and on and in the holder (11).
Regarding claim 6, Choi discloses the electronic assembly of claim 5, wherein the electronic assembly has a circuit board (21) on which the electronic circuit (circuit of 21) is arranged.
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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi KR 20210010137A as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 10, Choi discloses (a structure that would follow steps of) a method of producing the arrangement of claim 1, comprising:
providing the holder (11) with the outer contour; and
(surface treating) the holder (11) with a plastic (12), so that the inner contour is formed during (surface treating),
wherein the housing (12) of the arrangement of claim 1 is at least partially formed by the (surface treating).
Choi does not explicitly disclose overmolding.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the known technique of overmolding to produce the structure of Choi, since applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
Further, the applicant is advised that patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966.
Claim(s) 1, 5 and 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Honda JP2012177665A in view of Choi KR 20210010137A.
Regarding claim 1, Honda JP2012177665A discloses an arrangement for an electronic assembly (100 in Fig. 7), the arrangement comprising:
a housing (7 in Fig. 4); and
to which an electronic circuit (circuit of 6 in Fig. 4) is mounted.
Honda does not explicitly disclose a holder, to which the electronic circuit is mounted,
wherein at least a portion of the housing is molded onto the holder, and
wherein the holder has an outer contour which is wholly or partially complementary to an inner contour of the housing.
However, Choi discloses a holder (11 in Fig. 4b), to which an electronic circuit (circuit of 21 in Fig. 4b) is mounted,
wherein at least a portion of the housing (12) is molded onto the holder (11), and
wherein the holder (11) has an outer contour which is wholly or partially complementary to an inner contour of the housing (11 as depicted in Fig. 4b).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the electronic assembly of include a holder, to which the electronic circuit is mounted,
wherein at least a portion of the housing is molded onto the holder, and
wherein the holder has an outer contour which is wholly or partially complementary to an inner contour of the housing, as taught by Choi, in order to prevent electrostatic damage.
Regarding claim 5, Honda in view of Choi discloses the electronic assembly comprising the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit (circuit of 6 of Honda) is arranged in the housing (7 of Honda) and on and in the holder (106 of Choi).
Regarding claim 7, Honda in view of Choi discloses the electronic assembly of claim 5, wherein the electronic assembly (100 of Honda) is a radar sensor.
Regarding claim 8, Honda in view of Choi discloses the radar sensor of claim 7, wherein the housing (7 of Honda) of the radar sensor has a radome (1 of Honda) as a housing cover (1 of Honda).
Regarding claim 9, Honda in view of Choi discloses the radar sensor of claim 7, wherein the radar sensor has a waveguide antenna (10 in Fig. 4 of Honda).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
De CN105409056B anticipates claims 1, 5 and 7-8.
Ottenhues US 20160033621 Fig. 1 discloses a radar housing with a holder.
Takayuki US 20170280574 Fig. 1 and 5; Kawai US 20180255667 Fig. 6; Fujimasa US 20220304169 Fig. 1-3 discloses an electronic apparatus with a housing and holder having an outer contour which is wholly or partially complementary to an inner contour of the housing.
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.
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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.
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/CHRISTOPHER L AUGUSTIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/JAMES WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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