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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1 and 3-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang (CN-217690015U).
(It should be noted that all relevant portions of the Huang reference are cited with respect to the accompanying English Language Translation of CN-217690015U).
As pertaining to Claim 1, Huang discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5) a touch panel assembly, comprising (see “In the drawings” at Page 3):
a touch panel module (1), including a lever member (4) and a circuit board (2), wherein the lever member (4) is adhered to the circuit board (2), the circuit board (2) includes a triggering element (13), and when the touch panel module (1) is pressed, the lever member (4) is in contact with the triggering element (13);
touch panel base (5), having a mounting hole (i.e., a limiting hole; see Fig. 3), wherein the touch panel module (1) is arranged on the touch panel base (5); and
an abutting structure (6), corresponding to the mounting hole (i.e., the limiting hole; again, see Fig. 3), disposed in the touch panel base (5) and abutting against a protruding end of the lever member (4) to provide support (again, see Fig. 3), wherein the abutting structure (6) is detachable and optionally mounted at a plurality of different positions (i.e., via (11)) of the touch panel base (5);
wherein, the mounting hole (i.e., the limiting hole) includes a plurality of accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12); see Fig. 3), the plurality of accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12)) are arranged along an extension direction (i.e., a vertical direction) of the protruding end (i.e., the protruding end of (4); see Fig. 3), and the abutting structure (6) is adapted to be fixed (i.e., via (11)) within each of the accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12));
wherein, corresponding to the abutting structure (6) being fixed within the different accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12)), the abutting structure (6) abuts on different portions of the protruding end of the lever member (4), so that different pressing hand-feelings are provided when the lever member (4) is in contact with the triggering element (13; see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the first full Paragraph on Page 4; and see the last two full Paragraphs on Page 4).
As pertaining to Claim 3, Huang discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5) that the abutting structure (6) includes a top portion (i.e., any arbitrarily defined top portion of (6)), a middle portion (i.e., any arbitrarily defined middle portion of (6)) and a bottom portion (i.e., any arbitrarily defined bottom portion of (6)), the middle portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined middle portion of (6)) is connected between the top portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined top portion of (6)) and the bottom portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined bottom portion of (6); see Fig. 3), the top portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined top portion of (6)) is adapted to abut against the lever member (4), when the bottom portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined bottom portion of (6)) passes through the mounting hole (i.e., the mounting hole in (5); see Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) and rotates (i.e., screws), the middle (i.e., the arbitrarily defined middle portion of (6)) portion is adapted to be engaged with one of the accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12)) and the top portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined top portion of (6)) is exposed on the mounting hole (see Fig. 3; and again, see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the first full Paragraph on Page 4).
As pertaining to Claim 4, Huang discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5) that in a transverse direction (see Fig. 3), a width of the top portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined top portion of (6)) is greater (i.e., arbitrarily) than a width of the bottom portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined bottom portion of (6)), and the width of the bottom portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined bottom portion of (6)) is greater (i.e., arbitrarily) than a width of the middle portion (i.e., the arbitrarily defined middle portion of (6); again, see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the first full Paragraph on Page 4; and note that none of the claimed “portions” have been defined to correspond to anything other than arbitrarily designated “portions”).
As pertaining to Claim 5, Huang discloses (see Fig. 3) that the touch panel module (1) includes a supporting strip (see the strip of (5) under the top of (6) in Fig. 3), the supporting strip (i.e., the strip of (5) under the top of (6) in Fig. 3) is adhered to the circuit board (2), the touch panel base (5) has a base fixing hole (see Fig. 3 at the portion corresponding to (6)), and the supporting strip (i.e., the strip of (5) under the top of (6) in Fig. 3) has a protrusion structure (i.e., see the structure of (5) protruding under (6) in Fig. 3) corresponding to the base fixing hole (again, see Fig. 3 at the portion corresponding to (6)), when the touch panel module (1) is arranged on the touch panel base (5), the protrusion structure (i.e., see the structure of (5) protruding under (6) in Fig. 3) is inserted into the base fixing hole (see Fig. 3 at the portion corresponding to (6); and see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the second full Paragraph on Page 4).
As pertaining to Claim 6, Huang discloses (see Fig. 3) that the protrusion structure (i.e., see the structure of (5) protruding under (6) in Fig. 3) is fixed in the base fixing hole (again, see Fig. 3 at the portion corresponding to (6); and again, see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the second full Paragraph on Page 4).
As pertaining to Claim 7, Huang discloses (see Fig. 3) that the protrusion structure (i.e., see the structure of (5) protruding under (6) in Fig. 3) is screwed to the base fixing hole (again, see Fig. 3 at the portion corresponding to (6); and again, see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the second full Paragraph on Page 4).
As pertaining to Claim 8, Huang discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5) that the circuit board (5) includes an electronic component (i.e., lines, wires, and/or electronics associated with the sensing of touch signals at (1); alternatively, see (9)), the touch panel base (5) has a hollow area (i.e., see hollow areas in (5) as shown in Fig. 2, for example), and when the touch panel module (1) is arranged on the touch panel base (5), the electronic component (i.e., lines, wires, and/or electronics associated with the sensing of touch signals at (1); alternatively, see (9)) is arranged in the hollow area (i.e., see hollow areas in (5) as shown in Fig. 2, for example; also see Fig. 6; and again, see “Specific implementation examples” at the third and sixth Paragraphs on Page 4).
As pertaining to Claim 9, Huang discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5) that in a side view (see Fig. 3), the lever member (4) includes a flat portion (i.e., a flat surface portion) and an inclined portion (i.e., a sidewall portion), the flat portion (i.e., the flat surface portion) and the inclined portion (i.e., the sidewall portion) are connected, the inclined portion (i.e., the sidewall portion) is adhered to the circuit board (2), the abutting structure (6) abuts against the flat portion (i.e., the flat surface portion), and corresponding to the abutting structure (6) being at the different positions of the touch panel base (5), there are different abutment positions between the abutting structure (6) and the flat portion (i.e., the flat surface portion; see Fig. 3 in combination with Fig. 1; and again see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the first full Paragraph on Page 4; and note that the lever member (4) is a three dimensional structure).
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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang in view of Wang (US 2014 / 0271035).
As pertaining to Claim 10, Huang does not explicitly disclose that the abutting structure is formed by rubber material. However, abutting structures such as those disclosed by Huang and formed by rubber material are well-known in the art.
In fact, Wang discloses (see Fig. 1, for example) an abutting structure (1001) analogous to that disclosed by Huang, wherein the abutting structure is formed by rubber material (see Page 2, Para. [0036]-[0037]). In this regard, Wang discloses that, in fact, most abutting structures, such as the abutting structure of Huang, are formed by rubber material (see Page 1, Para. [0003]). Further, Wang suggests an abutting structure formed by rubber material that has high-strength and can resist damage, cracking, and breaking (see Page 3, Para. [0040]).
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 Huang with the teachings of Wang, such that the abutting structure of Huang is formed by rubber material, as suggested by Wang, in order to implement an abutting structure known to provide high-strength and resistance to damage, cracking, and breaking.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant has argued that none of the references relied upon by the examiner in the prior Office Action, particularly Huang, teach or fairly suggest the features of newly amended independent Claim 1. Newly amended Claim 1 incorporates the features of previously recited dependent Claim 2, and additionally further defines the previously claimed “plurality of accommodating portions” to be “arranged along an extension direction of the protruding end” of the claimed “lever” such that the “abutting structure” is “fixed within the different accommodating portions” and “abuts on different portions of the protruding end of the lever member” (see Remarks at Page 6). The examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner respectfully maintains that the teachings of Huang clearly provide for the claimed touch panel base (5), having a mounting hole, namely a limiting hole (see Fig. 3), and an abutting structure (6), corresponding to the mounting hole or limiting hole, disposed in the touch panel base (5) and abutting against a protruding end of the lever member (4) to provide support (again, see Fig. 3). Huang further provides for a plurality of accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12)), included in the mounting hole or limiting hole (again, see Fig. 3), and arranged along an extension direction, namely a vertical direction, of the protruding end of the lever (4). In this regard, Huang discloses that, corresponding to the abutting structure (6) being fixed within the different accommodating portions (i.e., portions of (12)), the abutting structure (6) abuts on different portions of the protruding end of the lever member (4), so that different pressing hand-feelings are provided when the lever member (4) is in contact with the triggering element (13; see “Specific implementation examples” from the last Paragraph on Page 3 through the first full Paragraph on Page 4; and see the last two full Paragraphs on Page 4). Respectfully, there is nothing recited in the claims that would distinguish the claimed “abutting structure” from that disclosed by Huang, as relied upon herein. The applicant is respectfully reminded that the claims must be given their broadest reasonable interpretation in view of the disclosure without reading features from the Specification into the claims. The claim terms such as “portion,” “abutting,” “protruding,” “abutting structure,” “corresponding to the mounting hole,” “protruding end,” and “accommodating portions” are all open to broad interpretation and are given their plain meaning.
Therefore, the rejection of Claims 1 and 3-10 is maintained.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pai et al. (US 2022 / 0342442) and Li (US 11,449,156) both disclose touch panel assemblies that are relevant to the disclosed invention.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON M MANDEVILLE whose telephone number is (571)270-3136. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7:30AM-4:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached at 571-272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON M MANDEVILLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623