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 Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 12 recites “do not to overlap”, which should have been “do not overlap” instead.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2-15 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.
Claim 2 recites “a second bracket in the second housing and facing the first insertion hole”. It is unclear how the second bracket can face the first insertion hole. Based on the claim language in claim 1, examiner will interpret claim 2 as “a second bracket in the second housing and facing the second insertion hole”.
Claims 3-15 depends on claim 2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-10 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Lee et al. (US 2024/0195896; hereinafter “Lee”) in view of Wee et al. (US 2011/0090652; hereinafter “Wee”).
Regarding claims 1-2, Lee teaches an electronic device (Figs. 2-11) comprising:
a first housing (101, Figs. 2-3; [0123-0125]) comprising:
a first substrate (181, Fig. 9), and
a second housing (102, Figs. 2-3) slidably coupled to the first housing and comprising:
a second substrate (183, Fig. 9), and
a flexible display (151, Fig. 2) supported by the first housing and the second housing, the flexible display comprising a display area configured to be contracted or expanded based on a slide-in state or a slide-out state of the second housing (self-explanatory in Fig. 2; also see [0068, 0076]);
a bendable connecting member (185b, Figs. 8-10; see [0144-0145, 0152]) comprising:
a first end (end of 185b toward 101), and
a second end (end of 185b toward 102).
Lee does not teach a first partition wall facing a portion of the first substrate and having a first insertion hole formed therein; a second partition wall facing a portion of the second substrate and having a second insertion hole formed therein; the first end passing through the first insertion hole and connected to the first substrate, and the second end passing through the second insertion hole and connected to the second substrate; a first bracket in the first housing and facing the first insertion hole; and a first waterproof member between the first partition wall and the first bracket; a second bracket in the second housing and facing the second insertion hole; and a second waterproof member between the second partition wall and the second bracket. However, Wee teaches a first partition wall (211 and/or 213, Figs. 4-8) facing a portion of a first substrate (circuit board on 219, not shown in Fig. 1; similar to 415 on 419 in Fig. 12) and having a first insertion hole (215, Fig. 4) formed therein; a second partition wall (other pair of 211 and/or 213, Figs. 4-8) facing a portion of the second substrate and having a second insertion hole (other pair of 215, Fig. 4) formed therein (same as shown in Fig. 4, but in the other pair of housing; [0009]: “The folder-type or sliding-type terminal can be carried with a pair of housings… or by sliding the housing relative to the other…”); a first end (end of 202 connecting to circuit board on 219) passing through the first insertion hole and connected to the first substrate, and the second end passing through the second insertion hole and connected to the second substrate (not shown, but the other end of 202 that connect to the other pair of housing); a first bracket (same as 231 and 237, Fig. 4) in the first housing and facing the first insertion hole; and a first waterproof member (235, Fig. 4) between the first partition wall and the first bracket; a second bracket (not explicitly shown, but the other pair of 231 and 237, Fig. 4) in the second housing and facing the second insertion hole; and a second waterproof member (the other pair of 235, Fig. 4) between the second partition wall and the second bracket. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first partition wall facing a portion of the first substrate and having a first insertion hole formed therein; a second partition wall facing a portion of the second substrate and having a second insertion hole formed therein; the first end passing through the first insertion hole and connected to the first substrate, and the second end passing through the second insertion hole and connected to the second substrate; a first bracket in the first housing and facing the first insertion hole; and a first waterproof member between the first partition wall and the first bracket; a second bracket in the second housing and facing the second insertion hole; and a second waterproof member between the second partition wall and the second bracket in Lee, as taught by Wee, in order to prevent water from leaking into the first and second housings at where the ends of the bendable connecting members enter the first and second insertion holes.
Regarding claim 3, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2, and the modified Lee further teaches wherein the first partition wall (taught by Wee in above claims 1-2 where 211/213 is partition wall) partitions a first area (area within 101 in Lee) of the first housing, in which the first substrate is disposed, and a variable area (area at 1011 in Fig. 9; can see variable areas between states shown in Figs. 8 and 9) between the first housing and the second housing, and wherein the second partition wall (taught by Wee in above claim 1 where other pair of 211 is partition wall) partitions a second area (area within 102 in Lee) of the second housing, in which the second substrate is disposed, and the variable area.
Regarding claim 4, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 3, and Lee further teaches a first waterproof structure (such as 1013, Figs. 7-9; note waterproof structure is a broad term, and that side wall can be considered as waterproof structure) in the first area of the first housing; and a second waterproof structure (such as 1023, Figs. 7-9) in the second area of the second housing.
Regarding claim 5, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2, and the modified Lee further teaches wherein the first insertion hole is formed in the first partition wall in a direction corresponding to a sliding direction (see sliding direction in Figs. 8-9 of Lee) of the electronic device, and wherein the second insertion hole is formed in the second partition wall in the direction corresponding to the sliding direction of the electronic device (note that with insertion holes taught by Wee in above claims 1-2, the insertion holes would face sliding direction in the modified Lee).
Regarding claim 6, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2. Lee does not teach wherein the first partition wall comprises a first seating portion on which the first bracket is seated and which is connected to the first insertion hole, and wherein the second partition wall comprises a second seating portion on which the second bracket is seated and which is connected to the second insertion hole. However, Wee further teaches the first partition wall (211+213, Fig. 4) comprises a first seating portion (same as 213, Fig. 4) on which the first bracket (231, 237, Fig. 4) is seated and which is connected to the first insertion hole (215, Fig. 4), and wherein the second partition wall (other pair of 211+213) comprises a second seating portion (other pair of 213) on which the second bracket (231, 237, Fig. 4) is seated and which is connected to the second insertion hole (other pair of 215, Fig. 4). 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 first partition wall comprises a first seating portion on which the first bracket is seated and which is connected to the first insertion hole, and wherein the second partition wall comprises a second seating portion on which the second bracket is seated and which is connected to the second insertion hole in Lee in view of Wee, as taught by Wee, in order to securely seat the brackets to the partition walls.
Regarding claim 7, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 6. Lee does not teach wherein the first partition wall further comprises a pair of first fixing portions configured to fix the first bracket to the first seating portion, and wherein the second partition wall further comprises a pair of second seating portions configured to fix the second bracket to the second seating portion. However, Wee further teaches wherein the first partition wall further comprises a pair of first fixing portions (pair of circular fixing portions for pair of fasteners in Fig. 4) configured to fix the first bracket to the first seating portion, and wherein the second partition wall further comprises a pair of second seating portions (other pair of the pair of circular fixing portions for pair of fasteners) configured to fix the second bracket to the second seating portion. 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 first partition wall further comprises a pair of first fixing portions configured to fix the first bracket to the first seating portion, and wherein the second partition wall further comprises a pair of second seating portions configured to fix the second bracket to the second seating portion in Lee in view of Wee, as taught by Wee, in order to secure and prevent separation of the brackets with the partition walls.
Regarding claim 8, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 6. Lee does not teach wherein the first bracket comprises a first support portion on the first seating portion and is configured to press the first end of the connecting member in a first direction, and wherein the second bracket comprises a second support portion on the second seating portion and is configured to press the second end of the connecting member in the first direction. However, Wee teaches the first bracket (231 and 237, Fig. 4) comprises a first support portion (237, Fig. 4) on the first seating portion and is configured to press the first end of the connecting member in a first direction (down direction in Fig. 4), and wherein the second bracket comprises a second support portion (the other pair of 231 and 237) on the second seating portion and is configured to press the second end of the connecting member in the first direction. 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 first bracket comprises a first support portion on the first seating portion and is configured to press the first end of the connecting member in a first direction, and wherein the second bracket comprises a second support portion on the second seating portion and is configured to press the second end of the connecting member in the first direction in Lee in view of Wee, as taught by Wee, in order to secure and prevent separation of the brackets.
Regarding claims 9-10, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 8, and Lee further teaches adhesive ([0067]: “…possibly by an adhesive…”).
Lee does not explicitly teach a first adhesive member at least partially in the first insertion hole and configured to fix the first end of the connecting member to the first seating portion, and at least partially in the second insertion hole and configured to fix the second end of the connecting member to the second seating portion; a second adhesive member between the first support portion of the first bracket and the first end of the connecting member and between the second support portion of the second bracket and the second end of the connecting member. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a first adhesive member at least partially in the first insertion hole and configured to fix the first end of the connecting member to the first seating portion, and at least partially in the second insertion hole and configured to fix the second end of the connecting member to the second seating portion; a second adhesive member between the first support portion of the first bracket and the first end of the connecting member and between the second support portion of the second bracket and the second end of the connecting member in Lee in view of Wee, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, adding adhesive to prevent separation provides further securement and prevent separation, and this does not yield any unexpected results to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 14, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2. Lee does not teach a first shielding member facing the first bracket and configured to shield the first insertion hole; and a second shielding member facing the second bracket and configured to shield the second insertion hole. However, Wee teaches a first shielding member (same as 239a, Fig. 6) facing the first bracket and configured to shield the first insertion hole; and a second shielding member (the other pair of 239a) facing the second bracket and configured to shield the second insertion hole It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first shielding member facing the first bracket and configured to shield the first insertion hole; and a second shielding member facing the second bracket and configured to shield the second insertion hole in Lee in view of Wee, as taught by Wee, in order to further prevent water or other foreign material from getting into the housings.
Regarding claim 15, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2, and Lee further teaches the connecting member comprises a first reinforcement plate (such as 220, Figs. 9-10) facing the first bracket and a second reinforcement plate (such as 184, Figs. 9-10) facing the second bracket (note that reinforcement plate is a broad term).
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Lee in view of Wee, and further in view of Kasuga et al. (US 8,581,118; hereinafter “Kasuga”).
Regarding claim 12, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2. Lee does not teach wherein the first bracket and the second bracket do not overlap in the slide-in state of the second housing. However, Kasuga teaches a first insertion hole (33, Fig. 2) and a second insertion hole (43, Fig. 2) do not overlap in a slide-in state of a second housing (4, Figs. 1, 2). 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 first bracket and the second bracket do not overlap in the slide-in state of the second housing (note that bracket associate with the corresponding insertion hole in Lee in view of Wee in above claim 2) in Lee in view of Wee, as taught by Kasuga, in order to prevent over bending of the bendable connection member.
Regarding claim 13, Lee in view of Wee teaches the electronic device of claim 2. Lee does not teach wherein each of the first waterproof member and the second waterproof member comprises a semi-solid or liquid material, wherein the first waterproof member is filled in a space between the first bracket and the first partition wall, and wherein the second waterproof member is filled in a space between the second bracket and the second partition wall. However, Kasuga teaches each first waterproof member and the second waterproof member (17 Fig. 10c) comprises a semi-solid or liquid material (col. 9, lns. 18-27: “…liquid epoxy resin…”), wherein the first waterproof member is filled in a space between a first bracket (same as 14, Fig. 10c) and a first partition wall (11, Fig. 10c), and wherein the second waterproof member is filled in a space between the second bracket (other 14, Fig. 10c) and the second partition wall (other 11, Fig. 10c). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have each of the first waterproof member and the second waterproof member comprises a semi-solid or liquid material, wherein the first waterproof member is filled in a space between the first bracket and the first partition wall, and wherein the second waterproof member is filled in a space between the second bracket and the second partition wall in Lee in view of Wee, as taught by Kasuga, in order to further prevent water from getting into the two housings.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
Re claim 11, prior arts do not teach or suggest the combination of the electronic device of claim 11, in particular, when the flexible display is viewed in the first direction, the first support portion of the first bracket and the second support portion of the second bracket, the second adhesive member, the first end and the second end of the connecting member, and the first adhesive member increase in width or depth in that order.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES WU whose telephone number is (571)270-7974. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM.
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/JAMES WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
