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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 6/12/2025 and 7/10/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
Preliminary amendments of disclosure filed on 6/12/2025 and 6/13/2025 has been entered. Accordingly, the amended disclosure is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lacroix et al. (EP 1315188 A1, translation utilized and provided herewith).
In regards to claim 1, Lacroix discloses in Figures 2-3B, a push button device (100) comprising: a board (140) including multiple press switches (141); multiple push buttons (121) respectively associated with the multiple press switches (see Fig. 3B); and at least one connecting portion (portions between instances of 125, see Fig. 2B) that connects two adjacent ones of the multiple push buttons to each other (see Fig. 2B), wherein the multiple push buttons (121) are disposed along a circumference around an axis along a direction from each of the push buttons to the board (see Fig. 2), and the connecting portion (portions between instances of 125, see Fig. 2B) connects an end, of one of the push buttons (121), that is on a side of the axis to an end, of another one of the push buttons, that is on the side of the axis, and is disposed to surround the axis (see Figs. 2-2B).
In regards to claim 2, Lacroix discloses in Figures 2-3B, at least one sleeve (125) formed between each of the two adjacent ones of the push buttons (see Fig. 2B).
In regards to claim 3, Lacroix discloses in Figures 2-3B, the connecting portion and the sleeve are formed integrally with each other (see Figs. 2-2B).
In regards to claim 4, Lacroix discloses in Figures 2-3B, the sleeve (125) has a light-shielding property (see Fig. 3A, middle of page 4 as it relates thereto).
In regards to claim 5, Lacroix discloses in Figures 2-3B, multiple illuminators (142) respectively associated with the multiple press switches (141, see Fig. 2), wherein all or a part of each of the push buttons (121) has a light-transmitting property (see Fig. 3A, middle of page 4 as it relates thereto).
In regards to claim 6, Lacroix discloses in Figures 2-3B, an acoustic apparatus (“a cassette player or CD, radio” middle of page 3) comprising the push button device according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please review the cited references found on the attached PTO-892, namely Numata et al. (US 2002/0015021), Hiraoka (US 2003/0164281), Vaziri et al. (US 2012/0085629), Owada et al. (US 2013/0206563), and Takeuchi (US 2015/0090569), which teaches either alone or in combination push button devices with board having multiple press switches and respective light transmitting buttons circumferentially arranged, connecting portions, and sleeves, applied to acoustic devices, similar to that which is currently claimed above and disclosed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER K GARLEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3599. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM.
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, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached at (571) 272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDER K GARLEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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