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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 and 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tucker US 20180292866.
Regarding claim 1, Tucker US 20180292866 discloses an electronic apparatus comprising:
a chassis (220 in Fig. 2) having a cover plate (top of 220 having 224 in Fig. 2) and side plates (side plates of 220 in Fig. 2) each formed at a respective side edges of the cover plate (top of 220 having 224);
a light emitting portion (light emitting portion of 988 in Fig. 9) inside the chassis (220);
a light guide body (body of 988 in Fig. 9) has a tip protruding portion (980) and guides light from the light emitting portion (light emitting portion of 988); and
a biasing structure (297 in Fig. 4) which biases the light guide body (body of 988),
wherein one of the side plates (226 in Fig. 3) has an insertion portion (290 in Fig. 4) which penetrates from an inner surface of the one of the side plates (226) to an outer surface of the one of the side plates (226 as depicted in Fig. 1-4 and 9),
wherein the light guide body (body of 988) is movable in a direction of approaching and moving away from the one of the side plates (226 as depicted in Fig. 2-3), and
wherein the tip protruding portion (980) is configured to protrude from the outer surface of the one of the side plates (226) to protrude from and to retract into the insertion portion (290 as depicted in Fig. 2-4 and 9), and
the biasing structure (297) biases the light guide body (body of 988) in a protruding direction of the tip protruding portion (980) by an elastic repulsive force (biasing force of 297).
Regarding claim 6, Tucker discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light guide body (body of 988) has a receiving recessed portion (recess of 980 in Fig. 9) which accommodates at least a part of the light emitting portion (light emitting portion of 988).
Regarding claim 7, Tucker discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, to wherein the biasing structure (297) produces the repulsive force by elastic compressive deformation (compressive deformation of 297 in Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 8, Tucker discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate (top of 220 having 224) has a guide portion (guide portion of 290) which guides the light guide body (body of 988) in a direction in which the light guide body (body of 988) approaches and moves away from the one of the side plates (226 as depicted in Fig. 1-4 and 9).
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Makwinski US 20180131119.
Regarding claim 1, Makwinski US 20180131119 discloses an electronic apparatus comprising:
a chassis (12 in Fig. 1) having a cover plate (plate of 12 in Fig. 1) and side plates (22/24 in Fig. 1) each formed at a respective side edges of the cover plate (plate of 12 as depicted in Fig. 2);
a light emitting portion (light emitting portion of 250 in Fig. 23-24) inside the chassis (12);
a light guide body (250 in Fig. 23-24) has a tip protruding portion (tip of 250 in Fig. 23-24) and guides light from the light emitting portion (light emitting portion of 250); and
a biasing structure (72 in Fig. 18) which biases the light guide body (250),
wherein one of the side plates (24 in Fig. 1) has an insertion portion (38 in Fig. 2-4) which penetrates from an inner surface of the one of the side plates (24) to an outer surface of the one of the side plates (24 as depicted in Fig. 2-4),
wherein the light guide body (250) is movable in a direction of approaching and moving away from the one of the side plates (24 as depicted in Fig. 1-2), and
wherein the tip protruding portion (tip of 250) is configured to protrude from the outer surface of the one of the side plates (24) to protrude from and to retract into the insertion portion (38 as depicted in Fig. 1-2), and
the biasing structure (72) biases the light guide body (250) in a protruding direction of the tip protruding portion (250) by an elastic repulsive force (biasing force of 72 as depicted in Fig. 18-19).
Regarding claim 2, Makwinski discloses the electronic apparatus according claim 1, wherein the biasing structure (72) is an elastic piece (72 in Fig. 18) connected to the light guide body (250 through 20) and produces the repulsive force by elastic bending deformation (as depicted in Fig. 18-19).
Regarding claim 3, Makwinski discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 2, further including a holding member (26 in Fig. 4-5 and 18-19) which holds the light guide body (250),
wherein the holding member (26) includes two side walls (side walls of 26) and a pressure receiving wall (end wall of 26) which connects the side walls together, and
wherein the biasing structure (72) takes a reaction force against the pressure receiving wall (end wall of 26) to produce the repulsive force (as depicted in Fig. 18-19).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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:
Regarding claim 4, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations recited in claim 1, a combination of limitations that “further including a holding member which has two side walls and holds the light guide body between the two side walls,
wherein the biasing structure connects the two side walls together, and the biasing structure has a biasing portion which produces the repulsive force by elastic bending deformation”.
None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claim 5 depending from claim 1 would therefore also be allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lyeo US 20220341569 Fig. 2, 4d, 5G and 6c discloses an electronic apparatus comprising a chassis having a cover plate and side plate with a light emitting portion inside the chassis and a light guide body.
Fujino US 20210090825 Fig. 2-4 discloses an electronic apparatus comprising a chassis having a cover plate and side plate with biased pressing portion having a protruding tip portion and a biasing structure connected to two side walls.
Meyers US 20190020850 Fig. 1 and 4-6 discloses an electronic apparatus with a retractable light sensor.
Tracy US 20110128719 Fig. 1-4; Lev US 7686466 Fig. 1-3; Sauer US 8567995 Fig. 1-4c disclose an electronic apparatus with a biased retractable light source.
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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