DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s response, dated 6/2/26, has been entered.
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 § 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.
Claims 1, 3, and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen [US2018/0190446] in view of Salter [US 9641172].
As to claim 1, Chen discloses a button [see figure 4], comprising: a substrate [37]; a frame [31 and 32], disposed on the substrate [see figure 4], wherein the frame has an opening on one side away from the substrate [facing upwards in figure 4]; a cover plate [33], movably disposed at the opening [via 35]; at least one elastic conductive member [35 and 333], disposed between the substrate and the cover plate and surrounded by the frame [see figure 4].
Chen fails to explicitly disclose a sensing switch, electrically connected to the at least one elastic conductive member and adapted for generating a first control signal, wherein the sensing switch forms at least one sensing area on one side of the cover plate away from the substrate through the at least one elastic conductive member acting as a sensing medium.
Salter teaches the configuration comprising a sensing switch for a button [22, figure 4 of Salter], adapted for generating a first control signal [see column 3, lines 7-20], wherein the sensing switch forms at least one sensing area on one side of the cover plate away from the substrate through the at least one elastic conductive member acting as a sensing medium [see figure 4, note that if the conductive member causes the switch to be actuated, it is sensing such a motion by the user] was well known. It further would have flown to one having ordinary skill to connect the sensing switch to the one elastic conductive member based on the combination of references, as the elastic conductive member 35 provides a direct connection from cover plate 33 to 36 and powering components 361.
It would have been obvious to combine the surface sensing switch as taught by Salter, as such a combination allows for the light to illuminate when a user is engaging a button, or alternatively to provide illumination patterns as desired for signifying current controls and toggle levels [see Chen, paragraph 56].
As to claim 3, Chen discloses the button according to claim 1, wherein the at least one elastic conductive member is a spring [see paragraph 30].
As to claim 5, Chen discloses the button according to claim 3, wherein the cover plate further comprises at least one light-emitting element [34], and the at least one light-emitting element is disposed on the substrate and surrounded by the spring [see figure 4].
As to claim 6, Chen discloses the button according to claim 3, wherein the cover plate is a light
transmissive plate [see 33, figure 4, see also paragraphs 16, 31].
As to claim 7, Chen discloses the button according to claim 1, further comprising a contact switch [36], disposed on the substrate and located in the frame [see figure 4], wherein the contact switch is adapted for generating a second control signal by being pushed against by the cover plate [see paragraph 31].
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Salter and Tehrani [US 2024/0285236]
As to claim 2, Chen fails to explicitly disclose wherein the at least one elastic conductive member is at least one elastic conductive pin. Tehrani teaches the use of elastic conductive pins was well known [see Tehrani, paragraph 12]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to replace the spring with a pin, depending on the size and spatial constraints of the interior of the lighting unit [see Chen, paragraph 56].
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Salter and Zazzara [US 2006/0221603].
As to claim 4, Chen fails to explicitly disclose wherein the elastic conductive member is a conical spring that tapers in a direction from the cover plate to the substrate. Zazzara teaches the use of such springs was well known [see 11a, figure 1]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to use such a spring, depending on the spatial constraints and elasticity characteristics desired by the user and button operator [see Chen, paragraph 56].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 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: as to claim 8 and 9, the claims recite the details of a middle frame, disposed in the frame and located between the substrate and the cover plate, wherein the middle frame is adapted for contacting the contact switch by being pushed against by the cover plate. No cited art teaches such elements in combination with other claimed elements and limitations.
As to claim 10, the claim recites the details of The button according to claim 7, wherein the at least one elastic conductive member has a conductive frame and a plurality of conductive elastic arms, the conductive elastic arms extend from the conductive frame toward the substrate, the conductive elastic arms are adapted for creating a gap between the conductive frame and the contact switch, the conductive frame contacts the cover plate and is adapted for forming the sensing area, and the conductive frame is further adapted for contacting the contact switch by being pushed against by the cover plate. No cited art teaches such elements in combination with other claimed elements and limitations.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/2/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the conductive member acts as a sensing medium. Examiner contends such a sensing may be performed under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims (and in absence of specific further limiting language or structural language), such sensing may simply mean being actuated when a user touches the switch, as is done in Salter. As such, the claim amendments, as provided, do not overcome the previously cited rejections in view of Chen and Salter.
Conclusion
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 BRYON GYLLSTROM whose telephone number is (571)270-1498. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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/BRYON T GYLLSTROM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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