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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claims 1,2, 6 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1: The wording of the preamble in claim 1 – specifically with the ending reciting “a longitudinal cavity comprising:” opens the claim up to a misinterpretation that the material recited below is referring to the longitudinal cavity, rather than the flange connector assembly as a whole.
Claim 1, Line 5 - "A" should not be capitalized.
Claim 1: there are inconsistencies between the various phrases - at least "a first male portion", "a second female connection portion", and "a first trim portion" and "a second trim part" for example.
Claim 2 incorrectly depends from itself, rather than claim 1.
Claim 6, Line 2 recites "said plurality" but does not positively define of what plurality it is referring.
Claim 15, Line 1 refers to "the laterally extending tuning flanges", however depended-upon claim 12 recites "at least one laterally extending tuning flange". As such, the language of claim 15 should match grammatically by reciting "the at least one laterally extending tuning flange extends outward on a side of the second leg"
Various claims – capital letters should only be used to start a sentence or refer to a proper noun. Given that each claim is a full sentence, the use of capital letters should be reviewed and corrected. For example, claims 1, 16 and 22 recite “A …” in clauses following the preamble.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5, 10, 11, and 16-19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Grunert (US 10,343,625).
As concerns claim 1, Grunert (US 10,343,625) discloses a flange connector assembly (Grunert – Figure 3; Elements 4 and 6) for connecting trim pieces of a vehicle each having a longitudinal cavity comprising:
A first male portion (Grunert - 6) having an end attached to an end of a first trim portion (Grunert – 5 ) and a second female connection portion (Grunert – lower, connection portion of 4) attached to an end of a second trim part (Grunert – 4) to be attached to the first trim part, said first male portion (Grunert - 6) has a connection portion with a T-shaped cross section (Grunert – Figure 3 shows an upside-down T-shape) and the second female portion has a second connecting portion with a T-shaped cavity (Grunert – a complimentary connector space is shown within element 4, to accept a portion of element 6) wherein the first male portion (Grunert - 6) and the second female connecting portion fit to precisely engage each other (Grunert – Figure 3) and retain the trim portion to be attached, wherein the protruding T-shape portion includes tuning surfaces (Grunert – elements 13) and is capable of holding positioning up/down, inboard/outboard or twist fine tuning for providing alignment adjustment to the trim pieces.
As concerns claim 2, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 1 wherein the T-shaped cross section connection portion has at least one ramped portion (Grunert – element 6 illustrates two ramped sides to assist in location; see Figure 3) for assisting in locating during assembly.
As concerns claim 3, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 1 wherein said T-shaped cross section has a first leg and a second leg attached to said first leg offset along its length. (Grunert – element 6, has a horizontal element and a vertical element)
As concerns claim 4, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 1, wherein said tuning surfaces (Grunert – elements 13) include at least one longitudinally extending raised rib portion. (Grunert – Figure 3 illustrates several ribs 13)
As concerns claim 5, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 4 wherein a plurality of said longitudinally extending ribs are provided for adjustment of the pieces during securement. (Grunert- Figure 3)
As concerns claim 10, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 1 wherein at least the first male portion (Grunert - 6) is integrally molded in the end of the first trim part. (Grunert – Figure 3 illustrates wherein element 5/6 is an integral part of the larger, lower trim component.)
As concerns claim 11, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 1 wherein at least the second female connection portion (Grunert - 4) is integrally molded with the second trim strip. (Grunert – Figure 3 illustrates wherein element 4 is a second trim element.)
As concerns claim 16, Grunert discloses a flange connector assembly for connecting trim pieces of a vehicle each having a longitudinal cavity comprising:
A first male portion (Grunert - 6) having an end attached to an end of a first trim portion (Grunert – 5) and a second female connection portion (Grunert – lower, connection portion of 4) attached to an end of a second trim part (Grunert – 4) to be attached to the first trim part, said first male portion (Grunert - 6) has a connection portion with a T-shaped cross section and the second female portion has a second connecting portion with a T-shaped cavity wherein the first male portion (Grunert - 6) and the second female connecting portion fit to precisely engage each other and retain the trim portion to be attached, wherein the protruding T-shaped portion includes tuning surfaces (Grunert – elements 13) and is capable of holding positioning up/down, inboard/outboard or twist fine tuning for providing alignment adjustment to the trim pieces, wherein said T-shaped cross section has a first leg and a second leg attached to said first leg offset along its length wherein said tuning surfaces (Grunert – elements 13) include at least one longitudinally extending raised rib portion and said second leg includes at least one laterally extending tuning flange.
As concerns claim 17, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 16 wherein the T-shaped cross section connection portion has at least one ramped portion (Grunert – element 6 illustrates two ramped sides to assist in location; see Figure 3) for assisting in locating during assembly.
As concerns claim 18, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 16 where in the laterally extending tuning flanges extend outward on each side of the second leg (Grunert the tuning flanges 13 extend outward on each side, along the top edge, of the leg).
As concerns claim 19, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 18 wherein a plurality of laterally extending tuning flanges is provided on each side of the second leg. (Grunert – looking at Figure 4, we see a middle tuning flange and two ‘side’ tuning flanges, on either side of the central rib)
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 of this title, 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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grunert alone.
As concerns claim 8, Grunert discloses the flange connector assembly of Claim 1 however fails to specify wherein the T-shaped protrusion is made of a polymer material which will hold its set when tuning the connection between the parts.
The examiner takes official notice that it is old and well known in the art to use polymer materials in the construction of vehicle body trim, spacer, and connection elements.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have created the element using plastic or polymer material for the expected benefit of ease of use, manufacture and manipulation while maintaining low cost.
Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that using polymer would have provided predictable results and a reasonable expectation of success.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify Grunert to obtain the invention as specified in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20-24 are allowed over the prior art of record.
Claims 6-7, 9, 12-15 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:
Grunert discloses an apparatus that anticipated claim 1, and 16, however fails to anticipate step b. of Claim 16.
As concerns claim 20, neither Grunert nor any additionally cited art of record teaches or fairly suggests, alone or in combination, inter alia, wherein the T-bayonet is fitted and used to correct for any issues by then adjusting the height, and remolding a further connector.
As concerns claims 6 and 12, neither Grunert nor any additionally cited art of record teaches or fairly suggests, alone or in combination, inter alia, wherein it would have been obvious to include additional ribs on a first flattened side of the first leg and at least one rib is positioned on a second flattened side of the first leg facing the second leg, or additional tuning flanges on the second leg. Grunert, in contrast, only provides for ribs on the upper surface of element 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON L LEMBO whose telephone number is (571)270-3065. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7am-4pm.
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/AARON L LEMBO/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3679