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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I. (claims 1-18) in the reply filed on 4/17/26 is acknowledged. Therefore, claims 19 and 20 and withdrawn from further consideration by the Office.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hansen (US 9,540,859).
The Hansen reference discloses a power closure system for a vehicle 10 comprising a vehicle frame 22, a vehicle closure 26, a torsion bar 194 and a torque device configured to generate a non-linear torsion bar torque output to the vehicle closure (see paragraph [0048]), as claimed.
In regard to claim 3, see power actuator 250.
In regard to claim 4, see base bracket 138.
In regard to claim 15, bracket 166 defines the claimed clamp.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The Reif et al., Lakerdas et al. and Jergess et al. references pertain to various power closures for vehicles with similarities to that of Applicant’s.
Claims 2, 5-14 and 16-18 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: none of the prior art of record, with the applied Hansen reference being the closest prior art device, alone or in combination, teach Applicant’s invention of a power closure for a vehicle at least inclusive of details regarding a torsion bar with a torque output configured increase non-linearly or a torque device with a first and second rivet with associate first and second levers and a pivotal link member, as claimed. To modify the closest prior art device to have such limitations would involve teachings gleaned only from the instant application for patent.
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/STEVEN O DOUGLAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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