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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2, 4-6, 14, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eklund et al. (WO 2008/013490) in view of Kaminaga et al. (US Pat 9,676,369) and Miller (US Pat 5,119,524).
Regarding claim 2, Eklund et al. disclose a motor vehicle comprising: a windshield 4 and a rear window 5; a roof assembly having a panel component 8 at least partially forming a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin 8 serving as an outer sealing surface (see Figure 1; Page 4, lines 13-35), and at least one cleaning feature having a window wiper assembly 12, wherein the window wiper assembly 12 comprises two wiper elements 13, 19 and is configured to clean the rear window 5 with the one wiper element 13 and to clean a see-through area of the windshield 4 with the other wiper element 19, the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis 14 disposed in a roof area of the motor vehicle (see Figure 1; Page 5, lines 16-32; Page 6, line 25-Page 7, line 35). The rear window 5 is positioned to a rear of the windshield 4, making it a “rear window”.
Eklund et al. fail to disclose at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area to detect a vehicle environment and the other wiper element is configured to clean the see-through area of the at least one environment sensor, and the pivot point is a common pivot axis.
Kaminaga et al. disclose a vehicle wiper device having a first wiper blade 12 and a second wiper blade 14, each of the wiper blades 12, 14 being configured to clean a front windshield 100 having a pair of cameras 16-1, 16-2, or “environment sensors”, positioned in a see-through area 18 on an inner side of the windshield 100 near a roof of the vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 32-50). The pair of cameras are image capturing devices that receive electromagnetic signals (images) used to check conditions ahead, such as an object ahead, and assist in driving the vehicle (see Col. 3, lines 41-50).
Miller discloses a wiper assembly 10 for a having two wiper elements 22, 30 having a common pivot axis 38 to cover a residual area B of the windshield 12 without requiring a second wiper arm that would introduce a risk of collision with the main wiper arm (see Figures 1-5; Col. 4, lines 9-37; Col. 3, lines 29-49). The see-through area C is the main area with the most effective wiping closest to the pivot axis 38 (see Figure 2; Col. 3, lines 29-49).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the windshield of Eklund et al. having a see-through area behind which at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals is positioned in an upper area near the roof, with a reasonable expectation of success, to provide a means of checking conditions ahead and assist with driving, as taught by Kaminaga et al..
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the cleaning feature of Eklund et al, as modified by Kaminaga et al., with a wiper blade on the one wiper element having a common pivot axis to the other wiper element, or “main blade”, with a reasonable expectation of success, to more completely clear the windshield while avoiding the need for a secondary wiper arm that could cause a collision, as taught by Miller.
In this interpretation, Examiner interprets the one wiper element 13 of Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, to have a wiper blade configured to clean the rear window (i.e. “roof pane”) and the other wiper element 19 to have a wiper blade 20 configured to clean the see-through area of the windshield 4.
Regarding claim 4, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the one wiper element comprises at least one wiper blade configured to be in flat contact with the windshield 4 in order to clean it when pivoting about the pivot axis 14 (see Figure 1 and interpretation of claim 2 above).
Regarding claim 5, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the other wiper element 19 comprises at least one wiper blade 20 configured to be in flat contact with the see- through area 4 in order to clean it when pivoting about the pivot axis 14 (see Figure 1; Page 7, lines 12-20).
Regarding claim 6, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the see-through area is formed in the windshield 4 and in the rear window 5 (see Page 5, lines 3-6).
Regarding claim 14, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the see-through area is provided on or formed integrally with the panel component 8 (see Page 4 line 28-Page 5, line 6). The rear window 5 is provided on the panel component 8, making a portion of the see-through area provided on the panel component 8.
Regarding claim 16, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2 having a cleaning feature.
Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, fail to disclose the cleaning feature comprises at least one spray nozzle configured to spray the windshield or the rear window and/or the see-through area with a cleaning fluid to increase a cleaning effect of the window wiper assembly of the one and/or the other wiper element.
Kaminaga et al. disclose a vehicle wiper device having a first wiper blade 12 and a second wiper blade 14, each of the wiper blades 12, 14 being configured to clean a front windshield 100 having a pair of cameras 16-1, 16-2, or “environment sensors”, positioned in a see-through area 18 on an inner side of the windshield 100 near a roof of the vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 32-50). Each of the wiper blades 12, 14 has a clean-liquid ejector, or “spray nozzle” (not illustrated), that ejects a cleaning liquid (see Figure 1; Col. 3, lines 51-62).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the one wiper element and the other wiper element having spray nozzles configured to spray the windshield and rear window with a cleaning fluid, with a reasonable expectation of success, as taught by Kaminaga et al., to easily remove bugs and other debris from the windshield and rear window when rain is absent.
Regarding claim 18, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2.
Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, fail to disclose at least one spray nozzle is disposed on the one and/or the other wiper element and/or the at least one spray nozzle is integrated in the one and/or the other wiper element.
Kaminaga et al. disclose a vehicle wiper device having a first wiper blade 12 and a second wiper blade 14, each of the wiper blades 12, 14 being configured to clean a front windshield 100 having a pair of cameras 16-1, 16-2, or “environment sensors”, positioned in a see-through area 18 on an inner side of the windshield 100 near a roof of the vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 32-50). Each of the wiper blades 12, 14 has a clean-liquid ejector, or “spray nozzle” (not illustrated), that ejects a cleaning liquid (see Figure 1; Col. 3, lines 51-62).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the one wiper element and the other wiper element having spray nozzles integrated into the one wiper element and the other wiper element, with a reasonable expectation of success, as taught by Kaminaga et al., to easily remove bugs and other debris from the windshield and rear window when rain is absent.
Claims 2-3, 16, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyazaki et al. (US Pat 4,883,310) in view of Kaminaga et al., Miller, and Westrope (US Pat 2,066,500).
Regarding claim 2, Miyazaki et al. disclose a motor vehicle comprising a windshield 79 (see Figures 1 and 3; Col. 4, lines 39-48); a roof assembly 9 having a panel component 11 at least partially forming a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface (see Figures 1 and 3; Col. 2, lines 42-50).
Miyazaki et al. fail to disclose at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area to detect a vehicle environment, and at least one cleaning feature having a window wiper assembly, wherein the window wiper assembly comprises two wiper elements and is configured to clean a windshield or a rear window with one wiper element and to clean the see-through area with the other wiper element, the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis disposed in a roof area of the motor vehicle.
Kaminaga et al. disclose a vehicle wiper device having a first wiper blade 12 and a second wiper blade 14, each of the wiper blades 12, 14 being configured to clean a front windshield 100 having a pair of cameras 16-1, 16-2, or “environment sensors”, positioned in a see-through area 18 on an inner side of the windshield 100 near a roof of the vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 32-50). The pair of cameras are image capturing devices that receive electromagnetic signals (images) used to check conditions ahead, such as an object ahead, and assist in driving the vehicle (see Col. 3, lines 41-50).
Miller discloses a wiper assembly 10 for a having two wiper elements 22, 30 having a common pivot axis 38 to cover a residual area B of the windshield 12 without requiring a second wiper arm that would introduce a risk of collision with the main wiper arm (see Figures 1-5; Col. 4, lines 9-37; Col. 3, lines 29-49). The see-through area C is the main area with the most effective wiping closest to the pivot axis 38 (see Figure 2; Col. 3, lines 29-49).
Westrope discloses a motor vehicle having a roof assembly 10 and a windshield 54. The windshield 54 is provided with a window wiper assembly 52 positioned in a roof area of the motor vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 31-51).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the windshield of Miyazaki et al. having a see-through area behind which at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals is positioned in an upper area near the roof, with a reasonable expectation of success, to provide a means of checking conditions ahead and assist with driving, as taught by Kaminaga et al..
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the windshield of Miyazaki et al. with at least one cleaning feature having two wiper elements and the one wiper element being configured to clean the windshield and the other wiper element being configured to clean the see-through area, with a reasonable expectation of success, as taught by Kaminaga et al., to provide a means of clearing the windshield in the event precipitation, bugs, or debris obstruct a view in front of the windshield.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the cleaning feature of Miyazaki et al, as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, with a wiper blade on the one wiper element having a common pivot axis to the other wiper element, or “main blade”, with a reasonable expectation of success, to more completely clear the windshield while avoiding the need for a secondary wiper arm that could cause a collision, as taught by Miller.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to position the common pivot axis of Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice and Miller, in a roof area of the motor vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success, as taught by Westrope, to ensure the see-through area and an upper portion of the windshield is the most efficiently cleaned to allow drivers to see the road in their field of vision clearly and ensure the environment sensor is able to properly send and receive the electromagnetic signals.
Regarding claim 3, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the motor vehicle has a vehicle body frame comprising a front transverse rail 25, which is in particular oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal vehicle direction x (see Figure 1; Col. 3, lines 42-48).
Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, fail to disclose the pivot axis is disposed in the area of the front transverse rail at the roof.
Westrope discloses a motor vehicle having a roof assembly 10 and a windshield 54. The windshield 54 is provided with a window wiper assembly 52 positioned in a roof area of the motor vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 31-51). The roof assembly 10 has a front transverse rail 47 on which a pivot axis 45 of the window wiper assembly 52 is positioned (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 31-51).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to position the common pivot axis of Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, in the area of the front transverse rail at the roof, with a reasonable expectation of success, to provide a secure area on which the window wiper assembly could sit above the windshield, as taught by Westrope.
Regarding claim 16, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2 having a cleaning feature.
Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, fail to disclose the cleaning feature comprises at least one spray nozzle configured to spray the windshield or the rear window and/or the see-through area with a cleaning fluid to increase a cleaning effect of the window wiper assembly of the one and/or the other wiper element.
Kaminaga et al. disclose a vehicle wiper device having a first wiper blade 12 and a second wiper blade 14, each of the wiper blades 12, 14 being configured to clean a front windshield 100 having a pair of cameras 16-1, 16-2, or “environment sensors”, positioned in a see-through area 18 on an inner side of the windshield 100 near a roof of the vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 32-50). Each of the wiper blades 12, 14 has a clean-liquid ejector, or “spray nozzle” (not illustrated), that ejects a cleaning liquid (see Figure 1; Col. 3, lines 51-62).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the one wiper element and the other wiper element of Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, having spray nozzles configured to spray the windshield and rear window with a cleaning fluid, with a reasonable expectation of success, as taught by Kaminaga et al., to easily remove bugs and other debris from the windshield and rear window when rain is absent.
Regarding claim 18, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2 having a cleaning feature.
Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, fail to disclose at least one spray nozzle is disposed on the one and/or the other wiper element and/or the at least one spray nozzle is integrated in the one and/or the other wiper element.
Kaminaga et al. disclose a vehicle wiper device having a first wiper blade 12 and a second wiper blade 14, each of the wiper blades 12, 14 being configured to clean a front windshield 100 having a pair of cameras 16-1, 16-2, or “environment sensors”, positioned in a see-through area 18 on an inner side of the windshield 100 near a roof of the vehicle (see Figures 1-2; Col. 3, lines 32-50). Each of the wiper blades 12, 14 has a clean-liquid ejector, or “spray nozzle” (not illustrated), that ejects a cleaning liquid (see Figure 1; Col. 3, lines 51-62).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct the one wiper element and the other wiper element of Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, having spray nozzles configured to spray the windshield and rear window with a cleaning fluid, with a reasonable expectation of success, as taught by Kaminaga et al., to easily remove bugs and other debris from the windshield and rear window when rain is absent.
Regarding claim 19, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, disclose the motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the roof assembly 9 comprises a roof module installed on a roof frame structure 7 of the motor vehicle as a structural unit (see Col. 5, lines 14-26).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 20 are allowed.
Claims 8, 10, and 12 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:
Claim 1 recites a roof assembly for forming a vehicle roof of a motor vehicle, the roof assembly comprising; a panel component at least partially forming a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface, at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area to detect a vehicle environment, and at least one cleaning feature, wherein the cleaning feature comprises a window wiper assembly having two wiper elements which have a common pivot axis, the one wiper element being configured to clean a windshield or a rear window and the other wiper element being configured to clean the see-through area, and wherein the two wiper elements are mounted on the common pivot axis and the two wiper elements are each mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the common pivot axis. Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose a roof assembly having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature; however, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, fail to disclose the two wiper elements are mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the common pivot axis. Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice and Miller, disclose a roof assembly having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature; however, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice and Miller, fail to disclose the two wiper elements are mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the common pivot axis. Grasso et al. (US Pat 9,499,133) disclose a windshield of a vehicle having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature having two wiper elements; however, Grasso et al. fail to disclose the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis. Shibusawa (US Pat 9,511,749) discloses a wiper washer apparatus for a vehicle having a windshield, at least one environment sensor, and a cleaning feature having two wiper elements having a common pivot axis; however, Shibusawa fails to disclose the wiper elements are mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the common pivot axis. Barenyi (US Pat 3,082,462) discloses a wiper assembly for a vehicle having a cleaning feature with two wiper elements positioned in a roof area of the vehicle and having a common pivot axis; however, Barenyi fails to disclose the two wiper elements are mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the common pivot axis. The prior art does not properly teach or suggest the recited configuration, making claim 1 allowable.
Claims 13, 15, 17, and 20 are allowable because they are dependent on claim 1.
Claim 7 was amended in the response dated January 27, 2026 to make the claim independent and include all the subject matter previously indicated as allowable. The previously presented reasons for allowance are provided below for clarity of the record.
Claim 7 recites a roof assembly for forming a vehicle roof of a motor vehicle, the roof assembly comprising; a panel component at least partially forming a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface, at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area to detect a vehicle environment, and at least one cleaning feature, wherein the cleaning feature comprises a window wiper assembly having two wiper elements which have a common pivot axis, the one wiper element being configured to clean a windshield or a rear window and the other wiper element being configured to clean the see-through area. The window wiper assembly comprises a coupling configured to selectively couple the two wiper elements with each other in such a manner that they can pivot about the pivot axis in an interdependent manner or to decouple the two wiper elements in such a manner that they can pivot about the pivot axis in an independent manner or to decouple the two wiper elements in such a manner that only one of the two wiper elements can pivot about the pivot axis. Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose a roof assembly having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature; however, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, fail to disclose a coupling configured to selectively couple the two wiper elements with each other. Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice and Miller, disclose a roof assembly having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature; however, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice and Miller, fail to disclose a coupling configured to selectively couple the two wiper elements with each other. Grasso et al. (US Pat 9,499,133) disclose a windshield of a vehicle having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature having two wiper elements; however, Grasso et al. fail to disclose the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis. Shibusawa (US Pat 9,511,749) discloses a wiper washer apparatus for a vehicle having a windshield, at least one environment sensor, and a cleaning feature having two wiper elements having a common pivot axis; however, Shibusawa fails to disclose a coupling between the two wiper elements selectively couples the wiper elements to pivot interdependently or independently. Barenyi (US Pat 3,082,462) discloses a wiper assembly for a vehicle having a cleaning feature with two wiper elements positioned in a roof area of the vehicle and having a common pivot axis; however, Barenyi fails to disclose a coupling configured to selectively couple the wiper elements to pivot independently or interdependently. The prior art does not properly teach or suggest the recited configuration, making claim 7 allowable.
Claims 9 and 11 would be allowable because they are dependent on claim 7.
Claim 8 recites a motor vehicle comprising: a windshield and/or a rear window; a roof assembly having a panel component at least partially forming a roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof skin serving as an outer sealing surface, and at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals through a see-through area to detect a vehicle environment; and at least one cleaning feature having a window wiper assembly, wherein the window wiper assembly comprises two wiper elements and is configured to clean the windshield or the rear window with the one wiper element and to clean the see-through area with the other wiper element, the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis disposed in a roof area of the motor vehicle. The window wiper assembly comprises a coupling configured to selectively couple the two wiper elements with each other in such a manner that they can pivot about the pivot axis in an interdependent manner or to decouple the two wiper elements in such a manner that they can pivot about the pivot axis in an independent manner or to decouple the two wiper elements in such a manner that only one of the two wiper elements can pivot about the pivot axis. Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, disclose a roof assembly having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature; however, Eklund et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. and Miller, fail to disclose a coupling configured to selectively couple the two wiper elements with each other. Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, disclose a roof assembly having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature; however, Miyazaki et al., as modified by Kaminaga et al. twice, Miller, and Westrope, fail to disclose a coupling configured to selectively couple the two wiper elements with each other. Grasso et al. (US Pat 9,499,133) disclose a windshield of a vehicle having an environment sensor and a cleaning feature having two wiper elements; however, Grasso et al. fail to disclose the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis. Shibusawa (US Pat 9,511,749) discloses a wiper washer apparatus for a vehicle having a windshield, at least one environment sensor, and a cleaning feature having two wiper elements having a common pivot axis; however, Shibusawa fails to disclose a coupling between the two wiper elements selectively couples the wiper elements to pivot interdependently or independently. Barenyi (US Pat 3,082,462) discloses a wiper assembly for a vehicle having a cleaning feature with two wiper elements positioned in a roof area of the vehicle and having a common pivot axis; however, Barenyi fails to disclose a coupling configured to selectively couple the wiper elements to pivot independently or interdependently. The prior art does not properly teach or suggest the recited configuration, making claim 8 allowable.
Claims 10 and 12 would be allowable because they are dependent on claim 8.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-9 of Remarks, filed January 27, 2026, with respect to claims 1, 13, 15, 17, and 20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1, 13, 15, 17, and 20 under 35 USC 103 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-9 of Remarks, filed January 27, 2026, with respect to claims 2-6, 14, 16, and 18-19 are not persuasive. Applicant asserts that Miller (US Pat 5,119,524) does not disclose two wipers sharing a single pivot axis. Claim 2 recites “the two wiper elements having a common pivot axis”, which is met by Miller. The two wiper elements of Miller have a common pivot axis at the base of the first wiper element and pivot together along this axis, while the second wiper element has an additional pivot axis about which it is mounted to pivot. Additionally, Applicant asserts that the roof pane of Eklund is not a rear window. Examiner points to paragraph 7 of the Office action, dated October 27, 2026, which explains Examiner’s use of the broadest reasonable interpretation of “rear window”, stating: “The rear window 5 is positioned to a rear of the windshield 4, making it a “rear window””. The amendment of claim 1 overcame the prior art by stating that the two wiper elements are each mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the common pivot axis; however, claim 2 was not amended and Examiner has sufficiently shown above that the prior art does meet the limitations of claim 2 as presented. Therefore, the rejection of claims 2-6, 14, 16, and 18-19 under 35 USC 103 is maintained.
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 VERONICA M CONDO whose telephone number is (571)272-9415. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-3pm EST.
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/VERONICA M CONDO/Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/AMY R WEISBERG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612