DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is a single run-on sentence which appears to be a restatement of the first claim and thus not in narrative form.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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 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.
Claims 1-2, 5-8, and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoshuyama (US 20200102016).
Regarding claim 1: Hoshuyama discloses a reinforcing unit that is mounted on a main body frame (Fig. 5; [0044]). Hoshuyama discloses a beam material 21 (Fig. 5; 0044]). Hoshuyama discloses one or more reinforcing members 23 that are mounted on an outside of the beam material (Fig. 5; [0044]). Hoshuyama discloses that the beam material substantially has a continuously closed cross-sectional shape that includes an inner surface portion that is provided on a frame side where the main body frame is located, an outer surface portion that is provided on a counter-frame side that is a side opposite to the main body frame (Fig. 5; [0044], [0053]). Hoshuyama discloses a side surface portion 213 that connects the inner surface portion and the outer surface portion (Fig. 5; [0047]). Hoshuyama discloses the reinforcing member restrains bulging deformation of the side surface portion in a case where an impact load is input to the outer surface portion (Fig. 5; [0044], [0065]).
Regarding claim 2: Hoshuyama discloses that the beam material substantially has a closed cross-sectional shape (Fig. 5; [0044, [0053]).
Regarding claim 5: Hoshuyama discloses that the reinforcing member is provided along the side surface portion (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6: Hoshuyama discloses that the reinforcing member covers the side surface portion from the outside (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7: Hoshuyama discloses that the reinforcing member includes a side plate portion 232 that covers the side surface portion of the beam material from the outside in an up-down direction, an inner plate portion 231 that is disposed on the frame side, where the main body frame is located, with respect to the inner surface portion of the beam material, and a receiving portion (upper ends of 231) of the side plate portion that is provided at an outer end portion that is located on the counter-frame side that is the side opposite to the main body frame (Fig. 5; [0055]).
Regarding claim 8: Hoshuyama discloses that the side plate portion extends from the frame side where the main body frame is located, toward the counter-frame side that is the side opposite to the main body frame, and covers the side surface portion from the outside in the up-down direction (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 10: Hoshuyama discloses that the inner plate portion is disposed on the frame side with respect to the inner surface portion of the beam material, restrains deformation of the side plate portion, and restrains the bulging deformation of the side surface portion of the beam material (Fig. 5; [0044], [0065]).
Regarding claim 11: Hoshuyama discloses that the beam material includes a flange portion 222 that is formed at the side surface portion and protrudes outward in an up-down direction (Fig. 5; [0053]).
Regarding claim 12: Hoshuyama discloses that the flange portion is formed by bending a part of the beam material so as to be folded (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13: Hoshuyama discloses that a portion of the flange portion on the counter-frame side is continuous with the outer surface portion as a part of the outer surface portion (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14: Hoshuyama discloses a reinforcing member 23 that reinforces a beam material which is mounted on a main body frame (see above; Fig. 5; [0044]). Hoshuyama discloses that the beam material substantially has a continuously closed cross-sectional shape that includes an inner surface portion that is provided on a frame side where the main body frame is located, an outer surface portion that is provided on a counter-frame side that is a side opposite to the main body frame (see above; Fig. 5; [0044], [0053]). Hoshuyama discloses a side surface portion 213 that connects the inner surface portion and the outer surface portion (see above; Fig. 5; [0047]). Hoshuyama discloses the reinforcing member restrains bulging deformation of the side surface portion in a case where an impact load is input to the outer surface portion (see above; Fig. 5; [0044], [0065]).
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 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 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.
Claims 1-3, 5-8, and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nogiwa et al. (US 20210094493) in view of Hoshuyama (US 20200102016).
Hoshuyama discloses the invention substantially as claimed and as discussed above.
Regarding claim 1: Nogiwa discloses a reinforcing unit 1 that is mounted on a main body frame (Fig. 1; [0027]). Nogiwa discloses a beam material 100 (Fig. 1; [0028]).
Nogiwa does not explicitly disclose one or more reinforcing members that are mounted on an outside of the beam material. Hoshuyama discloses one or more reinforcing members 23 that are mounted on an outside of the beam material (Fig. 5; [0044]). Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art and the benefit of the cited art to have configured the system of Nogiwa so that one or more reinforcing members are mounted on an outside of the beam material as taught by Hoshuyama. As Nogiwa and Hoshuyama are both directed to vehicle mounted reinforcing units, as reinforcing members are well known in the art, as Nogiwa is silent regarding additional reinforcing members mounted on the beam material, and as Hoshuyama explicitly discloses one or more reinforcing members are mounted on an outside of the beam material, it would have been within routine skill to have selected a specific reinforcing configuration from a finite selection of reinforcement configurations (i.e. positions on a beam material). Such a selection and configuration would have been predictable with a reasonable expectation for success and no unexpected results.
Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the beam material substantially has a continuously closed cross-sectional shape that includes an inner surface portion that is provided on a frame side where the main body frame is located, an outer surface portion that is provided on a counter-frame side that is a side opposite to the main body frame (Nogiwa Figs. 1, 2; [0028]; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044], [0053]). Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses a side surface portion (Nogiwa – 103a, 103b; Hoshuyama – 213) that connects the inner surface portion and the outer surface portion (Nogiwa Fig. 2; [0029]; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0047]). Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses the reinforcing member restrains bulging deformation of the side surface portion in a case where an impact load is input to the outer surface portion (Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044], [0065]).
Regarding claim 2: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the beam material substantially has a closed cross-sectional shape (Nogiwa – Fig. 2; abstr.; [0021], [0028]; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044, [0053]).
Regarding claim 3: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the outer surface portion of the beam material is provided with a plurality of groove portions (Nogiwa – 110) extending along a longitudinal direction of the beam material and the plurality of groove portions are recessed in the outer surface portion to the frame side where the main body frame is located (Nogiwa – Figs. 1, 2; [0032]).
Regarding claim 5: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the reinforcing member is provided along the side surface portion (Hoshuyama - Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the reinforcing member covers the side surface portion from the outside (Hoshuyama - Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the reinforcing member includes a side plate portion (Hoshuyama – 232) that covers the side surface portion of the beam material from the outside in an up-down direction, an inner plate portion (Hoshuyama – 231) that is disposed on the frame side, where the main body frame is located, with respect to the inner surface portion of the beam material, and a receiving portion (Hoshuyama – upper ends of 231) of the side plate portion that is provided at an outer end portion that is located on the counter-frame side that is the side opposite to the main body frame (Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0055]).
Regarding claim 8: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the side plate portion extends from the frame side where the main body frame is located, toward the counter-frame side that is the side opposite to the main body frame, and covers the side surface portion from the outside in the up-down direction (Hoshuyama - Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 10: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the inner plate portion is disposed on the frame side with respect to the inner surface portion of the beam material, restrains deformation of the side plate portion, and restrains the bulging deformation of the side surface portion of the beam material (Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044], [0065]).
Regarding claim 11: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the beam material includes a flange portion (Nogiwa – near element numbers 131, 102a; Hoshuyama – 222) that is formed at the side surface portion and protrudes outward in an up-down direction (Nogiwa – Fig. 2; [0035]; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0053]).
Regarding claim 12: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the flange portion is formed by bending a part of the beam material so as to be folded (Nogiwa – Fig. 2; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 13: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that a portion of the flange portion on the counter-frame side is continuous with the outer surface portion as a part of the outer surface portion (Nogiwa – Fig. 2; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses a reinforcing member (Hoshuyama – 23) that reinforces a beam material which is mounted on a main body frame (see above; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044]). Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses that the beam material substantially has a continuously closed cross-sectional shape that includes an inner surface portion that is provided on a frame side where the main body frame is located, an outer surface portion that is provided on a counter-frame side that is a side opposite to the main body frame (see above; Nogiwa Figs. 1, 2; [0028]; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044], [0053]). Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses a side surface portion (see above; Nogiwa – 103a, 103b; Hoshuyama – 213) that connects the inner surface portion and the outer surface portion (see above; Nogiwa Fig. 2; [0029]; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0047]). Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, discloses the reinforcing member restrains bulging deformation of the side surface portion in a case where an impact load is input to the outer surface portion (see above; Hoshuyama - Fig. 5; [0044], [0065]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nogiwa et al. (US 20210094493) and Hoshuyama (US 20200102016), as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Otani et al. (US 20240010147.
Nogiwa and Hoshuyama disclose the invention substantially as claimed and as discussed above.
Regarding claim 4: Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, does not explicitly disclose that a through-hole through which a fastening member passes is formed in the outer surface portion. Otani discloses a through-hole 270, 272through which a fastening member passes is formed in the outer surface portion (Figs. 1, 2; [0080]). Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art and the benefit of the cited art to have configured the apparatus of Nogiwa, as modified by Hoshuyama, so that a through-hole through which a fastening member passes is formed in the outer surface portion as taught by Otani. As Nogiwa, Hoshuyama, and Otani are directed to vehicle mounted reinforcing units, as reinforcing members are well known in the art and it is well-known that such members must be attached/fastened to the vehicle, and as Otani explicitly teaches that a through-hole for fastening can be in the reinforcement unit, it would have been within routine skill to have selected a specific placement for a hole and fastener from a finite selection of hole and fastener placement (i.e. a specific desired placement). Such a selection and configuration would have been predictable with a reasonable expectation for success and no unexpected results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is 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.
Vehicle bumpers including structures such as beam materials and reinforcing members as well as structures for collision protection are very well known in the art. Representative art which appears close to the claimed invention includes Nogiwa et al. (US 20210094493), Hoshuyama (US 20200102016), Otani et al. (US 20240010147), Sonobe et al. (US 20210162940), Sakaidani et al. (US 20220177034), Goto et al. (US 20030155806), Suzumori (US 20170036623), Otsuka (US 20200031208), Yabu et al. (US 20160325701), Mana et al. (US 20130175813), and Nishimura et al. (US 20100194146). In general, this art, alone or in combination, discloses various recited features, including but not limited to, a vehicle, a main body frame, a bumper, a beam material, reinforcing members mounted on the beam material, the beam material having a closed cross-sectional shape, and the reinforcing member providing resistance to bulging during an impact. However, this art fails to disclose or fairly suggest the specifically combined structure regarding the explicit positional, structural, and operational relationships of the reinforcing member and the bean material when combined as a whole with the limitations of the independent claims. It could be argued that that as vehicle bumpers and other frame protectors/reinforcers and functional reinforcement structures of the vehicle are very well known and that a variety of reinforcement configurations and structures are known in the art, such could just be combined and re-configured to disclose the claimed invention. However, the instant invention clearly and specifically recites specific structure and operational relationships and combinations, which require a greater effort than just cobbling together known systems and/or structures. Further, the claimed systems, structures, and operational relationships are sufficiently detailed to be distinguishable when configured as claimed. The examiner can find no motivation to combine or modify the references which would define a fully functioning system as claimed in the instant application. Thus, it would not have been within routine skill to glean the specifically combined limitations of the instant invention, from the art, without the benefit of hindsight reasoning or extensive experimentation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TARAS P BEMKO whose telephone number is (571)270-1830. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 (EDT/EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached on 571-272-5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Taras P Bemko/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
2/26/2026