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 § 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 (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 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.
(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.
Claims 1-3, 6-10, 14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gill et al. (U.S. 2022/0355738A1).
Regarding claim 1, Gill et al. discloses a vehicle (10, figs. 1-4, 9-13, and para 0023), comprising:
a storage forming component (20/120) disposed in a front portion of the vehicle (10; see figs. 2-4 and 9-13), the storage forming component (20/120) including a storage (26; 123/126);
a hood (14/114) covering a top of the storage (26; 123/126; see figs. 1 and 9); and
at least one electrical component (two “headlights” shown) covered by the hood (as shown in figs. 1 and 9, portions of the headlights are covered by the hood 14. This interpretation is consistent with applicant’s fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Gill et al. discloses wherein the at least one electrical component includes a headlight (see figs. 1-4 and 8-13).
Regarding claim 3, Gill et al. discloses wherein the hood is detachable (anything is detachable when the right amount of force is applied).
Regarding claim 6, Gill et al. discloses wherein the storage forming component (20) includes at least one electrical component holder (space holding the two headlights; i.e., the area on which the headlights are “seating”) holding the at least one electrical component (as shown in figs. 1-4 and 9-13).
Regarding claim 7, Gill et al. discloses wherein the storage forming component includes a waterproof wall that partitions the storage and the at least one electrical component holder (para 0041: the storage system is made from waterproof materials).
Regarding claim 8, Gill et al. discloses wherein the at least one electrical component includes a pair of right and left headlights (as shown in figs. 1-4 and 9-13), and the at least one electrical component holder includes a pair of headlight holders disposed at both sides of the storage (as shown in figs. 1-4 and 9-13).
Regarding claim 9, Gill et al. discloses wherein the storage forming component (120) includes a first rib (119) formed around an upper edge of the storage (as shown in fig. 9).
Regarding claim 10, Gill et al. discloses wherein the hood (114) includes an upper surface (as shown in fig. 9), a lower surface (94, fig. 8), and a second rib (see annotated fig. 8 below) facing the first rib at a lateral side of the first rib (119), the second rib protruding from the lower surface (see annotated fig. 8 below).
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Regarding claim 14, Gill et al. discloses wherein the storage includes a first storage (123 or 126) with a first bottom portion (see fig. 1), and a second storage with a second bottom portion lower than the first bottom portion (see fig. 11).
Regarding claim 16, Gill et al. discloses wherein a front panel connected to a front end of the storage forming component and giving appearance of the vehicle (as shown in annotated fig. 1 below), wherein the hood covers a connecting portion between the storage forming component and the front panel (as shown in annotated fig. 1 below).
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Regarding claim 17, Gill et al. discloses wherein side panels (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above) connected to side ends of the storage forming component and giving appearance of the vehicle (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above), wherein the hood covers connecting portions between the storage forming component and the side panels (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above).
Regarding claim 18, Gill et al. discloses wherein an upper dashboard (128) connected to a rear end of the storage forming component (120; see fig. 9), wherein the hood (114) covers a connecting portion between the storage forming component and the upper dashboard (as shown in figs. 9-13).
Regarding claim 19, Gill et al. discloses wherein: a front panel connected to a front end of the storage forming component and giving appearance of the vehicle (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above); side panels connected to side ends of the storage forming component and giving appearance of the vehicle (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above); and an upper dashboard (128) connected to a rear end of the storage forming component (120), wherein the hood (114) covers a connecting portion between the storage forming component and the front panel (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above), connecting portions between the storage forming component and the side panels (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above), and a connecting portion between the storage forming component and the upper dashboard (as shown in annotated fig. 1 above).
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.
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gill et al. (U.S. 2022/0355738A1), in view of Kato (U.S. 2022/0063519A1).
Regarding claims 11-13, Gill et al. discloses a hood attachment part to which the hood is attached (see annotated fig. 8 below).
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However, Gill et al. fail to teach a gutter is formed in the hood attachment part, the gutter extending in a vehicle-width direction, wherein at least one drainage hole is formed in the gutter, wherein the gutter has a bottom surface that is inclined such that lateral end portions are lower than a middle portion in the vehicle-width direction, and the at least one drainage hole comprises drainage holes formed at the ends of the gutter.
Kato teaches a vehicle (1, fig. 1) comprising a hood (10) and a gutter (41, fig. 2 and para 0027) formed in the hood attachment part (see figs. 1-2), the gutter extending in a vehicle-width direction (see figs. 1-2), wherein at least one drainage hole (41d, fig. 2) is formed in the gutter (41; para 0029), wherein the gutter has a bottom surface that is inclined such that lateral end portions are lower than a middle portion in the vehicle-width direction (drainage holes 41d indicate that the lateral end portions are lower than the middle portion in the vehicle width direction), the at least one drainage hole comprises drainage holes formed at the ends of the gutter (see fig. 2 and refer to para 0029).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the gutter of Cherak to include at least one drainage hole, the at least one drainage hole comprises drainage holes formed at the ends of the gutter, as taught by Kato, for the purpose of draining or discharging collected water outside of the vehicle from the gutter (refer to para 0029).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 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.
Regarding claim 4, Matsuda et al. (U.S. 2013/0192917A1) teach a hook (17, fig. 3). However, Matsuda fails to teach a knob coupled to the hook, the locking component being attached to the hood so that the knob and the hook are rotatable; and a first hole through which the hook can pass with the knob having a first rotation attitude, and to which the hook can be hooked with the knob having a second rotation attitude.
Regarding claim 15, Harmon (U.S. 2024/0059223A1) teaches a storage with speaker for listening music (para 0061). However, Harmon fails to teach a pipe extending rearward from the speaker body and propagating sound of the speaker body to an occupant space in the vehicle, wherein a rear end of the pipe protrudes toward the occupant space rather than the storage.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YANICK A AKARAGWE whose telephone number is (469)295-9298. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached at (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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/YANICK A AKARAGWE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
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