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 Objections
Claims 3, 4, and 8-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, “the rain guard” has no proper antecedent basis in the claims. Previously, in claim 2, Applicant has recited “a rain guard member.”
Claims 4, 8-10 have a similar problem.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-5, 8, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Masi (EP 146884).
With respect to claim 1,Masi discloses a deflector assembly for a vehicle window, comprising:
an elongate member 7;
at least one vehicle coupler 8 configured to couple the elongate member adjacent an edge of a vehicle window 2 in an orientation in which the length of the elongate member projects from a surface of the vehicle at an angle (as shown in Figs. 1-2 of Masi); and
at least one aerodynamic alteration feature 18 coupled to or integrated with the elongate member 7 (as show in Fig. 3 of Masi), the aerodynamic alteration feature 18 configured to alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member 7 (while Masi does not explicitly state that the bellows 18 are an aerodynamic alteration feature, such bellows would inherently alter the aerodynamics of the deflector assembly).
With respect to claim 2, Masi discloses a rain guard member 6 configured to couple to the vehicle adjacent a top edge of the vehicle window (as shown in Figs. 1-2 of Masi).
With respect to claim 3, Masi discloses that the rain guard includes a deflector coupler 12 configured to aid in coupling the rain guard 6 to the elongate member 7 (as shown in Figs. 3-5 of Masi).
With respect to claim 4, Masi discloses that the elongate member 7 includes a rain guard coupler 12 configured to aid in coupling the rain guard 6 to the elongate member 7 (as shown in Figs. 3-5 of Masi).
With respect to claim 5, Masi discloses that the vehicle coupler includes a lip 8 configured to engage with a window channel 9 of the vehicle window (as shown in Fig. 2 of Masi).
With respect to claim 8, Masi discloses that the rain guard 6 includes a lip 8 configured to engage with a window channel 9 of the vehicle window (as shown in Fig. 2 of Masi).
With respect to claim 16, Masi discloses that a surface of the elongate member 7 is substantially planar (as shown in Fig. 4 of Masi).
With respect to claim 17, Masi discloses that a surface of the elongate member 7 is at least partially curved (as shown in Fig. 5 of Masi).
With respect to claim 18, Masi discloses a deflector assembly for a vehicle window, comprising:
a deflector member 7;
a rain guard member 6 integrated with the deflector member 7;
at least one vehicle coupler 8 configured to couple the deflector member 7 and the rain guard member 6 adjacent two edges of a vehicle window in an orientation in which the length of the elongate member projects from a surface of the vehicle at an angle (as shown in Figs. 1-2 of Masi); and
at least one aerodynamic alteration 18 feature coupled to or integrated with the elongate member (as shown in Fig. 3 of Masi), the aerodynamic alteration feature 18 configured to alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member (while Masi does not explicitly state that the bellows 18 are an aerodynamic alteration feature, such bellows would inherently alter the aerodynamics of the deflector assembly).
.
With respect to claim 19, Masi discloses that the at least one aerodynamic alteration feature 18 includes at least one rib (bellows 18 includes annular ribs as shown in Fig. 3 of Masi).
Claims 1-2, 6, 9, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rose (US 2016/0355079).
With respect to claim 1, Rose discloses a deflector assembly for a vehicle window, comprising:
an elongate member 106;
at least one vehicle coupler 110 configured to couple the elongate member adjacent an edge of a vehicle window 102 in an orientation in which the length of the elongate member projects from a surface of the vehicle at an angle (as shown in Fig. 3C of Rose); and
at least one aerodynamic alteration feature 202 coupled to or integrated with the elongate member 106, the aerodynamic alteration feature 202 configured to alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member 106 (Fig. 1 of Rose–while Rose does not explicitly state that the grooves 202 are an aerodynamic alteration feature, such grooves would inherently alter the aerodynamics of the deflector assembly).
With respect to claim 2, Rose discloses a rain guard member 108 configured to couple to the vehicle adjacent a top edge of the vehicle window 102 (as shown in Fig. 1 of Rose).
With respect to claim 6, Rose discloses that the vehicle coupler 110 includes a lip configured with an adhesive for coupling with the vehicle surface (Rose, paragraph [0034]).
With respect to claim 9, Rose discloses that the rain guard 108 includes a lip (another portion of lip 110) configured with an adhesive for coupling with the vehicle surface (Rose, paragraph [0034]; Fig. 3D).
With respect to claim 13, Rose discloses that the at least one aerodynamic alteration feature includes a plurality of bumps (raised areas between grooves 202).
With respect to claim 14, Rose discloses that the at least one aerodynamic alteration feature includes a plurality of dimples 202 (as shown in Fig. 3B of Rose).
With respect to claim 15, Rose disclose that he at least one aerodynamic alteration feature includes at least one groove 202.
Claims 1, 2, 7, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR 200416342.
With respect to claim 1, KR 200416342 discloses a deflector assembly for a vehicle window, comprising:
an elongate member as shown below in the image taken from Fig. 1 of KR 200416342:
[AltContent: textbox (rain guard member)]
[AltContent: ][AltContent: textbox (elongate member)][AltContent: ]
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;
at least one vehicle coupler 4,5 configured to couple the elongate member adjacent an edge of a vehicle window 2 in an orientation in which the length of the elongate member projects from a surface of the vehicle at an angle (as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of KR 200416342); and
at least one aerodynamic alteration feature (the curve 3 of the deflector as shown in Fig. 3 of KR 200416342) coupled to or integrated with the elongate member, the aerodynamic alteration feature configured to alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member (while KR 200416342 does not explicitly state that the curved portion 3 is an aerodynamic alteration feature, such a curved portion would inherently alter the aerodynamics of the deflector assembly).
With respect to claim 2, KR 200416342 discloses a rain guard member configured to couple to the vehicle adjacent a top edge of the vehicle window as shown in the above image.
With respect to claim 7, KR 200416342 discloses that the vehicle coupler 4,5 includes a lip 4 configured with at least one magnet 5 for coupling with the vehicle surface (as shown in Figs. 2-3 of KR 200416342).
With respect to claim 10, KR 200416342 discloses that the rain guard includes a lip 4 configured with at least one magnet 5 for coupling with the vehicle surface (as shown in Figs. 2-3 of KR 200416342).
Claims 1, 11, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schenk et al. (US 5,797,645).
With respect to claim 1, Schenk et al. disclose a deflector assembly for a vehicle window, comprising:
an elongate member 22;
at least one vehicle coupler 18,20 configured to couple the elongate member adjacent an edge of a vehicle window 14 in an orientation in which the length of the elongate member projects from a surface of the vehicle at an angle (as shown in Fig. 10 of Schenk et al.); and
at least one aerodynamic alteration feature 38 coupled to or integrated with the elongate member 22, the aerodynamic alteration feature 38 configured to alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member 106 (Schenk et al., col. 3, lines 1-6).
With respect to claim 11, Schenk et al. disclose that the at least one aerodynamic alteration feature includes at least one rib 38.
With respect to claim 12, Schenk et al. disclose that the at least one aerodynamic alteration feature includes exactly one rib 38 (as shown in Fig. 3 of Schenk et al.).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang (KR 200169380).
With respect to claim 20, Jang discloses a deflector assembly for a vehicle window, comprising:
a deflector member 15;
a rain guard member 16 releasably affixable with the deflector member 15 (see fastener 13 as shown in Fig. 5 of Kang);
at least one vehicle coupler 25,26 configured to couple the deflector member 15 and the rain guard member 16 adjacent two edges of a vehicle window in an orientation in which the length of the elongate member projects from a surface of the vehicle at an angle (as shown in Fig. 2 of Kang); and
at least one aerodynamic alteration feature (the curve of elongate member) coupled to or integrated with the elongate member 15, the aerodynamic alteration feature configured to alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member (while Kang does not explicitly state that the shape of the elongate member 15 alters the airflow over the surface of the elongate member 15, however, any shape of the elongate member would inherently alter the airflow over the surface of the elongate member).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL J COLILLA whose telephone number is (571)272-2157. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 - 4:00.
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/Daniel J Colilla/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612