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
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3, line 2, “Wherein” should be –wherein--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1, 4, 5, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 07-008096 in view of Park (11,713,000).
JP 07-008096, in reference to claim 1, discloses an overhead console comprising a panel (3) provided on a ceiling of a passenger compartment and a storage box (6) stored in a recess (5) of the panel, as shown in Figures 1-4. The storage box (6) has a stored position in the recess (5) and a use position where the storage box (6) is swung downward from the stored position for use by an occupant, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The panel (3) is formed in a stepped shape in a vehicle height direction, as shown in Figure 2. The panel has a lower surface lower than a ceiling surface and a connection surface connecting the lower surface and the ceiling surface, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
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The recess (5) is formed from the lower surface to the connection surface of the panel (3), as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The storage box (6), in the stored position, comprises a bottom having an outer surface formed along the connection surface and a wall having an outer surface formed along the lower surface, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
However, JP 07-008096 does not disclose the slide groove and the shaft.
In reference to claim 4, the storage box (6) comprises a mirror (20) that is usable by the occupant when the storage box (6) is in the use position, as shown in Figure 2.
In reference to claims 5 and 8, a bottom surface of the storage box is substantially horizontal when the storage box (6) is in the use position, as shown in Figure 2.
Park teaches a first slide groove (2111) extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and relative to which a shaft (2324) is slidable, as shown in Figures 8-10. The shaft (2324) protrudes in a vehicle width direction and is slidable with respect to the first slide groove (2111), as shown in Figures 6-10. The shaft (2324) is at a front end of the first slide groove (2111) when the storage box (2200) is in the stored position, as shown in Figure 8. The shaft (2324) is at a rear end of the first slide groove (2111) when the storage box (2200) is in the use position, as shown in Figure 10.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a shaft that slides within a first sliding groove to the overhead console of JP 07-008096, as taught by Park, with a reasonable expectation for success to provide stops in both the opening and closing directions to prevent damage to the assembly and surrounding objects.
Claims 9, 11, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 07-008096 in view of Park (11,713,000), further in view of Huebner et al. (10,189,414).
JP 07-008096, in reference to claim 9, discloses an overhead console comprising a panel (3) provided on a ceiling of a passenger compartment and a storage box (6) stored in a recess (5) of the panel, as shown in Figures 1-4. The storage box (6) has a stored position in the recess (5) and a use position where the storage box (6) is swung downward from the stored position for use by an occupant, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The panel (3) is formed in a stepped shape in a vehicle height direction, as shown in Figure 2. The panel has a lower surface lower than a ceiling surface and a connection surface connecting the lower surface and the ceiling surface, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
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The recess (5) is formed from the lower surface to the connection surface of the panel (3), as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The storage box (6), in the stored position, comprises a bottom having an outer surface formed along the connection surface and a wall having an outer surface formed along the lower surface, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
However, JP 07-008096 does not disclose the slide groove and the shaft.
In reference to claim 11, the storage box (6) comprises a mirror (20) that is usable by the occupant when the storage box (6) is in the use position, as shown in Figure 2.
In reference to claim 12, a bottom surface of the storage box is substantially horizontal when the storage box (6) is in the use position, as shown in Figure 2.
Park teaches a first slide groove (2111) extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and relative to which a shaft (2324) is slidable, as shown in Figures 8-10. The shaft (2324) protrudes in a vehicle width direction and is slidable with respect to the first slide groove (2111), as shown in Figures 6-10. The shaft (2324) is at a front end of the first slide groove (2111) when the storage box (2200) is in the stored position, as shown in Figure 8. The shaft (2324) is at a rear end of the first slide groove (2111) when the storage box (2200) is in the use position, as shown in Figure 10.
Huebner et al. teaches reversing the position of a slot (38) and a shaft (42) of a storage box such that the shaft extends toward the storage box, as disclosed on lines 20-30 of column 7.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to:
provide a shaft that slides within a first sliding groove to the overhead console of JP 07-008096, as taught by Park, with a reasonable expectation for success to provide stops in both the opening and closing directions to prevent damage to the assembly and surrounding objects, and;
reverse the positions of the shaft and the slot resulting from the combination of JP 07-008096 and Park, as taught by Huebner et al., with a reasonable expectation of success such that the shaft protrudes toward the storage box of JP 07-008096 and the first slide groove is on the storage box to provide an obvious reversal of parts that does not alter the function or operation of the overhead console.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 6, 7, and 10 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:
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claims 2 and 10 is the escape groove which is continuous with the second slide groove and through which the protrusion is passable when the storage box swings around the shaft, which is not found in the prior art of record.
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim 3 is the shaft is on an extension that extends forward from an edge of an opening of the storage box, which is not found in the prior art of record.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP whose telephone number is (571)272-6656. The examiner can normally be reached 7-4:30.
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GREGORY A. BLANKENSHIP
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3612
/GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612 December 4, 2025