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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was filed on 03/14/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: “a wipe area 1600” (Paragraph [0052], Lines 1-2). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: “sections” in Paragraph [0001], Line 9 should read “section”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 14 comprises the limitation “The vehicle of claim 14” in Line 1. A claim cannot be dependent upon itself.
For the purposes of compact prosecution, Claim 14 is being treated as being dependent upon Claim 13.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Karcher (US Publication No: 2008/0216868).
Regarding Claim 1: Karcher discloses a vehicle, comprising a windshield (Figures 1-2, No. 10); and a first wiper arm (12) comprising a first segment (16) and a second segment (14) attached to the first segment (Paragraph [0018], Lines 6-7), wherein the first wiper arm is operatively attached to the vehicle at a first side of the vehicle such that the first wiper arm is rotatable about a first axis of rotation (18) between at least an outer position (U2) and an inner position (U1), and wherein the first wiper arm is shaped such that, when the first wiper arm is in the outer position, the first segment extends from the first axis of rotation away from a width center of the vehicle (Figure 2), and the second segment extends from the first segment at least partly along a height direction of the vehicle (Figure 2).
Regarding Claim 2: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 1, wherein the first wiper arm is shaped such that, when the first wiper arm is in the inner position, the first segment extends from the first axis of rotation at least partly along the height direction, and the second segment extends from the first segment toward the width center of the vehicle (Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 3: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 1, wherein the first segment comprises a first part extending from the first axis of rotation along a first axis, and a second part extending from the first part to a distal end of the first segment along a second axis that forms an angle with the first axis of at least 60 degrees, and wherein the second segment is attached to the distal end of the first segment.
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Regarding Claim 5: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 1, wherein the windshield is a convex windshield that curves at least partially around a virtual axis that is parallel to the height direction and is positioned rearward relative to the windshield along a length direction of the vehicle extending from a front of the vehicle to a rear of the vehicle (Figures 1-2 – curvature of top and bottom edges of windshield 10, incline of left and right sides, and curvature marks).
Regarding Claim 6: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 1, further comprising a second wiper arm (20) comprising a first segment (24) and a second segment (22) attached to the first segment of the second wiper arm, wherein the second wiper arm is operatively attached to the vehicle at a second side of the vehicle opposite to the first side of the vehicle (Figures 1-2) such that the second wiper arm is rotatable about a second axis of rotation (26) between at least an outer position (U2) and an inner position (U1), and wherein the second wiper arm is shaped such that, when the second wiper arm is in the outer position, the first segment of the second wiper arm extends from the second axis of rotation away from the width center of the vehicle, and the second segment of the second wiper arm extends from the first segment of the first wiper arm at least partly along the height direction (Figure 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher in view of Kagawa (US Patent No: 7,552,502).
Regarding Claim 4: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 1; however, Karcher fails to disclose the second segment being attached to the first segment by a hinge that applies a torque to the second segment relative to the first segment.
Kagawa teaches a vehicle comprising a windshield (Figure 1-3, No. 2) and a first wiper arm (3), the first wiper arm having a first segment (Figures 8 & 10, No. 10) attached to a second segment (12) by a hinge (11; Column 4, Lines 27-31) that applies a torque to the second segment relative to the first segment (Column 4, Lines 27-31).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the second segment of Karcher attached to the first segment by a hinge, as taught by Kagawa, for the purpose of allowing the second segment to stand elastically and thereby when the windshield is cleaned, a part of the chank can be stood opposing a spring (Column 4, Lines 27-31).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher in view of Iwazaki (US Patent No: 9,493,139).
Regarding Claim 7: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 6; however, Karcher fails to disclose the first and second axes of rotation being non-parallel to each other.
Iwazaki teaches a vehicle (Figure 4, No. 10) comprising a windshield (11) and first (14) and second (15) wiper arms rotatable about first (19b) and second (19g) axes of rotation, wherein the first and second axes of rotation are non-parallel to each other (Column 11, Lines 16-20).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the first and second axes of rotation of Karcher non-parallel to each other, as taught by Iwazaki, for the purpose of causing the wiper arm to act according to the curvature of the windshield to improve wiping performance (Column 11, Lines 16-20).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher in view of Zielinski (US Patent No: 11,364,878).
Regarding Claim 8: Karcher discloses the vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a vehicle control system (40), the vehicle control system performing a method, the method comprising causing the first wiper arm to rotate through a plurality of cycles at a set frequency, and causing the second wiper arm to rotate through a plurality of cycles at the set frequency and out-of-sync from the plurality of cycles of the first wiper arm (Paragraph [0022]); however, Karcher fails to disclose the control system comprising a processor operatively coupled to the first and second windshield wiper arms; and a memory coupled to the processor unit and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle control system to perform the method.
Zielinski teaches a vehicle (Figure 1, No. 102) with a first wiper arm (130) and a vehicle control system (Figure 5, No. 502), the control system comprising a processor operatively coupled to the first and second windshield wiper arms (Column 8, Lines 59-67; Column 9, Lines 1-10); and a memory (506) coupled to the processor unit and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle control system to perform the method (Column 9, Lines 11-22).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the vehicle of Karcher with a processor and memory, as taught by Zielinski, for the purpose of controlling the actuation and speed of the wipers and storing control information for the wipers (Column 9, Lines 8-10 & 13-16).
Claim(s) 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher in view of Sugimoto (US Publication No: 2019/0337486).
Regarding Claim 9: Karcher discloses the vehicle of Claim 6, wherein the first and second wiper arms are shaped and sized to wipe, during a cycle of each of the first and second wiper arms, a wipe area of the windshield having an upper edge (Figures 1-2); however, Karcher fails to disclose the wipe area, at a width center of the windshield, separated from a lower edge of the windshield by at least 60% of a distance between the lower edge of the windshield and an upper edge of the windshield at the width center of the windshield.
Sugimoto teaches a windshield (Figure 1, No. 1) with first (35) and second (17) wiper arms that are shaped and sized to wipe, during a cycle of each of the first and second wiper arms, a wipe area of the windshield having an upper edge (H1, Z2) that is, at a width center of the windshield, separated from a lower edge of the windshield by at least 60% of a distance between the lower edge of the windshield and an upper edge of the windshield at the width center of the windshield (Figure 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the wipe area of Karcher with an upper edge that is, at a width center of the windshield, separated from a lower edge of the windshield by at least 60% of a distance between the lower edge of the windshield and an upper edge of the windshield at the width center of the windshield, as taught by Sugimoto, for the purpose of wiping the close to the upper corners of the windshield (Paragraph [0059], Lines 8-12).
Regarding Claim 10: Karcher discloses a vehicle comprising a windshield (10); a first wiper arm (12) operatively attached to the vehicle at a left side of the windshield (Figures 1-2) such that the first wiper arm is rotatable about a first axis of rotation (18) between at least an outer position (U2) and an inner position (U1); and a second wiper arm (20) operatively attached to the vehicle at a right side of the windshield (Figures 1-2) such that the second wiper arm is rotatable between at least an outer position (U2) and an inner position (U1), wherein the first and second wiper arms are shaped and sized to wipe, during a cycle of each of the first and second wiper arms, a wipe area of the windshield; Karcher, however, fails to disclose the wipe area, at a width center of the windshield, separated from a lower edge of the windshield by at least 60% of a distance between the lower edge of the windshield and an upper edge of the windshield at the width center of the windshield.
Sugimoto teaches a windshield (Figure 1, No. 1) with first (35) and second (17) wiper arms that are shaped and sized to wipe, during a cycle of each of the first and second wiper arms, a wipe area of the windshield having an upper edge (H1, Z2) that is, at a width center of the windshield, separated from a lower edge of the windshield by at least 60% of a distance between the lower edge of the windshield and an upper edge of the windshield at the width center of the windshield (Figure 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the wipe area of Karcher with an upper edge that is, at a width center of the windshield, separated from a lower edge of the windshield by at least 60% of a distance between the lower edge of the windshield and an upper edge of the windshield at the width center of the windshield, as taught by Sugimoto, for the purpose of wiping the close to the upper corners of the windshield (Paragraph [0059], Lines 8-12).
Regarding Claim 11: Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, discloses the vehicle of Claim 10, wherein the windshield is a convex windshield that curves at least partially around a virtual axis that is parallel to a height direction of the vehicle and is positioned rearward relative to the windshield along a length direction of the vehicle extending from a front of the vehicle towards a rear of the vehicle (Karcher: Figures 1-2 – curvature of top and bottom edges of windshield 10, incline of left and right sides, and curvature marks).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher and Sugimoto as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Murray (US Patent No: 5,538,309).
Regarding Claim 12: Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, discloses the vehicle of Claim 11; however, Karcher fails to disclose a driver seat positioned at a width center of the vehicle.
Murray teaches a vehicle (Figure 2) comprising a driver seat (4) positioned at a width center of the vehicle (Figure 2; Column 3, Lines 32-38).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the vehicle of Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, with a driver seat positioned at a width center of the vehicle, as taught by Murray, for the purpose of enhancing the ergonomics of the driver seat and the vision for the driver (Column 3, Lines 39-42).
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher and Sugimoto as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Iwazaki.
Regarding Claim 13: Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, discloses the vehicle of Claim 10; however, Karcher fails to disclose the first and second axes of rotation being non-parallel to each other.
Iwazaki teaches a vehicle (Figure 4, No. 10) comprising a windshield (11) and first (14) and second (15) wiper arms rotatable about first (19b) and second (19g) axes of rotation, wherein the first and second axes of rotation are non-parallel to each other (Column 11, Lines 16-20).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the first and second axes of rotation of Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, non-parallel to each other, as taught by Iwazaki, for the purpose of causing the wiper arm to act according to the curvature of the windshield to improve wiping performance (Column 11, Lines 16-20).
Regarding Claim 14: Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto and Iwazaki, discloses the vehicle of Claim 13, wherein extensions of the first and second axes of rotation meet and form an angle (Iwazaki: Column 11, Lines 16-20).
Since the applicant has not disclosed that having first and second axes of rotation meet and form an angle of at least 20 degrees solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose (as shown by the angles with different degree measurements suggested by the applicant in Paragraph [0036]) above the fact that the first and second axes being non-parallel helps the wiper arms maintain contact with the windshield (Paragraph [0037], Lines 1-5), and since it appears that the first and second axes of Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto and Iwazaki, would perform equally well with the angle as claimed by the applicant, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to modify the first and second axes of Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto and Iwazaki, to meet and form an angle of at least 20 degrees as claimed for the purpose of maintaining contact with the windshield.
Claim(s) 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karcher and Sugimoto as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Zielinski.
Regarding Claim 15: Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, discloses the vehicle of Claim 10, further comprising a vehicle control system (40), the vehicle control system performing a method, the method comprising causing the first wiper arm to rotate through a plurality of cycles at a set frequency, and causing the second wiper arm to rotate through a plurality of cycles at the set frequency and out-of-sync from the plurality of cycles of the first wiper arm (Paragraph [0022]); however, Karcher fails to disclose the control system comprising a processor operatively coupled to the first and second windshield wiper arms; and a memory coupled to the processor unit and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle control system to perform the method.
Zielinski teaches a vehicle (Figure 1, No. 102) with a first wiper arm (130) and a vehicle control system (Figure 5, No. 502), the control system comprising a processor operatively coupled to the first and second windshield wiper arms (Column 8, Lines 59-67; Column 9, Lines 1-10); and a memory (506) coupled to the processor unit and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the vehicle control system to perform the method (Column 9, Lines 11-22).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the vehicle of Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto, with a processor and memory, as taught by Zielinski, for the purpose of controlling the actuation and speed of the wipers and storing control information for the wipers (Column 9, Lines 8-10 & 13-16).
Regarding Claim 16: Karcher, as modified by Sugimoto and Zielinski, discloses the vehicle of Claim 15, wherein the method comprises causing the first and second wiper arms to concurrently rotate from their respective inner positions to their respective outer positions, and to concurrently rotate from their respective outer positions to their respective inner positions (Karcher: Paragraph [0022]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art fails to disclose a pair of wiper arms for a vehicle, the pair of wiper arms comprising: a first wiper arm, comprising: a first segment configured to rotatably attach to an axis of rotation at a proximal end of the first segment, wherein the first segment comprises a first part extending along a first axis from the proximal end of the first segment, and a second part extending along a second axis from the first part of the first segment to a distal end of the first segment, and a second segment attached to the distal end of the first segment, and configured to attach to a wiper blade at an inner side of the second segment; and a second wiper arm, comprising: a third segment configured to rotatably attach to a vehicle about an axis of rotation at a proximal end of the third segment, wherein the third segment comprises a third part extending along a third axis from the proximal end of the third segment, and a fourth part extending along a fourth axis from the third part of the third segment to a distal end of the third segment, and a fourth segment attached to the distal end of the third segment, and configured to attach to a wiper blade at an inner side of the fourth segment, wherein a coordinate system is defined by an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis, which are mutually orthogonal, wherein the first wiper arm is shaped such that, when the first axis extends from the proximal end of the first segment along an X-axis direction and the second axis extends from the first part of the first segment at least partly in a Y-axis direction, the inner side of the second segment faces at least partly in a negative Z-axis direction, and wherein the second wiper arm is shaped such that, when the third axis extends from the proximal end of the third segment along a negative X-axis direction and the fourth axis extends from the third part of the third segment at least partly in the Y-axis direction, the inner side of the fourth segment faces at least partly in the negative Z-axis direction. Karcher discloses a pair of wiper arms for a vehicle, the wiper arms having first and second segments; however, Karcher fails to disclose the wiper arms having third and fourth segments or the wiper arms being configured to the X-, Y-, and Z- axes as claimed. The prior art fails to disclose a pair of wiper arms for a vehicle as claimed in Claim 17; therefore, Claims 17-20 are allowable.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL L SEHN whose telephone number is (571)270-3564. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 AM-6 PM, every other Friday off.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Courtney Heinle can be reached at 571-270-3508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL L SEHN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745