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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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)(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 and 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Hammer et al (US 12,441,169).
As concerns claim 1, Hammer et al (US 12,441,169) discloses a frunk for a vehicle, the frunk comprising:
a lower part (200B) that defines a loading space therein; and
an upper part (320B) that is coupled to an upper end of the lower part and defines an opening above the loading space, the upper part being configured to be covered by a hood (100) of the vehicle,
wherein the upper part is configured to, based on a load greater than or equal to a predetermined value to the upper part through the hood, be pressed by the hood and separated from the lower part. (Figure 2B)
As concerns claim 3, Hammer discloses the frunk according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member (330B) that is coupled to the upper part and protrudes in an upward direction, the sealing member being configured to be in contact with a lower surface of the hood.
As concerns claim 4, Hammer discloses the frunk according to claim 1, further comprising a locking module (328B/234B) configured to, based on a position of the hood relative to the frunk, couple the lower part and the upper part to each other or decouple the lower part and the upper part from each other.
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 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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hammer in view of Hwan (KR 2022/0053287).
As concerns claim 2, Hammer discloses the frunk according to claim 1, however fails to specify a lower hook portion or an upper hook portion.
Hwan (KR 2022/0053287) however teaches a frunk comprising an upper part (100) with an upper hook portion (123) and a lower part (300) with a lower hook portion (320) as claimed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify Hammer as taught by Hwan to include the upper and lower hook portions for connecting the upper part and lower part of the trunk assembly, for the expected benefit of using known configuration to appropriately support the storage section of the frunk while providing a way to prevent moisture ingress, to obtain the invention as specified in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As concerns claim 5, Weber (US 11,827,180) is found to be the prior art which incorporates a similar locking module as claimed. However, the module of Weber does not read on the claimed locking module in combination with the rest of the invention.
Neither Hammer, Hwan, Weber nor any additionally cited art of record teaches or fairly suggests, alone or in combination, inter alia, wherein:
“the lower part defines a locking through-hole at a side surface of the lower part;” or wherein the locking module comprises a guider or slider member as claimed which are configured to be guided in their movement by a housing, in combination with the rest of the claimed invention.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/AARON L LEMBO/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3679