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 .
Drawings
Figures 1-2 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Choi et al. US20220089006 in view of Karl et al. US9920784.
The applied reference (Choi et al. US20220089006) has a common applicant (Kwangjin Co. LTD) and inventor (Lee, Kwan Yong) with the instant application. Based upon the earlier publication date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1).
Applicant may overcome this rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) by a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application, and is therefore, not prior art as set forth in 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(A). Alternatively, applicant may rely on the exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(B) by providing evidence of a prior public disclosure via an affidavit or declaration under 37 CFR 1.130(b).
The applied reference (Choi et al. US20220089006) has a common applicant (Kwangjin Co. LTD) and inventor (Lee, Kwan Yong) with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding independent claim 1, Choi discloses, in Figures 3-18,
A coupling apparatus (Choi; Fig. 13-18; assembly of vehicle door coupling device 100, first member 500, and second member 600) for a car door (intended-use limitation), the coupling apparatus comprising:
a first member (Choi; first member 500) comprising a first hole (Choi; first hole 501), a second member (Choi; second member 600) comprising a second hole (Choi; second hole 601) at a position corresponding to the first hole, and a coupler (Choi; vehicle door coupling device 100) configured to mechanically couple the first member and the second member to each other (Choi; Fig. 15),
wherein a first latch projection (Choi; engaging protrusion 502) is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the first hole of the first member,
wherein the coupler comprises:
a shaft (Choi; shaft 200) extending in a vertical direction and having a shape for entering and rotatably passing through the first hole of the first member and the second hole of the second member;
a stop portion (Choi; stopper 300) provided on a side of the shaft and configured to support the first member;
a crossbar (Choi; crossbar 400) provided on another side of the shaft and configured such that when the shaft is rotated to a final coupling position, the crossbar supports the second member and fixedly couples the second member to the first member; and
a position maintaining portion (Choi; position maintaining structure 210) comprising a groove portion (Choi; vertical groove portion 211) and a separation prevention protrusion (Choi; separation-preventing protrusion 214), the groove portion being provided on an outer side of the shaft and forming a movement path along which the first latch projection moves, and the separation prevention protrusion being provided on the groove portion and preventing the first latch projection in the movement path from being separated from the shaft,
wherein the first latch projection (Choi; engaging protrusion 502) is provided on the first member (Choi; first member 500) in an manner such that when the first latch projection passes the separation prevention protrusion while coming into contact with the separation prevention protrusion, the first latch projection the separation prevention protrusion.
Choi does not disclose wherein the first latch projection is provided on the first member in an elastically movable manner such that when the first latch projection passes the separation prevention protrusion while coming into contact with the separation prevention protrusion, the first latch projection elastically moves in a direction away from the separation prevention protrusion.
Karl teaches a flexible/elastic/shiftable edge section 70 of a receptacle in which the receptacle edge section is flexible/elastic/shiftable for the purpose of “compensating for manufacturing tolerances such that the two components can be aligned to each other” (Karl; Fig. 2A; flexible/elastic/shiftable edge section 70 of a receptacle; col. 5:40-48 “compensating for manufacturing tolerances such that the two components can be aligned to each other”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first latch projection of the first member as taught by Choi so that the first latch projection is elastically movable as taught by Karl for the purpose of “compensating for manufacturing tolerances such that the two components can be aligned to each other” (Karl; col. 5:40-48 “compensating for manufacturing tolerances such that the two components can be aligned to each other”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5 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:
Regarding claim 2 and its corresponding child/dependent claims 3-5, in combination with the other structures required by the base claim and intervening claims, the prior art fails to disclose, teach, suggest, or render obvious the limitation “wherein a buffer space is formed in the first member around the first hole by a through-hole penetrating the first member in the vertical direction, and when the first latch projection passes the separation prevention protrusion, the first latch projection is moved toward the buffer space”. While Choi teaches a buffer space that is a recess, Choi does not disclose that the buffer space is a through-hole. Even if Choi is modified to teach a through-hole buffer space, Choi and/or Karl do not specifically teach that the first latch projection is moved toward the buffer space.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee KR101964413 teaches a car door coupling.
Kim KR20170006212 teaches, in Figure 12, an arc-shaped elastic slip member 1383.
Koukan et al. US10690257 teaches a list of alternative corresponding components that can be elastically deformed (col. 9:59-62 “can be latched into the latching openings 14 in a process involving elastic deformation of the 60 valve housing 10' and/or of the valve body 20' and/or of the latching projections 24.”).
Leverger US12012049 teaches a quarter-turn door module fastening clip.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN MALIKASIM whose telephone number is (313)446-6597. The examiner can normally be reached M-F; 8 am - 5 pm (CST).
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/JONATHAN MALIKASIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612 12/31/25