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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on 12/13/2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JAPAN 2022-198764 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over So et al. US 20030080572 A1.
Regarding claim 1, So et al. discloses a routing structure for a hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2), the routing structure comprising: a frame member (frame 15 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1 and upper horizontal portion 31 in paragraph [0030] as shown in Figure 2 make up the frame member) surrounding an engine room (under hood 10 as shown in Figure 1) of a body of a vehicle (as shown in Figure 1); a hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 as shown in Figure 2 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045]) that is routed along the frame member (vehicle body frame 15 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1 and upper horizontal portion 31 in paragraph [0030] as shown in Figure 2 make up the frame member), the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) being configured to operate a hood lock mechanism (hood latch 41 in paragraphs [0031], [0032], [0043] and [0045] as shown in Figure 4) of an engine hood (hood 10 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1) of the vehicle (as shown in Figure 1) by being operated with an operation lever (release lever 13 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release lever 42 in paragraph [0031], [0032], [0037], [0043] and [0045] as shown in Figure 4) provided in a compartment
(in paragraphs [0010] and [0031]) of the vehicle (as shown in Figure 1); and a peripheral component (head lamp 24 in paragraphs [0029], [0030] and [0043] as shown in Figure 2) mounted on the frame member (frame 15 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1 and upper horizontal portion 31 in paragraph [0030] as shown in Figure 2 making) at a position closer to an outside of the vehicle than the frame member (frame 15 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1 and upper horizontal portion 31 in paragraph [0030] as shown in Figure 2 make up the frame member), wherein the frame member (frame 15 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1 make upper horizontal portion 31 in paragraph [0030] as shown in Figure 2 make up the frame member) comprises a flange (reinforcing rib 31a in paragraphs [0037], [0039] and [0045] as shown in Figure 7) at a position facing the peripheral component (head lamp 24 in paragraphs [0029], [0030] and [0043] as shown in Figure 2) and at which a portion of the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) is routed, and the flange (reinforcing rib 31a in paragraphs [0037], [0039] and [0045] as shown in Figure 7) is shaped (insertion groove 85 in paragraph [0039] formed in the reinforcing rib 31a in paragraphs [0037], [0039] and [0045] as shown in Figure 8) so as to be deformed and hold (insertion groove 85 in paragraph [0039] as shown in Figure 8) the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) when a collision of the peripheral component (headlamp 24 in paragraphs [0029], [0030] and [0043] as shown in Figure 2) occurs.
Since the flange (reinforcing rib 31a as shown in Figure 7) is near the peripheral component (head lamp 24 as shown in Figure 2), therefore the flange (reinforcing rib 31a) will be deformed by a collision of the peripheral component (head lamp 24).
Regarding claim 2, So et al. discloses the routing structure for the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) according to claim 1, wherein the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) is routed on an inner side (insertion groove 85 in paragraph [0039] as shown in Figure 8) in a direction where the flange (reinforcing rib 31a in paragraphs [0037], [0039] and [0045] as shown in Figure 7) is deformed when a collision of the peripheral component (head lamp 24 in paragraphs [0029], [0030] and [0043] as shown in Figure 2) occurs.
Regarding claim 3, So et al. discloses the routing structure for the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral component is a headlamp unit (headlamp 24 in paragraphs [0029], [0030] and [0043] as shown in Figure 2).
Regarding claim 4, So et al. discloses the routing structure for the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) according to claim 2,wherein the peripheral component (headlamp 24 in paragraphs [0029], [0030] and [0043] as shown in Figure 2) is a headlamp unit.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
So et al. US 20030080572 A1 in view of JP H11195329 A.
Regarding claim 5, So et al. discloses the routing structure for the hood lock release cable (release cable 14 in paragraph [0010] in paragraph [0010] as shown in Figure 1; release cable 50 in paragraphs [0031], [0032] and [0045] as shown in Figure 2) according to claim 1 but does not show wherein the hood lock release cable comprises an inner wire consisting of a metal wire and an outer tube of a resin covering an outer circumferential side of the inner wire.
JP H11195329 A teaches resin-coated electric wire (1) shown in Figure 1 is a round cable including a single core wire (2) made of a conductive metal wire such as copper or aluminum, and an electrically insulating resin coating layer (5) covering the outer periphery of the core wire (2).
Regarding claim 1, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the hood lock release cable of So et al. comprising an inner wire consisting of a metal wire and an outer tube of a resin covering an outer circumferential side of the inner wire, as taught by JP H11195329 A, with a reasonable expectation of success in order to electrically insulated from the outside.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
JP 3125535 B2 discloses a hood lock cable for connecting a hood lock mounted on a radiator core support serving as a base of a front end module connected to a vehicle body, and a hood lock release operation unit in a vehicle cabin as shown in Figure 1.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lori Lyjak whose telephone number is (571)272-6658. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (EST) Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy Weisberg can be reached at 571-270-5500. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Lori Lyjak/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612