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 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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maeda (US 4,886,314) in view of Sakyo et al. (US 2001/0005092).
With respect to claim 1, Maeda discloses the claimed front pillar structure except for the an outer bulkhead joined to the front pillar outer panel so as to configure a closed cross-sectional shape with the front pillar outer panel, and disposed between the front pillar outer panel and the front pillar inner panel; and the an inner bulkhead that is joined to the front pillar inner panel so as to configure a closed cross-sectional shape with the front pillar inner panel, and that is disposed between the front pillar outer panel and the front pillar inner panel, and at a vehicle rearward side of the outer bulkhead, so as to overlap with the outer bulkhead in a vehicle width direction. Maeda discloses a front pillar structure 6, comprising:
a front pillar outer panel having an outer flange part at a vehicle forward side and a vehicle rearward side as shown below in the image taken from Fig. 8 of Maeda:
[AltContent: textbox (front pillar inner panel)][AltContent: ]
[AltContent: textbox (cowl top side panel)][AltContent: ][AltContent: ][AltContent: textbox (front pillar )][AltContent: textbox (front panel outer panel)][AltContent: ]
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a front pillar inner panel having an inner flange part joined to the outer flange part at each of the vehicle forward side and the vehicle rearward side (as shown above); and
a cowl top side panel disposed at a vehicle forward side of the front pillar outer panel (as shown above).
Sakyo et al. disclose a similar front pillar structure 3A comprising:
a front pillar outer panel 8 having an outer flange part at a vehicle forward side and a vehicle rearward side (as shown in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.);
a front pillar inner panel 7 having an inner flange part joined to the outer flange part at each of the vehicle forward side and the vehicle rearward side (as shown in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.);
an outer bulkhead 36 joined to the front pillar outer panel 8 so as to configure a closed cross-sectional shape with the front pillar outer panel (as shown in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.), and disposed between the front pillar outer panel 8 and the front pillar inner panel 7;
an inner bulkhead 35 that is joined to the front pillar inner panel 7 so as to configure a closed cross-sectional shape with the front pillar inner panel, and that is disposed between the front pillar outer panel 8 and the front pillar inner panel 7, and at a vehicle rearward side of the outer bulkhead 36 (as shown in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.), so as to overlap with the outer bulkhead in a vehicle width direction (as shown in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.).
It 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, with a reasonable expectation of success, to combine the teaching of Sakyo et al. with the front pillar structure disclosed by Maeda for the advantage of providing additional strength and rigidity to the front pillar.
With respect to claim 2, Sakyo et al. disclose that the outer bulkhead 36 configures a closed cross-sectional shape with the front pillar outer panel 8 in plan view (as shown in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.), and the inner bulkhead 35 configures a closed cross-sectional shape with the front pillar inner panel 7 in plan view (as show in Fig. 14 of Sakyo et al.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Tsuneyama and Kim are cited to show other examples of front pillars with inner and outer bulkheads. Balzar, Mori, and Aul are cited to show other examples of vehicle pillars with two bulkheads inside a pillar outer panel and pillar inner panel.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL J COLILLA whose telephone number is (571)272-2157. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 - 4:00.
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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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/Daniel J Colilla/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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