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 § 102
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 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.
Claims 1, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamamoto (US PG Pub 2014/0182964).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a method of manufacturing an off-road vehicle, the method comprising: preparing a ladder frame 2 (see Figure 3; Paragraph 21); attaching a vehicle front part 7 that includes a front panel defining a front end of a compartment and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 2 to the ladder frame 2 (see Figures 1-5; Paragraphs 21 and 24); attaching a vehicle rear part 3 that includes a rear panel defining a rear end of the compartment and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 2 to the ladder frame 2 (see Figures 1-5; Paragraphs 21 and 24); and attaching one or a plurality of seat row modules 4, 5, each of which includes a seat frame 19 supporting a seat row having seats arranged side by side in a lateral direction of the vehicle and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 2 between the vehicle front part 7 and the vehicle rear part 3, to the ladder frame 2 (see Figures 1-5 and annotated Figure 4 below; Paragraphs 24 and 27), wherein the number of the one or plurality of seat row modules corresponds to the number of the seat rows included in a vehicle body, the one or plurality of seat row modules 4 further include a pillar cross member which couples a pair of pillars 9 respectively extending upward from outermost longitudinal portions 8 of the ladder frame 2 and arranged side by side in the lateral direction of the vehicle and to which the seat frame 19 is attached, and the seat row, and each respective pillar of the pair of pillars 9 is directly coupled to the ladder frame 2 (see Figures 1-5 and annotated Figure 4 below; Paragraph 27).
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Regarding claim 4, Yamamoto discloses the method of manufacturing the off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the preparing of the ladder frame 2 includes preparing the ladder frame 2 having a length in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the number of the seat rows 4, 5 included in the vehicle body 1 (see Figures 1-5; Paragraphs 24 and 27).
Regarding claim 6, Yamamoto discloses the method of manufacturing the off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the seat frame 4 includes vertical frames that extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle and couple the seat frame 4 directly to the ladder frame 2 (see Figures 1-5 and annotated Figure 4 below; Paragraphs 24 and 27).
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Claims 1-2 and 4-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nysse et al. (US PG Pub 2023/0339541).
Regarding claim 1, Nysse et al. disclose a method of manufacturing an off-road vehicle, the method comprising: preparing a ladder frame 60 (see Figures 9-11; Paragraphs 167, 171, and 173-174); attaching a vehicle front part 14 that includes a front panel 20 defining a front end of a compartment and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 60 to the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 9-11; Paragraphs 167-168, 171-173, and 191); attaching a vehicle rear part 16 that includes a rear panel 30 defining a rear end of the compartment and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 60 to the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 9-11; Paragraphs 167-168, 171, and 191); and attaching one or a plurality of seat row modules 95, each of which includes a seat frame supporting a seat row having seats 420, 422 arranged side by side in a lateral direction of the vehicle and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 60 between the vehicle front part 14 and the vehicle rear part 16, to the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 8A, 24, and 75-76; Paragraph 180), wherein the number of the one or plurality of seat row modules 95 corresponds to the number of the seat rows included in a vehicle body (see Figures 8A, 24, and 75-76; Paragraph 180), and the one or plurality of seat row modules 95 further include a pillar cross member which couples a pair of pillars 86 respectively extending upward from outermost longitudinal portions 78 of the ladder frame 60 and arranged side by side in the lateral direction of the vehicle and to which the seat frame is attached, and the seat row (see Figures 8A, 24, and annotated Figure 24 below; Paragraphs 175 and 180), and each respective pillar 86 of the pair of pillars is directly coupled to the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 8A-9, 11, and 24-25; Paragraphs 175, 178, 188, and 195).
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Regarding claim 2, Nysse et al. disclose the method of manufacturing the off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of seat row modules 95 attached to the ladder frame 60 are common (see Figures 8A, 24, and 75-76; Paragraph 180).
Regarding claim 4, Nysse et al. disclose the method of manufacturing the off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the preparing of the ladder frame 60 includes preparing the ladder frame 60 having a length in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the number of the seat rows 95 included in the vehicle body 2 (see Figures 8A, 24, and 75-76; Paragraph 180).
Regarding claim 5, Nysse et al. disclose an off-road vehicle, comprising: a ladder frame (see Figures 9-11; Paragraphs 167, 171, and 173-174); a vehicle front part 14 that includes a front panel 20 defining a front end of a compartment and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 9-11; Paragraphs 167-168, 171-173, and 191); a vehicle rear part 16 that includes a rear panel 30 defining a rear end of the compartment and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 9-11; Paragraphs 167-168, 171, and 191); and seat row modules 95, each of which includes a seat frame supporting a seat row having seats 420, 422 arranged side by side in a lateral direction of the vehicle and is mounted on top of the ladder frame 60 between the vehicle front part 14 and the vehicle rear part 16 (see Figures 8A, 24, and 75-76; Paragraph 180), wherein each of the seat row modules 95 further includes a pillar cross member which couples a pair of pillars 86 respectively extending upward from outermost longitudinal portions of the ladder frame 60 and arranged side by side in the lateral direction of the vehicle and to which the seat frame is attached, and the seat row (see Figures 8A, 24, and annotated Figure 24 above; Paragraphs 175 and 180), the seat row modules include a first seat row module and a second seat row module that is arranged behind the first seat row module and includes a seat frame common with the seat frame of the first seat row module (see Figures 8A, 24, and 75-76; Paragraph 180), and each respective pillar 86 of the pair of pillars is directly coupled to the ladder frame 60 (see Figures 8A-9, 11, and 24-25; Paragraphs 175, 178, 188, and 195).
Regarding claim 6, Nysse et al. disclose the method of manufacturing the off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the seat frame 95 includes vertical frames that extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle 2 and couple the seat frame directly to the ladder frame 60 (see Figure 24 and annotated Figure 24 below; Paragraph 180).
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Regarding claim 7, Nysse et al. disclose the off-road vehicle of claim 5, wherein the seat frame 95 includes vertical frames that extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle 2 and couple the seat frame directly to the ladder frame 60 (see Figure 24 and annotated Figure 24 below; Paragraph 180).
Regarding claim 8, Nysse et al. disclose the method of manufacturing the off-road vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pair of pillars 86 are connected via a second cross member 94 that extends laterally across the vehicle above the seats 420, 422 (see Figure 8A and 24-25; Paragraph 179).
Regarding claim 9, Nysse et al. disclose the off-road vehicle of claim 5, wherein the pair of pillars 86 are connected via a second cross member 94 that extends laterally across the vehicle above the seats 420, 422 (see Figure 8A and 24-25; Paragraph 179).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed September 4, 2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-2 and 4-5 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Yamamoto (US PG Pub 2014/0182964) and Nysse et al. (US PG Pub 2023/0339541).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Deckard et al. (US PG Pub 2021/0221437) disclose an off-road vehicle having a plurality of seat modules with a plurality of seats, a pair of pillars, and a ladder frame. Yamamoto et al. (US Pat 11,577,797) disclose an off-road vehicle having a seat module with a plurality of seats attached to a ladder frame of the vehicle. Damerow et al. (US Pat 10,821,864) disclose a modular seating arrangement for a vehicle having a plurality of seat modules and a plurality of seats. Smith et al. (US PG Pub 2019/0185077) disclose an off-road vehicle having a ladder frame, a pair of pillars, and a seat module with a plurality of seats. Kotrla (US Pat 10,239,562) discloses an off-road vehicle having a ladder frame, a seat module with a plurality of seats, and a pair of pillars. Tsumiyama et al. (US Pat 10,093,273) disclose an off-road vehicle having a seat module with a plurality of seats, a pair of pillars, and front and rear panels.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VERONICA M CONDO whose telephone number is (571)272-9415. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-3pm EST.
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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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/VERONICA M CONDO/ Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/AMY R WEISBERG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612
