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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/27/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 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.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okura (US20190126989A1), henceforth referred to as Okura, in view of Mildner (US20130043087A1), henceforth referred to as Mildner.
Regarding claim 1, Okura discloses a vehicle-body front structure comprising: a motor unit configured to drive a vehicle (Figure 7: vehicle electric motor 9 comprises electric machine unit 22), main frames provided on opposite sides of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction of the vehicle (Figures 7 and 11: side members 12A and 12B provided on opposite sides of the vehicle and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction), a motor support beam having a projected area larger than a projected area of the motor unit in a plan view (Figure 9: crossmember 20 has a larger projected area than electric machine unit 22), the motor support beam being fixed with the motor unit on a vehicle lower side of the motor support beam (Figure 8: electric machine unit 22 is fixed on the lower side of crossmember 20), and a support beam bracket fixing the motor support beam to the main frames (Figure 8: brackets 32A and 32B fixing crossmember 20 to side members 12A and 12B respectively), wherein the support beam bracket is fixed to the motor support beam through a first fastening part (Paragraph [0079]: "The supporting bracket 32A is provided with . . . fastening holes 74B, 74D that are positionally aligned with the fastening holes 21I, 21J of the MC cross-member 20 and are bolted to the fastening holes 21I, 21J"), is fixed, on a vehicle lower side of the support beam bracket, to the main frames through a second fastening part (Paragraph [0079]: "The supporting bracket 32A is provided with fastening holes 74A, 74C that are positionally aligned with fastening holes 15A, 15B of the front side member 12A and are bolted to the fastening holes 15A, 15B"). Okura does not teach a strut tower reinforcement. However, Okura does disclose that the support beam bracket attached to the strut tower (Paragraph [0117]: "The second bracket piece 46 is also provided with an extension portion 46 a that greatly extends outward such that the second bracket piece 46 can also be fastened to another member (for example, suspension tower)"). Further, Mildner discloses a strut tower reinforcement extending in a vehicle up-down direction of the vehicle on a vehicle front side of a strut tower that supports a suspension of a front wheel of the vehicle, and reinforcing rigidity of the strut tower (Figure 2: stiffening element 9), a support beam bracket fixing the motor support beam to the strut tower reinforcement (Figure 2: bearing pedestal 12 is fixed to stiffening element 9 via fastening joint 14), and the support beam bracket is fixed, on a vehicle upper side of the support beam bracket, to the strut tower reinforcement through a third fastening part (Figure 2: bearing pedestal 12 is fixed to stiffening element 9 via third fastening joint 14). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the chassis of Okura with the reinforcement of Mildner in order to provide the engine mounting location with high strength and rigidity (Paragraph [0008]).
Regarding claim 3, Okura as modified discloses the motor support beam comprises a vehicle front side edge at which a protective wall bent around a vehicle front side of the motor unit is disposed (Figure 6: front wall portion of crossmember 20 is disposed to bend around a front of electrical machine unit 22).
Claims 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okura and Mildner as applied to claim 1 above, in further view of Yasuhara (US-20160159399-A1), henceforth referred to as Yasuhara.
Regarding claim 2, Okura does not teach an upper frame. Yasuhara discloses an upper frame disposed on a vehicle upper side of the main frames so as to surround a periphery of a vehicle-body front part of the vehicle (Figure 1: upper frame formed by frame members 19, 21, and 22 to surround a periphery of the front of the vehicle). Mildner further discloses the strut tower reinforcement is disposed on the vehicle front side of the strut tower, comprises a vehicle upper part joined to the upper frame, and comprises a vehicle lower part joint to the main frames (Figure 1: stiffening element 9 is disposed on a front side of the strut tower, and connects upper frame 4 to frame side member 3). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the chassis of Okura with the upper frame of Yasuhara in order to provide additional chassis strength and rigidity.
Regarding claim 4, Okura as modified discloses the motor support beam comprises a vehicle front-side edge at which a protective wall bent around a vehicle front side of the motor unit is disposed (Figure 6: front wall portion of crossmember 20 is disposed to bend around a front of electrical machine unit 22).
Cited Prior Art not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes Cunningham (US-20130248275-A1), which discloses an vehicle electric motor that is supported on vehicle frame rails.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J O'NEILL whose telephone number is (571)272-4752. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri: 7AM-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571) 270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW JAMES O'NEILL/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614