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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The first connection structure does not have a reference number. The term ‘second connection structure’ is not present in the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the first connection structure and the second connection structure are not labeled. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). 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 § 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-10, 12, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Powerfulukltd (NPL1 – youtube video - youtube.com/watch?v=JfR8pW2T494).
**Powerfulukltd will be referred to throughout this office action as ‘Powerful UK’**
Re: claim 1, Powerful UK teaches a vehicle (Fig. 1) comprising: a windshield (Fig. 1 – windshield); an A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar) adjacent to the windshield; a body panel (Fig. 1 – Body Panel) adjacent to the A-pillar; an A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar Garnish) mounted onto and covering at least a portion of the A-pillar (See Fig. 1 & 4) and including a lower end (Fig. 2 – lower end) that is adjacent to the body panel (body panel); a front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar Corner Garnish) covering at least a portion of the lower end (See Fig. 1 & 2); and a first connection structure (Fig. 3 – first connection structure) connecting the front pillar corner garnish to the A-pillar (See Fig. 1).
Re: claim 2, Powerful UK teaches wherein the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 3 – A-Pillar Corner Garnish) includes: a side panel (Side panel) extending from the A-pillar garnish to the body panel (See Fig. 1 & Fig. 3 – The side panel runs the height of the A-Pillar corner garnish); and an extension panel (extension panel) extending from the side panel (side panel) to the windshield (Fig. 1 – windshield), the extension panel covers the lower end of the A-pillar garnish (See Fig. 1).
Re: claim 3, Powerful UK teaches wherein the A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar garnish) includes a first exterior surface (Fig. 2 – First exterior surface), the lower end (lower end) includes a lower side (lower side) and a mounting member (mounting member) that protrudes from lower side and is recessed inwardly from the first exterior surface (See Fig. 2), the first exterior surface (First Exterior surface) ends at the lower end (lower end) and is spaced away from the body panel by a gap (gap), and the extension panel (Fig. 3 – extension panel) covers the gap and the mounting member (See Fig. 1) and includes a second exterior surface (Fig. 3 – second exterior surface) that is flush with the first exterior surface (See Fig. 1).
Re: claim 4, Powerful UK teaches further comprising: a second connection structure (Fig. 2 – second connection structure) passing through the mounting member (mounting member) and connecting the mounting member to the A-pillar (See Fig. 2 and 4), wherein the extension panel (Fig. 3 – extension panel) of the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 3 – A-Pillar Corner garnish) covers the second connection structure (See Fig. 1 & 2).
Re: claim 8, Powerful UK teaches wherein the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) includes a lower side (Fig. 3 – lower side) that extends along the side panel (side panel) and the extension panel (extension panel), and the lower side (Fig. 5 – lower side) is adjacent to and extends along the body panel (body panel).
Re: claim 9, Powerful UK teaches wherein the body panel (Fig. 5 – body panel) is a fender (fender) and the fender includes a wheel arch (wheel arch).
Re: claim 10, Powerful UK teaches a method for assembling the vehicle of claim 1 (See Rejection of claim 1), the method comprising: fitting the A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar Garnish) onto the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar) (See timestamp 2:27 – 2:33 in reverse); bolting the lower end (Fig. 2 – lower end) of the A-pillar garnish to the A-pillar (See timestamp 1:56 – 2:12 in reverse); fitting the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) onto the A-pillar and the A-pillar garnish (See timestamp 1:18 – 1:25 in reverse); and fastening the first connection structure (Fig. 3 – first connection structure) from a side of the A-pillar that is adjacent to the windshield (Fig. 1 – windshield) (See timestamp 1:18 – 1:25 in reverse).
Re: claim 12, Powerful UK teaches a vehicle (Fig. 1) comprising: an A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar); a windshield (Fig. 1 – windshield) mounted onto the A-pillar (See Fig. 4); a door (Fig. 4 – door) pivotally mounted onto the A-pillar (See Fig. 4); a body panel (Fig. 1 – body panel) adjacent to the A-pillar; an A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar garnish) mounted onto and covering at least a portion of the A-pillar (See Fig. 1 and Fig. 4) and including a lower end (Fig. 2 – lower end) that is adjacent to the body panel (body panel); a front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) covering at least a portion of the lower end (See Fig. 1 & 2); and a first connection structure (Fig. 3 – first connection structure) connecting the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) to the A-pillar (See Fig. 1 and 4).
Re: claim 14, Powerful UK teaches further comprising: a second connection structure (Fig. 2 – second connection structure) passing through the lower end (lower end) of the A-pillar garnish (A-Pillar garnish) and connecting the A-pillar garnish to the A-pillar (See Fig. 2 and Fig. 4); and a clip (Fig. 3 – clip) connecting the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) to the A-pillar (See Fig. 1 & 4) (See also timestamp 1:18 – 1:25 in reverse).
Re: claim 15, Powerful UK teaches wherein the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar) includes an exterior surface that is spaced away from the body panel by a gap (Fig. 2 – gap) (See also Fig. 4), and the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 3 – A-Pillar corner garnish) includes: a side panel (side panel) that is located between the door (Fig. 5 – door) and the A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar garnish) in a longitudinal direction (Fig. 5 – longitudinal direction) of the vehicle (See Fig. 1, 4, and 5), the side panel (Fig. 3 – side panel) extends along the body panel in the longitudinal direction (See Fig. 1, 3, and 5), and an extension panel (Fig. 3 – extension panel) extending from the side panel (side panel) to the windshield (Fig. 1 – windshield) along a transverse direction (Fig. 1 – transverse direction) of the vehicle, the extension panel (Fig. 3 – extension panel) covers the second connection structure (Fig. 2 – second connection structure), the gap (gap), and the lower end (lower end) of the A-pillar garnish (A-Pillar garnish), and extends along the body panel (body panel) in the transverse direction (Fig. 1 – transverse direction).
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.
Claim(s) 5 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Powerful UK (NPL1).
Re: claim 5, Powerful UK teaches further comprising: a clip (Fig. 3 – clip) connecting the side panel (side panel) to the A-pillar (See Fig. 1 & timestamp 1:17-1:24). Powerful UK fails to teach a plurality of clips.
The mere duplication of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Harza, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Re: claim 11, Powerful UK teaches wherein the fitting the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) includes inserting a clip (Fig. 3 – clip) that are mounted onto the front pillar corner garnish (See Fig. 3) into a clip hole in the A-pillar (See timestamp 1:18 – 1:25 in reverse). Powerful UK fails to teach a plurality of clips and a plurality of clip holes.
The mere duplication of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Harza, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Claim(s) 6, 16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Powerful UK (NPL1) in view of Koizumi et al. (Patent No. 7,651,158).
Re: claim 6, Powerful UK teaches wherein the A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar garnish) is between the side panel (Fig. 3 - side panel) and the windshield (Fig. 1 – Windshield), the extension panel (Fig. 3 – extension panel) includes an end (End adjacent to Windshield) that is adjacent to the windshield. Powerful UK fails to teach the first bolt passes through the end.
However, Koizumi et al. teaches the first bolt (Fig. 8 - 51d) passes through the end (51c).
Powerful UK and Koizumi et al. are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of A-pillar garnishes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before to the effective filing date of the given invention to modify Powerful UK’s A-pillar corner garnish end with those of Koizumi et al.’s bolt and end in order to provide the advantage of a system with more positive engagement that would secure the garnish to the A-Pillar with less ability to falling off due to vibrations or simple wear.
Re: claim 16, Powerful UK teaches a vehicle (Fig. 1) comprising: an A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar) that includes an inboard side (inboard side); a windshield (windshield) adjacent the inboard side (inboard side) of the A-pillar (A-Pillar); a body panel (Fig. 5 – body panel) adjacent to the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar); an A-pillar garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar garnish) mounted onto and covering at least a portion of the A-pillar (See Fig. 1,2, and 4), the A-pillar garnish includes a main body (Fig. 2 – main body) and a mounting member (mounting member) protruding from the main body (See Fig. 2), the main body includes a first exterior surface (First exterior surface) that is spaced away from the body panel (body panel) by a gap (gap), the mounting member (mounting member) is recessed inwardly from the first exterior surface (See Fig. 2); a front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) covering the gap and at least a portion of the mounting member (See Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), the front pillar corner garnish includes a second exterior surface (Fig. 3 – second exterior surface) that is flush with the first exterior surface (See Fig. 1 & 5); and a first connection structure (Fig. 3 – first connection structure) connecting the front pillar corner garnish (A-Pillar corner garnish) to the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar). Powerful UK fails to teach the first connection structure extending through the inboard side of the A-pillar.
However, Koizumi et al. teaches the first connection structure (Fig. 8 – 51d’) extending through the inboard side (63) of the A-pillar (52).
Powerful UK and Koizumi et al. are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of A-pillar garnishes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before to the effective filing date of the given invention to modify Powerful UK’s A-pillar corner garnish first connection structure with those of Koizumi et al.’s bolt in order to provide the advantage of a system with more positive engagement that would secure the garnish to the A-Pillar with less ability to falling off due to vibrations or simple wear.
Re: claim 18, Powerful UK teaches further comprising: a second connection structure (Fig. 2 – second connection structure) that extends through the mounting member (mounting member) and connects the A-pillar garnish (A-Pillar garnish) to the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar).
Re: claim 19, Powerful UK teaches wherein the front pillar corner garnish (Fig. 1 – A-Pillar corner garnish) includes: a side panel (Fig. 3 – side panel) that includes an upper side (upper side) that is adjacent to and extends along the main body of the A-pillar garnish (See Fig. 3 & 1), an extension panel (extension panel) extending from the side panel (side panel) to the windshield (Fig. 1 – windshield), the extension panel (Fig. 3 – extension panel) covers the second connection structure (Fig. 2 – second connection structure) and the mounting member (mounting member) of the A-pillar garnish (A-Pillar garnish) and extends along the body panel (body panel) (See Fig. 1 & 2), and a lower side (Fig. 3 – lower side) that extends along the side panel (side panel) and the extension panel (extension panel) and is adjacent to the body panel (Fig. 1 – body panel), and the first connection structure (Fig. 3 – first connection structure) extends through the extension panel (extension panel). Koizumi et al. also teaches the first connection structure (Fig. 8 – 51d’) extends through the extension panel (51c’).
Re: claim 20, Powerful UK teaches further comprising: a clip (Fig. 3 – clip) mounted onto the side panel (side panel) and connected to the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar) (See also timestamp 1:18 – 1:25 in reverse). Powerful UK and Koizumi et al. fail to teach a plurality of clips.
The mere duplication of parts, without any new or unexpected results, is within the ambit of one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Harza, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (see MPEP § 2144.04).
Claim(s) 7, 13, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Powerful UK (NPL1) in view of Koizumi et al. in further view of MikesCarInfo (NPL2 – youtube video - youtube.com/watch?v=g3G70Q3KN7E).
Re: claim 7, Powerful UK teaches the first connection structure (Fig. 3 – first connection structure). Powerful UK and Koizumi et al. fail to teach further comprising: a cover panel extending along the windshield and covering the first connection structure.
However, MikesCarInfo teaches further comprising: a cover panel (Fig. 1 – cover panel) extending along the windshield (windshield).
Powerful UK, Koizumi et al., and MikesCarInfo are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of A-pillar garnishes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before to the effective filing date of the given invention to modify Powerful UK’s A-pillar corner garnish first connection structure with those of MikesCarInfo’s cover panel in order to provide the advantage of a system that is properly sealed from allowing debris and water from getting in to the connection point via the windshield.
Re: claim 13, Powerful UK teaches wherein the A-pillar (Fig. 4 – A-Pillar) includes an inboard side (inboard side) that is adjacent to the windshield (windshield). Powerful UK fails to teach the first connection structure extends through the inboard side, and the vehicle further comprising: a fender cover extending along the windshield and covering the first connection structure.
However, Koizumi et al. teaches wherein the A-pillar (Fig. 8 – 62) includes an inboard side (63) that is adjacent to the windshield (6), and the first connection structure (51d’) extends through the inboard side (63). Koizumi et al. fails to teach the vehicle further comprising: a fender cover extending along the windshield and covering the first connection structure.
Powerful UK and Koizumi et al. are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of A-pillar garnishes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before to the effective filing date of the given invention to modify Powerful UK’s A-pillar corner garnish with those of Koizumi et al.’s bolt and inboard side in order to provide the advantage of a system with more positive engagement that would secure the garnish to the A-Pillar with less ability to falling off due to vibrations or simple wear.
However, MikesCarInfo teaches the vehicle further comprising: a fender cover (Fig. 1 – cover panel) extending along the windshield (windshield).
Powerful UK, Koizumi et al., and MikesCarInfo are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of A-pillar garnishes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before to the effective filing date of the given invention to modify Powerful UK’s A-pillar corner garnish first connection structure and Koizumi’s bolt and inboard side with those of MikesCarInfo’s cover panel in order to provide the advantage of a system that is properly sealed from allowing debris and water from getting in to the connection point via the windshield.
Re: claim 17, Koizumi et al. teaches the first connection structure (Fig. 8 – 51d’) connecting to the inboard side (63) of the A-Pillar (52). Powerful UK and Koizumi et al. fail to teach further comprising: a cover panel extending along the windshield.
However, MikesCarInfo teaches a cover panel (Fig. 1 – cover panel) extending along the windshield (windshield).
Powerful UK, Koizumi et al., and MikesCarInfo are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of A-pillar garnishes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before to the effective filing date of the given invention to modify Powerful UK’s A-pillar corner garnish first connection structure and Koizumi’s bolt and inboard side with those of MikesCarInfo’s cover panel in order to provide the advantage of a system that is properly sealed from allowing debris and water from getting in to the connection point via the windshield.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILIP C ADAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-3421. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30 - 4:00 CT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy R Weisberg can be reached at 5712705500. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHILIP C ADAMS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/AMY R WEISBERG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612