DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-8, 10-13, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nagashima et al. (US 20230001772).
Regarding claim 1, Nagashima discloses A glazed element, comprising: a first glazing (10) extending along a first surface (16A) (fig 3) , the first glazing having a first main face (12A) and a second main face (14B), opposite the first face with respect to the first glazing (fig 3), the first glazing comprising an opening (19) (fig 3), the opening defining an inner wall (inner wall of 10 @ 19, fig 3) of the first glazing (fig 3), extending along a thickness of the first glazing and defining a passage between the first face and the second face (fig 3), the first glazing having a first coefficient a1 of light absorption for a light ray having at least one wavelength chosen between 800 nm and 15 μm (fig 3 shows that 10 is in region A1, [0034] describes region A1, as a region that transmit visible light with an inherent coefficient of light absorption for light ray in range 800 nm and 15 μm ), an infrared light transmission system (20, 30) mounted fixedly to the first glazing (fig 3), wherein: the infrared light transmission system comprises a support (30) and a second glazing (20), the second glazing having a second coefficient a2 of light absorption for a light ray having at least one wavelength chosen between 800 nm and 15 pm (fig 3 shows that the second glazing 20 is located in region B, [0035] describes region B as the far-infrared ray transmission region, [0004] describes the far-infrared range between 8 μm to 13 μm), the second coefficient a2 as being strictly lower than the first coefficient a1 (fig 3, [0004]-[0005] [0034]-[0035] discloses that window glass or visible light regions, which is the region A1 where 10 is located, does not transmit far-infrared rays. This meaning that the coefficient of light absorption for far-infrared rays in region A1 is higher than region B which is described as a far-infrared ray transmission region), the support comprising a side wall (sidewall of 34, 35, fig 3) at least partially covering the inner wall and extending from the second face towards the first face (fig 3), the support comprising a flange (flange of 34, 35, fig 3) mounted fixedly to the side wall and extending over the second face (fig 3), the second glazing extending along the first surface and being embedded in the support (fig 3), and surrounded by the side wall so that the support and the second glazing are in direct contact (fig 3), the side wall being inserted into the opening so that the opening completely surrounds the side wall (fig 3),and the flange being fixedly mounted on the second face so as to seal off the first face from the second face (fig 3).
Regarding claim 2, Nagashima further discloses an adhesive layer , the adhesive layer (18) being in contact with the second face (fig 3, [0057]) and with a face of the flange arranged opposite the second face, the adhesive layer completely surrounding the side wall (fig 3, [0057]).
Regarding claim 3, Nagashima further discloses that the side wall extends in the first direction from the flange to, at the furthest, one vertex of the support, a distance between the second face and the vertex of the support in the first direction being strictly less than the thickness e of the first glazing (fig 3).
Regarding claim 4, Nagashima further discloses that the second glazing is overmolded by the support (product by process, see fig 3).
Regarding claim 5, Nagashima further discloses that the support and the second glazing have form-fitting elements configured to block movement of the second glazing relative to the support in a direction normal to the first surface (fig 3).
Regarding claim 6, Nagashima further discloses that the support has an internal face (face of 30, contacting 20, fig 3), the internal face being arranged opposite the second glazing, the internal face comprising a notch forming a recess (recess of 30 containing 20), the second glazing being mounted in the recess formed by the notch (fig 3) .
Regarding claim 7, Nagashima further discloses that the second glazing has a base (base of 20, fig 3) and a face (face of 20 opposite the lower face (base), fig 3) opposite the base with respect to the second glazing, an area of the base being strictly greater than an area of the face (fig 3).
Regarding claim 8, Nagashima further discloses that the support has an internal face (internal face of 30, opposite of 20, fig 3), the internal face being arranged opposite the second glazing (fig 3), the internal face comprising a notch forming a recess (notch of 30 containing 20, fig 3), the second glazing being mounted in the recess formed by the notch, and wherein the base of the second glazing is mounted in the recess (fig 3).
Regarding claim 10, Nagashima further discloses that the side wall and the flange form a monolithic element (fig 3).
Regarding claim 11, Nagashima further discloses at least one infrared camera (CA1) the infrared camera being arranged opposite the second glazing on the side of the second face with respect to the first glazing (fig 10).
Regarding claim 12, Nagashima further discloses that a housing (40), the housing being fixedly mounted to the first glazing (fig 10), and at least one infrared camera, the infrared camera being mounted to the housing facing the second glazing (fig 10).
Regarding claim 13, Nagashima further discloses that the second glazing has a shape, added to the first surface, selected from an elongated shape and an elbow shape (fig 3, fig 10).
Regarding claim 18, Nagashima further discloses that the at least one infrared camera is a thermal infrared camera ([0073]).
Regarding claim 19, Nagashima further discloses that the least one infrared camera is a thermal infrared camera ([0073]).
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 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima et al. (US 20230001772) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shang Shang et al. (US 20240278625).
Regarding claim 9, Nagashima further discloses that the light ray having at least one wavelength selected between 800 nm and 15 p, but is silent regarding the fact that the second glazing (2) has a coefficient of absorption of a light ray of less than 0.5 cm -1.
Shang teaches a coefficient as of absorption of a light ray of less than 0.5 cm -1 ([0024]).
Before the effective filling date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nagashima and Shang before him or her, to modify the apparatus/method disclosed by Nagashima to include a glazing with a coefficient of absorption of a light ray of less than 0.5 cm as taught by Shang in order to achieve a transmittance greater than or equal to 90% for the incident P-polarized light (abstract).
Regarding claim 17, Nagashima further discloses the second glazing comprises a member selected from zinc sulfide, zinc selenide and a cross-linked hybrid organo-sulfur polymer, comprising linear sulfur chains cross-linked by organic comonomers ([0047]).
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima et al. (US 20230001772) and Nakagome (JP2007313669A).
Regarding claim 14, Nagashima discloses A method for manufacturing a glazed element according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above), the method comprising the steps of: (c) inserting the infrared light transmission system formed by the second glazing and the support in step (b) into the opening in the first glazing (figs 3-10).
Nagashima is silent regarding arranging the second glazing in an injection mold, the second glazing being arranged between a plurality of centering elements, the centering elements being arranged in the injection mold and being configured to position the glazing at a predetermined position in the injection mold,(b) injection of a polymeric material into the injection mold so as to form the support, by overmolding the second glazing.
Nakagome teaches arranging the glazing (1) in an injection mold , the glazing arranged between a plurality of centering elements (55) (figs 1-9), the centering elements being arranged in the injection mold (60) and being configured to position the glazing at a predetermined position in the injection mold (figs 1-9),(b) injection of a polymeric material into the injection mold so as to form the support (53), by overmolding the second glazing (figs 1-9).
Before the effective filling date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nagashima and Nakagome before him or her, to modify the apparatus/method disclosed by Nagashima to include the injection molding with the centering elements as taught by Nakagome in order to prevent cracking and delamination of vehicle window plate (page 3, 3rd paragraph).
Regarding claim 15, Nagashima further discloses inserting the system (20), during which a plate is (30) mounted on the first face (F1) so as to cover the opening (figs 3-10).
Claims 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagashima et al. (US 20230001772) as applied to claims 7 and 13 above, and further in view of Kagaya et al. (CN 109070704 B).
Regarding claims 16 and 20, Nagashima is silent regarding the fact that the second glazing has a frustoconical shape defined between the base and the face.
Kagaya teaches that the glazing (30) a frustoconical shape or L shaped defined between the base and the face (fig 4)
However Before the effective filling date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nagashima and Kagaya before him or her, to modify the apparatus/method disclosed by Nagashima to include a glazing with a frustoconical shape as taught by Kagaya in order to properly fit the second glazing into a glass opening.
Conclusion
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/DANY E AKAKPO/Examiner, Art Unit 3672
01/29/2026