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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission, filed on 07/01/2026, has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 5-6 and 12 are cancelled.
Claims 7, 10-11, and 13-15 are withdrawn.
In view of amendment, filed on 07/01/2026, the following rejections are withdrawn from the previous office action, mailed on 04/08/2026.
Rejection of claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. 112(d).
Rejection of claims 1-6 and 8-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heikkila et al. (US 2019/0389104)
Examiner note: it is noticed that the amended set of claims, filed on 03/19/2026, did not follow the requirements of 37 CFR 1.121 (please see MPEP 714 C: (B) and (C)) because:
Claim 1 in the amended claim-set, filed on 03/19/2026, missed to strike-through the deleted text from the immediate prior version of the claim-set that was filed on 11/10/2025. Claim 1 of the claim-set, filed on 03/19/2026, has deleted the following text from the claim 1 of the claim-set on 11/10/2025 without striking-through the deleted text:
“the vehicle interior and exterior member, comprising: a fiber molded body, and a synthetic resin member, wherein the synthetic resin member has a fixed portion which is fixed to a surface of the fiber molded body, … the steps of”
As the result of the amendment, the following objections/new grounds of the rejections are necessitated:
New Objections / Grounds of the Rejections
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “injection molding”, in 7th line, that needs to be modified to “injection-molding” for the purpose of claim language consistency.
Claim 4 recites “thermoplastic synthetic resin”, in 2nd line, that needs to be modified to “the thermoplastic synthetic resin” for the purpose of claim language consistency as prior to the cited limitation, claim 1 already recites “thermoplastic synthetic resin” in 3rd line.
Claim 8 recites “the synthetic resin”, in 2nd line, needs to be modified as to “the thermoplastic synthetic resin”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heikkila et al. (US 2019/0389104) in view of Fujioka et al. (US 2013/0242487), and further, in view of Ikeda (WO 2012/046743), the provided citations in the rejection below relies on English Translation for (WO 2012/046743).
Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) disclose a method of manufacturing a vehicle interior and exterior member (a method of making a vehicle interior component having an integral airbag component and a fibrous decorative covering; ¶ [0170]), the vehicle interior and exterior member, comprising:
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a fiber molded body (a natural fiber, plastic composite sheet or substrate 40; ¶ [0121]), and a synthetic resin member (a support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins, a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; ¶ [0123] - ¶ [0124]), wherein the synthetic resin member (62, 68; ¶ [0123] - ¶ [0124]) has a fixed portion (a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; [0123]) which is fixed to a surface of the fiber molded body (a natural fiber, plastic composite sheet or substrate 40; ¶ [0121]),
the method comprising the steps of:
-providing a fiber laminated body (a laminated sheet 50; ¶ [0123]), wherein the fiber laminated body (50; ¶ [0123]) comprises a fiber layer (a support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) including thermoplastic synthetic resin;
-heating the fiber laminated body (the laminated sheet 50 is heated to a second softening temperature in an oven; ¶ [0125]) to soften the fiber laminated body (50);
-press molding the softened fiber laminated body (¶ [0126], FIG. 4B: the composite sheet 40 is pressed against the laminated sheet 50 after the steps of providing and the steps of heating) using a press mold (a compression mold 56, ¶ [0122]), wherein the fiber laminated body (the laminated sheet 50 including a foam layer 68 and a support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins) is formed into a three-dimensional face shape;
-pressurizing (¶ [0036]) the fiber laminated body (50; ¶ [0123]) in the press mold (a compression mold 56; ¶ [0122]);
-injection molding molten synthetic resin (¶ [0126], FIG. 4B: the injection of molten resin in the lower mold half to form the plastic components and runners on the “B” surface) toward the fiber layer (the support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) of the fiber laminated body (the laminated sheet 50) while the fiber laminated body (the laminated sheet 50) is in the press mold (a compression mold 56, ¶ [0122]) to form the fiber molded body (a natural fiber, plastic composite sheet or substrate 40) and the synthetic resin member (the support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; ¶ [0123] - ¶ [0124]), wherein the molten synthetic resin seeps (¶ [0042]) into a part of the fiber layer (the support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) of the fiber molded body (40) that faces the fixed portion (a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; [0123]) of the synthetic resin member (a support or outer skin layer 62, a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; ¶ [0123] - ¶ [0124]); and
-solidifying molten synthetic resin (the polymer melt begins to solidify when in contact with the cavity surface ¶ [0038]) in the mold (a compression mold 56; ¶ [0122])
-wherein the synthetic resin member (the support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins, a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68) is solidified in a state where the synthetic resin member (the support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins, a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68) includes gas bubbles therein (as foam layer is formed of gas bubbles).
Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) disclose a second stage pressure occurs after the initial packing pressure and is necessary during the early stages of the cooling of the molded part to counteract polymer contraction. It is required until the mold gate freezes; the injection pressure can then be released (¶ [0037]); however, Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) is silent on explicitly disclosing the step of cooling the fiber laminated body (the laminated sheet 50) in the press mold (a compression mold 56) after the press molding step, as claimed in claim 1, and further, is silent on explicitly disclosing the molten synthetic resin includes a foaming agent and/or a gas configured to form a gas bubbles in the molten synthetic resin, and also, fails to disclose the gas bubbles formed in an inside of the synthetic resin member are relatively larger than the gas bubbles formed in a surface side of the synthetic resin member adjacent to the fiber molded body, as claimed in claim 1.
In the analogous art, Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) disclose a method for producing metal composite by heating and pressurizing a preform including a sheet substrate containing at least one thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin, phenol resin, benzoxazine resin and unsaturated polyester resin (¶ [0026]) comprising the steps of:
-a step 1 (¶ [0027]) for placing the preform in a mold and heating the metal material so as to raise its surface temperature in excess of 180 ̊C. while semi-curing the thermosetting resin,
-a step 2 (¶ [0028]) for applying a pressure to the preform being heated in the step 1 to form the metal composite, and
-a step 3 (¶ [0029]) for cooling down the metal composite molded in the step 2 under pressure so as to lower the surface temperature of the metal material.
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Therefore, as to claim 1, Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) disclose cooling and pressurizing the fiber laminated body (preform 10 comprising the metal material 1 and the sheet substrate 2; ¶ [0164]) in the press mold (the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12; ¶ [0164])
Further, as claim 1, Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) teach the molten synthetic resin includes a foaming agent (¶ [0200])
In another analogous art, Ikeda (WO ‘743) discloses the crystallization accelerator, the cell nucleating agent, the antioxidant, and the antistatic agent are added to the thermoplastic resin before foaming within a range that does not affect the properties of the thermoplastic resin foam thin film sheets 14 and 15. , UV inhibitors, light stabilizers, fluorescent brighteners, pigments, dyes, compatibilizers, lubricants, reinforcing agents, flame retardants, crosslinking agents, crosslinking aids, plasticizers, thickeners, thickeners, etc. (see ¶ [0050])
Further, Ikeda (WO ‘743) teach a production method, in which, during formation of a resin sheet (13) by extrusion molding of a thermoplastic resin in which a plasticizer is dispersed, extrusion is performed so that a shear force is applied to the extruded resin sheet (13), and the resin sheet (13) is impregnated with an inert gas, after which the resin sheet (13) is heated and caused to foam; first bubbles (11) are formed on both thickness-wise sides, and second bubbles (12) having a greater average diameter than that of the first bubbles (11) are formed at the thickness-wise center to form a thermoplastic resin foam sheet (10). See the abstract.
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Therefore, as to claim 1, Ikeda (WO ‘743) disclose the molten synthetic resin includes a foaming agent and/or a gas, wherein the foaming agent and/or gas forms (¶ [0050]) gas bubbles (1st and 2nd bubbles 11 and 12, ¶ [0007] - ¶ [0012]) in the molten synthetic resin, wherein the gas bubbles (2nd bubbles 12, abstract) formed in an inside (Fig. 1) of the synthetic resin member (the thermoplastic resin foam sheet 10, ¶ [0044]) are relatively larger than the gas bubbles (1st bubbles 11, abstract) formed in a surface side (the front surface side and the back surface side of the sheet, ¶ [0012]) of the synthetic resin member adjacent to the fiber molded body. (see the abstract)
Further, Ikeda (WO ‘743) teach the slicing blade always proceeds in the region where the second bubbles 12 having a weak mechanical strength compared with the surroundings are dispersed, and as a result, chatter vibration is prevented from occurring. See ¶ [0012].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to modify the press molding step, as taught by Heikkila et al. (US ‘104), through cooling the fiber laminated body is in the press mold and providing the molten synthetic resin with a foaming agent in order to lower the surface temperature of the metal material to cause the thermoplastic resin to strongly be bonded to the metal materials during cooling inside the mold, as suggested by Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) (¶ [0029] and ¶ [0204]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the time of Applicant’s invention, to modify the gas bubbles formed in the synthetic resin member, as taught by combined teachings of Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) in view of Fujioka et al. (US ‘487), so that the gas bubbles formed in an inside of the synthetic resin member are relatively larger than the gas bubbles formed in a surface side of the synthetic resin member adjacent to the fiber molded body in order to provide a weaker mechanical strength within the synthetic resin member compare to its surroundings which results in preventing occurrence of chatter vibration, as suggested by Ikeda (WO ‘743). See ¶ [0012].
As to claim 2, Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) teach a portion of the molten synthetic resin (¶ [0141]) nearer to the fiber layer (a support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) is cooled slower than a portion of the molten synthetic resin (¶ [0141]) spaced apart from the fiber layer (a support or outer skin layer 68 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) as it is known that the fiber layer (a support or outer skin layer 62) has a lower heat conduction.
As to claim 3, Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) disclose the molten synthetic resin seeps (¶ [0042]) into the part of the fiber layer (a support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) of the fiber molded body (40) that faces the fixed portion (a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; [0123]) of the synthetic resin member (a support or outer skin layer 62, a plastic cushioning or foam layer 68; ¶ [0123] - ¶ [0124]) by injecting a quantity of the molten synthetic resin sufficient to cause a portion of the molten synthetic resin to seep into the fiber layer. (see ¶ [0042])
As to claim 4, Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) teach the fiber laminated body (the laminated sheet 50; ¶ [0123]) consists of a single fiber layer including thermoplastic synthetic resin (¶ [0124]: the support or outer skin layer 62 may be suitable thermoplastic materials including poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]).
As to claim 8, Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) disclose a melting point of the thermoplastic synthetic resin (a first melting temperature; ¶ [0062]) is the same or greater than a melting point of the synthetic resin (a second melting temperature; ¶ [0062]).
As to claim 9, Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) teach the press mold (a compression mold 56; ¶ [0122]) comprises an injection molding portion (a lower mold half 54; ¶ [0133]) and a molding portion (recesses 80; ¶ [0133]), the press mold (a compression mold 56; ¶ [0122]) is configured by combining the injection molding portion (the lower mold half 54; ¶ [0133]) and the molding portion (receptables 80; ¶ [0133]), wherein the injection molding portion (the lower mold half 54; ¶ [0133]) comprises a ferrous material or cast iron, wherein the injection molding portion has passages (passages 80 of the lower mold half 54; ¶ [0133]), the passages (80; ¶ [0133]) being configured to inject the molten synthetic resin toward the fiber layer (the support or outer skin layer 62 comprising poly-urethane resins and other co-polymers; ¶ [0124]) of the fiber laminated body (a laminated sheet 50; ¶ [0123]), wherein the molding portion (passages 80 of the lower mold half 54; ¶ [0133]) has a portion comprising aluminum alloy, wherein the molding portion (passages 80 of the lower mold half 54; ¶ [0133]]) is configured to mold the fiber laminated body into the three-dimensional face shape.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 07/01/2026, with respect to claim(s) 1-4 and 8-9 have been considered but are moot in view of the above new grounds of the rejections. The arguments are mainly directed to the newly added limitations to claim 1 and that neither Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) and Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) disclose those limitations. However, in the body of above new grounds of the rejections, a new prior art of Ikeda (WO ‘743) is introduced, to fully address the newly added limitations to claim 1. Therefore, arguments are moot in view of the above new grounds of the rejections.
Further, applicant’s arguments that Heikkila et al. (US ‘104) and Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) fail to disclose the molten synthetic resin includes a foaming agent and/or a gas configured to form gas bubbles in the molten synthetic resin, as claimed in claim 1. However, the arguments are not persuasive as Fujioka et al. (US ‘487) disclose “the thermoplastic resin may also contain fillers and additives as necessary according to the application… examples of a filler or additive include… foaming agent” (¶ [0200]). Further, the newly added prior art of Ikeda (WO ‘743) disclose the crystallization accelerator, the cell nucleating agent, the antioxidant, and the antistatic agent are added to the thermoplastic resin before foaming within a range that does not affect the properties of the thermoplastic resin foam thin film sheets 14 and 15. , UV inhibitors, light stabilizers, fluorescent brighteners, pigments, dyes, compatibilizers, lubricants, reinforcing agents, flame retardants, crosslinking agents, crosslinking aids, plasticizers, thickeners, thickeners, etc. (see ¶ [0050])
Finally, Examiner would like to suggest that if Applicant’s Counsel believes an interview can benefit the prosecution of the instant application, Applicant’s Counsel is kindly invited to contact the undersigned examiner.
Correspondence Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEYED MASOUD MALEKZADEH whose telephone number is (571)272-6215. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30AM-5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, SUSAN D. LEONG can be reached at (571)270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEYED MASOUD MALEKZADEH/Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1754 08/15/2026
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