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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See 102 rejection of claim 1 below.
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, 6, 8, 10-20, 24 and 26-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Komada et al. (US 2023/0085765 A1) hereinafter, Komada.
Regarding claims 1, Komada teaches a bicycle component (10) comprising:
a base member (12) configured to be mounted to a bicycle (2);
an operating member (14) movably coupled relative to the base member (Fig 2);
an electrical switch (SW2, SW3) configured to be activated in response to an input to the operating member (Para [0090]);
a holding structure (43) including an accommodating part (44) and a power source cover (57), the accommodating part defining an accommodating space and an opening (52), the power source cover being configured to cover the opening (Fig 5-8);
a rechargeable power source (40) removably held in the accommodating space (Fig 8);
a substrate (42A); and
an antenna (101),
the rechargeable power source being positioned between the power source cover and the substrate (40 is between 42A and first holding arm 57A of holder 57 looking along direction D41, Fig 4-5), and
the substrate being disposed between the rechargeable power source and the antenna (42A is between 40 and 101 looking along direction D41, Fig 4).
Regarding claim 4, Komada teaches that the holding structure includes an electrical terminal structure (80) electrically coupling the rechargeable power source to the bicycle component (Para [0140]).
Regarding claim 6, Komada teaches that the holding structure includes a cover fixing structure (43B) configured to fix the power source cover relative to the accommodating part (Fig 5).
Regarding claim 8, Komada teaches that the operating member is configured to operate an operated device (BC3) mounted to the bicycle (Para [0095]).
Regarding claim 10, Komada teaches that an additional operating member (SW1) movably coupled relative to the base member, the additional operating member being different from the operating member (Fig 1).
Regarding claim 11, Komada teaches that the additional operating member is configured to operate an additional operated device (BC2) mounted to the bicycle (Para [0090]).
Regarding claim 12, Komada teaches that the base member includes a proximal end (16) configured to be mounted to the bicycle, and a distal end (18) opposite to the proximal end,
the additional operating member is pivotally supported by an axle (@ A1) to pivot with respect to the base member (Para [0092]), and
the axle is disposed closer to the distal end than to the proximal end (Fig 2).
Regarding claim 13, Komada teaches that the electrical switch (SW2) is provided to at least one of the operating member and the additional operating member (Para [0097]).
Regarding claim 14, Komada teaches a hydraulic unit (26) configured to operate the additional operated device in response to an input to the additional operating member (Para [0095]).
Regarding claim 15, Komada teaches that the operating member is movably mounted to the additional operating member (Fig 1).
Regarding claim 16, Komada teaches a charging port (98A) configured to supply electrical power to the rechargeable power source from the external power supply (Para [0161]).
Regarding claim 17, Komada teaches a cover member (28) configured to cover the charging port in a case where the cover member is in a covering state (Para [0161]).
Regarding claim 18, Komada teaches a wireless communicator (wireless charging structure or 100) electrically coupled to the rechargeable power source (Para [0161]- [0163] and Fig 20).
Regarding claim 19, Komada teaches that the wireless communicator is configured to transmit information related to the rechargeable power source to an external device (Para [0161]).
Regarding claim 20, Komada teaches that the substrate (42A) supportes the wireless communicator, and
the antenna (101) is provided to the substrate and electrically coupled to the wireless communicator (Para [0162] - [0163] and Fig 20).
Regarding claim 24, Komada teaches an electronic controller (CR) configured to obtain information related to the rechargeable power source (Para [0137]).
Regarding claim 26, Komada teaches that the electrical switch is configured to be activated by only electric power from the rechargeable power source (Para [0100]), and the rechargeable power source is configured to be charged by electric power from an external power supply (Para [0161]).
Regarding claim 27, Komada teaches that the holding structure is provided on the base member (Fig 3).
Regarding claim 28, Komada teaches that the holding structure is provided above the operating member in an installed state of the bicycle component with respect to the handlebar (Fig 3).
Regarding claim 29, Komada teaches that bicycle component is a road brifter (Para [0085]- [0087) and the holding structure is provided in a pommel portion of the base member (Fig 1).
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) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Komada et al. (US 2023/0085765 A1) in view of Wu (US 2019/0315436 A1).
Regarding claim 21, Komada teaches the component of claim 20. However, Komada is silent about the antenna being disposed along a peripheral edge of the substrate.
Wu teaches that the antenna (350) is disposed along a peripheral edge of the substrate (330, Fig 3 and Para [0033]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the invention, to modify Komada’s component, in view of Wu, with an antenna that is disposed along a peripheral edge of the substrate, as such the signal transmitted by the antenna is not interfered by the battery 340, thus the quality of the signal can be maintained (Para [0033]).
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Komada et al. (US 2023/0085765 A1) in view of Komatsu et al. (US 2017/0305489 A1) hereinafter, Komatsu.
Regarding claim 22, Komada teaches a wireless communicator (100) electrically coupled to the rechargeable power source (Fig 20);
the substrate (42A) supporting the wireless communicator on a first side of the substrate (Para [00162] and Fig 20); and
the antenna (101) electrically coupled to the wireless communicator (Para [00162] and Fig 20), the rechargeable power source is closer to the power source cover than the antenna (Fig 9).
However, Komada is silent about the antenna being provided to a second side of the substrate, the second side faces in an opposite direction to the first side.
Komatsu teaches that the antenna (52) being provided to a second side of the substrate (50), the second side faces in an opposite direction to the first side (Para [0100] and Fig 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the invention, to modify Komada’s component, in view of Komatsu, with an antenna being provided to a second side of the substrate, to efficiently utilize the available space.
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Komada et al. (US 2023/0085765 A1) in view of Endo et al. (US 2023/0021733 A1) hereinafter, Endo.
Regarding claim 23, Komada teaches the component of claim 20. However, Komada is silent about the detector being configured to detect a state of at least one of the bicycle and the bicycle component.
Endo teaches an electronic controller (38) configured to control supply of electrical power from the rechargeable power source to the wireless communicator based on an output from a detector (44), the detector being configured to detect a state of at least one of the bicycle and the bicycle component (Para [0099]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the invention, to modify Komada’s component, in view of Endo, with a detector being configured to detect a state of at least one of the bicycle and the bicycle component, to improve the functionality of the bicycle.
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Komada et al. (US 2023/0085765 A1) in view of Komada et al. (TW 202118687 A) hereinafter, Komada Y.
Regarding claim 25, Komada teaches the component of claim 20. However, Komada is silent about a notification device electrically coupled to the electronic controller.
Komada Y teaches a notification device (102) electrically coupled to the electronic controller, the electronic controller (CR) being configured to control the notification device based on the information (fourth Para of Page 16 and third to last Para of Page 18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the invention, to modify Komada’s component, in view of Komada Y, with a notification device, to improve the functionality of the bicycle.
Claim(s) 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Komada et al. (US 2023/0085765 A1) in view of Masuda et al. (US 11,597,466 B2) hereinafter, Masuda.
Regarding claim 30, Komada teaches the component of claim 28. However, Komada does not teach that the cover is pivotally coupled.
Masuda teaches that the power source cover (70) is pivotally coupled to the holding structure (68, Fig 6 and Col. 12, Lines 61-65).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the invention, to modify Komada’s component, in view of Masuda, with a pivotable cover, for easier removal of the battery.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOSAM SHABARA whose telephone number is (571)272-5495. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOSAM SHABARA/Examiner, Art Unit 3618
/MINNAH L SEOH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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