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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the Applicant’s claims, filed on 06/23/2026.
Claims 1, and 11-20 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 06/23/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant's amendments to claim 16 has overcome the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action filed 03/23/2026. Applicant’s claim of Farooq et al. (US12208758) being commonly owned has been considered and found persuasive; therefore, the rejections and objections have been withdrawn from the Non-Final Office Action dated 03/23/2026 and a Second Non-Final Office Action issued as below.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-13, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Faruque (US8113555).
Claim 1. Faruque discloses: A vehicle-bumper assembly comprising:
a bumper (235 bumper, Fig. 5);
a rod (245 bolt, Fig. 5) fixed relative to the bumper and elongated along an axis (Fig. 5);
a bracket (295 bracket , Fig. 5) spaced from the bumper along the axis of the rod (Fig. 5), the rod being movably engaged with the bracket (as illustrated in another embodiment 190 bolt is movably engaged with 220 plate as illustrated in Fig. 3-4) between a design position (as illustrated in another embodiment detached position; Fig. 4b) and a retracted position (compressed position; Fig. 6a);
a spring (255 spring; Fig. 5) between the bumper and the bracket (Fig. 5), the spring resiliently forcing the bumper away from the bracket along the axis of the rod toward the design position (as illustrated in another embodiment, Fig. 4a-4b).
a keeper (305 locking pin, Fig. 6A) releasably engaged with the bracket (305 is releasably engaged or connected with 295 bracket, Fig. 6A), the keeper maintaining the rod in position when the keeper is engaged with the bracket (305 controls the axial distance between 235 bumper and 295 when 305 is engaged or coupled with 295; Fig. 6A); and
a lock (lock comprises of 315 hydraulic actuator and 325 hydraulic line, Fig. 6A) movable between a locked position (Fig. 6A) in which the lock couples the keeper and the bracket and an unlocked position (Fig. 6B) in which the lock is decoupled from the keeper and the bracket, or both the keeper and the bracket.
Claim 2. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a releasable connection between the keeper and bracket (265 hole engages with 305 between 305 and 295, Fig. 6a-b).
Claim 3. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein the releasable connection is designed to release the keeper from the bracket in response to certain frontal-vehicle impacts (sensors used to detect imminent crashing events…trigger deployment of impact mitigation system; Col. 2, line 62-Col. 3, line 2).
Claim 5. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rod extends through the bracket and the bracket is between the keeper and the bumper (Fig. 5-6).
Claim 6. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein the keeper is disposed on the axis of the rod (Faruque: Fig. 5-6).
Claim 7. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein the lock includes an actuator (315 hydraulic actuator, Fig. 6) and a latch (coupling element between 315 and 305; Fig. 6) movable by the actuator.
Claim 8. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein the latch is movable by the actuator between the locked position in which the keeper is between the latch and the bracket and the unlocked position in which the latch is disengaged with the keeper (305 is axially between the coupling element and 295 as illustrated in Fig. 6a-b in the locked and unlocked position).
Claim 9. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein the actuator is on the keeper (15 is integral to 305, Fig. 6).
Claim 10. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spring is on the rod (Fig. 5-6).
Claim 11. Faruque discloses: A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame (110 side rail Fig. 1)
a bumper (235 bumper, Fig. 5);
a rod (245 bolt, Fig. 5) fixed relative to the bumper and elongated along an axis (Fig. 5);
a bracket (295 bracket , Fig. 5) spaced from the bumper along the axis of the rod (Fig. 5), the rod being movably engaged with the bracket (as illustrated in another embodiment 190 bolt is movably engaged with 220 plate as illustrated in Fig. 3-4) between a design position (as illustrated in another embodiment detached position; Fig. 4b) and a retracted position (compressed position; Fig. 6a);
a spring (255 spring; Fig. 5) between the bumper and the bracket (Fig. 5), the spring resiliently forcing the bumper away from the bracket along the axis of the rod toward the design position (as illustrated in another embodiment, Fig. 4a-4b).
a keeper (305 locking pin, Fig. 6A) releasably engaged with the bracket (305 is releasably engaged or connected with 295 bracket, Fig. 6A), the keeper maintaining the rod in position when the keeper is engaged with the bracket (305 controls the axial distance between 235 bumper and 295 when 305 is engaged or coupled with 295; Fig. 6A); and
a lock (lock comprises of 315 hydraulic actuator and 325 hydraulic line, Fig. 6A) movable between a locked position (Fig. 6A) in which the lock couples the keeper and the bracket and an unlocked position (Fig. 6B) in which the lock is decoupled from the keeper and the bracket, or both the keeper and the bracket.
Claim 12. Faruque discloses: The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a releasable connection between the keeper and bracket (see previously rejected claim 2).
Claim 13. Faruque discloses: The vehicle as set forth in claim 12, wherein the releasable connection is designed to release the keeper from the bracket in response to certain frontal-vehicle impacts (see previously rejected claim 3).
Claim 15. Faruque discloses: The vehicle as set forth in claim 11, wherein the rod extends through the bracket and the keeper is on a vehicle-rearward side of the bracket (305 is on rearward side of 295, Fig. 6).
Claim 16. Faruque discloses: The vehicle as set forth in claim 15, wherein the keeper is vehicle-rearward of the rod (305 is vehicle reward of 245, Fig. 6).
Claim 17. Farooq in view of Faruque teaches: The vehicle as set forth in claim 16, wherein the lock includes an actuator and a latch movable by the actuator (see previously rejected claim 7).
Claim 18. The vehicle- as set forth in claim 17, wherein the latch is movable by the actuator between the locked position vehicle-rearward of the keeper and the unlocked position in which the latch is offset cross-vehicle from the keeper (coupling element between 315 and 305 is vehicle-rearward of 305 and when unlocked, is offset cross-vehicle from 305, Fig. 6b).
Claim 19. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 17, wherein the actuator is on the keeper (see previously rejected claim 9).
Claim 20. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spring is on the rod (see previously rejected claim 10).
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 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Faruque (US8,113,555) in view of Fichtinger et al. (US10,875,480).
Claim 4. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 1.
Faruque does not disclose: a shear pin between the keeper and the bracket.
Fichtinger discloses a bumper system comprising of a spring and a shear bolt wherein the bolt shears in the event of a collision and allows the spring to compress and retract the bumper.
Fichtinger teaches: a shear pin (50 shear bolt, Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the bumper assembly of Faruque by including a shear bolt between the keeper and bracket as taught by Fichtinger with a reasonable expectation of success in order to hold the bumper in the collapsed position until a collision event as taught by Fichtinger (Col. 5, lines 25-43).
Claim 14. Faruque discloses: The vehicle-bumper assembly as set forth in claim 11.
Faruque does not disclose: a shear pin between the keeper and the bracket.
Fichtinger further teaches: a shear pin (50 shear bolt, Fig. 4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel Craig whose telephone number is (571)270-0747. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thurs 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST.
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/DANIEL T CRAIG/Examiner, Art Unit 3676
/TARA SCHIMPF/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3676
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