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 .
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.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in the European Union on 20 March 2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the EP 23162905.6 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 3 recites, “surface (configured”. It is clear that the beginning parenthesis should not be there. Appropriate correction is required.
Applicant is advised that should claim 1 be found allowable, claim 19 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 13-15, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sawada (US 2016/0039270).
Regarding Claims 1 and 19, Sawada discloses a dashboard assembly 12 for a vehicle, comprising: a dashboard body 20 extending at least along a width direction, wherein in a state in which the dashboard body is mounted in the vehicle, the width direction extends in parallel to a width direction of the vehicle, and at least one ventilation module 50, comprising an air duct ending in an air outlet 70 (Fig. 1) configured to discharge air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, wherein at least one body-sided mounting surface 30 with a body-sided connection feature 140 is arranged on the dashboard body, the body-sided mounting surface facing into the width direction (Fig. 1), and wherein the at least one ventilation module 50 abuts against the body-sided mounting surface and is connected to the dashboard body using the body-sided connection feature (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 3, the dashboard body comprises a bezel portion 60 located adjacent to the ventilation module.
Regarding Claim 13, the ventilation module 50 comprises at least one counter-mounting surface 52 with a counter-connection feature 60A, B (Fig. 2), wherein the counter-mounting surface configured to abut against a mounting surface of a central cover part 20.
Regarding Claim 14, the counter-connection feature 60A, B is configured to engage a connection feature of the mounting surface of one or more of the dashboard body (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 15, the ventilation module 50 comprises two counter-mounting surfaces 52, each having a counter-connection feature 60A, B, the counter-mounting surfaces arranged on opposite sides of the ventilation module (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 20, Sawada discloses an air duct 50 ending in an air outlet 70 configured to discharge air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and at least one counter-mounting surface 52 with a counter-connection feature 60A, B, the counter-mounting surface configured to abut against a mounting surface of a dashboard body, and the counter-connection feature configured to engage a connection feature of one or more of the mounting surface of the dashboard body (Fig. 2); and wherein the ventilation module is configured as a component of a dashboard assembly.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Almori (FR 2 895 355).
Regarding Claims 1 and 19, Almori discloses a dashboard assembly (Fig. 5) for a vehicle, comprising: a dashboard body 25 extending at least along a width direction, wherein in a state in which the dashboard body is mounted in the vehicle, the width direction extends in parallel to a width direction of the vehicle, and at least one ventilation module 20, comprising an air duct ending in an air outlet (Fig. 5) configured to discharge air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, wherein at least one body-sided mounting surface (end of tube 25) with a body-sided connection feature 29 is arranged on the dashboard body, the body-sided mounting surface facing into the width direction (Fig. 1), and wherein the at least one ventilation module 20 abuts against the body-sided mounting surface and is connected to the dashboard body using the body-sided connection feature (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 2, the slot 29 is a body side positioning feature to place the vent module 20.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-12 and 16-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claims 4-8 and 16, applicant’s use of a side cover part in conjunction with the body-sided connection feature, located at an end of the dashboard body, is novel.
Regarding Claims 9-12 and 17, applicant’s use of a central cover part arranged between ends of the dashboard body, wherein at least one central cover-sided mounting surface with a central cover-sided connection feature is arranged on the central cover part, and wherein the at least one ventilation module abuts against the central cover-sided mounting surface and is connected to the central cover part using the central cover-sided connection feature, is novel.
Regarding Claim 18, applicant’s use of a body-sided connection feature formed as a connection opening and configured to receive a counter-connection feature formed as an elastic connection hook, wherein the connection features and the counter-connection features comprise one of a threaded bolt and a corresponding nut, a gluing surface with glue and a counter-gluing surface, and a welding zone and a counter-welding zone, is novel.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited art relates to dashboard assemblies and their respective attached components.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S DANIELS whose telephone number is (571)270-1167. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy Weisberg can be reached at 571-270-5500. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON S DANIELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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