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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 May 4, 2026 has been entered.
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, 5-11, and 13-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eybl (DE 202006014964 U1; see previously provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Eybl discloses a component for a vehicle interior comprising a steering wheel (11) comprising:
a frame (1);
a composite structure (2, 3) comprising a set of segments (2, 3); wherein the set of segments comprises a set of shell segments (see the plurality of 2 in Figure 1) configured to be assembled in axial alignment (2 is the only part of the composite structure visible in Figure 1 thus 3 is axially behind the steering wheel) on the frame;
wherein the composite structure is configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments on the frame (see Figure 2);
wherein fit of the shell segments on the frame comprises axial alignment of the set of shell segments with a positioning feature (the part of 3 that fits into the indentation in 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3; Note: the viewed positioning feature is similar in structure/function to GPa and GPb of Applicant’s structure) comprising a projection arrangement (the part of 3 that fits into the indentation in 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 is viewed as being a projection) configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments and radial engagement of the set of shell segments with an engagement feature (15, 16; 15 and 16 are similar in structure to NPa and NPb of Applicant’s drawings) configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments around the frame;
wherein the engagement feature configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments comprises a projection arrangement (15, 16) comprising an engagement portion (15, 16) for a shell segment (2 or 3) of the set of shell segments.
Regarding claim 2, Eybl discloses that the set of shell segments comprises a set of shell sections (the radially connected 2 in Figure 1) configured to be fit in radial engagement around the frame by engagement at the projection arrangement of the engagement feature of the engagement feature configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments around the frame.
Regarding claim 3, Eybl discloses that the set of shell sections comprises a shell section (2 fits onto 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3) is configured to be fit into engagement around the frame by engagement of the projection arrangement of the engagement portion of the engagement feature.
Regarding claim 5, Eybl discloses that the projection arrangement of the positioning feature configured to facilitate radial engagement of a shell section of the set of shell sections on the frame comprises a pair of projections (see the two 16 in Figure 4).
Regarding claim 6, Eybl discloses that the frame comprises an indentation (1 has an indentation thus meeting the claim limitation) configured **[for clip engagement with the engagement portion of the shell segment]** (It is noted that the phrase “for clip engagement” does not require a clip structure to be present to meet the claim limitation. Clip engagement is viewed as being a broad limitation that can encompass the structural connection between the indentation in 1 and element 16 as shown in Figure 3 of Eybl).
Regarding claim 7, Eybl discloses that the set of shell sections comprises a front section (2) and a back section (3).
Regarding claim 8, Eybl discloses that the set of shell sections comprises a first section (2) configured to be fit onto the frame and a second section (3; a part of 3 is inside the boundary of 2 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 thus meeting the claim limitation) configured to be fit with the first section by engagement of an engagement portion of the first section (15, 16) with an engagement portion (the indentation in 3 that 16 fits into) of the second section.
Regarding claim 9, Eybl discloses that the set of shell sections comprises a first section (3) comprising an engagement portion (the structure of 3 that fits into the indentation of 1) configured to be fit with the frame and a second section (2) comprising an engagement portion (16) configured to be fit with the first section.
Regarding claim 10, Eybl discloses that the set of shell sections comprises a first section (3) comprising an engagement portion (the structure of 3 that fits into the indentation of 1) configured to be fit with the frame and a second section (2) comprising an engagement portion (16) **[configured to be snap-fit with the first section]**.
Regarding claim 11, Eybl discloses that the set of segments comprises at least one of a decorative segment and/or a functional segment (4 and 5 are a soft material which is viewed as being a functional segment because they function to provide a soft feel to the user).
Regarding claim 13, Eybl discloses a steering wheel (11) providing a frame (1) comprising:
a composite structure (2, 3);
wherein the composite structure comprises a set of segments (2, 3) configured to be assembled onto the frame;
wherein the set of segments comprises at least one shell segment (the left or right top 2 in Figure 1) **[configured for radial engagement and axial alignment on the frame]**;
wherein the at least one shell segment comprises a set of shell segments (2, 3);
wherein the composite structure is configured to provide a visual effect (the visual effect is a multi-segment appearance as shown in Figure 1; Applicant’s Paragraph 0015 discloses “the visual effect may comprise a multi-segment appearance” thus the structure of Eybl is viewed as meeting the claim limitation);
wherein the composite structure is configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments on the frame (see Figure 2);
wherein fit of the shell segments on the frame comprises axial alignment of the set of shell segments with a positioning feature (the part of 3 that fits into the indentation in 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3; Note: the viewed positioning feature is similar in structure/function to GPa and GPb of Applicant’s structure) comprising a projection arrangement (the part of 3 that fits into the indentation in 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 is viewed as being a projection) configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments and radial engagement of the set of shell segments with an engagement feature (15, 16; 15 and 16 are similar in structure to NPa and NPb of Applicant’s drawings) configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments around the frame;
wherein the engagement feature configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments comprises a projection arrangement (15, 16) comprising an engagement portion (15, 16) for a shell segment (2 or 3) of the set of shell segments.
Regarding claim 14, Eybl discloses that when the set of shell segments is assembled onto the frame the engagement portion of the engagement feature of a first shell segment (2) of the set of shell segments can be connected at the engagement portion of the engagement feature of a second shell segment (3) of the set of shell segments.
Regarding claim 15, Eybl discloses that when the set of shell segments is assembled onto the frame the engagement portion (the part of 3 that fits into the indentation of 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 4) of the shell segment of the set of shell segments **[can be connected by a clip engagement of the projection arrangement of the engagement portion of the engagement feature of the frame]**.
Regarding claim 16, Eybl discloses that the frame comprises an indentation (the indentation on 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3) **[configured to facilitate axial alignment of a shell segment of the set of shell segments]**.
Regarding claim 17, Eybl discloses that the set of shell segments comprises a set of shell sections (the radially connected 2 at the top of Figure 1) configured to fit together in radial engagement.
Regarding claim 18, Eybl discloses that the set of shell segments comprises a first segment (2) and a second segment (3); wherein the first segment is different than the second segment (as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the shape of 2 and 3 are different from each other).
Regarding claim 19, Eybl discloses that the at least one shell segment comprises a positioning element (15).
Regarding claim 20, Eybl discloses that the composite structure comprises a cover (4-7) comprising a cover layer;
wherein the cover layer comprises a decorative layer and/or a functional layer (4 and 5 are a soft material which is viewed as being a functional segment because they function to provide a soft feel to the user);
wherein the cover layer is configured to provide the visual effect and/or a tactile effect (the 4-7 are viewed as providing a tactile effect because 4 and 5 are soft layers the providing a feeling to the user).
Regarding claim 21, Eybl discloses that the at least one shell segment of the set of shell segments is configured to provide the visual effect comprising a multi-segment appearance (see the two directly connected 2 at the top of Figure 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 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eybl (DE 202006014964 U1; see previously provided machine translation) in view of Imaizumi et al. (US 6,651,526 B1).
Regarding claim 12, Eybl discloses that the steering wheel comprises a rim (12);
wherein the rim comprises a cover (6, 7) configured to provide an exterior surface (6 forms the exterior surface of 2 and 3) and an intermediate layer (4, 5) under the cover;
wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of a shell section and/or a material (the material of 4 and 5 are soft layers).
Eybl does not disclose that the material is a foam material and/or an elastic material.
Imaizumi et al. teaches an intermediate layer (4) made of a foam material (foam epoxy resin; Column 4 / Lines 47-51).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the material of the intermediate layer of Eybl to be a foam material and/or an elastic material, as taught by Imaizumi et al., for the purpose of providing a material that provides increased comfort to a user.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed May 4, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argued that Eybl and Imaizumi do not disclose “the positioning feature comprising a projection arrangement” and “an engagement feature comprising a projection arrangement comprising an engagement portion configured to facilitate fit of the set of shell segments around the frame” as recited in currently amended claims.
The structure of Eybl is viewed as having these features in view of the projection that projects into the indentation in element 1 as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and in view of elements 15 and 16 that projects downwards through a hole in element 1 of Figure 3.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM D ROGERS whose telephone number is (571)272-6561. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 6AM-2:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Olszewski can be reached at (571)272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADAM D ROGERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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