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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 6 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6 recites “a method according to claim 1” which should be amended to “method according to claim 1.”
Claim 7 recites “a body or a body part according to claim 6” which should be amended to “ body or body part according to claim 6.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 4, 5, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "multiple welding seams and/or welding points." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear to what “multiple welding seams and/or welding points” refers as claim 1 recites “welded together at adjacent connection regions via welding points or welding seams” and “a welding point or a welding seam is applied to the component at one or more positions outside the connection regions.” It is unclear if the multiple welding seams and/or welding points refer to one grouping of welding points or welding seams or a combination of the two recited groupings of welding points or welding seams. For purposes of examination, the “multiple welding seams and/or welding points” are taken to refer to both “welded together at adjacent connection regions via welding points or welding seams” and “a welding point or a welding seam is applied to the component at one or more positions outside the connection regions.”
Claim 4 recites the limitation " the multiple welding points or the welding seam are arranged around the periphery." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if “the multiple welding points or the welding seam” refers to “the multiple welding points or the elongated welding seam” or to the welding points and welding seam referred to in claim 1. For purposes of examination, “the multiple welding points or the welding seam” are understood to be in reference to those recited in claim 3. Additionally, it is unclear to what “the periphery” refers, as it is unclear which component is referred. For purposes of examination the limitation is understood to be the periphery of the support.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the line is straight or curved or angled." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Previously in claim 3, of which claim 5 depends, the limitation “a line or an elongated welding seam” is recited. It is unclear as to what “the line” refers in the case where there is “an elongated welding seam” instead of “a line.” For purposes of examination, the limitation is understood to be “the line or elongated welding seam is straight or curved or angled."
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the line is straight or curved or angled." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Previously in claim 3, of which claim 5 depends, the limitation “a line or an elongated welding seam” is recited. It is unclear as to what “the line” refers in the case where there is “an elongated welding seam” instead of “a line.” For purposes of examination, the limitation is understood to be “the line or elongated welding seam is straight or curved or angled."
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)(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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bjorneklett (US7494553B2).
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Fig. 11A of Bjorneklett
Regarding claim 1, Bjorneklett teaches a method for producing a body or a body part (Col. 10 lines 40-45 welded T-joint) of a motor vehicle (Col. 10 lines 15-20 vehicle),
wherein the body or the body (Col. 10 lines 40-45 welded T-joint) part is formed from multiple components (Fig. 11a) made of metal (Col. 55-65 metal; aluminum),
which are welded together at adjacent connection regions via welding points or welding seams (Fig. 11a),
wherein a welding point or a welding seam (22, Col. 4 lines 25-35 suitable heat treatment scheme, diode laser understood to be able to form a welding seam or point) is applied to the component (21) at one or more positions outside the connection regions (20, shown in annotated Fig. 11A) for locally reducing the strength of the metal (Col. 10 line 40-45 soft zone 22).
Regarding claim 2, Bjorneklett teaches the method according to claim 1,
wherein multiple welding seams and/or welding points (20, 22) are applied adjacent to one another (Fig. 11A weld metal 20 and soft zone 22 are adjacent; where the multiple welding seams and/or points is taken to be the welding points or seams that welds multiple components and the welding point or seam applied outside the connection region).
Regarding claim 3, Bjorneklett teaches the method according to claim 1,
wherein in order to form an elongated region with reduced strength (22), multiple welding points are applied in a line or an elongated welding seam is applied (Fig. 11A where soft zone is understood to be an elongated welding seam).
Regarding claim 4, Bjorneklett teaches the method according to claim 3,
wherein on a portion of the body or body part designed as a support (Col. 10 lines 10-20 beam 21, understood to be the equivalent of a support), the multiple welding points or the welding seam (22, being the welding seam) are arranged around the periphery, or are only arranged in portions around the periphery (Col. 10 line 40-45 Fig. 11A soften zone 22 is arranged around and on beam 21, where the periphery is understood to be the periphery of the support).
Regarding claim 5, Bjorneklett teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the line is straight or curved or angled (22, Fig. 11 soft zone shown to be straight, where the line is taken to be the elongated welding seam as recited in claim 3).
Regarding claim 6, Bjorneklett teaches a body or body part (10) of a motor vehicle (Col. 10 lines 15-20 10, vehicle), which is produced in a method according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, Bjorneklett teaches a motor vehicle (Col. 10 lines 15-20 vehicle), comprising a body or a body part (10) according to claim 6.
Regarding claim 8, Bjorneklett teaches the method according to claim 2, wherein in order to form an elongated region with reduced strength (22), multiple welding points are applied in a line or an elongated welding seam is applied (Fig. 11A where soft zone is understood to be an elongated welding seam).
Regarding claim 9, Bjorneklett teaches the method according to claim 4, wherein the line is straight or curved or angled (22, Fig. 11 soft zone shown to be straight, where the line is taken to be the elongated welding seam as recited in claim 3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABIGAIL RHUE whose telephone number is (571)272-4615. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10-6.
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/ABIGAIL H RHUE/Examiner, Art Unit 3761 8/28/2026
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