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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments are moot in view of the amendments to the claims and the new grounds of rejection below.
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 1-3, 5-7, 12-16, 18-21, 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Larson et al (US Publication No.: US 2016/0375833 A1 of record, “Larson”) in view of Nguyen et al (US Publication No.: US 2017/0322600 A1, “Nguyen”).
Regarding Claim 1, Larson discloses a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly (Figures 1-3), the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
A mirror head adjustable about a mounting structure (Figure 1, mounting structure 18; Paragraph 0023), wherein
The mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a cabin of a vehicle (Paragraph 0023); wherein
The mirror head comprises a mirror casing a mirror reflective element (Figure 1, mirror casing 12; Figure 3, mirror reflective element Reflector; Paragraph 0023); wherein
The mirror head accommodates an electronic component (Figure 3, electronic component 16/30; Paragraph 0025); wherein
When the electronic component is electrically operated, the electronic component generates heat within an interior cavity of the mirror head (Paragraph 0040 discloses heat dissipation due to electronic components);
A material disposed within the interior cavity of the mirror head (Paragraph 0040 discloses a thermally conductive material disposed within the interior cavity of the mirror head), wherein
The material is disposed between the electronic component a portion of the mirror casing (Paragraph 0040; Paragraph 0019; Figure 17); and wherein
When the electronic component is electrically operated and generates heat within the interior cavity of the mirror head, the material reduces thermal transfer between the electronic component and an outer touch surface of the mirror casing that is contactable by a driver of the vehicle (Paragraph 0040 discloses heat dissipation to avoid a touch surface from heating up, where Paragraph 0030 discloses the touch surface).
Larson fails to disclose that the material is a thermally insulating aerogel-infused material.
However, Nguyen discloses a similar thermally insulating material that is an aerogel-infused material which reduces thermal transfer between an electronic component and touch portion of a casing (Nguyen, Paragraph 0098 discloses the use of aerogel to thermally insulate, where Paragraph 0006 discloses using thermally insulating materials to reduce heat at touch interfaces).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the material as disclosed by Larson to include aerogel as disclosed by Nguyen. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing heat at touch interfaces (Nguyen, Paragraph 0006).
Regarding Claim 2, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic component comprises a video display screen (Larson, Paragraph 0025 discloses a display device 16).
Regarding Claim 3, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic component comprises a camera (Larson, Paragraph 0051).
Regarding Claim 5, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the aerogel- infused material thermally conductively connects with a heat sink that dissipates heat from the electronic component (Larson, Paragraph 0040 discloses a heat sink).
Regarding Claim 6, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the aerogel- infused material thermally conductively connects the electronic component with and a respective side portion of the mirror casing (Larson, Paragraph 0040 discloses a thermally conductive material disposed within the heat sink only at a portion of the casing on the side).
Regarding Claim 7, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the aerogel- infused material does not thermally conductively connect the electronic component with a central portion of the mirror casing (Larson, Paragraph 0040 discloses a thermally conductive material disposed within the heat sink only at a portion of the casing, so any other portion of the casing would not be thermally conductively connected to the electronic component).
Regarding Claim 12, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein a heat sink is disposed between the electronic component and the aerogel-infused material, and wherein, when the electronic component is electrically operated and generates heat within the interior cavity of the mirror head, the heat sink draws heat generated by the electronic component away from the electronic component, and wherein the aerogel-infused material reduces thermal transfer between the heat sink and at least the portion of the mirror casing (Larson, Paragraph 0040 discloses the use of a heat sink and a thermally conductive material that reduces thermal transfer).
Regarding Claim 13, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the electronic component is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the heat sink is in thermally conductive connection between the PCB and the aerogel-infused material (Larson, Paragraph 0029 discloses a PCB, where Paragraph 0040 discloses a heat sink between the electronic component and the material).
Regarding Claim 14, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior portion of the cabin of the vehicle comprises a mounting button adhered to an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle (Larson, Figure 16 discloses a mounting button; Paragraph 0054).
Regarding Claim 15, Larson discloses a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly (Figures 1-3), the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
A mirror head adjustable about a mounting structure (Figure 1, mounting structure 18; Paragraph 0023), wherein
The mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a cabin of a vehicle (Paragraph 0023); wherein
The mirror head comprises a mirror casing a mirror reflective element (Figure 1, mirror casing 12; Figure 3, mirror reflective element Reflector; Paragraph 0023); wherein
The mirror head accommodates an electronic component (Figure 3, electronic component 16/30; Paragraph 0025); wherein
When the electronic component is electrically operated, the electronic component generates heat within an interior cavity of the mirror head (Paragraph 0040 discloses heat dissipation due to electronic components);
A heat sink thermally conductively connected to the electronic component (Paragraph 0040; Figure 17 discloses a heat sink thermally conductively connected to the electronic component 16/30), wherein
When the electronic component is electrically operated and generates heat within the interior cavity of the mirror head, the heat sink draws heat generated by the electronic component away from the electronic component (Paragraph 0040; Paragraphs 0054-0055);
A material disposed within the interior cavity of the mirror head (Paragraph 0040 discloses a thermally conductive material disposed within the interior cavity of the mirror head), wherein
The material is disposed between the heat sink and at least a respective side portion of the mirror casing (Paragraphs 0054-0055; Paragraph 0040; Paragraph 0019; Figure 17); and wherein
The material is not disposed between the heat sink and a central portion of the mirror casing (Paragraphs 0054-0055 disclose connecting some areas while not connecting other areas; Paragraph 0040 discloses a thermally conductive material disposed within the heat sink only at a side portion of the casing); and
When the electronic component is electrically operated and generates heat within the interior cavity of the mirror head, the material reduces thermal transfer between the electronic component and an outer touch surface of the mirror casing that is contactable by a driver of the vehicle (Paragraph 0040 discloses heat dissipation to avoid a touch surface from heating up, where Paragraph 0030 discloses the touch surface).
Larson fails to disclose that the material is a thermally insulating aerogel-infused material.
However, Nguyen discloses a similar thermally insulating material that is an aerogel-infused material which reduces thermal transfer between an electronic component and touch portion of a casing (Nguyen, Paragraph 0098 discloses the use of aerogel to thermally insulate, where Paragraph 0006 discloses using thermally insulating materials to reduce heat at touch interfaces).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the material as disclosed by Larson to include aerogel as disclosed by Nguyen. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing heat at touch interfaces (Nguyen, Paragraph 0006).
Regarding Claim 16, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the electronic component comprises at least one of the group consisting of (i) a video display screen, (ii) a camera and (iii) a near infrared light emitter (Larson, Paragraph 0025 discloses a display device 16).
Regarding Claim 18, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the electronic component is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the heat sink is in thermally conductive connection between the PCB and the aerogel-infused material (Larson, Figure 17, Paragraphs 0054-0055).
Regarding Claim 19, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the interior portion of the cabin of the vehicle comprises a mounting button adhered to an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle (Larson, Figure 16 discloses a mounting button; Paragraph 0054).
Regarding Claim 20, Larson discloses a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly (Figures 1-3), the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
A mirror head adjustable about a mounting structure (Figure 1, mounting structure 18; Paragraph 0023), wherein
The mounting structure is configured to mount the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a cabin of a vehicle (Paragraph 0023); wherein
The mirror head comprises a mirror casing a mirror reflective element (Figure 1, mirror casing 12; Figure 3, mirror reflective element Reflector; Paragraph 0023); wherein
The mirror head accommodates an electronic component (Figure 3, electronic component 16/30; Paragraph 0025), and wherein
The electronic component is disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) (Figure 17 discloses a PCB); wherein,
When the electronic component is electrically operated, the electronic component generates heat within an interior cavity of the mirror head (Paragraph 0040 discloses heat dissipation due to electronic components);
A heat sink thermally conductively connected to the PCB (Paragraph 0040; Figure 17 discloses a heat sink thermally conductively connected to the PCB), wherein
When the electronic component is electrically operated and generates heat within the interior cavity of the mirror head, the heat sink draws heat generated by the electronic component away from the PCB (Paragraph 0040; Paragraphs 0054-0055);
A material disposed within the interior cavity of the mirror head (Paragraph 0040 discloses a thermally conductive material disposed within the interior cavity of the mirror head), wherein
The material is disposed between the heat sink and at least a portion of the mirror casing (Paragraphs 0054-0055; Paragraph 0040; Paragraph 0019; Figure 17); and wherein
When the electronic component is electrically operated and generates heat within the interior cavity of the mirror head, the material reduces thermal transfer between the electronic component and an outer touch surface of the mirror casing that is contactable by a driver of the vehicle (Paragraph 0040 discloses heat dissipation to avoid a touch surface from heating up, where Paragraph 0030 discloses the touch surface).
Larson fails to disclose that the material is a thermally insulating aerogel-infused material.
However, Nguyen discloses a similar thermally insulating material that is an aerogel-infused material which reduces thermal transfer between an electronic component and touch portion of a casing (Nguyen, Paragraph 0098 discloses the use of aerogel to thermally insulate, where Paragraph 0006 discloses using thermally insulating materials to reduce heat at touch interfaces).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the material as disclosed by Larson to include aerogel as disclosed by Nguyen. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing heat at touch interfaces (Nguyen, Paragraph 0006).
Regarding Claim 21, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 20, wherein the electronic component comprises at least one of the group consisting of (i) a video display screen, (ii) a camera and (iii) a near infrared light emitter (Larson, Paragraph 0025 discloses a display device 16).
Regarding Claim 23, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 20, wherein the interior portion of the cabin of the vehicle comprises a mounting button adhered to an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle (Larson, Figure 16 discloses a mounting button; Paragraph 0054).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Larson in view of Nguyen in further view of Lynam (US Publication No.: US 2022/0114818 A1 of record).
Regarding Claim 4, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1.
Larson fails to disclose that the electronic component comprises a near infrared light emitter.
However, Lynam discloses a similar assembly where the electronic component comprises a near infrared light emitter (Lynam, Paragraph 0009).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the electronic component as disclosed by Larson to be a near infrared light emitter as disclosed by Lynam. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of emitting light to a user (Lynam, Paragraph 0009).
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Larson in view of Nguyen in further view of Hakuta et al (US Publication No.: US 2020/0223375 A1 of record, “Hakuta”).
Regarding Claim 8, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1.
Larson fails to disclose that when the electronic component is electrically operated, the electronic component generates sound within the interior cavity of the mirror head, and wherein the aerogel-infused material at least partially prevents sound generated by the electronic component from exiting the interior cavity of the mirror head.
However, Hakuta also doesn’t explicitly disclose that when the electronic component is electrically operated, the electronic component generates sound within the interior cavity of the mirror head, and wherein the aerogel-infused material at least partially prevents sound generated by the electronic component from exiting the interior cavity of the mirror head. However, Hakuta discloses general properties of using an aerogel-infused material which includes sound absorption (Hakuta, Paragraph 0289).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly as disclosed by Larson to include a sound absorbing aerogel as disclosed by Hakuta. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of absorbing any sound produced from the electronic component (Hakuta, Paragraph 0289).
Regarding Claim 9, Larson in view of Nguyen and Hakuta discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8.
Larson fails to disclose that the electronic component comprises a cooling fan assembly.
However, Hakuta discloses a similar electronic component comprising a cooling fan assembly (Hakuta, Paragraph 0131).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly as disclosed by Larson to include a cooling fan assembly disclosed by Hakuta. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing heat generated within the assembly (Hakuta, Paragraph 0003).
Regarding Claim 10, Larson in view of Nguyen and Hakuta discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8.
Larson fails to disclose that the electronic component comprises an actuator.
However, Hakuta discloses a similar electronic component comprising an actuator (Hakuta, Paragraph 0135).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly as disclosed by Larson to include an actuator disclosed by Hakuta. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of reducing heat generated within the assembly by moving a cooling fan assembly (Hakuta, Paragraph 0135).
Claims 11, 17, 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Larson in view of Nguyen in further view of Baumann et al (US Publication No.: US 2013/0283845 A1 of record, “Baumann”).
Regarding Claim 11, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1.
Larson fails to disclose that the aerogel- infused material comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) a foam, (ii) a paint, (iii) an adhesive and (iv) a plastic material.
However, Baumann discloses a similar assembly where the aerogel- infused material comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) a foam, (ii) a paint, (iii) an adhesive and (iv) a plastic material (Baumann, Paragraph 0112 discloses a foam aerogel).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the aerogel as disclosed by Larson to include a foam as disclosed by Baumann. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of increasing adsorption (Baumann, Paragraph 0112).
Regarding Claim 17, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15.
Larson fails to disclose that the aerogel- infused material comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) a foam, (ii) a paint, (iii) an adhesive and (iv) a plastic material.
However, Baumann discloses a similar assembly where the aerogel- infused material comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) a foam, (ii) a paint, (iii) an adhesive and (iv) a plastic material (Baumann, Paragraph 0112 discloses a foam aerogel).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the aerogel as disclosed by Larson to include a foam as disclosed by Baumann. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of increasing adsorption (Baumann, Paragraph 0112).
Regarding Claim 22, Larson in view of Nguyen discloses the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 20.
Larson fails to disclose that the aerogel- infused material comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) a foam, (ii) a paint, (iii) an adhesive and (iv) a plastic material.
However, Baumann discloses a similar assembly where the aerogel- infused material comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) a foam, (ii) a paint, (iii) an adhesive and (iv) a plastic material (Baumann, Paragraph 0112 discloses a foam aerogel).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the aerogel as disclosed by Larson to include a foam as disclosed by Baumann. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of increasing adsorption (Baumann, Paragraph 0112).
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 MARIAM QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-4434. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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/MARIAM QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2871
