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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Embodiment 1, corresponding to claims 1-6 and Figures 1 and 2, in the reply filed on 08/10/2026 is acknowledged.
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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe [US 11,087,938] in view of Ishihara et al. [Ishihara hereinafter, US 2022/0301792].
In regard to claim 1, Watanabe discloses [in Figs. 1-5] a power window switch apparatus, comprising: a switch housing [1]; a first knob [7] pivotally mounted on the switch housing [1] by a first pivot pin [67L]; and a second knob [annotated below] pivotally mounted on the switch housing [1] by a second pivot pin [67L]. Watanabe does not disclose that a top surface of the second knob is located higher than a top surface of the first knob. Ishihara teaches [in Figs. 1 and 7A] that a top surface of the second knob [pointed to at 31c] is located higher than a top surface of the first knob [pointed to at 31a]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide a second knob with a top surface that is located higher than a top surface of the first knob to enable easy switch identification to a user.
PNG
media_image1.png
313
554
media_image1.png
Greyscale
In regard to claim 2, Watanabe discloses [in Figs. 1-5] some of the limitations of the power window switch apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first front operating piece [5F] configured to extend vertically and disposed below a front portion of the first knob [7]; a first rear operating piece [5B] configured to extend vertically and disposed below a rear portion of the first knob [7]; a first front detector [3F] located below the first front operating piece [5F]; and a first rear detector [3B] located below the first rear operating piece [5B].
In regard to claim 3, Watanabe discloses [in Figs. 1-5] some of the limitations of the power window switch apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first front operating piece [5F] is located in front of the first pivot pin [67L], and the first rear operating piece [5B] is located behind the first pivot pin [67L].
In regard to claim 4, Watanabe discloses [in Figs. 1-5] some of the limitations of the power window switch apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a second front operating piece [5F] configured to extend vertically and disposed below a front portion of the second knob [annotated above]; a second rear operating piece [5B] configured to extend vertically and disposed below a rear portion of the second knob; a second front detector [3F] located below the second front operating piece [5F]; and a second rear detector [3B] located below the second rear operating piece [5B].
In regard to claim 5, Watanabe discloses [in Figs. 1-5] some of the limitations of the power window switch apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second front operating piece [5F] is located in front of the second pivot pin [67L], and the second rear operating piece [5B] is located behind the second pivot pin [67L].
In regard to claim 6, Watanabe discloses [in Figs. 1-5] some of the limitations of the power window switch apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) [2] extending horizontally in the switch housing [1], wherein the first front detector [3F], the first rear detector [3B], the second front detector [3F], and the second rear detector [3B] are mounted on the PCB [2].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Tsuchiya et al. [US 2026/0213093] discloses a switch apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LHEIREN MAE A CAROC whose telephone number is (571)272-2730. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights