CTNF 18/668,261 CTNF 77418 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Drawings 06-36 AIA The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitations (claim 2 lines 8-9 ) the first undercover is formed with an edge cut part that extends from the first position to the second position (Examiner notes that Fig. 2 is inconsistent with said limitation); (claim 3 lines 1-3 ) wherein the first undercover comprises a first uprising wall that is disposed along the edge cut part and protrudes downward in the vehicle up-down direction ; (claim 4 lines 3-4 ) the second uprising wall extends more downward than the first uprising wall in the vehicle up-down direction ; (claim 5 lines 2-3 ) the first uprising wall is installed in a recess on the rear edge of the first undercover, and the recess is recessed upward in the vehicle up-down direction ; (claim 6 line 3 ) the extension part is installed in a recess on the rear edge of the first undercover ; must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 3-6 are objected to because of the following informalities: in claim 3 line 3, “downward” should be changed to --downwardly--; in claim 4 line 3, “downward” should be changed to --downwardly--; in claim 5 line 3, “upward” should be changed to --upwardly--; in claim 6 line 4, “upward” should be changed to --upwardly --. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claim 5 is 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 5 is inconsistent with claim 3 from which claim 5 depends. Therefore, claim 5 is rendered indefinite. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by JP 2019-182320 A , cited by Applicant. Regarding claim 1 , JP 2019-182320 A (at least Figs. 1-5) discloses a vehicle bottom structure comprising: a suspension system 50, comprising a trailing arm 51 that is disposed on an inner side of a rear wheel 11 in a vehicle width direction and a torsion beam 52 that extends along the vehicle width direction to connect the trailing arm 51; a first undercover 46, 47, 47E disposed on a front side of the torsion beam 52 in a vehicle front-rear direction; and a second undercover 45 disposed on a rear side of the torsion beam 52 in the vehicle front-rear direction, wherein the first undercover 46, 47, 47E is formed with a rear edge part at a rear edge in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the rear edge part extends toward the torsion beam 52 along the vehicle front-rear direction, the second undercover 45 comprises a front end part at a front end in the vehicle front-rear direction, and in a stationary state of a vehicle, (at least a rearmost portion of) an imaginary plane GL formed by connecting lower surfaces of the rear edge part of the first undercover 46, 47, 47E and the front end part of the second undercover 45 is formed at a position lower than the torsion beam 52 in a vehicle up-down direction (see annotated Fig. 3 attached herewith). PNG media_image1.png 550 734 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claims 2, 3, and 6 , JP 2019-182320 A (at least Figs. 1-5) discloses the vehicle bottom structure, (claim 2) wherein a side edge of the first undercover 46, 47, 47E in the vehicle width direction is formed more outward than the trailing arm 51, a first position, which is more forward than the rear edge of the first undercover 46, 47, 47E in the vehicle front-rear direction, is provided on the side edge, a second position, which is more inward than the trailing arm 51 in the vehicle width direction, is provided on the rear edge, and the first undercover 46, 47, 47E is formed with an edge cut part that extends from the first position to the second position (see annotated Fig. 2 attached herewith); (claim 3) wherein the first undercover 46, 47, 47E comprises a first uprising wall that is disposed along the edge cut part and protrudes downward in the vehicle up-down direction; PNG media_image2.png 770 576 media_image2.png Greyscale (claim 6) further comprising: an extension part 47b formed with the rear edge part, wherein the extension part is installed in a recess 47a on the rear edge of the first undercover 46, 47, 47E, and the recess is recessed upward in the vehicle up-down direction . 07-15 AIA Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Nishida et al. (EP 3543 095 A1). Regarding claim 1 , Nishida et al. (at least Figs. 1-7) discloses a vehicle bottom structure comprising: a suspension system 40, comprising a trailing arm 41 that is disposed on an inner side of a rear wheel 11 in a vehicle width direction and a torsion beam 42 that extends along the vehicle width direction to connect the trailing arm 41; a first undercover 35, 36 disposed on a front side of the torsion beam 42 in a vehicle front-rear direction; and a second undercover 60 disposed on a rear side of the torsion beam 42 in the vehicle front-rear direction, wherein the first undercover 35, 36 is formed with a rear edge part 36a at a rear edge in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the rear edge part 36a extends toward the torsion beam 42 along the vehicle front-rear direction, the second undercover 60 comprises a front end part 60f at a front end in the vehicle front-rear direction, and in a stationary state of a vehicle, an imaginary plane formed by connecting lower surfaces of the rear edge part 36a of the first undercover 35, 36 and the front end part 60f of the second undercover 60 is formed at a position lower than the torsion beam 42 in a vehicle up-down direction (at least Figs. 3, 4) . Allowable Subject Matter Claim 4 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the claim objection(s) and drawing objection(s), set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim 7 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. The primary reason for the allowance of claim 4 in this case, is the inclusion of the limitation “wherein a second uprising wall is disposed between the first uprising wall and the rear wheel, and the second uprising wall extends more downward ly than the first uprising wall in the vehicle up-down direction” now included in the claim, in combination with the other elements recited, which is not found in the prior art of record. The primary reason for the allowance of claim 7 in this case, is the inclusion of the limitation “wherein a battery unit is disposed on an upper side of the first undercover in the vehicle up-down direction, and a drive unit is disposed on an upper side of the second undercover in the vehicle up-down direction” now included in the claim, in combination with the other elements recited, which is not found in the prior art of record. Conclusion 07-96 AIA 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 JOSELYNN Y SLITERIS whose telephone number is (571)272-6675. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm EST. 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, Jason D. Shanske can be reached at 571-270-5985. 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. /JOSELYNN Y SLITERIS/Examiner, Art Unit 3614 /JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 2 Art Unit: 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 3 Art Unit: 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 4 Art Unit: 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 5 Art Unit: 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 6 Art Unit: 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 7 Art Unit: 3614 Application/Control Number: 18/668,261 Page 8 Art Unit: 3614
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