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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 15 December 2025 has been entered. Amendments to claims 1, 7, 8, 12, and 17 have been entered into the above-identified application. Claims 4-6 and 9-11 remain withdrawn. Claims 1-19 are currently pending.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 12, and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claims recite the limitation "on each of the two side of the vehicle". This should be amended to be "on each of the two sides of the vehicle". 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 1-3, 7-8, 12-16 and 19 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.
Regarding claim 1, the preamble is directed to a “system for providing one or more third-row doors for a vehicle”, however in line 4 the third-row door is being positively claimed in combination with vehicle frame. It is unclear what the claim is specifically directed to. The examiner suggests amending claim 1 to remove “for providing one or more third-row doors” to instead recite “A system for a vehicle with three rows…” to make the claim clearer.
Similarly, in claim 12, the preamble is directed to “a method for providing one or more third-row doors for a vehicle”. The examiner suggests amending claim 12 to remove “for providing one or more third-row doors to instead recite “A method for a vehicle, the vehicle with three rows…”
Claims 7, 15, and 19 recite the limitation “…comprises a door that is provided…as a third and a fourth door..”. It is not clear how a single door can be both a third and fourth door. The examiner suggests amending the claim to recite “…comprises a door that is provided as a third door on one side of the vehicle or a third and fourth door on both sides of the vehicle…”.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-8, and 12-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stewart (U.S. 6,666,499).
Regarding claim 1, Stewart teaches a system for providing one or more third-row doors for a vehicle, the vehicle (10) with three rows of seats (56, 62, and 68) designed for use on road (as evidence by the tires seen in fig 2), wherein the system comprises a vehicle frame (20) having at least one opening (as seen in fig 3, for passenger compartment 66) for at least one third-row door (70), and at least one third-row door (70), wherein the at least one third-row door (70) is provide for the at least one opening (as seen in fig 3, for passenger compartment 66) on either side (see fig 3, on both sides) of the vehicle (10), or the at least one third-row door (70) is provide as a third-row door for the at least one opening (as seen in fig 3, for passenger compartment 66) on each of the two side of the vehicle (10, as seen in fig 3, doors 70 are for the openings on either side of the vehicle for third row passenger compartment 66) and wherein the at least one third row door (70) is provided for a third row of seats (68) near the rear wheel of the vehicle (as seen in figs 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 2, Stewart teaches the system of claim 1. Stewart further teaches system of claim 1, wherein the least one third-row door (70) for a vehicle (10) comprises a door (70) that is provided as a fourth door (70) for an opening (see fig 3) on one side of the vehicle frame (20) that opens to a third row of seats (68), wherein first and second doors (both 58) correspond to a first row of seats (56), and third door (64) corresponds to a second row of seats (62).
Regarding claim 3, Stewart teaches the system of claim 2. Stewart further teaches wherein the least one third-row door (70) for a vehicle (10) comprises a left swing door or a right swing door (as seen in fig 3, door 70 is either right swing or left swing depending on one’s frame of reference) depending on the point of attachment of the door (70) to the vehicle (10).
Regarding claim 7, Stewart teaches the system of claim 1. Stewart further teaches wherein the least one third-row door (70) for a vehicle (10) comprises a door (70) that is provided either as a third door on one side of the vehicle (as seen in fig 3) or as a third and a fourth door (both labeled 70, as seen in fig 3) on both sides of the vehicle between a second row of seats (62) and a third row of seats (68).
Regarding claim 8, Stewart teaches the system of claim 7. Stewart further teaches wherein the at least one third-row door (70) that is provided as a third door on one side of the vehicle (see fig 3, doors 70 are on both sides) or as a third and fourth door (both labeled 70 in fig 3) on both sides of the vehicle (10, as seen in fig 3, doors 70 for the openings on either side of the vehicle for the third row passenger compartment 66), between second row seats (62) and third row seats (68) comprises a left swing door or a right swing door depending on the side of the vehicle and a point of attachment of the door to the vehicle (as seen in fig 3, door 70 is either right swing or left swing depending on one’s frame of reference), wherein the door (70) is attached to the vehicle frame (20) with hinge position at any of: an opening of the vehicle frame at the third row of seats (see fig 3, the hinge for door 70 is shown at the opening for the third row of seats 68), the second row of seats, or a combination thereof.
Regarding claim 12, Stewart teaches a method for providing one or more third-row doors for a vehicle, the vehicle (10) with three rows of seats (56, 62, and 68) designed for use on road (as evidence by the tires seen in fig 2), the method comprising providing at least one opening (as seen in fig 3, for passenger compartment 66) for at least one third-row door (70) in a vehicle frame (20), and providing at least one third-row door (70) for the at least one opening (as seen in fig 3, for passenger compartment 66) on either side (see fig 3, on both sides) of the vehicle (10), or as a third-row door for the at least one opening on each of the two side of the vehicle (10, as seen in fig 3, doors 70 are for the openings on either side of the vehicle for third row passenger compartment 66), wherein the at least one third row door (70) is provide for a third row of seats (68) near the rear wheel of the vehicle (as seen in figs 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 13, Stewart teaches the method of claim 12. Stewart further teaches comprising providing a third-row door (70) for a vehicle (10) that is provided as a fourth door (70) for an opening (see fig 3) on one side of the vehicle frame (20) that opens to a third row of seats (68), wherein first and second doors (both 58) correspond to a first row of seats (56), and third door (64) corresponds to a second row of seats (62).
Regarding claim 14, Stewart teaches the method of claim 13. Stewart further teaches further comprising providing any of: a left swing door (70), a right swing door (also 70, depending on one’s frame of reference), a French double door, a falcon door or a sliding door that slides from the third row of seats to the second row of seats as a fourth door for an opening on one side of the vehicle frame (20, as seen in fig 3).
Regarding claim 15, Stewart teaches the method of claim 12. Stewart further teaches comprising providing one or more third-row doors (70) for a vehicle (10) includes a door (70) that is provided either as a third on one side of the vehicle (as seen in fig 3) or as a third and a fourth door on both sides of the vehicle between a second row of seats (62) and a third row of seats (68).
Regarding claim 16, Stewart teaches the method of claim 15. Stewart further teaches further comprising providing any one or more of: a left swing door (70), a right swing door (also 70, depending on one’s frame of reference), a French double door, a falcon door and a sliding door that slides from the third row of seats to the second row of seats as a third and/or fourth door on one or both sides of the vehicle (see fig 3).
Regarding claim 17, Stewart teaches a vehicle with three rows of seats (56, 62, and 68) designed for use on road (as evidenced by the tires seen in fig 2) comprising a vehicle frame (20) having at least one opening (as seen in fig 3, for passenger compartment 66) for at least one third-row door (70, as seen in fig 3), and the at least one third-row door (70) is provided for the at least one opening on either side (see fig 3, on both sides) of the vehicle (10), or the at least one third-row door is provided as a third-row door for the at least one opening on each of the two side of the vehicle (10, as seen in fig 3, doors 70 are for the openings on either side of the vehicle for third row passenger compartment 66), and wherein the at least one third row door (70) is provided for a third row of seats (68) near the rear wheel of the vehicle (as seen in figs 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 18, Stewart teaches the vehicle of claim 17. Stewart further teaches wherein the least one third-row door (70) for a vehicle (10) comprises a door that is provided as a fourth door (70) for an opening (see fig 3) on one side of the vehicle frame (20) that opens to a third row of seats (68), wherein first and second doors (both 58) are provided for a first row of seats (56), and third door (64) is provided for second row of seats (62).
Regarding claim 19, Stewart teaches the vehicle of claim 17. Stewart further teaches wherein the least one third-row door (70) for a vehicle (10) comprises a door (70) that is provided either as a third door on one side of the vehicle (as seen in fig 2) or as a third and a fourth door on both sides of the vehicle between a second row of seats (62) and the third row of seats (68).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 15 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant's arguments in regards to the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection regarding claim 1 being a hybrid claim are persuasive, however the claims are.
Applicant’s claim amendments to clarify the at least one third row door in claims 7, 15, and 19 have created indefiniteness, as explained in the rejection above.
Applicant argues that the prior art of Stewart is not applicable because Stewart teaches a utility vehicle provided with an extended chassis. However, the claims are directed only to “a vehicle with three rows of seats designed for use on road”, of which Stewart clearly teaches. As the claims do not provide any limitations in regards to the chassis for the vehicle, the prior art of Stewart is appropriately applied and is shown to teach the claims as amended.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Susan M Heschel whose telephone number is (571)272-6621. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Troy can be reached at (571)270-3742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUSAN M. HESCHEL/Examiner, Art Unit 3637
/Muhammad Ijaz/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631