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 Amendment
The amendments filed on 4/15/2026 are acknowledged and accepted. No Claims are amended and Claims 1-15 remain pending in the application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 03/07/2024 are acknowledged and accepted.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uto (US20200363637A1, of record in the IDS dated 03/07/2024).
With respect to Claim 1, Uto discloses a mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) for a head-up display (Fig. 1—element 100, HUD; [0014]), the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) comprising:
a mirror (Fig. 2—element 40, reflecting member; [0014]);
a carrier (Fig. 2—element 50, reflecting-part holder; [0016]) which is arranged on a rear side (Fig. 2—element 50 is arranged on the back of element 40) of the mirror (Fig. 2—element 40, reflecting member; [0014]) and is fixedly connected ([0028]: element 40 is attached to element 50 via adhesive) to the mirror (Fig. 2—element 40, reflecting member; [0014]); and
a bearing unit (Fig. 3—element 1, housing; [0029]) which is separate from the carrier (Fig. 2—element 50, reflecting-part holder; [0016]),
wherein the bearing unit (Fig. 3—element 1, housing; [0029]) is connected to the carrier (Fig. 2—element 50, reflecting-part holder; [0016]) by at least one rotary bearing (Fig. 3—element 52, pair of bearings; [0023]), and
wherein the carrier (Fig. 2—element 50, reflecting-part holder; [0016]) and the bearing unit (Fig. 3—element 1, housing ; [0029]) when coupled by the rotary bearing (Fig. 3—element 52, pair of bearings; [0023]) are rotatable relative to each other ([0023]: 52 for rotatably supporting the pair of rotary shaft parts 51 respectively, and a pair of bearing holders 53 for retaining the pair of bearings 52 in the housing 1),
wherein the rotary bearing (Fig. 3—element 52, pair of bearings; [0023]) comprises at least one bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) and at least one bearing chamber (Fig. 3—element 16, rotary shaft support parts; [0040]) with opposite bearing walls (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]),
wherein the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) is arranged between the bearing walls (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]) of the bearing chamber (Fig. 3—element 16, rotary shaft support parts; [0040]) and engages in bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]), which are formed in the bearing walls (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]), such that the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) is rotatably mounted on both bearing walls (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]) and an axis of rotation of the rotary bearing (Fig. 3—element 52, pair of bearings; [0023]) runs through the bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]).
With respect to Claim 2, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses
wherein the bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]) are in the form of continuous holes (Fig. 3—element 16a is a through hole in element 16b) in the bearing walls (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]), with an in each case peripherally closed contour edge (Fig. 3—element 16a is a flat, closed surface).
With respect to Claim 4, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 3, and further discloses
wherein, when viewed in the direction of the axis of rotation, the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) comprises end-side bearing pins (Fig. 4a—element 51, rotary shaft part and 50A and 50C, bearing holder; [0030]) that extend in the direction of the axis of rotation into the bearing journal receptacle (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]).
With respect to Claim 5, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses
wherein the bearing pins (Fig. 4a—element 51, rotary shaft part and 50A and 50C, bearing holder; [0030]) are received in the bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]) in a form-fitting manner (Figs. 3 and 4a—element 51 is received in element 16a in a form fitting manner via element 53).
With respect to Claim 6, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses
wherein the bearing pins (Fig. 4a—element 51, rotary shaft part and 50A and 50C, bearing holder; [0030]) are cylindrical and lie with cylinder walls against the contour edges (Figs. 3 and 4a—element 51 lies against element 16a via element 53) of the bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]) in a form-fitting manner (Figs. 3 and 4a—element 51 is received in element 16a in a form fitting manner via element 53).
With respect to Claim 7, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses
wherein at least one bearing pin (Fig. 4a—element 51, rotary shaft part and 50A and 50C, bearing holder; [0030]) is tapered at its outer end (Fig. 4A—element 51b is tapered compared to element 51a).
With respect to Claim 8, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses,
wherein at least one bearing pin (Fig. 4a—element 51, rotary shaft part and 50A and 50C, bearing holder; [0030]) comprises a stop (Fig. 4A—element 50c, tip end; [0035]) which limits the immersion depth, as measured in the direction of the axis of rotation, (Fig. 4A— element 50c does not allow the rotary shaft to extend further) of the bearing pin (Fig. 4a—element 51, rotary shaft part and 50A and 50C, bearing holder; [0030]) into a bearing journal receptacle (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]).
With respect to Claim 9, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses
wherein a guide device (Fig. 3-- element 12a, positioning hole; [0055]) for guiding the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) when it is inserted into the bearing chamber (Fig. 3—element 16, rotary shaft support parts; [0040]) is formed on an inside of at least one bearing wall (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]).
With respect to Claim 10, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 9, and further discloses
wherein the guide device (Fig. 3-- element 12a, positioning hole; [0055]) comprises an end edge which predetermines the end position (Fig. 3—element 12a determines the positioning of element 53a) of the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) in the bearing chamber (Fig. 3—element 16, rotary shaft support parts; [0040]), wherein, in the end position, the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) is clipped (Fig. 3—element 54a is fitted into element 12a) into the bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]).
With respect to Claim 11, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses
wherein the bearing journal (Fig. 3—element 53a, bearing mounting part; [0040]) is in the form of a clip-in element which is clipped axially into the bearing journal receptacles (Fig. 3—element 16a, recess; [0040]) (Fig. 3 and 4a—element 53a is positioned in element 16a via fitted pins 55 and 54).
With respect to Claim 13, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses
wherein the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) comprises two separate rotary bearings (Fig. 3—element 52, pair of bearings; [0023]), which are arranged spaced apart from each other and are constructed identically, with the axis of rotation running through both rotary bearings (Fig. 3—element 52, pair of bearings; [0023]).
With respect to Claim 14, Uto discloses a head-up display (Fig. 1—element 100, HUD; [0014]) with a mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 1.
With respect to Claim 15, Uto discloses a motor vehicle ([0002]: the HUD may be integrated into a vehicle windshield) with a head-up display (Fig. 1—element 100, HUD; [0014]) as claimed in claim 14.
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 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uto (US20200363637A1, of record in the IDS dated 03/07/2024) in view of Fujikawa (US20070091489A1, of record in the IDS dated 03/07/2024).
With respect to Claim 3, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses
the bearing walls (Fig. 3—element 16b, fixing surfaces; [0040]). However, Uto does not disclose wherein the bearing walls are elastically deformable in the direction of the axis of rotation.
Uto and Fujikawa are related as both pertaining to the field of mirror devices.
Fujikawa discloses a mirror device (Fig. 1—element 10, mirror mechanism; [0031]) wherein the bearing walls (Fig. 8—element 6, sub-mirror frame; [0045]) are elastically deformable in the direction of the axis of rotation ([0045]: element 6 is elastically deformable in the direction of the axis of rotation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the mirror device of Uto with the elastically deformable frame of Fujikawa in order to create a device which may eliminate gaps between parts (Fujikawa, [0045]).
With respect to Claim 12, Uto discloses the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]) as claimed in claim 11, and further discloses
the mirror device (Fig. 2—elements 4, reflecting part and 5, support mechanism; [0014]), the carrier (Fig. 2—element 50, reflecting-part holder; [0016]), and the bearing unit (Fig. 3—element 1, housing; [0029]). However, Uto does not disclose wherein the mirror device comprises a spring which is arranged between the carrier and the bearing unit such that a position between the carrier and the bearing unit is preloaded by the spring.
Uto and Fujikawa are related as both pertaining to the field of mirror devices.
Fujikawa discloses a mirror device (Fig. 1—element 10, mirror mechanism; [0031]) comprising a spring (Fig. 10—element 16, spring; [0046]) which is arranged between the carrier (Fig. 10—element 4, mirror frame; [0046]) and the bearing unit (Fig. 10—element 6, sub-mirror frame; [0046]) such that a position between the carrier (Fig. 10—element 4, mirror frame; [0046]) and the bearing unit (Fig. 10—element 6, sub-mirror frame; [0046]) is preloaded by the spring (Fig. 10—element 16, spring; [0046]) ([0046]: the urging force of the spring determines the position of element 6 relative to element 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to bine the mirror device of Uto with the spring of Fujikawa in order to create a device which may maintain a specific position (Fujikawa, [0046]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/15/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Examiner disagrees with Applicant’s argument that Uto does not disclose the limitation "wherein the carrier and the bearing unit when coupled by the rotary bearing are rotatable relative to each other" recited in claim 1.
Uto discloses in Fig. 1 that the housing, element 1, encompasses all parts of the head-up display apparatus; further, Uto discloses in paragraph [0022]: “The reflecting-part support mechanism 5 supports the reflecting member 40 of the reflecting part 4 to the housing 1 to be rotatable about the axis of the rotary shaft part 51.” Therefore, elements 1 and 50 are connected and element 52 is disposed between them and allows for rotation of element 50.
In response to applicant's argument that the claimed carrier serves a different purpose than the housing 1 of Uto, a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MACKENZI BOURQUINE whose telephone number is (571)272-5956. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MACKENZI BOURQUINE/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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