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 Examiner acknowledges the remarks filed on 6/3/26. Claims 1-17 are pending rejection.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imai WO_2021106649_A1 (see English equivalent: USPA_20230040874_A1) in view of Sumi USPA_20110135862_A1.
1. Regarding Claims 1, 2, 13, 14, and 16, Imai discloses a sandwich structure (Title) that can be used in housings of notebook computers (corresponds to claimed member for an electronic device housing of instant Claim 14) (paragraph 0109) comprising a fiber-reinforced composite material (Abstract) that is sheet-shaped (corresponds to claimed plate-like) (paragraph 0034) that can be used as a core material (Examples 7 & 8, paragraphs 0103 & 0104). Imai discloses a coarse cavity portion (element 4 in FIG. 1; paragraph 0024) which corresponds to the claimed core forming part portion that has wavy corrugations that extend unidirectionally (see FIG. 1); corresponding to tunnel-like shapes of instant Claim 2. Imai also discloses a porous structure portion (element 6 in FIG. 1; paragraph 0024) which corresponds to the claimed core peripheral part. Furthermore, Imai discloses two skin layers that are also fiber-reinforced materials that are bonded to said core material at tops and bottoms of the said corrugations (paragraphs 0049, 0050) which inherently would lead to the forming of interspaces between said skin layers and afore-described core material given the wavy corrugated-shape ridges when aligned with flat skin layers. Finally, Imai discloses bonding said core material and said skin layers using adhesives (corresponds to claimed resin bonding of instant Claim 13) and heat welding (paragraph 0049). It would be expected for this bonding method to effectively seal to prevent the interspace adjacent to the core peripheral part from contacting with an outside air. Additionally, Imai discloses a method of manufacture that first prepares a prepreg for the afore-described core material (corresponds to claimed core preparation step), followed by a lamination of said skin layers and said bonding by way of adhesives and welding (corresponds to claimed bonding step of instant Claim 16) (paragraphs 0048-0070). The disclosures above are not found within a single, exemplified embodiment. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to try the different embodiments found within Imai out of a desire of optimization as is routinely done.
2. However, Imai does not disclose the newly added feature to the independent claims of having the skins specifically bonded and sealed at the core peripheral part so as to form an end-closed structure.
3. Sumi discloses a method for manufacturing a sandwich structure, comprising, in sequence: a core preparation step, wherein a component (core material) made of sheet-like fiber-reinforced composite material is prepared, said component having at least a portion shaped into a corrugated profile extending in one or more directions (core shaping portion) [Figures 6-11, and paragraphs 0150-0162]; and a bonding step of bonding two sheets of sheet-like fiber-reinforced composite material (skin material) to both sides of said core material; while simultaneously processing the core-shaped portion in a region adjacent to the flat outer periphery of the core that surrounds the aforementioned core-shaped portion in such a manner that the space formed between the core material and the skin materials is sealed off from contact with external gas, thereby forming a structure in which the two skin materials are partially bonded through the core material [Figs. 12-21 and paragraphs 0163-0183]. Sumi further discloses that its method of forming said sandwich panel which is capable of securing a sufficient strength and yet attaining any profile or any surface shape in a desired manner without a need to reheat an element such as said skin sheet, said core member (paragraph 0001).
4. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the bonding, of Imai, by the skins specifically bonded and sealed at the core peripheral part so as to form an end-closed structure, as disclosed by Sumi. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated in doing so in order to obtain sufficient strength as stated by Sumi.
5. Regarding Claim 5, Imai in view of Sumi suggests its fibers having a fiber orientation that is orthogonal to each other as well as in a direction along which the wave of the corrugation of the core materials extends (Imai Claim 14).
6. Regarding Claims 6 and 7, Imai in view of Sumi suggests a composite thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 5 mm (Imai paragraph 0046).
7. Regarding Claims 8 and 9, Imai in view of Sumi suggests using continuous carbon fibers in said skin layers (Imai paragraph 0050).
8. Regarding Claims 10-12, Imai in view of Sumi suggests discontinuous carbon fibers (Imai paragraph 0040) that are multi-directionally oriented (Imai Figure 2) that are monofilaments (Imai paragraphs 0069, 0078, 0079).
9. Regarding Claim 15, Imai in view of Sumi suggests using thermoplastic resin members (Imai paragraph 0003).
10. Regarding Claim 17, Imai in view of Sumi suggests a press molding step (Imai paragraph 0070).
11. Regarding Claims 3 and 4, Imai in view of Sumi suggests the angles (Imai see Figures) and the claimed angle and pitch of waves.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 6/3/26, with respect to the rejection(s) of all claim(s) under Imai in view of Sumi have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Imai in view of Sumi.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAHSEEN KHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1140. The examiner can normally be reached MonSumis-SaturSumis 08:00AM-10:00PM.
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/TAHSEEN KHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 June 16, 2026
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