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 .
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, 3-4, 6-13, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ferman (WO 2013036987 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) an external vehicle rear view mirror assembly, comprising: a mirror (page 1 lines 5-7), a mirror plate (10) having a first surface to which the mirror is attached and a second surface being opposite to the first surface, the second surface having an attachment arrangement for releasably engaging the mirror plate to a mirror retention plate (60), the mirror retention plate having a first edge and a second edge (61; page 3 lines 3-9), the attachment arrangement comprising one or more projections (ledges or hooks 15; page 3 lines 4-6) of the mirror plate for engaging the first edge of the mirror retention plate so that the mirror plate can assume an engaged position with respect to the mirror retention plate, and a locking assembly (20, 40, 51, 53, 27, 48) for engaging the second edge (61) of the mirror retention plate so that the mirror plate, when in the engaged position, can assume a locked position with respect to the mirror retention plate (60) (Fig. 4), the locking assembly comprising at least one slidable locking pin (40) movable between a locking position (Fig. 4) and an unlocking position (Fig. 3), the or each locking pin having a leading free end (44) and an opposite head end (42), the head end (42) having at least one pin locking surface which is engageable with a plate locking surface (34) of the mirror plate by operation of a spring loaded clip-on mechanism (48; Figs. 1, 4), wherein, when the or each locking pin (40) is in the locking position, the leading free end (44) of the or each locking pin (40) has engaged the second edge (61) of the mirror retention plate (60) and lockably retained the mirror plate in the locked position, and when the or each locking pin is in the unlocking position (Fig. 3), the leading free end (44) of the or each locking pin (40) has disengaged from the second edge of the mirror retention plate (60) after releasing the spring loaded clip-on mechanism (48).
Regarding claim 3, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the spring loaded clip-on mechanism (48) is located at the head end (42) of the or each locking pin (40).
Regarding claim 4, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the head end (42) of the or each locking pin (40) has from one to three pin locking surfaces (42 has one locking surface on each ends) which are engageable with a respective plate locking surface (34) of the mirror plate (10) by operation of the spring loaded clip-on mechanism (48).
Regarding claim 6, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the plate locking surface (34) of the mirror plate (14) is an inner surface of a locking wall located internally of, and extending partly across, an opening in a side wall of the mirror plate (14).
Regarding claim 7, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the mirror retention plate (60) is connected to an electric motorized actuator (61) for adjusting the angular position of the mirror (page. 3 lines 4-6).
Regarding claim 8, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the first and second edges (61) of the mirror retention plate (60) are parallel to each other (claim 1).
Regarding claim 9, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) there are two projections (15) of the mirror plate (10) for engaging the first edge of the mirror retention plate (60).
Regarding claim 10, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the leading free end (44) of the or each locking pin (40) is configured to be inserted through the opening in the side wall (33, 35) of the mirror plate (10) and then through aligned openings defined by internal bridges (34) formed on the mirror plate (page 3 lines 14-17).
Regarding claim 11, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the leading free end (44) of the or each locking pin (40) can penetrate only as far as an overlapping location with the second edge (61) of the mirror retention plate (60), before the locking pin (40) is prevented from further penetration by one or more structural elements of the head end (42) abutting against one or more walls of the mirror plate (10).
Regarding claim 12, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) when the leading free end (44) is at the overlapping location, the most outwardly located end wall of the head end (42) of the or each locking pin (40) is at a location where it is aligned with a side wall of the mirror plate (10).
Regarding claim 13, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the head end (42) of the or each locking pin (40) includes an inner pin locking surface (located at the center of the locking pin) and a pair of outer pin locking surfaces (45) at respective opposite sides of the head end (42).
Regarding claim 22, Ferman discloses (Figs. 1-28; in particular Figs. 1-4) the spring loaded clip-on mechanism (48) comprises a pin locking surface at the head end (42) of the or each locking pin (40), and a plate locking surface (34) of the mirror plate (10) and against which the pin locking surface (34) can be engaged.
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 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ferman.
Regarding claim 2, Ferman does not necessarily disclose there are two locking pins in the mirror assembly.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have two locking pins in the mirror assembly, since it has been held that a mere duplication of the essential or working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have two locking pins in the mirror assembly as a mere design choice to enhance the locking assembly of the device.
Regarding claim 5, Ferman does not necessarily disclose the head end of the or each locking pin has three pin locking surfaces.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the head end of the or each locking pin has three pin locking surfaces, since it has been held that a mere duplication of the essential or working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the head end of the or each locking pin has three pin locking surfaces as a mere design choice to increase the device’s robustness.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-21 and 23-24 are 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 following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art does not disclose or suggest the external vehicle rear view mirror assembly of claims 14-21, in particular the limitations of the outer pin locking surfaces are the elevated end face surfaces of side ramped structures which are formed at opposite sides of the head end of the or each locking pin. The prior art does not disclose or suggest the external vehicle rear view mirror assembly of claim 23, in particular the limitations of the spring loaded clip-on mechanism comprises outer pin locking surfaces of flexible opposite sides at the head end of the or each locking pin, an inner pin locking surface of a flexible tongue portion at the head end of the or each locking pin, and respective plate locking surfaces of the mirror plate and against which the outer and inner pin locking surfaces can be engaged. The prior art does not disclose or suggest the external vehicle rear view mirror assembly of claim 24, in particular the limitations of the spring loaded clip-on mechanism comprises a plate locking surface of a flexible tongue portion of the mirror plate, and a pin locking surface at the head end of the locking pin and against which the plate locking surface can be engaged.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES S CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5024. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/CHARLES S CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871