CTNF 18/704,178 CTNF 93545 DETAILED ACTION The preliminary amendments filed 04/24/2024 have been entered. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Gibeau et al. (WO2020225766) . Regarding claim 1, Gibeau discloses an internal structure of a side sill, comprising: an outer member (10) extending in a front-rear direction of an automotive body and having a hat-shaped cross section that is open toward an inside of a vehicle in a width direction of the automotive body (fig 2); an inner member (68) having a hat-shaped cross section that is open toward an outside of the vehicle in the width direction of the automotive body (fig 2); a closed cross-sectional structure (closed cross-sectional structure created by joining 10 and 68, fig 2) formed by joining an end portion of each of the outer member and the inner member on an upper side of the automotive body and an end portion of each of the outer member and the inner member on a lower side of the automotive body while an open side of the outer member and an open side of the inner member facing each other (fig 2); a connecting member (12) disposed so as to connect the end portion of each of the outer member and the inner member on the upper side of the automotive body and the end portion of each of the outer member and the inner member on the lower side of the automotive body (fig 2); and a collision energy-absorbing member configured to absorb collision energy while transmitting a crashworthiness load input to the outer member to the inner member side, the collision energy-absorbing member including: a pair of first collision energy-absorbing members (104, 108) configured to form a linear load transfer path inclined with respect to a horizontal plane of the automotive body to transmit the crashworthiness load input to the outer member toward a corner portion of the inner member in both an upper direction of the automotive body and a lower direction of the automotive body or a vicinity of the corner portion, and absorb the collision energy (fig 2); and a second collision energy-absorbing member (100,112) disposed in the first collision energy-absorbing member on each of an upper side of the automotive body and a lower side of the automotive body (fig 20, and configured to connect the inner member and the connecting member or the end portion, and absorb the collision energy (fig 2). Regarding claim 2, Gibeau further discloses that the collision energy-absorbing member is formed by bending one plate member (88), and is a member in which the first collision energy-absorbing member and the second collision energy-absorbing member are integrated (fig 2). Regarding claim 3, Gibeau further discloses that the first collision energy-absorbing member (104, 108) has a hat-shaped cross section that is open toward the inside of the vehicle in the width direction of the automotive body (fig 2), and includes a pair of vertical wall portions (portions of 104 and 108 inclined with respect to horizontal plane) inclined with respect to the horizontal plane of the automotive body (fig 2). Regarding claim 4, the second collision energy-absorbing member includes two members having a hat- shaped cross section (100,112) that are open toward the outside of the vehicle in the width direction of the automotive body and arranged side by side in a vertical direction of the automotive body (fig 2), two vertical wall portions (110, 90) on a center side in the vertical direction of the automotive body (fig 2), among vertical wall portions of the two members having a hat-shaped cross section, form a part of the first collision energy-absorbing member (fig 2), and two vertical wall portions on the upper direction of the automotive body and the lower direction of the automotive body, among the vertical wall portions of the two members having a hat-shaped cross section, form the second collision energy-absorbing member (fig 2). Regarding claim 5, Gibeau further discloses that the connecting member is made of one plate member (12), and is joined to the first collision energy-absorbing member to divide the load transfer path into the outer member side and the inner member side (fig 2). Regarding claim 7, Gibeau further discloses that the first collision energy-absorbing member (104, 108) has a groove-shaped portion (groove @ 104, 108, fig 3) formed along the load transfer path (fig 3) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim 6 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. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Matecki et al. (US 20210309297) discloses a reinforcement beam (40) with a metal sheet that is shaped with a set of elongated bends extending in parallel along a length of the beam. The bends together form a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length. The beam comprises a beam unit (42) and a flange unit (44) that is integrally extended from the beam unit. The beam unit comprises a multi-hollow shape that encloses a group of hollow cavities that extend longitudinally between openings at opposing ends of the reinforcement beam. A sill panel comprises a channel section and opposing flanges (18,20,22) that are extended along edges of the channel section. Lee et al. (US 20180009481) discloses a shock-absorbing unit may include a reinforcement part made of a composite material, which has a panel shape, two opposing end portions of which are connected to the inner panel to divide the inner space into a separation space adjacent to the outer panel and a partition space adjacent to the inner panel, and which has a coupling protrusion protruding from the inner surface thereof toward the inner panel, and a shock-absorbing part made of a composite material, which has a coupling recess formed in one side thereof to receive the coupling protrusion so as to be connected to the reinforcement part in the partition space, and the opposite side of which is connected to the inner surface of the inner panel and is supported by the inner panel.r Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANY E AKAKPO whose telephone number is (469)295-9255. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm. 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, Nicole Coy can be reached on (571) 272-5405. 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. /DANY E AKAKPO/Examiner, Art Unit 3672 03/25/2026 Application/Control Number: 18/704,178 Page 2 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/704,178 Page 3 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/704,178 Page 4 Art Unit: 3672 Application/Control Number: 18/704,178 Page 5 Art Unit: 3672
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