DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 08/25/2026.
Claims 11-24 are currently pending and have been examined below. Claims 1-10 are canceled.
Claim Objections
Claim 22 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 22, “a connection or an interlocking connection of a screw connection or a connection or an interlocking connection on a screw connection” is redundant and should be corrected.
Appropriate correction is required. Above provides non-limiting examples, the applicant(s) must find and correct all issues similar to those discussed above.
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 11-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grosch et al. (DE 102016212041) (hereinafter “Grosch”) in view of Baur et al. (EP 0987448) (hereinafter “Baur”).
Claim 11
(Grosch discloses) A door module (figures 7-8B) for a vehicle door of a motor vehicle (abstract discloses the invention is directed for vehicles), the door module comprising:
a support panel (AGT; figure 7) including a first panel side (outer side of the support panel AGT disclosed Excerpt 1 below from page 6 of the attached translated document), a second panel side (inner side opposite to the outer side; Excerpt 1 below) disposed opposite said first panel side, a first housing part (1) disposed on said first panel side (Excerpt 1 below; figure 7), and a second housing part (2) disposed on said second panel side (Excerpt 1 below);
said first housing part having a plurality of through-openings (11A-11C), and said second housing part having a plurality of screw bosses (21A-21C) corresponding to said plurality of through-openings;
a pane carrier (M1 or M2);
a cable drum (ST) for a pull cable (Z) connected or configured to be connected to said pane carrier (figure 7), said cable drum being rotatably accommodated on said first housing part (figure 3);
a cable drive (drive motor discussed on Excerpt 1 below) of a window lifter (figure 7), said cable drive being mounted or configured to be mounted on said support panel and associated with said second housing part (figures 7-8B), and said cable drive being coupled to said cable drum (figure 7); and
a plurality of screw elements (BE; figure 3) to be accommodated by said plurality of screw bosses and said plurality of through-openings (figure 3), each of said screw elements having a screw head with a first tool receptacle (can be seen in figure 3) and a threaded shaft having a shaft tip (tip of shaft of BE in figure 3; BE is disclosed as a screw fastener [page 7] which is known to have a threaded shaft).
Grosch fails to disclose a second tool receptacle on or in said shaft tip, permitting said screw elements to be actuated and loosened from said second panel side to uninstall said second housing part from being screwed together with said first housing part.
(However, Baur teaches) A plurality of screw elements (3; Baur figures 1-3), each of said screw elements having a screw head (3.1) with a first tool receptacle (tool receptacle at the head 3.1) and a threaded shaft (3.2) having a shaft tip (tip end at 3.3) and a second tool receptacle (tool receptacle at the tip 3.3) on or in said shaft tip (Baur figures 1-3), permitting said screw elements to be actuated and loosened on both ends (Excerpt 2 from page 3 of Baur).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the single-actuated screw elements of Grosch with the double-actuated screw elements of Baur, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the predictable and expected benefits of allowing access from the first panel side or the second panel side thus improving ease of assembly, disassembly, and repairability. Additionally, the option to loosen on either ends allows the screws to loosen if one end is extremely tight due to rust or has limited access.
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Excerpt 1
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Excerpt 2
Claim 12
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 11, wherein said support panel has a plurality of plug-through openings (figures 3 and 7; not labeled, however since the first housing part is located outside and the second housing part is located inside, it is inherently taught by the support panel to have corresponding openings to allow attachment of both housing parts on either sides) for said plurality of screw elements, said plurality of plug-through openings being aligned with said plurality of through-openings in said first housing part and with said plurality of screw bosses in said second housing part (figure 7).
Claim 13
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 11, wherein said first panel side is a wet-chamber side (Excerpt 1 above; figure 7), said second panel side is a dry-chamber side (Excerpt 1 above; figure 7), said first housing part accommodating said cable drum is disposed on said wet-chamber side, and said second housing part is disposed on said dry-chamber side (Excerpt 1 above; figure 7).
Claim 14
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The device according to claim 11, wherein said first housing part has at least one of:
a plurality of plug-in pins (Annotated figure 8B below) penetrated by said plurality of through-openings for said plurality of screw elements (figure 3), or
at least one of said plurality of through-openings or said plurality of plug-in pins disposed in a region of corners of a triangle or positioned in a triangular arrangement (Annotated figure 8B below).
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Annotated figure 8B
Claim 15
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of through-openings are three through-openings, and said plurality of plug-in pins are three plug-in pins (Annotated figure 8B above).
Claim 16
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 11, wherein at least one of:
said plurality of screw bosses in said second housing part each have an insertion pocket (Annotated figure 3 below) for accommodating a respective corresponding plug-in pin on said first housing part (figure 8), or
said plurality of screw bosses of said second housing part are disposed in a region of corners of a triangle or positioned in a triangular configuration (figure 8A).
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Annotated figure 3
Claim 17
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of screw bosses disposed in the region of the corners of the triangle or positioned in the triangular configuration are three screw bosses (figure 8A).
Claim 18
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of screw elements each have at least one of:
a self-cutting or metric thread (3.2; Baur figures 1-3), or
a first shaft portion (Annotated Baur figures 2-3 below) of said threaded shaft adjoining said screw head and having a first outer or shaft diameter (minor diameter of the screw shaft; see parts of screw below showing where is minor and major diameters of a screw), and a second shaft portion (Annotated Baur figures 2-3 below) leading into said shaft tip and having a second outer or screw diameter (major diameter of the screw shaft).
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Annotated Baur figures 2-3
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Source: https://xiluomold.com/screw-sizes-explained-your-guide-to-standard-and-metric-sizes/
Claim 19
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 18, wherein said first outer or shaft diameter of said first shaft portion is smaller than said second outer or screw diameter of said second shaft portion (major diameter > minor diameter; see parts of screw above).
Claim 20
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 11, wherein at least one of:
said second tool receptacle on said shaft tip of said plurality of screw elements is configured as an internal or external polygon (boxed section in Excerpt 2 above), or
said second tool receptacle on said shaft tip of said plurality of screw elements has an inner diameter of 3 mm to 5 mm (this was interpreted as an ‘or’ language therefore only one of the options are required by the prior art).
Claim 21
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 20, wherein said inner diameter of said second tool receptacle is 3.5 ± 0.5 mm (As the limitations of claims 21 are directed to an alternative limitation “said second tool receptacle on said shaft tip of said plurality of screw elements has an inner diameter of 3 mm to 5 mm” and the other alternative “said second tool receptacle on said shaft tip of said plurality of screw elements is configured as an internal or external polygon” was chosen for examination and art application for claim 20, the further limitations of the unselected alternative limitation will not be addressed and claim 21 is rejected with claim 20).
Claim 22
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The door module according to claim 11, wherein upon loosening said plurality of screw elements by engaging said second tool receptacle on said shaft tip of said plurality of screw elements, a connection or an interlocking connection of a screw connection or a connection or an interlocking connection on a screw connection is loosened and said plurality of screw elements is captively held in said plurality of through-opening or in a plurality of plug-in pins (Annotated figure 8B above) on said first housing part (these are inevitably taught in light of the combination above; also see placement of the screws inside the plug-in pins in figure 3).
Claim 23
(Grosch discloses) A housing assembly (figures 1-8B) for a door module (figure 7) of a vehicle door of a motor vehicle (abstract discloses the invention is directed for vehicles), the housing assembly comprising:
a first housing part (1) provided and configured to accommodate a cable drum (ST) of a cable window lifter (figure 7), said first housing part having a plurality of through-openings (11A-11C);
a second housing part (2) associated with a cable drive (drive motor discussed on Excerpt 1 above), said second housing part having a plurality of screw bosses (21A-21C) corresponding to said plurality of through-openings in said first housing part (figure 3); and
a plurality of screw elements (BE; figure 3) corresponding to said plurality of screw bosses, said screw elements each having a threaded shaft (BE is disclosed as a screw fastener [page 7] which is well-known to have a threaded shaft), two shaft ends (end at the head and end at the tip of the shaft) and one respective tool receptacle (at the head of the screw).
Grosch fails to disclose one respective tool receptacle at each of said shaft ends, permitting said screw elements to be accessed and actuated from both of said shaft ends.
(However, Baur teaches) A plurality of screw elements (3; Baur figures 1-3), said screw elements each having a threaded shaft (3.2), two shaft ends (ends at 3.1 and 3.3) and one respective tool receptacle at each of said shaft ends (Excerpt 2 above), permitting said screw elements to be accessed and actuated from both of said shaft ends (Excerpt 2 above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to substitute the single-actuated screw elements of Grosch with the double-actuated screw elements of Baur, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the predictable and expected benefits of allowing access from a first panel side or a second panel side thus improving ease of assembly, disassembly, and repairability. Additionally, the option to loosen on either ends allows the screws to loosen if one end is extremely tight due to rust or has limited access.
Claim 24
(Grosch, as modified above, discloses) The housing assembly according to claim 23, wherein said screw elements are accessible and actuatable from a rear face of said first housing part and from said second housing part, for screwing together or loosening a screw connection (this is inevitably taught by the double-actuated screws of the modified Grosch).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendment directed to the drawing objection has been considered and the objection was withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments directed to the claim objections have been considered and some of the objections were withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed on 08/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues:
(i) “However, unlike the present invention, that second tool receptacle is not used to loosen the fastening screws for removing a housing part associated with a cable drive of a vehicle door window regulator”;
(ii) “Rather, in Baur's invention, the tool holder in the area of the shank tip is used to tighten (secure, fully fasten) the respective fastening screw. See column 2, paragraph [0007], lines 29 through 39 of Baur and the corresponding part of the English translation thereof”;
(iii) “Furthermore, Baur's invention involves the installation of a motor vehicle electronic assembly on a body panel (see paragraph [0007], lines 7 through 10 of Baur). Baur bases his approach on German Utility Model DE 297 14 824 U1 (see paragraph [0002] of Baur). On page 1, second paragraph, last sentence, of that Utility Model, it is stated that when fastening a housing to a pillar of a car body, access to the interior of the side is not possible”
(iv) “It is also clearly not possible in Baur's configuration to access the screw heads 3.1 from one side of the support 2 (body panel). With reference to Figs. 2 and 3 in conjunction with the description in paragraphs [0007] and [0008], Baur discloses that the fastening screws 3 are therefore pre-assembled on the electronic assembly 1”
(v) “The tool receptacle at the tip of the screw shaft is therefore used solely to fully tighten the fastening screws and thereby permanently secure the assembly 1 to the bracket 1.
Baur therefore merely discloses the use of a fastener with tool receptacles on both sides - at the screw head and at the tip of the shank - for tightening the fastener”
Regarding (i), (ii) an (v), Examiner notes that although Baur only discloses that the second tool receptacle can be used to tighten the screw, the external or internal hex features of the second tool receptacle of the screw of Baur allows it to be used to loosen the screws. Examiner notes that Baur need not to explicitly state that the second tool receptacle can be used to loosen the screws.
Baur discloses that the second tool receptacle 3.3 is “an external or internal hex or as in this example as a Torx section” (Excerpt 2 above), which is well understood, by the one of the ordinary skill in the art, to be capable of being used to tighten or loosen using appropriate tools.
If applicant still finds this unreasonable, examiner cites a similar screw (from Kuposhop – see image attached at the end of the ‘Response to Arguments’ section) with an internal hex that is capable to be used for loosening or tightening the screw depending on the rotation of the tool used.
Examiner also notes that MPEP 2112.01(I) states “PRODUCT AND APPARATUS CLAIMS — WHEN THE STRUCTURE RECITED IN THE REFERENCE IS SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE CLAIMS, CLAIMED PROPERTIES OR FUNCTIONS ARE PRESUMED TO BE INHERENT” and MPEP 2112 stating “The express, implicit, and inherent disclosures of a prior art reference may be relied upon in the rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103. "The inherent teaching of a prior art reference, a question of fact, arises both in the context of anticipation and obviousness."” In re Napier, 55 F.3d 610, 613, 34 USPQ2d 1782, 1784 (Fed. Cir. 1995).
Regarding (iii) and (iv), Baur is only relied for the double actuated screws and not its assembly therefore these were found unpersuasive. Examiner also notes that one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
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Source: https://www.kuposhop.com/en/product-726250/Kupo-Stainless-Steel-Hex-Bolt-W-3-8-inch-16-External-Thread-A-hex-Drive-Hole-inside-Set-of-2-KS-326.html
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 PATRICK B PONCIANO whose telephone number is (571)272-9910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-4:00.
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, Daniel Cahn can be reached at (571) 270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK B. PONCIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/ABE MASSAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634
