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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 8 and 9, filed September 30, 2025, with respect to the finality of the restriction requirement and the restriction requirement on the grounds that the cited reference does not teach or suggest the "special technical feature" of the present claims, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The Restriction requirement of Species I - III has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph,
as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the
inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards
as the invention.
Regarding claims 13, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 14, the phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is
unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Otani et al (JP 2022154761).
Otani discloses in figure 7 a subframe for a vehicle, with a unit mounting, in which a unit support is pivotably connected to a unit bearing (4 reference area) on the subframe about a bearing axis which is defined by a bearing pin which is mounted axially on both sides of the unit bearing in a bracket wing (28) of a bearing bracket of the subframe, wherein at least one of the bracket wings is designed as a U- profile part with a base wall in which the bearing pin is mounted, and with support legs angled therefrom and which support the base wall relative to the subframe, wherein the bracket wing is connected to the subframe at its base wall bottom edge and at its support leg bottom edge, in particular is welded (W) thereto, and in that the base wall is triangular in shape, namely with base wall peripheral edges which converge in a triangular shape at a preferably rounded base wall vertex, in the region of which a bearing opening for the bearing pin is formed (claim 13). at least one of the support legs is extended with a tab which projects beyond the base wall bottom edge with a projection, and in particular in that the base wall bottom edge is connected to a frame inner side of the subframe and the support leg tab is connected to a frame upper side or frame lower side (claim 14). the two support legs are not parallel to each other, but are inclined towards each other in the direction of the base wall apex, thereby resulting in a compact and component-rigid bracket wing geometry, and/or in that the bracket wing is a formed sheet metal part (claim 15).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13- 15 and 16-27 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: None of the prior art teach or suggest A subframe for a vehicle, with a unit bearing, in which a unit support is pivotably connected to a unit bearing on the subframe about a bearing axis, wherein the unit bearing is axially fastened on both sides to a respective bracket wing of a bearing bracket of the subframe, wherein the unit bearing is arranged in an inner corner region of the subframe at which a first subframe member and a second subframe member converge, and wherein one of the bracket wings is formed directly by a wall of the first subframe member, wherein the first subframe member is a hollow member which delimits a cavity which is closed in the hollow member cross section by means of a hollow member wall, and/or in that the first subframe member has an access opening on its frame outer side via which the unit bearing can be mounted/dismounted (claim 11).
Bauer does not disclose the bracket wing formed directly by a wall of the subframe member and has an access opening on its frame outer side via which the unit bearing can be mounted/dismounted.
A subframe, with a unit mounting, in which a unit support is pivotably connected to a unit bearing on the subframe about a bearing axis which is defined by a bearing pin which is mounted axially on both sides of the unit bearing in a bracket wing of a bearing bracket of the subframe, wherein a subframe member, namely a subframe cross member or a subframe longitudinal member, is formed by cross-section reduction of the subframe member, with a trough-shaped mounting recess in which the bracket wings are arranged, wherein the subframe member is a hollow member which delimits a cavity which is closed in the hollow member cross section by means of a hollow member wall in which the trough-shaped mounting recess is formed, and wherein the hollow member wall has a rectangular cross section in which an upper horizontal hollow member top wall and a lower horizontal hollow member bottom wall are connected at transition edges to vertical hollow member side walls, wherein the contour of one of the transition edges is interrupted by the trough-shaped mounting recess, and in that a trough bottom of the mounting recess merges at a recess edge into the side wall and into the bottom or top wall of the subframe member (claim 16).
Akiyama et al. discloses a subframe member with a trough-shaped mounting recess but does not disclose with a trough-shaped mounting recess with bracket wings arranged.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nicole Verley whose telephone number is (571)270-3542. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571) 270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE T VERLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614