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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/26/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 21 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the mirror assembly including” should be rewritten as “the at least one mirror assembly including”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 22 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the cab frame” should be rewritten as “the frame” to maintain consistency with claim 21. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claims 21-23, 25-34, and 36-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Stanger (US-20220274527-A1), henceforth referred to as Stanger.
Regarding claim 21, Stanger discloses a vehicle comprising a frame assembly extending along a longitudinal axis (Figure 6: vehicle comprises a frame extending along a longitudinal axis), and including a cab frame having at least one longitudinally extending frame member (Figure 6: vehicle includes a cab frame roll cage 610, comprising two longitudinally extending frame members), front and rear ground engaging members supporting the frame (Paragraph [0076]: "wherein the vehicle may have four wheels"), and at least one mirror assembly removably coupled to the at least one longitudinally extending frame member and extending outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis (Figure 6: breakaway mirrors 600 are removably coupled to longitudinal members of roll cage 610, and extend outwardly relative to the vehicle longitudinal axis), the mirror assembly including a mirror body configured to support a mirror (Figure 7: mirror assembly 780 comprises a mirror body configured to support mirror 790), and a securing member coupled to the mirror body, the securing member shaped to receive a portion of the at least one longitudinally extending frame member therein (Figure 7: securing member formed by clamp attachment member 210, which is shaped to receive roll cage 610).
Regarding claim 22, Stanger discloses a seating area supported by the frame assembly (Figure 6: vehicle comprises a seating area supported by the frame), wherein a portion of the cab frame extends above the seating area (Figure 6: roll cage 610 extends above the vehicle seating area).
Regarding claim 23, Stanger discloses the securing member is rotatably coupled to the mirror body (Figures 7 and 8: clamp attachment member 210 is rotatably attached to mirror assembly 780).
Regarding claim 25, Stanger discloses the securing member includes a first portion coupled to the mirror body (Annotated Figure 7: clamp attachment member 210 includes first portion coupled to mirror assembly 780), and a second portion removably coupled to the first portion (Figure 7: handlebar clamp 212 removably coupled to clamp attachment member 210).
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Regarding claim 26, Stanger discloses the first portion defines a first profiled surface (Annotated Figure 7: first securing portion defines a first profiled surface), the second portion defines a second profiled surface (Annotated Figure 7: handlebar clamp 212 defines a second profiled surface), the first and second profiled surfaces cooperating to receive the portion of the at least one longitudinally extending frame member (Figure 7: profiled surfaces of clamp attachment member 210 and handlebar clamp 212 cooperate to receive roll cage 610).
Regarding claim 27, Stanger discloses the first and second profiled surfaces are rounded (Figure 7: first and second profiled surfaces are rounded).
Regarding claim 28, Stanger discloses the first profiled surface abuts an exterior facing surface of the at least one longitudinally extending frame member (Figures 6 and 7: first profiled surface of clamp attachment member 210 abuts an exterior facing surface of roll cage 610), and the second profiled surface abuts an interior facing surface of the at least one longitudinally extending frame member (Figures 6 and 7: second profiled surface of handlebar clamp 212 abuts an interior facing surface of roll cage 610).
Regarding claim 29, Stanger discloses when the first and second portions are coupled together, an opening is defined between a first end of the first portion and a first end of the second portion, wherein the portion of at least one longitudinally extending frame member is received within the opening (Figure 7: clamp attachment member 210 and handlebar clamp 212 form an opening between a first end of the first portion and a first end of the second portion, to receive roll cage 610).
Regarding claim 30, Stanger discloses the first end of the first portion and the first end of the second portion extend toward a front portion of the vehicle (Figures 6 and 7: first ends of the first and second portions extend towards a front of the vehicle), and the mirror faces a rear portion of the vehicle (Figures 6 and 7: mirror 790 faces a rear portion of the vehicle).
Regarding claim 31, Stanger discloses the at least one longitudinally extending frame member includes a first longitudinally extending frame member and a second longitudinally extending frame member, the first longitudinally extending frame member positioned laterally opposite the second longitudinally extending frame member (Figure 6: first and second longitudinal frame members of roll cage 610 are placed laterally opposite each other), wherein the at least one mirror assembly includes a first mirror assembly removably coupled to the first longitudinally extending frame member, and a second mirror assembly removably coupled to the second longitudinally extending frame member (Figure 6: breakaway mirrors 600 are removably coupled to longitudinal members of roll cage 610).
Regarding claim 32, Stanger discloses the first mirror assembly and the second mirror assembly are positioned substantially laterally across from one another (Figure 6: breakaway mirrors 600 are positioned laterally across from each other).
Regarding claim 33, Stanger discloses a mirror assembly for a vehicle, the mirror assembly comprising: a mirror body configured to support a mirror (Figure 7: mirror assembly 780 comprises a mirror body configured to support mirror 790), and a securing member coupled to the mirror body (Figure 7: clamp attachment member 210 coupled to mirror assembly 780), the securing member including, a first securing portion having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the mirror body) (Annotated Figure 7: clamp attachment member 210 includes first securing portion with first and second ends, the first end being coupled to mirror assembly 780), and a second securing portion removably coupled to the second end of the first securing portion (Figure 7: second securing portion formed by handlebar clamp 212, removably coupled to second end of first securing portion).
Regarding claim 34, Stanger discloses the first securing portion is rotatably coupled to the mirror body (Figures 7 and 8: clamp attachment member 210 is rotatably attached to mirror assembly 780).
Regarding claim 36, Stanger discloses the first securing portion defines a first profiled surface extending flush from the first end to the second end (Annotated Figure 7: first securing portion defines a first profiled surface extending between the first and second ends).
Regarding claim 37, Stanger discloses the first profiled surface is rounded (Annotated Figure 7: first profile surface is rounded).
Regarding claim 38, Stanger discloses the second securing portion defines a second profiled surface extending flush from a first end of the second securing portion to a second end of the second securing surface (Annotated Figure 7: handlebar clamp 212 defines a second profiled surface extending between first and second ends).
Regarding claim 39, Stanger discloses the second securing surface is rounded (Annotated Figure 7: second securing surface is rounded).
Regarding claim 40, Stanger discloses the first securing portion is coupled to the second securing portion via at least one coupler (Figure 7: first and second securing portions are coupled via bolts 214).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 24 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stanger in view of Schultz (US20040232295A1), henceforth referred to as Schultz.
Regarding claim 24, Stanger does not teach the mirror being fixedly coupled to the securing member. Schultz discloses the securing member is fixedly coupled to the mirror body (Figure 2: bracket 10 is fixedly coupled to mirror assembly 12). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the mirror of Stanger with the fixed attachment of Schultz in order to simplify and reduce the weight of the securing member (Paragraph [0027]).
Regarding claim 35, Stanger does not teach the mirror being fixedly coupled to the securing member. Schultz discloses the securing member is fixedly coupled to the mirror body (Figure 2: bracket 10 is fixedly coupled to mirror assembly 12). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the mirror of Stanger with the fixed attachment of Schultz in order to simplify and reduce the weight of the securing member (Paragraph [0027]).
Cited Prior Art not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes Kastanis (US-20170334343-A1) and Hancock (US-20190322223-A1), which disclose removably mounted vehicle mirrors.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J O'NEILL whose telephone number is (571)272-4752. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri: 7AM-4PM.
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/MATTHEW JAMES O'NEILL/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
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