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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pencak US 20220379977 A1.
Regarding claim 10, Pencak discloses a front side structure (Pencak paragraph 0011) of a cargo box (Pencak 10) of a vehicle (Pencak 12), the front side structure comprising:
a side external panel (Pencak 42; Pencak Fig. 3) provided on an external side of the cargo box (DO) to form an exterior of the cargo box (Pencak 32; paragraph 0037) provided at a rear side (DR) of a cabin where occupants board (Pencak 16) in the vehicle (Pencak Fig. 1; Pencak paragraph 0031);
a side internal panel (Pencak 40) provided on an internal side (DI) of the side external panel in the cargo box (Pencak Fig. 3);
a side upper member disposed at an upper end portion of the side external panel (Pencak 42a-42c) or an upper end portion of the side internal panel (Pencak 50a-50c) in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle (see annotated Pencak Fig. 5; Pencak paragraphs 0038-0039),
a front guard (Pencak 80/82) mounted at an upper end portion (Pencak paragraph 0044) of a front portion of the cargo box (Pencak 36) in a width direction of the vehicle (see annotated Pencak Fig. 5); and
a front side member (Pencak 44) mounted at a front end portion of the cargo box (Pencak 0048),
wherein a front end portion of the side upper member (see annotated Pencak Fig. 9), a side end portion of the front side member (see annotated Pencak Fig. 20), and a side end portion of the front guard (see annotated Pencak Fig. 20) are fastened (Pencak F1) together at the front end portion of the cargo box (Figs. 5 and 20; Pencak paragraph 0067).
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Regarding claim 11, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 10,
wherein the side upper member includes a lower portion, which is open (Pencak G), an upper portion (Pencak 50a), and first (Pencak 50b) and second side portions (Pencak 50c) to include a cross section bent at a right angle (Pencak Figs. 6 and 9; Pencak paragraph 0039), and
wherein the front side member is fastened (Pencak F1) to an internal portion of the side upper member (Pencak Fig. 9; paragraphs 0042 and 0063).
Regarding claim 12, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 11, wherein the upper end portion of the side internal panel (Pencak 52; Pencak paragraph 0040) is mounted between the side upper member (Pencak 50b) and the front side member (Pencak 44) (Pencak Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 13, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 10, wherein a flange (Pencak 96) is formed along a circumference of the front side member (Pencak paragraph 0048), and the flange is fastened to the side upper member and the front guard (Pencak Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 14, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 10, wherein the side end portion of the front guard is bent toward a front side of the vehicle (see annotated Pencak Fig. 20), and the bent side end portion is fastened to the side upper member and the front side member (Pencak Figs. 9 and 20; Pencak paragraph 0067).
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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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-9 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pencak US 20220379977 A1, in view of Yamanashi et al. WO 2024201580 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Pencak discloses a front side structure (Pencak paragraph 0011) of a cargo box (Pencak 10) of a vehicle (Pencak 12) including a cabin where occupants board (Pencak 16), the front side structure comprising:
a side external panel (Pencak 42; Pencak Fig. 3) provided on an external side of the cargo box (DO) to form an exterior of the cargo box (Pencak 32; paragraph 0037) provided at a rear side of the cabin (DR) (Pencak Fig. 1; Pencak paragraph 0031);
a side internal panel (Pencak 40) provided on an internal side (DI) of the side external panel in the cargo box (Pencak Fig. 3);
a front guard (Pencak 80/82) mounted at an upper end portion (Pencak paragraph 0044) of a front portion of the cargo box (Pencak 36) in a width direction of the vehicle (see annotated Pencak Fig. 5); and
a front side member (Pencak 44) mounted at a front end portion of the cargo box (Pencak 0048),
wherein a side end portion of the front side member (see annotated Pencak Fig. 20) and a side end portion of the front guard (see annotated Pencak Fig. 20) are fastened (Pencak F1) together at the front end portion of the cargo box (Figs. 5 and 20; Pencak paragraph 0067).
Pencak does not disclose wherein a lower end portion of the front side member is fastened to an end portion of a first floor member disposed at a lower end portion of the front portion of the cargo box.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose a lower end portion (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0030) of a front side member (Yamanashi et al. 8) that is fastened to an end portion (Yamanashi et al. 14) of a first floor member (Yamanashi et al. 12) disposed at a lower end portion (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0035) of a front portion (Yamanashi et al. 6) of a cargo box (Yamanashi et al. 1) (Yamanashi et al. Fig. 3; Yamanashi et al. paragraphs 30-31).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the front side member and its connective elements with the overall structure as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of distributing impact forces from a front side member to a first floor member, mitigating the transmitted forces throughout a corner structure of a cargo box (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0031).
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Regarding claim 2, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 1, further including:
a side upper member disposed at an upper end portion of the side external panel (Pencak 42a-42c) or an upper end portion of the side internal panel (Pencak 50a-50c) in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle (see annotated Pencak Fig. 5 above; Pencak paragraphs 0038-0039),
wherein the side upper member includes a lower portion, which is open (Pencak G), an upper portion (Pencak 50a), and first (Pencak 50b) and second side portions (Pencak 50c) to include a cross section bent at a right angle (Pencak Figs. 6 and 9; Pencak paragraph 0039), and
wherein the front side member is fastened (Pencak F1) to an internal portion of the side upper member (Pencak Fig. 9; paragraphs 0042 and 0063).
Regarding claim 3, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 2, wherein the upper end portion of the side internal panel (Pencak 52; Pencak paragraph 0040) is mounted between the side upper member (Pencak 50b) and the front side member (Pencak 44) (Pencak Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 4, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 2, wherein a flange (Pencak 96) is formed along a circumference of the front side member (Pencak paragraph 0048), and the flange is fastened to the side upper member and the front guard (Pencak Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 5, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 2, wherein the side end portion of the front guard is bent toward a front side of the vehicle (see annotated Pencak Fig. 20), and the bent side end portion is fastened to the side upper member and the front side member (Pencak Figs. 9 and 20; Pencak paragraph 0067).
Regarding claim 6, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 1, wherein an upper end portion of the front side member is formed to be convex toward the external side of the cargo box (see annotated Pencak Fig. 18), and a lower portion of the front side member is formed to be convex toward the internal side of the cargo box (see annotated Pencak Fig. 5) (Pencak paragraph 0058).
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Regarding claim 7, Pencak does not disclose wherein the first floor member is fastened to a frame of the vehicle.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose wherein a first floor member (Yamanashi et al. 12) is fastened to a frame (Yamanashi et al. CHF) of a vehicle (Yamanashi et al. 100) (Yamanashi et al. Fig. 1; Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0015).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the first floor member and frame connection as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of increasing the rigidity of a first floor member, thus preventing structural deformation from impact forces transmitted by side rails of a frame that may be induced by driving a vehicle over rough roads (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0015).
Regarding claim 8, Pencak does not disclose the front side structure of claim 7, wherein a frame mount is formed to protrude from the frame, and the frame mount is fastened to a bottom portion of the first floor member.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose wherein a frame mount (Yamanashi et al. SRs) is formed to protrude from a frame (Yamanashi et al. CHF), and the frame mount is fastened to a bottom portion (Yamanashi et al. 14b) of the first floor member (Yamanashi et al. Fig. 1; Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0016).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the frame mount and its connection to a first floor member as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of providing additional stability to the first floor member to prevent undesired movement between structural components during vehicle motion, as would be known by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 9, Pencak does not disclose the front side structure of claim 7, wherein the first floor member is fastened to the front side member above a portion fastened to the frame.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose wherein a first floor member (Yamanashi et al. 12) is fastened to a front side member (Yamanashi et al. 8) above a portion fastened to a frame (Yamanashi et al. CHF) (see annotated Yamanashi et al. Fig. 1; Yamanashi et al. paragraphs 0015 and 0030).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the relative positions between structural elements as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of distributing impact forces from a frame to a first floor member by a front side structure, mitigating the transmitted forces throughout a corner structure of a cargo box (Yamanashi et al. paragraphs 0015 and 0031).
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Regarding claim 15, Pencak does not disclose wherein a lower end portion of the front side member is fastened to an end portion of a first floor member disposed at a lower end portion of the front portion of the cargo box.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose a lower end portion (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0030) of a front side member (Yamanashi et al. 8) that is fastened to an end portion (Yamanashi et al. 14) of a first floor member (Yamanashi et al. 12) disposed at a lower end portion (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0035) of a front portion (Yamanashi et al. 6) of a cargo box (Yamanashi et al. 1) (Yamanashi et al. Fig. 3; Yamanashi et al. paragraphs 30-31).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the front side member and its connective elements with the overall structure as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of distributing impact forces from a front side member to a first floor member, mitigating the transmitted forces throughout a corner structure of a cargo box (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0031).
Regarding claim 16, Pencak discloses the front side structure of claim 15, wherein an upper end portion of the front side member is formed to be convex toward the external side of the cargo box (see annotated Pencak Fig. 18), and a lower portion of the front side member is formed to be convex toward the internal side of the cargo box (see annotated Pencak Fig. 5) (Pencak paragraph 0058).
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Regarding claim 17, Pencak does not disclose wherein the first floor member is fastened to a frame of the vehicle.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose wherein a first floor member (Yamanashi et al. 12) is fastened to a frame (Yamanashi et al. CHF) of a vehicle (Yamanashi et al. 100) (Yamanashi et al. Fig. 4; Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0015).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the first floor member and frame connection as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of increasing the rigidity of a first floor member, thus preventing structural deformation from impact forces transmitted by side rails of a frame that may be induced by driving a vehicle over rough roads (Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0015).
Regarding claim 18, Pencak does not disclose the front side structure of claim 17, wherein a frame mount is formed to protrude from the frame, and the frame mount is fastened to a bottom portion of the first floor member.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose wherein a frame mount (Yamanashi et al. SRs) is formed to protrude from a frame (Yamanashi et al. CHF), and the frame mount is fastened to a bottom portion (Yamanashi et al. 14b) of the first floor member (Yamanashi et al. Fig. 1; Yamanashi et al. paragraph 0016).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the frame mount and its connection to a first floor member as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of providing additional stability to the first floor member to prevent undesired movement between structural components during vehicle motion, as would be known by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 19, Pencak does not disclose the front side structure of claim 17, wherein the first floor member is fastened to the front side member above a portion fastened to the frame.
However, Yamanashi et al. disclose wherein a first floor member (Yamanashi et al. 12) is fastened to a front side member (Yamanashi et al. 8) above a portion fastened to a frame (Yamanashi et al. CHF) (see annotated Yamanashi et al. Fig. 1; Yamanashi et al. paragraphs 0015 and 0030).
Therefore, it 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 to combine the front side structure of Pencak with the relative positions between structural elements as taught by Yamanashi et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage of distributing impact forces from a frame to a first floor member by a front side structure, mitigating the transmitted forces throughout a corner structure of a cargo box (Yamanashi et al. paragraphs 0015 and 0031).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anayansi Santiago whose telephone number is (571) 272-3138. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:30AM - 4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy Weisberg can be reached at (571) 270-5500. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Anayansi Santiago/Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/A.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/AMY R WEISBERG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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