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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 44a. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to because in Fig. 5 the same reference was used for what is believed to be 2 separate parts, but was correctly referenced in the other drawings. Reference 42c was used twice, when it is believed that one of them would be 42a. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 8 is 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.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "attached to the vehicle" in Ln. 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-5, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Steltz (US Patent Application 20200400180 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Steltz discloses
an attaching member (pin 106 and grommet 104, Fig. 11) to be attached to an attached member (panel 196, Fig. 11),
wherein said attached member (panel 196, Fig. 11) comprises a pair of first frame portions (as shown in annotated Fig. 11 below) which extend in a first direction, respectively, and are separated from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction (as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below),
said attaching member (pin 106 and grommet 104, Fig. 11) comprises a first member (pin 106, Fig. 11) including a first engaging portion (plate 172, Fig. 11) which engages with the first frame portions (as shown in annotated Fig. 11 below) from one side of said second direction and a second member (grommet 104, Fig. 11) including a second engaging portion (top plate 110, Fig. 11) which engages with a portion of the first frame portion (as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below) which is positioned on the other side, in the second direction, of said first engaging portion from the other side of said second direction (Paragraph [0036] and [0037]; as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below),
said first member (pin 106, Fig. 11) includes an engaging portion (insert 174, Fig. 11) which extends in a third direction crossing both directions crossing said first direction and said second direction and engages with said second member (Paragraph [0032]; as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below),
said second member (grommet 104, Fig. 11) includes an engaged portion (opening 114, Fig. 11) which said engaging portion (insert 174, Fig. 11) of the first member engages with (Paragraph [0036] and [0037]; as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below),
said engaging portion (insert 174, Fig. 11) includes an inclined portion (feature 190, Fig. 11) which is positioned on said one side of the second direction and extends obliquely from a tip of said engaging portion toward a base portion of said engaging portion and from said other side of the second direction to said one side of the second direction (Paragraph [0033]; as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below),
and a portion of said engaging portion (insert 174, Fig. 11) which is positioned on said one side of the second direction engages with said engaged portion (opening 114, Fig. 11) of the second member (as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 below).
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Figure 11 from Steltz
Regarding claim 2, Steltz discloses all the limitations of the claim and further discloses
wherein said first engaging portion (plate 172, Fig. 11) and said second engaging portion (top plate 110, Fig. 11) of the attaching member (pin 106 and grommet 104, Fig. 11) are to engage with said first frame portion (as detailed in annotated Fig. 11 above) of the attached member (panel 196, Fig. 11) from the same side of said third direction (Paragraph [0034] and [0036]; as shown in annotated Fig. 10 below).
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Figure 10 from Steltz
Regarding claim 3, Steltz discloses all the limitations of the claim and further discloses
wherein said engaging portion (insert 174, Fig. 11) of the first member (pin 106, Fig. 11) is provided with a rib portion (as shown circled in yellow in annotated Fig. 11 above) which extends in said first direction and in said third direction and contacts said engaged portion (opening 114, Fig. 11) of the second member (grommet 104, Fig. 11; Paragraph [0034], as it is a part of the insert 174 it engages with the opening 114 as well as shown in annotated Fig. 11 above).
Regarding claim 4, Steltz discloses all the limitations of the claim and further discloses
wherein said engaging portion (insert 174, Fig. 11) of the first member (pin 106, Fig. 11) is provided with a rib portion (as shown circled in yellow in annotated Fig. 11 above) which extends in said first direction and in said third direction and contacts said engaged portion (opening 114, Fig. 11) of the second member (grommet 104, Fig. 11; Paragraph [0034], as it is a part of the insert 174 it engages with the opening 114 as well as shown in annotated Fig. 11 above).
Regarding claim 5, Steltz discloses all the limitations of the claim and further discloses
wherein each of said first engaging portion (plate 172, Fig. 11) and said second engaging portion (top plate 110, Fig. 11) of the attaching member (pin 106 and grommet 104, Fig. 11) is constituted by plural portions (as can be seen in annotated Fig. 11 above, the 2 contact points between the plate 172 and the top plate 110 with the panel 196 can constitute plural portions).
Regarding claim 13, Steltz discloses all the limitations of the claim and further discloses
wherein said first member (pin 106, Fig. 11) of the attaching member (pin 106 and grommet 104, Fig. 11) is a resin-made member (Paragraph [0038] states that the components can be made of any suitable material, including plastic).
Regarding claim 14, Steltz discloses all the limitations of the claim and further discloses
wherein said second member (grommet 104, Fig. 11) of the attaching member (pin 106 and grommet 104, Fig. 11) is a resin-made member (Paragraph [0038] states that the components can be made of any suitable material, including plastic).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7, and 9-12 are 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.
The primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claim 6 is the inclusion in the claim of the limitation of a fastening member to fasten said first member and said second member. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record. The closest prior art of record is Steltz (US Patent Application 20200400180 A1), which teaches all the limitations of the claim except for the fastening member that fastens the first and second members to each other. The first and second members in Steltz are rather designed for mating engagement. These deficiencies in Steltz are not made up by any other teachings in the prior art.
The primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claim 7 is the inclusion in the claim of the limitation wherein said attached member is a grill for a vehicle. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record. The closest prior art of record is Steltz (US Patent Application 20200400180 A1), which teaches all the limitations of the claim, including that the attached member is a vehicle panel, but does not teach that the panel is a grill for the vehicle. These deficiencies in Steltz are not made up by any other teachings in the prior art.
The primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claims 9 and 10 is the inclusion in the claim of the limitation of an upper-end portion of said first engaging portion is of a hook shape. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record. The closest prior art of record is Steltz (US Patent Application 20200400180 A1), which teaches all the limitations of the claim, including the first engaging portion, but does not teach the hook shape of the upper-end portion. These deficiencies in Steltz are not made up by any other teachings in the prior art.
The primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claims 11 and 12 is the inclusion in the claim of the limitation of a front-end portion of said second engaging portion is of a hook shape. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record. The closest prior art of record is Steltz (US Patent Application 20200400180 A1), which teaches all the limitations of the claim, including the second engaging portion, but does not teach the hook shape of the front-end portion. These deficiencies in Steltz are not made up by any other teachings in the prior art.
Claim 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 8 is dependent on claim 6, which has been objected to and indicated as being allowable above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited but not relied upon teach either a similar fastener structure, or a decorative member to be attached to a grill of a vehicle.
Copp et al. (US Patent 4875728 A) discloses a bumper fascia attachment structure, which teaches most of the same structure with the invention, but the attaching member of Copp et al. is made up of 3 separate components instead of 2.
Turner et al. (US Patent Application 20080201914 A1) discloses a trim clip with a similar structure to the attaching member, but is used for securing 2 parts together and not for attaching onto a single attached member.
Ishibashi et al. (US Patent application 20220250463) discloses a very similar grill structure, but not the attaching member.
Singh et al. (US Patent 11305742 B2), Yasui (US Patent 10576922 B2), Abe et al. (US Patent 8678454 B2), Forgue (US Patent 8922655 B2) each teach a vehicle grill structure with some manner of attaching member that are integrated into the grill, but does not teach the same attaching member structure as the invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel G Chen whose telephone number is (571)272-9669. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vivek Koppikar can be reached at (571) 272-5109. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/D.G.C./Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/JASON S MORROW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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