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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed on 9/20/2024, and 6/15/2026 have been fully considered.
Priority
The priority claim to JP2023-209504 filed on 12/12/2023 is acknowledged.
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 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 11608115 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a vehicle lower part structure comprising:
a battery frame configured to include side portions provided as a pair of right and left side portions each extending in a vehicle front-rear direction (63 and 64 “first and second side support parts” taught by figure 4) and a cross portion extending in a vehicle width direction and coupling rear ends of the side portions (62 “second frame” taught by figure 4), the battery frame enclosing a battery (130 “battery” taught by figure 4); and
rear side frames provided as a pair of right and left rear side frames each extending in the vehicle front-rear direction (42 “pair of second support frames” taught by figure 4) and having front end portions connected to the battery frame (44 “second connection part” taught by figure 4),
wherein each of the rear side frames includes a cross-portion fixing portion fixed to the cross portion, and a side-portion fixing portion fixed to an upper surface of each of the side portions on a vehicle front side of the cross-portion fixing portion (taught by figures 4, 10, and 21).
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the vehicle lower part structure according to claim 1, as set forth in the anticipation rejection above.
Kim also teaches wherein opposite ends of the cross portion in the vehicle width direction are inclined portions inclined outward in the vehicle width direction in planar view so as to be located on the vehicle front side (taught by figures 4, 10, 19, and 21).
Regarding claim 3, Kim teaches the vehicle lower part structure according to claim 2, as set forth in the anticipation rejection above.
Kim also teaches wherein the cross-portion fixing portion is provided at a connecting portion between a straight portion extending linearly in the vehicle width direction and each of the inclined portions in the cross portion (taught by figures 4, 10, 19, and 21).
Regarding claim 4, Kim teaches the vehicle lower part structure according to claim 1, as set forth in the anticipation rejection above.
Kim also teaches wherein with the cross-portion fixing portion, the rear side frame is fixed to an upper surface of the cross portion (taught by figures 4, and 19).
Regarding claim 5, Kim teaches a vehicle lower part structure comprising:
a battery frame configured to include side portions provided as a pair of right and left side portions each extending in a vehicle front-rear direction (63 and 64 “first and second side support parts” taught by figure 4) and a cross portion extending in a vehicle width direction and coupling front ends of the side portions (61 “first frame” taught by figure 4), the battery frame enclosing a battery (130 “battery” taught by figure 4); and
front side frames provided as a pair of right and left front side frames each extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and having rear end portions connected to the battery frame (taught by annotated figure 4 attached below),
wherein each of the front side frames includes a cross-portion fixing portion fixed to the cross portion, and a side-portion fixing portion fixed to an upper surface of each of the side portions on a vehicle rear side of the cross-portion fixing portion (taught by annotated figure 19 attached below).
PNG
media_image1.png
514
669
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
518
781
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS KANDAS whose telephone number is (571)272-5628. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri.
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, James A Shriver can be reached at (303)297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NICHOLAS R. KANDAS/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
/JAMES A SHRIVER II/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3613
Prosecution Insights