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 .
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.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Greif et al. (US 2009/0167062).
Greif et al. discloses a vehicle comprising a vehicle body frame (24), pillars (52) attached to the vehicle body frame (24) and extending in an up-down direction, and a roof (50) supported by pillars (52), as shown in Figures 1-12. The pillars (52) include a hollow tubular first pillar (52), as shown in Figures 1-12. The first pillar (52) has an upper end hole opening at an upper end (92), as shown in Figure 9, and a lower end hole opening at a lower end, as shown in Figure 5B. The roof has a drain hole from basin (144) that faces and communicates with the upper end hole so water (160) drains from the roof through the first pillar (52), as shown in Figures 5A and 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim 1 is the first and second holes provided in the sidewall of the first pillar and the harness is inserted into the first pillar through the first and second holes, which is not found in the prior art of record. The closest prior art, US 2019/0276088, has an installation hole (27) and holes with beads (31,32). Only the installation hole (27) receives a component. The roof lacks a drain hole in communication with an upper end hole of the first pillar.
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject of claim 10 is the combination of a fastening member penetrating a side wall of the pillar and fixing the pillar to vehicle body frame, a reinforcing plate attached to an outer surface of the side wall of the pillar, the pillar has a hole opening in the side wall, the hole is in a vicinity of the fastening member, the harness is inserted into the pillar through the hole, the fastening member penetrates the reinforcing plate and the reinforcing plate is located to surround the hole, which is not found in the prior art of record. None of the prior art has a reinforcing plate around a hole for a harness and receiving a fastening member in another location.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP whose telephone number is (571)272-6656. The examiner can normally be reached 7-4:30.
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, 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.
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.
GREGORY A. BLANKENSHIP
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3612
/GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612 July 17, 2026
Prosecution Insights