DETAILED ACTION
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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamamoto et al. (US 20230391170)
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a vehicle door structure comprising: an inner panel (15) including a forward portion (forward of 15, fig 2), lower portion (lower portion of 15, fig 2), and a rearward portion (fig 2); an outer panel (11) disposed on a vehicle outer side of the inner panel (fig 1); and a reinforcement member (17, 19) installed between the inner panel and the outer panel (figs 1-2), wherein the reinforcement member is disposed extending continuously over the forward portion, the lower portion, and the rearward portion of the inner panel (fig 2).
Regarding claim 2, Yamamoto further discloses that the reinforcement member forms: a front closed cross-sectional portion (closed portion shown in fig 3) between the reinforcement member and the forward portion of the inner panel (fig 3); a lower closed cross-sectional portion between the reinforcement member and the lower portion of the inner panel (fig 3); and a rear closed cross-sectional portion between the reinforcement member and the rearward portion of the inner panel (fig 3).
Regarding claim 3, Yamamoto further discloses that the inner panel further includes an upper portion in which a window opening is formed ([0032], figs 1-10), and wherein the reinforcement member extends to at least a portion of a peripheral edge of the window opening (fig 2).
Regarding claim 4, Yamamoto further discloses a door beam (12) including a front end portion (front of 12, fig 2) and a rear end portion (rear of 12, fig 2) respectively fixed to the forward portion and the rearward portion of the inner panel either directly or via the reinforcement member (fig 2), wherein the front end portion and the rear end portion of the door beam are fixed to or disposed adjacent to the reinforcement member (fig 2).
Regarding claim 5, Yamamoto further discloses that both the front end portion and the rear end portion of the door beam are fixed to the reinforcement member (fig 2).
Regarding claims 6-7, Yamamoto further discloses the outer panel and the door beam are detachably attached to the inner panel (figs 1-8).
Conclusion
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/DANY E AKAKPO/Examiner, Art Unit 3672
07/08/2026
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