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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Examiner’s Comments
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.
Column and line (or Paragraph Number) citations have been provided as a convenience for Applicants, but the entirety of each reference should be duly considered. Any recitation of a Figure element, e.g. “Figure 1, element T should be construed as inherently also reciting “and relevant disclosure thereto”.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 7/17/25 and 10/16/24 have been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: on line 2, “the upper reinforcement rib” should perhaps be “the upper reinforcement ribs” since a plurality were recited in claim 1 unless applicant intends to recite one specific rib. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 648.
For claim 5, JP 2001-301648A (JP 648) discloses (Figs. 1-3 and 10) a vehicle body front structure comprising:
a floor member (29) disposed below a passenger compartment (FIG.1);
front side frames (5,5) extending forward from positions above the floor member (29) in front of the passenger compartment;
a dashboard lower panel (25) standing forward and upward from a front portion of the floor member and configured to cover the front of the passenger compartment; and
a load transfer block (15, FIG.2) that is an integrated casting part ([0029]) configured to connect rear parts of the front side frames (5,5) and a front part of the floor member,
wherein the load transfer block has:
a frame fixing part (at 20) to which the rear parts of the front side frames are fixed,
a floor fixing part (27) to which the front part of the floor member is fixed, and
a connecting wall (66, FIG.10) extending substantially along the dashboard lower panel and configured to connect the frame fixing part and the floor fixing part, and
a plurality of upper reinforcing ribs (67, 69, 71, FIG.10) standing upward and extending in a forward/rearward direction are provided on the upper surface side of the connecting wall (66) and spaced apart from each other in a vehicle width direction.
PNG
media_image1.png
599
769
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
718
638
media_image2.png
Greyscale
For claim 6, JP 648 further discloses that a panel fixing part (21, FIG.3) fixed to the dashboard lower panel (25, [0030]) above the upper reinforcement rib is provided on the connecting wall.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 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 for the claims in this application is the inclusion of the specific lower rib having a plurality of rib elements protruding downward and extending in multiple directions is provided on a lower surface of the floor fixing part, and a protrusion height of the upper extension rib is set to be greater than a protrusion height of the lower rib, in combination with the other elements recited, which is not found in the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
For claim 5, Chung et al. (2020/0148146) discloses a vehicle body front structure comprising:
a floor member (5) disposed below a passenger compartment (FIG.1);
front side frames (11,11) extending forward from positions above the floor member (5) in front of the passenger compartment (FIG.7);
a dashboard lower panel (15) standing forward and upward from a front portion of the floor member and configured to cover the front of the passenger compartment; and
a load transfer block (20) that is an integrated casting part ([0050]) configured to connect rear parts of the front side frames (11,11) and a front part of the floor member,
PNG
media_image3.png
477
767
media_image3.png
Greyscale
wherein the load transfer block has:
a frame fixing part (near 41) to which the rear parts of the front side frames are fixed,
a floor fixing part (near 42) to which the front part of the floor member is fixed, and
a connecting wall extending substantially along the dashboard lower panel and configured to connect the frame fixing part and the floor fixing part, and
PNG
media_image4.png
538
1111
media_image4.png
Greyscale
a plurality of upper reinforcing ribs (67, 69, 71, FIG.10) standing upward and extending in a forward/rearward direction are provided on the upper surface side of the connecting wall (66).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HILARY L GUTMAN whose telephone number is 571.272.6662. 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, VIVEK KOPPIKAR can be reached on 571.272.5109. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the 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. Should you have questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HILARY L GUTMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612B
Prosecution Insights