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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because word count exceeds the 150-word limit. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 2 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 2 recites “…inserted from the opening…”. It is unclear what Applicant intends to mean by this language. For the purpose of examination, “…inserted from the opening…” will be considered as “inserted into the opening”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN 212447787 U) in view of Nakagawa (JP 2004322733 A) and further view of Donabedian, et al. (US 20150375793 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a vehicle body front structure comprising: front side frames (Chen, 30, Fig. 2) extending from sides of a front part of a vehicle substantially in a forward/rearward direction (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1); and a load transfer block (Chen, 60, Fig. 2) that is a casting part configured to connect rear parts of the front side frames (Chen, 30) to separate frame members (Chen, as shown in Fig. 2), wherein the load transfer block (Chen, 60) has: a frame insertion part (Chen, as shown in Fig. 2) that opens forward (Chen, as shown in Fig. 2), and into which the rear region of the front side frames (Chen, 30) is inserted from the opening (Chen, as mentioned above will be considered “inserted into the opening”, Figs. 2 to 3); fastened and fixed to the circumferential wall (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) in a vehicle width direction by a second fastening member (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) in a state in which the rear region is inserted into the frame insertion part of the load transfer block (Chen, 60, Fig. 2).
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However, Chen does not disclose a load support wall standing from an edge portion of the opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to the forward/rearward direction, a bracket protruding in a direction crossing the forward/rearward direction and abutting a front surface of the load support wall is provided at a position in front of an area of the front side frames inserted into the frame insertion part, and the bracket is fastened and fixed to the load support wall of the load transfer block in the forward/rearward direction by a third fastening member; the front side frames are fastened and fixed to a circumferential wall of the frame insertion part from the upward/downward direction by a first fastening member.
However, Nakagawa discloses a vehicle front structure including a load support wall (Nakagawa, 11a, Fig. 1) standing from an edge portion of the opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to the forward/rearward direction (as shown in Fig. 1), a bracket (Nakagawa, 14, Fig. 1) protruding in a direction crossing the forward/rearward direction and abutting a front surface of the load support wall (Nakagawa, 11a) is provided at a position in front of an area of the front side frames (Nakagawa, 8, Fig. 1) inserted into the frame insertion part (Nakagawa, as shown in Figs. 1 to 2), and the bracket (Nakagawa, 14) is fastened and fixed to the load support wall (Nakagawa, 11a) of the load transfer block (Nakagawa, 1, Fig. 2) in the forward/rearward direction by a third fastening member (Nakagawa, 16, Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed pertains to construct the front side frames as taught by Chen to insert with a support wall as taught by Nakagawa with a reasonable expectation of success so that the deformation of the front side frames suppress the influence on the vehicle body by disposing the energy absorbing member and the load is transmitted from the end of the side member.
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However, Donabedian, et al. discloses a vehicle front structure including the front side frames (Donabedian, 202’, Fig. 4) are fastened and fixed to a circumferential wall of the frame insertion part (Donabedian, 260’, Fig. 4) from the upward/downward direction by a first fastening member (Donabedian, Para. [0019-0021], 282’, Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed pertains to construct the front side fames as taught by Chen to include a first fastening member as taught by Donabedian, et al. with a reasonable expectation of success so that the front side frames have additional securement to the frame insertion part.
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Regarding claim 2, Chen discloses the front side frames (Chen, 30, Fig. 2) and load transfer block (Chen, 60, Fig. 2) except the load support wall of the load transfer block stands upward from the edge portion of the opening, and the bracket stands upward from upper surfaces of the front side frames. However, Nakagawa discloses the load support wall (Nakagawa, 11a, Fig. 1) of the load transfer block (Nakagawa, 1, Fig. 2) stands upward from the edge portion of the opening (Nakagawa, as shown in Fig. 1), and the bracket (Nakagawa, 14, Fig. 1) stands upward from upper surfaces of the front side frames (Nakagawa, 8, Fig. 1). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed pertains to construct the front side frames as taught by Chen to include a load support wall with a standing upward bracket with a reasonable expectation of success so that the deformation of the front side frames suppress the influence on the vehicle body by disposing the energy absorbing member and the load is transmitted from the end of the side member.
Regarding claim 4, Chen discloses the second fastening member (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) is provided in plural (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1), directed in the forward/rearward direction and disposed in a zigzag pattern in a direction crossing the forward/rearward direction (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) except at least one of the first fastening member.
However, Donabedian, et al. discloses a vehicle front structure the first fastening member (Donabedian, Para. [0020], 282’, Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed pertains to construct the front side fames as taught by Chen to include a first fastening member as taught by Donabedian, et al. with a reasonable expectation of success so that the front side frames have additional securement to the frame insertion part.
Regarding claim 5, Chen discloses a reinforcement wall (Chen, “built-in reinforcing rib”, 33, Fig. 4) extending across an internal space of the front side frames (Chen, 30, Fig. 2) is connected to left and right sidewalls of the front side frames (Chen, 30), and the reinforcement wall (Chen, 33) extends across at least a fastening part of the second fastening member (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) in the forward/rearward direction.
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Regarding claim 6, Chen discloses the second fastening member fasten (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) and fix the front side frames (Chen, 30, Fig. 2) and the frame insertion part (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) at positions offset to each other in the forward/rearward direction (Chen, as shown in Fig. 1) except the first fastening member.
However, Donabedian, et al. discloses a vehicle front structure the first fastening member (Donabedian, Para. [0020], 282’, Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed pertains to construct the front side fames as taught by Chen to include a first fastening member as taught by Donabedian, et al. with a reasonable expectation of success so that the front side frames have additional securement to the frame insertion part.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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 following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
“The load transfer block further has an enclosure wall protruding forward from a periphery of the opening of the frame insertion part and surrounding outer circumferential surfaces of the front side frames” in claim 3 are not taught in the prior art. For example, Chen discloses a load transfer block and crush portions however not an enclosure wall of the frame insertion part. It would not be obvious to incorporate the front side frame to include an enclosure wall of the frame insertion part.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mildner (US 20120261951 A1) discloses a front vehicle side frame structure with bearings.
Honji (US 7887123 B2) discloses a front body vehicle structure for impact absorption.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alma D Schuster whose telephone number is (571)272-8938. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8:30am-6:30pm and Fri 7am-11am.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy R 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.
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/Alma D. Schuster/Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/AMY R WEISBERG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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