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(s) 1, 4-6, 9-10, 16, 19-21 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Meyers et al. (U.S. 2017/0291558).
As for Claim 1, Meyers discloses a trim clip for attaching vehicle trim, comprising:
a pin (22) configured to engage with a trim component; the pin including an end bulb (58) defining a pin recess (56) and one or more protrusions (protrusions that define recess 56);
a grommet (24) configured to interface between the pin and a hole, the grommet including a central cavity (34) and one or more external snap features (36) defined by a depression (depression behind 36) formed in a body of the grommet (see Fig. 1) and configured to deform radially inwardly upon insertion into the hole (see para [0022]), and deform radially outwardly after insertion to secure the grommet therein (see para [0022]);
an overmold (30), overmolded the head of the pin, the overmold including a soft material for dampening vibration between the trim component and the body panel (see Annotated Figs.); and
an internal snap feature (32/46) defined in the body of the grommet and configured to releasably join the pin and the grommet (see para [0024]), the internal snap feature including a latching formation projecting (46) from an inner wall of the central cavity, the latching formation configured to deform radially outwardly over the end bulb and radially inwardly into the recess to place the latching formation into engagement with the one or more protrusions of the end bulb, wherein at least a portion of the internal snap feature is formed or located in a depression in an outer wall of the body of the grommet (see para [0024] and Fig. 5).
4. (Original) The trim clip of claim 1, wherein the one or more external snap features (36) configured to engage with a vehicle body panel (see Fig. 5).
5. (Original) The trim clip of claim 1, wherein the internal snap feature (46) comprises multiple internal snap features positioned on opposite sides of a central cavity of the grommet (see Figs. 5 and 8).
6. (Original) The trim clip of claim 1, wherein the pin comprises a main head (52) and an auxiliary head (78) mounted on an extension piece (37), the main head and auxiliary head configured to securely engage with corresponding volumes in the overmold (see Fig. 7).
`9. (Original) The trim clip of claim 1, wherein the overmold (30) comprises a mushroom-shaped profile that extends radially beyond a diameter of the pin (see Fig. 7).
10. (Original) The trim chip of claim 1, wherein the pin comprises a cone-shaped (see Fig. 1) or annular recess and one of more grommet-engagement protrusions defined by a pin end bulb (see Fig. 5).
As for Claim 16, Meyers discloses a vehicle trim attachment system, comprising:
a trim clip (20) including:
a pin (22) including an end bulb (58) defining a pin recess and one or more protrusions (see Fig. 1);
a grommet (24) insertable into a hole, the grommet including a central cavity (34);
an internal snap feature (32/46) defined in a body of the grommet and configured to releasably connect the pin and the grommet, wherein at least a portion or profile of the internal snap feature is defined by or formed in a depression in the outer wall of the body in the body of the grommet (see Fig. 1), the internal snap feature including a latching formation (46) projecting from an inner wall of the central cavity, the latching formation configured to deform radially outwardly over the end bulb and radially inwardly into the recess to place the latching formation into engagement with the one or more protrusions of the end bulb (see para [0022]), the grommet including further one or more external snap features (32/46) configured to deform radially inwardly upon insertion into the hole (see para [0022]), and deform radially outwardly after insertion to secure the grommet therein (see para [0020]); and
a vibration-dampening overmold (30), overmolded over the head of the pin (see Annotated Figs.), covering at least a portion of the connected pin and the grommet (see Fig. 5)
19. (Original) The vehicle trim attachment system of claim 16, wherein the grommet comprises one or more external snap features (36) configured to deform radially inwardly during insertion into a vehicle body hole and expand outwardly to lock behind a body panel (see para [0022]).
20. (Original) The vehicle trim attachment system of claim 16, wherein the internal snap feature comprises latching formations (46) configured to engage with protrusions on an end bulb of the pin (see Figs. 5 and 8).
21. (Original) The vehicle trim attachment system of claim 16, wherein the grommet comprises one or more depressions (42) formed during molding to define at least a portion of the internal snap feature.
23. (Original) The vehicle trim attachment system of claim 1, wherein the grommet provides primary retention force for securing the trim clip to the hole through one or more external snap features independently of retention features of the pin (see para [0022]).
24. (New) The trim clip of claim 1, wherein the overmold that is overmolded over the head of the pin is configured to be inserted into or engage with a hole or recess in the trim component (see Annotated Figs.).
25. (New) The trim clip of claim 6, wherein the overmold including corresponding volumes engaged with the main head and the auxiliary head is configured to be inserted into or engage with a hole or recess in the trim component.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 2-3, 7, 8, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meyers et al. (U.S. 2017/0291558).
Meyers discloses grommet and pin but fails to explicitly recite:
wherein the overmold is made of thermoplastic elastomer.
wherein the pin is formed of a rigid plastic material comprising nylon with glass fiber reinforcement.
wherein the grommet of a new or reused trim clip is configured to be inserted into the vehicle body hole with an insertion force in a range of 20N to 50N;
wherein the pin is configured to be inserted into the grommet with an insertion force in a range of 2N to 50N;
wherein the grommet is configured to be retained in a vehicle body panel with a retention force in a range of 50N to 450N, or 100N to 300N, or approximately 243N; and
wherein the pin is configured to be removed from the grommet with a removal force in a range of 100N to 300N, or 125N to 200N, or approximately 152N.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to be motivated to use materials of claims 2-3, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. It is also common knowledge to choose a material that has sufficient strength, durability, flexibility, hardness, etc. for the application and intended use of that material.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed, to contrive any number of desirable ranges for the disclosed in claims 7, 8, 17, and 18 disclosed by Applicant, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. Refer to MPEP § 2144.05.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s argument that Meyers does not disclose an overmold that is overmolded over the head if the pin, Examiner respectfully disagrees and discloses the claimed limitation in the rejection provided herein. Furthermore, the argument of the overmold being “a separate soft overmold on the pin head,” appears to be more limiting than the claim language.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M UPCHURCH whose telephone number is (571)270-7957. The examiner can normally be reached 6AM-3PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571)272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID M UPCHURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677
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