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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyata et al. (US 20060175873 A1) in view of Nakano et al. (JP 2012166742 A) and Kato et al. (JP 2004276789 A).
Regarding claim 2, Miyata discloses a vehicle front section structure (Miyata, Fig. 1) comprising: a left-right pair of front pillars (Miyata, 13 in Fig. 1 and paragraph 18), a left-right pair of front side members (Miyata, see annotated Fig. 1) extending along a vehicle front-rear direction (Miyata, Fig. 1, FR is front direction, and opposite to FR is rear direction) and disposed spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction (Miyata, see annotated Fig. 1) at a vehicle front side with respect to the left-right pair of front pillars (Miyata, see annotated Fig. 1, the side members are in front of the pillars); a left-right pair of suspension towers (Miyata, 5 in Fig. 1 and paragraph 18, one on each side; paragraph 4 described the towers bear loads from suspension) respectively formed with profiles that project toward an upper side with respect to the left-right pair of front side members (Miyata, Fig. 1, towers 5 are above the side members); a connection member (Miyata, 9 in Fig. 1) extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting the left-right pair of suspension towers (Miyata, Fig. 1) or connecting the left-right pair of front side members.
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Figure 1 Annotated Fig. 1 from Miyata
Miyata fails to disclose the front pillars respectively forming parts of front door openings that are respectively formed at a left side and a right side in a vehicle width direction; and at least one brace of a brace that connects an inner side location, in the vehicle width direction, of a suspension tower on a first side in the vehicle width direction to a front pillar on the first side in the vehicle width direction, or a brace that connects an inner side location, in the vehicle width direction, of a suspension tower on a second side in the vehicle width direction to a front pillar on the second side in the vehicle width direction.
Nakano teaches the front pillars respectively forming parts of front door openings that are respectively formed at a left side and a right side in a vehicle width direction (Nakano, third to the last paragraph on page 2 of machine translation, both pillars support door on both left and right sides, and Fig. 1 shows door opening 18).
Nakano is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of vehicle front structure including suspension tower, front pillars, and side members as Miyata.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure as taught by Miyata to incorporate the teachings of Nakano with a reasonable expectation of success and have door openings form by the pillars. Doing so provides entering and exiting means for occupants which adds convenience and is essential to normal operation of the vehicle.
Kato teaches at least one brace of a brace (Kato, 50 in Fig. 2) that connects an inner side location (Kato, see annotated Fig. 2), in the vehicle width direction, of a suspension tower on a first side (Kato, Fig. 2, the tower on the vehicle right side or passenger side) in the vehicle width direction to a front pillar (Kato, paragraph 50 of machine translation, and Fig. 2 shows connecting to pillar 40) on the first side in the vehicle width direction, or a brace that connects an inner side location, in the vehicle width direction, of a suspension tower on a second side in the vehicle width direction to a front pillar on the second side in the vehicle width direction.
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Figure 2 Annotated Fig. 2 from Kato
Kato is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of vehicle front structure including suspension tower, front pillars, and side members as Miyata in view of Nakano.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure as taught by Miyata in view of Nakano to incorporate the teachings of Kato with a reasonable expectation of success and have a brace. Doing so provides additional reinforcement to the vehicle and increases structural integrity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-8 allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The primary reason for the allowance of the claims is the inclusion in the claims of the limitations directed to a connection member connecting the left-right pair of suspension towers or connecting the left-right pair of front side members, the connection member including a main body extending in the vehicle width direction, and an inclined connection portion that extends toward a rear side and toward a vehicle width direction outer side from at least one end portion of a first side end portion or a second side end portion, in the vehicle width direction, of the main body; and a brace connecting the inclined connection portion to a front pillar on an inclined connection portion side. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claims, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record.
The closest prior art is Miyata et al. (US 20060175873 A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 2 above. Miyata discloses an inclined connection portion 21 in Fig. 2, but fails to disclose a brace connecting the inclined connection portion to a front pillar on an inclined connection portion side. References such as Kato et al. (JP 2004276789 A) teach a brace 50 in Fig. 2 connecting with a pillar, but the brace is mounted to a suspension or strut tower, not an inclined connection portion side as required by claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited references that are not relied upon all disclose vehicle front structures with a connection member connecting suspension towers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Wenwei Zhuo whose telephone number is (571)272-5564. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST.
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/WENWEI ZHUO/Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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