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 § 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.
Claims 1-10 are 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.
In claim 1, lines 13 and 14, the phrase, “both side edges of the canopy cloth are matched with the corresponding front soft roof frame and rear soft roof frame” is indefinite. It is unclear what the scope of the term “matched” entails. It is unclear if the term requires the edges of the frame to be matched with the edges of the cloth or the edges of the cloth to be attached to the frames. For purposes of examination below, the phrase has been interpreted as required edges of the canopy cloth to be attached with the corresponding front soft roof frame and rear soft roof frame.
In claim 3, lines 3 and 4, the phrase, “the pull wire is matched with the tension spring”. It is unclear what the scope of the term “matched” entails. It is unclear if the term requires the pull wire to be attached to the tension spring or not. For purposes of examination below, the phrase has been interpreted as requiring the pull wire to be attached to the tension spring.
Claim 9 requires “a fifth link, a sixth link, a seventh link and an eighth link”. This seems to imply the presence of links one through four without positively reciting them. Accordingly, it is suggested the dependency of the claim be changed from “7” to “8”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claim is the inclusion in the claim of the limitations directed one end of the front soft roof frame being connected with the front roof portion and both side edges of the canopy cloth being matched with corresponding front soft roof frame and rear soft roof frame. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claims, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record. As noted above, the term “matched” has been interpreted as requiring edges of the canopy cloth to be attached with the corresponding front soft roof frame and rear soft roof frame. Lewis et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0116962), the closest prior art of record discloses does not disclose a front soft roof frame being connected the front roof portion. Instead, portion 272, which acts as a front soft roof frame, is attached to the vehicle.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited references all disclose vehicle folding roofs.
Lewis et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0116962) teaches a similar folding roof frame including both soft and hard top features.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason S Morrow whose telephone number is (571)272-6663. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m..
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/JASON S MORROW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
June 20, 2026
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