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 .
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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schlangen, et al. (US 20150343900 A1), in view of Teich (US 20020027380 A1) and in further view of Fuse-Box (NPL- product website - https://fuse-box.info/ford/ford-expedition-un93-1997-2002-fuses-and-relay).
Regarding claim 1, Schlangen teaches a utility vehicle (Schlangen, 1200, Fig. 42), comprising: a driver section (Schlangen, 1400, Fig. 42) configured to accommodate an occupant (Schlangen, Para. [0196]); a seating section (Schlangen, 1402, Fig. 42) disposed in the driver section (Schlangen, 1400) on which seating section an occupant is able to sit (Schlangen, Para. [0196]); a front cover (Schlangen, “dash board assembly” has a cover to hide and protect the electrical components in the front of the vehicle, 1432, Fig. 43) disposed in the driver section (Schlangen, 1400) and apart forward from the seating section (Schlangen, 1402). Additionally, Schlangen teaches an in-vehicle electronic device of the utility vehicle (Schlangen, 1440, Para. [0246]) enclosed in the front cover (Schlangen, 1432).
PNG
media_image1.png
483
614
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
491
611
media_image2.png
Greyscale
However, Schlangen fails to teach at least one relay connector disposed in the front cover and configured for reaching an in-vehicle electronic device of the utility vehicle, and wherein the front cover has an opening corresponding in position to the at least one relay connector and a maintenance lid configured to expose and block the opening.
However, Teich teaches at least one relay connector (Teich, 58, Fig. 3). Additionally, Teich teaches how the relay connectors should be consolidated to one area of the vehicle and a protected cover for an opening of the relay connectors in Para. [0003].
PNG
media_image3.png
451
603
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Still, the combination of the aforementioned art fails to teach the maintenance lid configured to expose and block the opening.
However, Fuse-Box (NPL) teaches a maintenance lid (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure) configured to expose and block the opening.
PNG
media_image4.png
656
1862
media_image4.png
Greyscale
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 invention pertains to construct a front cover as taught by Schlangen to incorporate at least one relay connection as taught by Teich to further construct a maintenance lid configured to expose and block the opening as taught by Fuse-Box (NPL) with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage that at least one relay connector is located in one area of the front cover that is easily accessible to the occupant and is protected with a maintenance lid from environmental hazards.
Regarding claim 2, Schlangen in combination of Teich teaches the at least one relay connector (Teich, 58) comprises a plurality of relay connectors (Teich, as shown above in Fig. 3) corresponding in position to the opening (Teich, Para. [0031]).
Regarding claim 3, Schlangen teaches the seating section (Schlangen, 1402) comprises: a driver's seat (Schlangen, 1404, Fig. 42) for an occupant who drives the utility vehicle to sit on (Schlangen, Para. [0196]); and a passenger's seat (Schlangen, 1412, Fig. 42) lateral to the driver's seat (Schlangen, as shown in Fig. 42), the utility vehicle (Schlangen, 1200) further comprises a steering wheel (Schlangen, as shown in annotated Fig. 42) forward of the driver's seat (Schlangen, 1404, Fig. 42)
PNG
media_image5.png
516
732
media_image5.png
Greyscale
However, Schlangen fails to teach the maintenance lid is at a lateral portion of the front cover relative to a body of the utility vehicle which lateral portion is proximate to the steering wheel.
However, Fuse-Box (NPL) teaches the maintenance lid (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure) is at a lateral portion of the front cover relative to a body of the utility vehicle which lateral portion is proximate to the steering wheel (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure).
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 invention pertains to construct a front cover and seating sections as taught by Schlangen to further construct a maintenance lid is at a lateral portion of the front cover relative to a body of the utility vehicle which lateral portion is proximate to the steering wheel as taught by Fuse-Box (NPL) with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage that the occupant can easily access the maintenance lid.
Regarding claim 4, Fuse-Box (NPL) teaches the maintenance lid (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure) is below the steering wheel (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure).
Regarding claim 5, Fuse-Box (NPL) teaches the lateral portion is laterally outward of a steering shaft of the steering wheel relative to the body (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure).
Regarding claim 6, Schlangen teaches the front cover (Schlangen, 1432) comprises a sloped portion sloped downward toward a front (Schlangen, see annotated Fig. 43).
PNG
media_image6.png
546
736
media_image6.png
Greyscale
However, Schlangen fails to teach the maintenance lid is at the sloped portion.
However, Fuse-Box (NPL) teaches the maintenance lid (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure) is at the sloped portion (see Fuse-Box NPL annotated figure).
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 invention pertains to construct the front cover by Schlangen to further construct a maintenance lid is at the sloped portion as taught by Fuse-Box (NPL) with a reasonable expectation of success for the advantage that the occupant can easily access the maintenance lid while maintaining vision on the road.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dahl, et al. (US 20080035404 A1) teaches a utility vehicle with an operator controls compartment located on the front cover.
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.
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, 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from 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. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Alma D. Schuster/Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/AMY R WEISBERG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612
Prosecution Insights