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 § 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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Okumura et al. (US 2021/0096030).
Okumura et al. discloses a vehicle exterior component comprising a plate shaped base (33) formed of plastic, as disclosed in paragraph [0042], a heater sheet (31,32) stacked on one end face of the base (33) in a thickness direction of the base (33), as shown in Figures 1-3. A colored layer (24,25) is formed of a plastic in which a colorant is dispersed or formed of a pain containing a coloring pigment, as disclosed in paragraph [0039]. The one end face of the base (33) on which a decorative surface (25) of the exterior component is located, as shown in Figures 1-3. The heater sheet includes a plastic sheet base (31) joined to the one end face of the base (33) and a heating wire (32) that is routed along the sheet base (31) and generates heat when energized, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and disclosed in paragraph [0042]. The colored layer (24,25) is provided on a side of the sheet base (31) that is opposite to the base (33) in the thickness direction, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
In reference to claim 2, the base (33) has visible light transparency and forms a surface of the vehicle exterior component that is on a side opposite to the decorative surface (25), as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
In reference to claim 4, the colored layer (24,25) is formed of the plastic in which the colorant is dispersed. The plastic has a higher weather resistance than the plastic forming the sheet base (31), as disclosed in paragraph [0040].
In reference to claim 6, the vehicle exterior component comprises a plate shaped base (33) formed of plastic and a heater sheet (31,32) stacked on one end of the base (33) in a thickness direction of the base (33), as disclosed in paragraph [0042] and shown in Figures 2 and 3. The one end face of the base (33) forms a surface on which a decorative surface (25) of the vehicle exterior component is located, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The heater sheet (31,32) includes a plastic sheet base (31) joined to the one end of the base (33) and a heating wire (32) that is routed along the sheet base (31) and generates heat when energized, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A colorant is dispersed in the sheet base (31), as disclosed in paragraph [0039].
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okumura et al. (US 2021/0096030) in view of Okumura et al. (US 2017/0352938).
Okumura et al. does not disclose the vehicle exterior component has millimeter wave transparency.
Okumura et al. teaches forming a vehicle exterior component with millimeter wave transparency, as disclosed in paragraph [0036].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the vehicle exterior component of Okumura et al with millimeter wave transparency, as taught by Okumura et al., with a reasonable expectation for success to allow the vehicle exterior component to be used with additional sensors like millimeter sensors used in adaptive cruise control to provide additional safety and autonomy features.
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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim 3 is the second sheet base formed of plastic having a higher weather resistance that the plastic forming the first sheet base and being located between the first base sheet and the colored layer in the thickness direction, which is not found in the prior art of record. Okumura et al. discloses forming the outermost layer with higher strength/weather resistance. Providing an additional weather resistance layer between the colored layer and the first sheet base would not provide any additional benefit while increasing weight, cost, and complexity.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2018/0281506 is an additional reference showing a weather resistant layer (7) as the most exterior layer of a vehicle exterior component, as shown in Figure 2A.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP whose telephone number is (571)272-6656. The examiner can normally be reached 7-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy 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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GREGORY A. BLANKENSHIP
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3612
/GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612 September 3, 2026
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