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 3 and 4 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 3, lines 2 and 3, applicant claims, “the honeycomb part is filled with paper instead of having the honeycomb structure”. However, the honeycomb structure, according the specification, is constructed of paper. Thus, it is unclear if the honeycomb part is actually being claimed to be “filled” with paper, or if the honeycomb is simply being collapsed as is described in paragraph 0048 of the specification such that the space of the honeycomb is filled with collapsed paper portions of the honeycomb itself. For purposes of examination below, the claim limitation has been treated as requiring the honeycomb structure to be collapsed such that the space is filled by the paper of the honeycomb itself.
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 1-3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Arai et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0158784).
Re claim 1, Arai et al. discloses a lightweight panel for a vehicle, comprising a honeycomb part (20, figure 10, see paragraph 0038 in which the core can be in a honeycomb shape) formed by machining a paper (see paragraph 0038, the core can be manufactured from paper) honeycomb having an interior formed in a honeycomb structure to have a predetermined thickness; and a reinforcing layer (30 and 40, figure 10) formed of a reinforcing mat and a reinforcing resin (see paragraphs 0042 and 0043, glass fiber mat impregnated with polyurethane), formed on each of upper and lower surfaces of the honeycomb part, wherein the honeycomb part is formed to be thinner toward a perimeter thereof (see figure 10).
Re claim 2, the honeycomb part is formed to be stepped toward the perimeter thereof (see figure 10).
Re claim 3, a predetermined distance from an end portion of the panel, the honeycomb part is filled with paper instead of having the honeycomb structure (as disclosed in paragraph 0052, the shape in figure 10 is the result of pressing in a mold which would inherently collapse the honeycomb structure made of paper and fill the end portion of panel with the crushed honeycomb paper).
Re claim 10, the panel is used as a roof panel of the vehicle (see paragraph 0049).
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.
Claims 4, 11, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0158784) in view of Durham (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0137099).
Re claim 4, Arai et al. discloses all the limitations of the claim, as applied above, except for a portion of the honeycomb part filled with the paper is seated on a weather strip installed on a body of the vehicle. The portion of the honeycomb part filled with paper is a thinner portion of a roof panel.
Durham teaches a thinner portion (105, figure 7A) of a roof panel (104) being seated on a weather strip installed on a body of a vehicle. See the annotated figure below.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a lightweight panel of a vehicle, such as that disclosed by Durham, to have a portion of the honeycomb part filled with the paper be seated on a weather strip installed on a body of the vehicle, as taught by Durham, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to keep precipitation from infiltrating the inside of the vehicle.
Re claims 11 and 12, Arai discloses all the limitations of the claims, as applied above, except for the roof panel including a plurality of subpanels, wherein portions of the plurality of subpanels where the plurality of subpanels are connected are connected to overlap each other.
Durham teaches a roof panel including a plurality of subpanels (104, 104’, 104”), wherein portions of the plurality of subpanels where the plurality of subpanels are connected are connected to overlap each other (as seen in figures 8B and 8C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a lightweight panel, such as that disclosed by Arai, to have a roof panel including a plurality of subpanels, wherein portions of the plurality of subpanels where the plurality of subpanels are connected are connected to overlap each other, as taught by Durham, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a removable hardtop for the vehicle enabling passengers to enjoy open air driving.
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0158784) in view of Kralik et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2002/0021027).
Re claims 5-7, Arai et al. discloses all the limitations of the claims, as applied above, except for a skin layer forming an upper surface of the panel being formed on an upper surface of the reinforcing layer which is formed on an upper portion of the honeycomb part, the skin layer including a color layer providing a color of the skin layer; and a clear layer that is provided outside the color layer and is transparent, and the skin layer covering side surfaces of the panel.
Kralik et al. teaches a skin layer (2) forming an upper surface of the panel, the skin layer including a color layer providing a color of the skin layer; and a clear layer that is provided outside the color layer and is transparent, and the skin layer covering side surfaces of the panel (as disclosed in paragraph 0044).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a lightweight panel, such as that disclosed by Arai et al., to have a skin layer forming an upper surface of the panel be formed on an upper surface of the reinforcing layer which is formed on an upper portion of the honeycomb part, the skin layer including a color layer providing a color of the skin layer; and a clear layer that is provided outside the color layer and is transparent, and the skin layer covering side surfaces of the panel, as taught by Kralik et al., with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a vehicle panel that does not need additional finishing such as painting.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0158784) in view of Kralik et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2002/0021027) as applied to claims 5-7 above, and further in view of Durham (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0137099).
Re claim 8, Arai et al. in view of Kralik et al. disclose all the limitations of the claim, as applied above, except for a mounting part being provided on a bottom surface of the panel.
Durham teaches a mounting part (116, figure 6) being provided on a bottom surface of a panel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a lightweight panel, such as that disclosed by the combination of Arai et al. in view of Kralik et al. above, to have a mounting part being provided on a bottom surface of the panel, as taught by Durham, in order to allow the panel to be produced in sections which allow the roof to be removably mounted.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0158784) in view of Kralik et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2002/0021027) and Durham2 (US Patent 12,151,541).
Re claim 9, Arai discloses all the limitation of the claim, as applied above, except for a saturation layer in which a resin sprayed onto the reinforcing layer is saturated into the saturation layer between the honeycomb part and the reinforcing layer.
Kralik et al. teaches a saturation layer (glass fiber matt, paragraph 0041) in which an adhesive (3) is sprayed onto the reinforcing layer and is saturated into the saturation layer between a honeycomb part (4) and the reinforcing layer (2).
Durham2 teaches the use of resin adhesives (see column 5, line 37, polyurethane adhesive).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a lightweight panel, such as that disclosed by Arai, to have a saturation layer in which a resin sprayed onto the reinforcing layer is saturated into the saturation layer between the honeycomb part and the reinforcing layer, as taught by Kralik et al. and Durham2, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to better join the layers of the device together and avoid separation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited references all disclose vehicle panels.
US Patent Application Publication 2022/0371415 discloses mounting parts on the bottom of a panel.
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
July 28, 2026
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