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 Objections
Claims 14-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 14, line 3, it is thought that “skit” should be changed to –skirt--.
The recitation in claim 14, line 10, the step of securing each one of the strut members to “one of the floor” is awkward and incomplete phraseology.
The recitation in claim 14, the third to last line, of “by setting distance” is awkward phraseology.
In claim 15, line 2, it is thought that “member” should be changed to –members--.
In claim 18, line 1, it is thought that “a” should be changed to –an--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2-5 and 14-20 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.
The recitation in claim 2, line 2, that “the central vertical axis is perpendicular to which is mounted the aerodynamic skirt panel” is inaccurate in that the aerodynamic skirt panel is also vertically oriented so that the vertical axis and the vertical skirt panel cannot be perpendicular.
In claim 14, the third to last line, “strut member contour frame” lacks clear antecedent basis.
In claim 15, the last line, “side wall of the vehicle” lacks clear antecedent basis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 6-13 are allowed.
Claims 2-5 and 14-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The recitation in claim 1 of a strut member assembly, to be mounted to a floor structure of a vehicle comprising a floor and a contour frame, including a strut member with a vehicle-contacting portion having a substantially flat surface and a plurality of alignment guides protruding therefrom as well as a securing assembly to clamp the vehicle contacting portion to the floor where the alignment guides, once the vehicle-contacting portion is mounted to the floor, extend aside the contour frame with distances between the alignment guides and the contour frame providing an aid in positioning the strut member on the vehicle is neither taught nor fairly suggested by the prior art of record. Specifically, Senatro US 8,303,025, the closest prior art of record, discloses a frame (105; Fig. 9) of a vehicle to which a strut or panel support (130; Fig. 9) is mounted. The strut (130; Fig. 9) includes a flat vehicle (frame) contacting portion (140; Fig. 12). The strut (130; Fig. 9) is clamped to the floor frame (105; Fig. 9) by way of clamp members (137, 138; Fig. 9). However, Senatro explicitly fails to disclose a plurality of alignment guides protruding from the flat vehicle contacting surface. Claims 2-13 are considered to contain allowable subject matter at least due to their ultimate dependence upon parent claim 1 which contains allowable subject matter.
The recitation in claim 14 of a method of installing an aerodynamic skirt to a vehicle having a floor and a contour frame, including providing a plurality of strut member assemblies, where each one of the strut member assemblies includes: a strut member having a substantially flat vehicle-contacting surface and a plurality of alignment guides protruding therefrom, a securing assembly, securing each one of the strut members to the floor using a securing assembly, with the vehicle-contacting surface of the strut member abutting the floor and the alignment guides extending asides the contour frame and aligning the strut member contour frame by setting distance of the alignment guides to the contour frame is neither taught nor fairly suggested by the prior art of record. Specifically, Senatro US 8,303,025, the closest prior art of record, discloses a frame (105; Fig. 9) of a vehicle to which a strut or panel support (130; Fig. 9) is mounted. The strut (130; Fig. 9) includes a flat vehicle (frame) contacting portion (140; Fig. 12). The strut (130; Fig. 9) is secured to the floor frame (105; Fig. 9) by way of securing assembly members (137, 138; Fig. 9). However, Senatro explicitly fails to disclose a plurality of alignment guides protruding from the flat vehicle contacting surface. Claims 15-20 are considered to contain allowable subject matter at least due to their ultimate dependence upon parent claim 14 which contains allowable subject matter.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Graham US 2006/0152038 discloses a vehicle with a skirt strut (13; Figs. 6 and 8) that has a flat vehicle contacting portion (unnumbered in Fig. 8) and clamp members (45; Fig. 8). However, Graham does not disclose a plurality of alignment guides protruding from the flat vehicle contacting surface. Lee et al. US 8,366,180 disclose a vehicle skirt strut (98’; Fig. 8) which is clamped to frame (134’; Fig. 8) by securing assembly (124’; Fig. 8) that includes a flat vehicle (frame) contacting portion as can be seen in Figure 9. However, Lee et al. do not disclose a plurality of alignment guides protruding from a flat vehicle contacting surface of the strut.
Mancina et al. US 8,608,122 disclose a vehicle skirt strut (70; Fig. 15) and clamping assembly (120; Fig. 17) to clamp the strut to vehicle frame (122; Fig. 17). However, Mancina et al. do not disclose a plurality of alignment guides protruding from the flat vehicle contacting surface. Baker et al. US 2015/0259014 disclose a vehicle skirt strut (142; Figs. 12 and 13) connected to a vehicle frame (40; Figs. 12 and 13) by a hook portion (174; Figs. 12 and 13) and a toe clamp (162; Figs. 12 and 13). However, Baker et al. do not disclose a plurality of alignment guides protruding from the flat vehicle contacting surface.
Conclusion
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/Joseph D. Pape/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
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