VEHICLE BUMPER BEAM

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. Information Disclosure Statement Applicant’s information disclosure statement filed 12/09/2024 has been considered and is included in the file. Claim Objections Claims 1 and 4 are objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 1, line 14, “one or more of third panels” should be changed to --one or more of the third panels--. In claim 4, line 5, remove the comma before the period at the end of the claim. Appropriate correction is required. 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. Claims 1 and 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (KR 20120076412, machine translation attached) in view of Takayanagi et al. (CN 109501702, machine translation attached). Regarding claim 1, Lee et al. discloses a vehicle bumper beam for a vehicle (Figs. 5-6), the vehicle bumper beam comprising: a first panel (115) extending in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle and defining a receiving surface of a collision load of the vehicle (Fig. 2); a second panel (117) extending in the vehicle width direction and facing the first panel in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body of the vehicle (Fig. 2); third panels (40) in a pair extending from an upper edge (43) and a lower edge (45) of the first panel in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, the third panels being coupled respectively to an upper edge and a lower edge of the first panel (Fig. 2); and beads (B) provided in a middle of one or more of third panels in the vehicle width direction and extending from the first panel to the second panel (Fig. 2), wherein extending ends of the beads are set at positions apart from a ridge line between the second panel and a corresponding one of the third panels on which the beads are provided (Fig. 2, beads end before the ridge line of the second panel as it is bent toward the first panel). Lee et al. does not explicitly teach the third panels extending from the second panel. Takayanagi et al., like Lee et al., teaches a vehicle bumper beam, and further teaches third panels (upper and lower portions of (26)) extending from the second panel ((26A), Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle bumper beam of Lee et al. to rotate the third panels to be extending from the second panel as taught by Takayanagi et al., with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide Using a known technique of reinforcing a vehicle bumper would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, since they would have recognized that applying the known technique and orientation of Takayanagi et al. would yield predictable results for the reinforcing of the structure of the vehicle bumper beam. Regarding claim 2, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. teaches the vehicle bumper beam of claim 1 and teaches (references to Takayanagi et al.) wherein welding points are formed to join the first panel and the third panels by spot welding (Fig. 2, paragraph [0054] of the machine translation). However, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. does not explicitly teach wherein a pitch between the welding points in regions where the beads are provided is set to be shorter than a pitch between the welding points in other regions. Okada et al., like Lee et al., teaches a vehicle bumper beam and further teaches wherein a pitch between the welding points in regions where the beads are provided is set to be shorter than a pitch between the welding points in other regions (paragraph [0163]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle bumper beam of Lee et al. modified by Takayanagi et al. to adjust the pitch between welding points as taught by Okada et al. in order to reduce thermal strain/bending load (Okada et al.: paragraph [0163]). Regarding claim 4, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. teaches the vehicle bumper beam of claim 1 and teaches (references to Lee et al.) wherein a joining position with a crash box of the vehicle is set on an outer side in the vehicle width direction in respect to the regions where the beads are provided (Fig. 2). Regarding claim 5, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. teaches the vehicle bumper beam of claim 1 and teaches (references to Takayanagi et al.) wherein the second panel and the third panels are permanently affixed by pressing a sheet metal member (Fig. 2, paragraph [0053] of the machine translation, U-shaped/hat-shaped one piece). Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (KR 20120076412, machine translation attached) in view of Takayanagi et al. (CN 109501702, machine translation attached) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Okada et al. (US 2016/0016610). Regarding claim 2, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. teaches the vehicle bumper beam of claim 1 and teaches (references to Takayanagi et al.) wherein welding points are formed to join the first panel and the third panels by spot welding (Fig. 2, paragraph [0054] of the machine translation). However, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. does not explicitly teach wherein a pitch between the welding points in regions where the beads are provided is set to be shorter than a pitch between the welding points in other regions. Okada et al., like Lee et al., teaches a vehicle bumper beam and further teaches wherein a pitch between the welding points in regions where the beads are provided is set to be shorter than a pitch between the welding points in other regions (paragraph [0163]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle bumper beam of Lee et al. modified by Takayanagi et al. to adjust the pitch between welding points as taught by Okada et al. in order to reduce thermal strain/bending load (Okada et al.: paragraph [0163]). Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (KR 20120076412, machine translation attached) in view of Takayanagi et al. (CN 109501702, machine translation attached) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Harada (JP 7397824, machine translation attached). Regarding claim 3, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. teaches the vehicle bumper beam of claim 1. However, Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. does not teach explicitly teach wherein the first panel comprises sub-beads at positions corresponding to the beads. Harada, like Lee et al., teaches a vehicle body structure, and further teaches a first panel comprises sub-beads (21a) at positions corresponding to the beads (31a) (Figs. 1, 3 and 4, paragraphs [0028] and [0045] of the machine translation). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle bumper beam of Lee et al. as modified by Takayanagi et al. to include sub-beads as taught by Harada, with a reasonable expectation of success, to provide a starting point and allowing for a crushing that is accurate and smooth, thereby absorbing the impact load (Harada: paragraph [0045] of the machine translation). Please note in the combination, the locations are related to where the beads are as taught by Lee et al. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Ryutaki et al. (WO 202509469) teaches a vehicle bumper beam with beads and sub-beads. Joly-pottuz (US 2009/0315344) teaches a vehicle bumper beam with beads. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLY W. LYNCH whose telephone number is (571)272-5552. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:30am-5:30pm, Eastern Time, alternate Friday. 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, Peter M Poon can be reached at 571-272-6891. 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. /CARLY W. LYNCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3643