DETAILED ACTION
The Following action is in response to application 18/982,026 filed on December 16, 2024.
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 § 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 2-4 and 6-8 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.
With regard to claim 2, the limitations are repetitive, as the limitations have already been claimed on line 11 of claim 1 (to which claim 2 depends upon). Claims 3-4 and 6-8 depend on claim 2. It is suggested applicant cancel claim 2 and change any dependencies as needed.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshino (US 20240136548) in view of Koch (US 20230398938). With regard to claim 1, Hoshino teaches a vehicle front structure comprising: side frames 7 in a left and right pair; strut towers 9 in a left and right pair, the strut towers being located respectively on outer sides of the side frames continuously in a vehicle width direction (Fig. 2); a hood 4 configured to open and close a housing space where at least a drive motor 8 (paragraph 29) is disposed; and a frunk 20 positioned above the drive motor 8. Hoshino lacks the specific teaching of a moving mechanism attached to the side frames; and wherein the frunk is movable at least in a front-rear direction in response to an operation of the moving mechanism and is movable forward in a state where the hood is opened, the frunk is movable upward in the state where the hood is opened, and an upper end of the moving mechanism is attached to a lower end of the frunk. Koch teaches a similar vehicle front structure comprising: a frame (paragraph 21); a hood 106 configured to open and close a housing space; a moving mechanism 116 attached to at least the frame; and a frunk 110 attached to the moving mechanism and positioned above the drive motor, wherein the frunk is movable at least in a front-rear direction in response to an operation of the moving mechanism and is movable forward in a state where the hood is opened (Figs 3-5), the frunk is movable upward in the state where the hood is opened (Fig. 5), and an upper end of the moving mechanism 116 is attached to a lower end of the frunk 110. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hoshino to employ a moving mechanism attached to the frunk and side frames in view of Koch with reasonable expectation for success in order to “increase ergonomics for users” (paragraph 3). With regard to claim 2, Koch teaches the structure, wherein the frunk is movable upward in the state where the hood is opened (Fig. 5). With regard to claims 5-6, Hoshino and Koch teach the structure, wherein the frunk 20/110 is positioned on a front side of the strut towers 9 in a state where the frunk is moved to a front end in a moving range (Fig. 2/Fig. 5).
Claim(s) 3 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshino and Koch as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Weber (DE102019000158A1 from IDS). With regard to claim 3, Hoshino and Koch teach the structure, wherein a link mechanism 116 is used as the moving mechanism. Hoshino and Koch lack the specific teaching wherein the moving mechanism is provided with a frunk attaching member to which the frunk is attached, an attached member attached to at least the side frames 7, and arms rotatable with respect to the frunk attaching member and the attached member. Weber teaches a similar structure comprising a hood 4, a moving mechanism 10/10a attached to a vehicle frame, a frunk 7, and wherein a link mechanism 10/0a is used as the moving mechanism, and the moving mechanism is provided with a frunk attaching member 17b to which the frunk 7 is attached, an attached member 16b attached to the frame, and arms 10/10a rotatable with respect to the frunk attaching member and the attached member. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Hoshino and Koch to employ a frunk attaching member and a attached member attached to the side frames in view of Weber in order to provide adequate relative movement of the moving mechanism to further “improve the loading and unloading experience” (paragraph 4). With regard to claim 7, Hoshino and Koch teach the structure, wherein the frunk 20/110 is positioned on a front side of the strut towers 9 in a state where the frunk is moved to a front end in a moving range (Fig. 2/Fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 8 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include 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 prior art of record fails to show or render obvious the structure as claimed, and particularly
wherein the attached member is attached across the side frames and the strut towers, and including the remaining structure of claim 4. Claim 8 depends on claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Han (CN117485255A) has been cited to show a similar vehicle structure comprising: a frunk and movement mechanism (Fig. 2).
Negron (US 20240198912) has been cited to show a similar vehicle structure comprising: a frunk 40 and a movement mechanism 46/48.
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/ROGER L PANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/ROGER L. PANG/
Examiner
Art Unit 3655B
July 14, 2026
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