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 .
This is the first action on the merits for application 18/984,433. Claims 1-5 are currently pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/17/2024 and 8/3/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
The listing of references in the specification (see, for example, paragraph [0021]) is not a proper information disclosure statement. 37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it refers to purported merits in lines 4-7. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: lines 3-4, “body , without” should be changed to - -body, without- - to remove an extra space between “body” and “,”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 5, “is contact” should be changed to - -is in contact- -. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 7, “is contact” should be changed to - -is in contact- -. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NAITO et al. (US 2022/0289013 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, NAITO et al. discloses an electric vehicle (Figs. 1-9) comprising: a vibration generator (40) mounted on a vehicle body (24) via a vibration damping member (162, 168); and a vibration transmission path (108, 110, 112) extending from the vibration generator to the vehicle body, without pathing through the vibration damping member (Figs. 1 and 2).
Regarding Claim 2, NAITO et al. discloses a mount bracket (88, 92, 152) connecting the vibration generator and the vibration damping member (Fig. 2), wherein the vibration transmission path connects the mount bracket and the vehicle body (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 3, NAITO et al. discloses the vibration transmission path includes a vibration transmission member (110), a first connector (108), and a second connector (112), the first connector connects the vibration transmission member and the vibration generator (Figs. 1 and 2), and the second connector connects the vibration transmission member and the vehicle body (Figs. 1 and 2).
Regarding Claim 4, NAITO et al. discloses the vibration transmission path includes a first part (108), a second part (112), and a movable coupling member (110), the first part and the second part are not in contact with each other (Figs. 1 and 2), the movable coupling member is in contact with neither the first part nor the second part in a first state (Figs. 1-3; “first state” is prior to element 110 being coupled to elements 108 and 112, i.e., a pre-installation state), and the movable coupling member is in contact with both the first part and the second part in a second state (Figs. 1-3; “second state” is after element 110 is coupled to elements 108 and 112, i.e., coupling member 110 is moved into an installed state as shown in Figs. 1-3).
Regarding Claim 5, NAITO et al. discloses the vibration generator includes a motor (82) that drives the electric vehicle.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
MIZUKAWA et al. (US 2021/0268887 A1) discloses a vibration damping device (see ABSTRACT).
OHNISHI et al. (US 2014/0367547 A1) discloses an engine mount vibration damping support structure (see ABSTRACT).
TANEDA et al. (US 2012/0073888 A1) discloses a battery position structure (see ABSTRACT).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)272-4781. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (CST).
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, Jacob S Scott can be reached at (571)270-3415. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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EDWIN YOUNG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3655
/Edwin A Young/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
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