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 19/006,968. 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 statement (IDS) submitted on 12/31/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
Figures 6 and 7 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated (see, for reference, “conventional” language used in the brief descriptions for Figures 6 and 7). See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KANG et al. (US 2024/0359747 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, KANG et al. discloses a vehicle base structure (Figs. 3-7), comprising: a pair of vehicle body structural members (10) that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction (paragraph [0040]), on both sides of a vehicle in a vehicle width direction (Fig. 3); a battery pack (30) that is disposed between the vehicle body structural members (Fig. 4) and that accommodates one or more battery cells in a battery case (31); and attaching portions (unlabeled attaching portions shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 (see bottom-left corner of outline ‘E’ in Figs. 4 and 5) with a horizontal extension attached to underside of floor panel 21 and a vertical extension attached to left side of 11) that each protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle body structural members (Fig. 4), on an upper side of the battery pack (Fig. 4), and that are configured to receive placement of a floor panel (21).
Regarding Claim 2, KANG et al. discloses two or more cross members (two cross members (22) shown in Fig. 3) that bridge the vehicle body structural members (Fig. 3), wherein two cross members adjacent to each other (Fig. 3) in the vehicle front-rear direction are each provided with second attaching portions (Fig. 6, (22c)) that protrude toward mutually opposing faces (Figs. 3 and 6; paragraph [0049], “a flange portion 22c may be formed on each of a front and a rear of the cross-member 22”), and that are configured to receive placement of the floor panel (Fig. 6; paragraph [0049], “flange portions 22c may be connected to the floor panel 21”).
Regarding Claim 3, KANG et al. discloses the attaching portions are integrally fabricated with the vehicle body structural members (Figs. 4, 5 and 7).
Regarding Claim 5, KANG et al. discloses the attaching portions are fabricated of a letter L shaped member (Figs. 4, 5 and 7) including an attaching face (vertical extension attached to left side of 11) for attaching to the vehicle body structural members, and a placement receiving face (horizontal extension attached to underside of floor panel 21) for receiving placement of the floor panel.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANG et al. (US 2024/0359747 A1).
Regarding Claim 4, KANG et al. discloses the vehicle base structure according to claim 1 (see detailed rejection of Claim 1 above), but does not disclose wherein the attaching portions are fastened to the vehicle body structural members by a fastening member that is configured to be fastened from one side.
KANG et al. further discloses the interchangeability of fastening means, including a fastening bolt (paragraph [0065], “may be fastened to each other using the fastening bolt…instead of the adhesive”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the vehicle base structure of KANG et al. include wherein the attaching portions are fastened to the vehicle body structural members by a fastening member that is configured to be fastened from one side, as suggested by KANG et al., since the simple substitution of one known fastening means for an equivalent other yields predictable results.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JEONG (US 2023/0223635 A1) discloses a vehicle battery mounting structure (see Figs. 4-6).
KAGAMI et al. (US 2020/0231223 A1) discloses a vehicle body structure (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5-10).
YAMANAKA (US 2018/0345778 A1) discloses a battery mounting structure (see Figs. 2-6).
KAWABE et al. (US 2018/0236863 A1) discloses a vehicle body bottom structure (see ABSTRACT).
AYUKAWA (US 2018/0148106 A1) discloses a vehicle body lower portion 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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