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 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.
Claims 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Imada et al. (US 2016/0083016).
Imada et al. discloses a body member forming a part of a vehicle body (1), as shown in Figures 1-6. The body member comprises a main member (11’) and a reinforcing member (13’) that are plate members, as shown in Figure 5. The main member (11) has a top plate portion (11b) that is a plate-shaped portion extending in an extending direction, as shown in Figure 6. The main member (11) has a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion, as shown in Figure 6. Each side wall portion protrudes from a corresponding one of two ends in a width direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction, as shown in Figure 6. The first side wall portion and the second side wall portion facing each other in the width direction, as shown in Figure 6. A first flange portion (11a) is provided at an end of the first side wall portion on a side opposite where the top plate portion (11b) is located, as shown in Figure 6. The first flange (11a) protrudes to a side opposite where the second side wall portion is located, as shown in Figure 6. A second flange (11a) is provided at an end of the second side wall portion on the side opposite where the top plate portion (11b) is located, as shown in Figure 6. The second flange (11a) protrudes to a side opposite where the first side wall portion is located, as shown in Figure 6. The reinforcing member (13) is joined to an inner peripheral surface of the main member (11) by welding (Wp,Wt) performed in a patchwork method, as shown in Figure 5 and disclosed in paragraph [0034]. The top plate portion (11b), the first side wall portion, the second side wall portion, the first flange, and the second flange is formed by press forming performed in the patchwork method, as disclosed in paragraph [0024].
In reference to claim 6, a body member is manufactured by a method comprising joining the main member (11’) and the reinforcing member (13’) by welding (Wp,Wt) in the patchwork method and press forming, in the patchwork method, the main member (11’) and the reinforcing member (13’) that have been welded together, as shown in Figures 5 and 6 and disclosed in paragraphs [0024] and [0034].
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 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imada et al. (US 2016/0083016) in view of Shimasaki (US 2020/0298915).
Imada et al. does not disclose forming the main member by joining first and second plates together by tailored blank welding.
Shimasaki teaches forming a main member (10) from a first plate portion (38) and a second plate portion (36) joined together by tailored blank welding at joint (40), as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and disclosed in paragraph [0032].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the main member of Imada et al. from two plate portions joined by tailored blank welding, as taught by Shimasaki, with a reasonable expectation for success to minimize the weight of the main member while still providing sufficient strength where needed to provided passenger safety and rigidity to the frame.
Claims 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Imada et al. (US 2016/0083016) and Shimasaki (US 2020/0298915), in view of Fujimoto et al. (US 2021/0354248).
Imada et al., as modified, discloses the first portion and the second portion are respectively located on a first end side and a second end side in the extending direction. The second portion has a length in the width direction that increases toward the second end side, as shown in Figure 1.
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However, Imada et al., as modified, does not disclose the first portion has a higher tensile strength than the second portion.
Fujimoto et al. teaches forming a first portion (21) with a higher tensile strength than a second portion (22) of a body member (10), as shown in Figure 17 and disclosed in paragraph [0107].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the first portion with a higher tensile strength than the second portion of Imada et al., as modified, as taught by Fujimoto et al., with a reasonable expectation for success to minimize the weight of the main member while still providing sufficient strength where needed to provided passenger safety and rigidity to the frame.
Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Imada et al. (US 2016/0083016) and Shimasaki (US 2020/0298915), in view of Heitkamp et al. (US 2017/0008568).
Imada et al., as modified, does not disclose the reinforcing member extends across a boundary between the first and second portions.
Heitkamp et al. teaches a reinforcing member (12) extending across a boundary between a first portion (23) and a second portion (24), as shown in Figure 4A and paragraph [0061]. The reinforcing member (12) is connected to the first portion (23) and the second portion (24), as shown in Figure 4A.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to place the reinforcing member in a location to extend across the boundary between the first and second portion of Imada et al., as modified, as taught by Heitkamp et al., with a reasonable expectation for success to strengthen the joint between the first and second portions to improve stiffness and crash performance.
Claims 5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imada et al. (US 2016/0083016) in view of Haupt et al. (US 2021/0339803).
In reference to claims 5 and 10, Imada et al. discloses the body member is a rocker rear member (5) to be mounted on a vehicle with the extending direction substantially coincident with a front-rear direction of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 1 and disclosed in paragraph [0040].
However, Imada et al. does not explicitly state the body member is an inner member.
Haupt et al. discloses forming a body member as an inner rocker member (86) with a reinforcement (90), as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the body member of Imada et al. as a rocker rear inner member, as taught by Haupt et al., with a reasonable expectation for success to improve side impact protection for passengers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP whose telephone number is (571)272-6656. The examiner can normally be reached 7-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amy Weisberg can be reached at 571-270-5500. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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GREGORY A. BLANKENSHIP
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3612
/GREGORY A BLANKENSHIP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612 August 18, 2026
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