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 .
Status of Claims:
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claims 1-4 of Group I were elected with traverse.
Claims 5-19 of Group II and Claim 20 of Group III are withdrawn
Election/Restrictions
Applicants’ election with traverse in part of Group I (originally claims 1-4, now described by applicant as claims 1-19) in the reply filed on 07/07/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that:
Claim 5 is amended to depend on claim 1: “method of constructing the composite wheel structure of claim 1”.
Claim 5 now includes all of the structure of the composite wheel of claim 1 and includes additional method step of forming the wheel body of claim 1 (added last 3 lines of claim 5).
Group I, which now includes claims 1-19 (applicant purports).
The reasons for restriction between Groups I and II are now moot:
-the method of Claim 5 is no longer directed to creating a fiber-reinforced molding compound.
-There is furthermore no search or examination burden as the structure of the composite wheel and the corresponding method of forming the wheel body includes the recited structure.
This is not found persuasive because:
Group I claims 1-4 could be constructed by another and materially different process that doesn’t include all the limitations of Group II Claims 5-19. (e.g. the method of Group III Claim 20)
The method of Group II includes method limitations for which searching would be a burden, as they require different class/subclasses searches from the product of Group I.
Claims 5-20 are hereby withdrawn.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2 and 4 are objected to because of the following informalities: the recitation of “FRMC material” is an acronym or abbreviation for “fiber-reinforced molding compound” defined in paragraph 17 of the specification. As such its inclusion in the claims is redundant in claim 1. In claims 2 and 4, the recitation abbreviates and in place of the limit represents “fiber-reinforced molding compound material”, as such it detracts from the claim clarity. It is suggested by the Examiner to delete “FRMC” in claim 1 and replace it in claims 2 and 4 with “the fiber-reinforced molding compound material” for greater clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20200247178-A1 to Stanhope et al. (“Stanhope”), and further in view of US-4294639-A to Woelfel et al. (“Woelfel”).
Regarding Claim 1, Stanhope discloses a composite wheel structure (10) comprising: a wheel body (12, a single consolidated integral part, Fig 1, including with 14 inner bead and 20 outer bead, defining a rim therein between, at each of the inner axial end section and outer axial end section of the rim, with radially inward extending hub with central hole [i.e. wheel center”] with connection holes to connect to an axle, Abstract, Para 98, Fig 1) defining an axis of rotation (axial /rotational centerline of circumference (not shown) Fig 1), an axial extent (spanning between “first axial end portion that defines” 14 “inner bead” to “generally axially outwardly “ 20 “outer bead” the wheel formed into a single consolidated as a single consolidated piece, the beads, axial extent and hub/wheel center as a single consolidated piece [Para 53- 60, 65-66, 98, as shown Fig 1) and a first axial section (extending between 14 to 18, including zones 12a, 12b up to but not including 12c, having varied strengths, and a resin having low temperature performance ) and a second axial section (extending between 18 and 20, including zones 12c and 12d, having varied strengths and high temperature performance [at 12c] as shown Fig 1; Para 53-60, 65-66 98, Fig 1) adjacent (Fig 1) the first axial section disposed within (Fig 1) the axial extent; at least one layer of composite material (50 “molded composite layer” para 67, 74, 76, Fig 4a, 4b) extending axially through (Para 68) the first and second axial sections; wherein the composite material is a fiber-reinforced molding compound (FRMC) (30 made from “a single fiber reinforcement layer” and 40 “resin material” consolidated together by infusion molding (RFI), Para 68, 70, 76, 80, Fig 4a, 4b ) material having a plurality of fibers (30 “single fiber reinforcement layer” made from fibers of carbon, glass, etc., Para 67-68) along the axial extent through the first and second axial sections (underlined limits as shown Fig 4a, 4b); wherein the fiber-reinforced molding compound material has a first resin chemistry (“a first resin material: ,”epoxy resin, or any polymeric, or non-polymeric material” having high toughness [e.g. strength] and low temperature performance“, Para 53-55, 59, 63-65, 75-78) in the first axial section and a second resin chemistry (“a combination polymers including a polymer different from the first” “having lower toughness [e.g. strength] and higher temperature performance”, Para 60, 63-65, 75-78) in the second axial section, wherein the first and second resin chemistries are different and have different strength and temperature characteristics (as just described in previous 6 lines).
Stanhope does not disclose the plurality of fibers is distributed randomly along the axial extent through the first and second axial sections.
Woelfel discloses a fiber-composite wheel (116, 117, Figs 5-7, 8-10) having an axial extent (axial extent of circumferential surface of rim extending from inboard end [ i.e. axial inboard/first portion/section] of rim to outboard end [i.e. axial outboard/second portion/section] as shown Figs 2-4, 6, 9, 21, 23) having a fiber reinforced molding compound (Abstract) including a plurality of fibers (24 “second reinforcement fibers in substantially random orientated circumferentially of the wheel axis” [i.e. in axial extent and through first and second axial sections]; and “ 30, 52 “directional first continuous reinforcing fibers, substantially parallel to eachother and orientate circumferentially or substantially parallel to the wheel axis is in the axial extent, each of 24, 30 and 51 forming at 60 “rim mold charge hoop” [i.e. at least one continuous fiber reinforcement layer extending circumferentially fully around extending axially through the axial extent as the first and second axial sections thereof as shown Fig 2]. Abstract, Col 1 lines 19-25, Col 2, lines 22-29, 53-58, Col 3 lines 1-26, Col 4, lines 16-44, Fig 1, 2) is distributed randomly along the axial extent through the first and second axial sections.
The difference between the disclosure in the claimed invention and the prior art, is that the prior art does not disclose the composite wheel structure having a plurality of fibers, and the wheel having a plurality of fibers distributed randomly along the axial extent through the first and second axial sections and directional first continuous reinforcing fibers, substantially parallel to eachother and orientate circumferentially or substantially parallel to the wheel axis is in the axial extent, in a single combined apparatus.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the composite wheel structure having a plurality of fibers of Stanhope, and the teaching of the wheel having a plurality of fibers distributed randomly along the axial extent through the first and second axial sections of Woelfel, to modify the fibers of the wheel of Stanhope such that the plurality of fibers includes at least one plurality of fibers distributed randomly along the axial extent through the first and second axial sections, and at least one plurality of directional reinforcing fibers, substantially parallel to eachother and orientate circumferentially or substantially parallel to the wheel axis is in the axial extent (i.e. distributed like the fibers of Woelfel), with the motivation to enhance the durability and strength, improve the economy of manufacturing the fiber reinforced composite wheel (Woelfel, Col 1 lines 19-25), having an expectation of equivalent function and a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Stanhope and Woelfel discloses the composite wheel of claim 1, further comprising at least one oriented fiber reinforcement extending circumferentially through the fiber-reinforced molding compound material and fully around the axis of rotation (30, 52 are directional , orientated fibers as described in paragraph 8 of this document).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Stanhope and Woelfel discloses composite wheel of claim 1, further comprising at least one continuous fiber reinforcement layer (Stanhope: 30 as described in paragraph 7 of this document, Woelfel 60 ) extending circumferentially fully around the axis of rotation and axially through the first and second axial sections (Stanhope Fig 3, 4a, 4b as described in paragraph 8 of this document).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Stanhope and Woelfel discloses composite wheel of claim 1, wherein the wheel body includes a rim and a wheel center integrally formed with an axial end section of the rim, wherein the wheel center includes at least one layer of as described in paragraph 7 of this document).
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments filed 07/07/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See paragraph 3 of this document for response.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon, listed on PTO-892 is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, disclosing at least one of: an integral composite wheel , a rim, axial extent, first and second axial sections, formed of at least one layer of fiber-reinforced molding compound material, randomly oriented fibers, continuously oriented fibers, a first resin chemistry and a second resin chemistry each having different strength and temperature characteristics.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EVA LYNN COMINO whose telephone number is (571)270-5839. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:30.
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/EVA L COMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 3615
/S. Joseph Morano/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3615
