DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-3 and 5-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hägele et al. (DE 102010027752 A1). Hägele discloses a component (e.g., 4) for a vehicle chassis (paragraphs 0001, 0018, 0046 and 0068), the component comprising: a first connection portion (e.g., at the top of the component, as shown in Fig. 15) for pivotably supporting the component on a vehicle structure or on another chassis component, a second connection portion (e.g., at the bottom of the component, as shown in Fig. 15) for pivotably supporting the component on a vehicle structure or on another chassis component, wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion are arranged at opposite ends of the component (Fig. 15), a body portion (e.g., at 7) structurally interconnecting the first connection portion and the second connection portion, wherein a wheel bearing interface for connecting a wheel bearing part (e.g., 6) is provided on the body portion (paragraphs 0058 and 0060), wherein the component is conjointly formed by a first rigid part (e.g., 16 and/or 17) and a second rigid part (e.g., 13), the first rigid part comprising a first material (e.g., “steel or an aluminum alloy” – paragraph 0055) and being produced by a first manufacturing process (e.g., drawing, hydroforming and/or welding – see paragraphs 0015, 0056 and 0064) and the second rigid part comprising a second material (e.g., iron or aluminum – see paragraph 0049) and being produced by a second manufacturing process (e.g., casting or forging – see paragraphs 0005-0011, 0014, 0018-0022, 0049, 0060, 0065, 0067, 0069, 0073 and 0074), the first rigid part extending along a longitudinal direction and comprising lateral edges that are flanged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Figs. 15-18; paragraphs 0012 and 0060), and wherein the first material (e.g., “steel or an aluminum alloy” – paragraph 0055) is different from the second material (e.g., iron or aluminum – see paragraph 0049) and/or wherein the first manufacturing process (e.g., drawing, hydroforming and/or welding – see paragraphs 0015, 0056 and 0064) differs from the second manufacturing process (e.g., casting or forging – see paragraphs 0005-0011, 0014, 0018-0022, 0049, 0060, 0065, 0067, 0069, 0073 and 0074). The first material is a metal material (e.g., “steel or an aluminum alloy” – paragraph 0055) or a plastics material or a fiber-reinforced plastics material or a metal-reinforced plastics material and/or wherein the second material is a metal material (e.g., iron or aluminum – see paragraph 0049) or a plastics material or a fiber-reinforced plastics material or a metal-reinforced plastics material. The first manufacturing process comprises casting or forging or pressing or molding or extruding and/or wherein the second manufacturing process comprises casting or forging or pressing or molding or extruding (see paragraphs 0005-0011, 0014, 0018-0022, 0049, 0060, 0065, 0067, 0069, 0073 and 0074). The lateral edges of the first rigid part that are flanged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction provide the first rigid part with a U-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (Figs. 15-18; paragraphs 0012 and 0060). One (e.g., 16 and/or 17) of the first rigid part and the second rigid part is elongated and extends from the respective other one (e.g., 13) of the first rigid part and the second rigid part (Figs. 15-18). The wheel bearing interface is conjointly formed by the first rigid part and the second rigid part (paragraphs 0058 and 0060). The wheel bearing interface comprises at least one connection feature (e.g., 23) for connecting the wheel bearing part to the component, and wherein the first rigid part and the second rigid part are connectable via the connection feature (paragraphs 0058 and 0060). A sub-assembly for the vehicle chassis comprises the component and the wheel bearing part, wherein the wheel bearing part is connected to the wheel bearing interface such that one of the first rigid part and the second rigid part is at least partially arranged between the respective other one of the first rigid part and the second rigid part and the wheel bearing part (e.g., one of the flanges 21, 22 of the first rigid part (e.g., 16 and/or 17) is at least partially arranged between the respective other one (e.g., 13) of the first rigid part and the second rigid part and the wheel bearing part (e.g., 6)). The component is a part of a chassis (paragraphs 0001, 0018, 0046 and 0068) of a vehicle (paragraphs 0001, 0018, 0046 and 0068). In an operational state of the chassis, the component extends in a substantially upright direction (Figs. 15-18).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on November 21, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Contrary to applicant’s assertions in the first paragraph on page 10 of the remarks, Hägele does not use a solid tapering first rigid part, without lateral edge flanges, since the part(s) (e.g., 16 and/or 17) that correspond to the claimed first rigid part are not “a solid tapering first rigid part, without lateral edge flanges”. Parts 16 and 17 together form a hollow (not solid) part (paragraphs 0012 and 0060) with lateral edge flanges on parts 16 and/or 17 (Figs. 15-18; paragraphs 0012 and 0060).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEITH J FRISBY whose telephone number is (571)270-7802. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM - 5:00PM.
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/KEITH J FRISBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614