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 § 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.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (Inan et al., WO 2020 083435) in view of D2 (Cetnar et al., US Pub. App. 2019-0242163).
For claim 1, D1 discloses, in Figures 1-10, a latch apparatus for vehicles, comprising:
a claw (1) that is rotatably provided in a housing and in which a restraining groove into which a striker is insertable is formed (Claw 1 has a restraining groove); and
a pawl unit (2, 3, 5) that restrains rotation of the claw (1),
wherein the pawl unit (2, 3, 5) includes:
an operating pawl portion (3) that regulates the rotation of the claw (1); and
a saddle pawl (5) that is provided on the claw (1, Figure 1), protrudes toward the operating pawl portion (3, Figure 4), and selectively contacts the operating pawl portion (3) to restrain the rotation of the claw (1, Figure 4.)
D2 teaches a vehicle with lock ratchet 48 (claw), pawl 50, assembled in a housing formed by 42, 44. The ratchet engages the striker in the locked position and provides a safe and secured locking system (abstract.) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify D1 to have a housing and a striker, such that the claw is rotatably provided in the housing, and the striker is insertable into the restraining groove of the claw, as taught by D2 with a reasonable expectation of success of having a safe and secured locking system.
For claim 2, D1 discloses the latch apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operating pawl portion (3) includes: a locking block rotatably coupled to the housing and formed with a locking portion in contact with the saddle pawl; an operating lever fixed to the locking block; and a second pawl that restrains rotation of the operating lever by contacting the operating lever and releases a restraint of the operating lever when an external force is applied (The operating pawl 3 is pivotable about axis and contacts the saddle pawl 5. The portion between the axis of rotation and the tip of 3 defines the operating lever. 3 releases 1 when rotated in counter clockwise direction. Figure 4.)
For claim 3, the combination of D1 and D2 teaches the latch apparatus of claim 2, wherein the operating lever is formed to be long within the housing (D1 modified with features of D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (Inan et al., WO 2020 083435) in view of D2 (Cetnar et al., US Pub. App. 2019-0242163) and further in view of D3 (Nakamura et al. US 4,856,829).
For claim 4, D1 discloses the latch apparatus of claim 2, but does not disclose wherein the locking block is provided with a damper member that prevents noise when in contact with the saddle pawl.
D3 teaches the method of using a damper (resin) to reduce the operation nose in a vehicle lock. D3 teaches a vehicle lock with latch 1 and resin coated claw 5, so that the engagement and disengagement noise of claw 5 and latch 1 is reduced (Col. 3, L 40-49). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the licking block of D1 with a damper, such that the damper member prevents noise when locking block is in contact with the saddle pawl, as taught by D3 with a reasonable expectation of success of having noise reduction during lock operation.
Claim(s) 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (Inan et al., WO 2020 083435) in view of D2 (Cetnar et al., US Pub. App. 2019-0242163) and further in view of D4 (Hunt, US Pub. App. 2024-0018809).
For claim 5, D1 discloses the latch apparatus of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the claw includes a mounting unit to which the saddle pawl is coupled, and the mounting unit includes: a hinge portion to which the saddle pawl is rotatably coupled; and a cover bracket that prevents the saddle pawl coupled to the hinge portion from being separated.
D4 teaches a vehicle lock rotary latch 1 and latching element 3 (saddle pawl) is attached to latch 1 using a guide pin 3a, and recess 1a. The saddle pawl 3 is rotatable coupled to the latch 1. The portion within 1a and 4a define a cover bracket for the pin 3a, so that the latching element 3 is securely attached to the latch 1. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify D1 to include a mounting unit to which the saddle pawl is coupled, and the mounting unit includes: a hinge portion to which the saddle pawl is rotatably coupled; and a cover bracket that prevents the saddle pawl coupled to the hinge portion from being separated, as taught by D4 with a reasonable expectation of success of secured attachment of saddle pawl with claw.
For claim 6, the combination teaches the latch apparatus of claim 5, wherein the hinge portion includes: an extension portion extending from an edge of the claw toward the operating pawl portion; and a hinge protrusion formed at an end of the extension portion, and a hinge connection portion coupled to the hinge protrusion is formed on the saddle pawl (D4 teaches the guide pin 3a has a length defining an extension portion. D1 modified with D4 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 7, the combination teaches the latch apparatus of claim 6, wherein the hinge connection portion is formed in a C shaped cross section surrounding a circumferential surface of the hinge protrusion so that when the saddle pawl rotates, an end of the hinge connection portion contacts the extension portion to limit a rotation radius (4a of D4 has a C-shaped cross-section. D1 modified with D4 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 8, the combination teaches the latch apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mounting unit includes a restoration member that elastically supports the saddle pawl, and the restoration member is mounted on the cover bracket, with one end fixed to the cover bracket and the other end fixed to the saddle pawl (D2 teaches a pawl lever 132 is driven against a spring, para. [0090], for effective operation of the lock system. D1modified with D2 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 9, the combination teaches discloses the latch apparatus of claim 5, wherein a plurality of hinge portions are formed in a rotation radius around a rotation axis of the claw, and each of the hinge portions is provided with the saddle pawl (D4 teaches the pin 3a exhibits plurality of hinge portions during lock operation. D1 modified with D4 teaches the claimed limitations.)
For claim 10, the combination teaches the latch apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing includes: a base; and a back plate spaced apart from the base, and the operating lever and the second pawl are provided outside the back plate (D2 teaches a housing 42, 44 for the vehicle lock. D1 modified with D4 teaches the limitations the housing includes: a base; and a back plate spaced apart from the base, and the operating lever and the second pawl are provided outside the back plate.)
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and provides examples of similar inventions. There are no suggestions in the prior art of record for combining any of the references to arrive at as claimed. A few of the prior art cited but not applied includes Di Giusto (US 5,092,639); Berghahn (US 8,303,003); and Ban (US Pub. App. 2015-0306991).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN CUMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3112. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KRISTINA FULTON can be reached at 571-272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATHAN CUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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