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
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.
(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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US-20160288564-A1 to Ishikawa et al. (“Ishikawa”).
Regarding Claim 1, Ishikawa discloses a vehicle wheel structure (10) comprising: a wheel (11, Para 81) that supports a tire (Abstract) and is assembled to a vehicle (Para 83); and a wheel cover (10 “cap”) attached to the wheel, the wheel cover including a main body (28 “cap body”), a pair of engaging portions (i.e. first engaging portions: 32, 34; and 30 second engaging portion, para 84) that is provided on the main body in a radial direction of the wheel and engaged with an engaged portion (two 22, 24 “holes” that engaging portions 32, 34 engage with; and 20 “step” of wheel, that engaging portion 30 engages with: Para 84; and 41 “second inclined surface” hub portion of 12 “disc”, and 41 Para 85-87, Fig 3) of the wheel, the engaging portions including a first engaging portion (32, 33, Para 84, 86-90, Fig 1, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7) and a second engaging portion 30, “the engaging portion”, Para 84-89, Fig 1, 3, 4a, 4b), and a restricting portion (64 legs of 60 “leaf spring” with flanges 66, all directed radially, and part of [i.e. integral to] 32 and 34, Para 88-91, Fig 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7) provided in the radial direction to restrict a displacement of (via urging of leaf spring upon inner surfaces of 22, 24 “holes” thus restricting radially outward movement, Para 91) the first engaging portion (32, 34, wherein the wheel cover attached to the wheel is detached from the wheel by displacing the second engaging portion configured not to be restricted in displacement by the restricting portion.
Regarding Claim 2, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein the second engaging portion includes an engaging lug (48 inclined “flat portion” of 31 leaf spring”, Para 84-89 , Fig 3-4a, 4b) engaged with the engaged portion (41 “second inclined surface” of 20 hub portion of 12 “disc”, Para 85-87, Fig 3), and a pinching portion (46 “hook and 50” curved portion” of 31 “leaf spring”, Para 86-87, Fig 3) configured to be operable to displace the engaging lug.
Regarding Claim 3, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein: the first engaging portion (32, 34) is disposed on a wheel rim side (“on outer circumferential side”, Para 84, Fig 1) of the wheel cover in the radial direction; and the second engaging portion (30) is disposed on a wheel center side (“at top portion of fan shape”, Para 84, Fig 1) of the wheel cover in the radial direction.
Regarding Claim 4, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion (32, 34) is engaged with the engaged portion (22, 24 “holes” located outward circumferentially and at radially outer ends of spokes 16, Fig 2a) that is provided in the wheel and has a through-hole (22, 24 as described in paragraph 4 of this document).
Regarding Claim 5, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is integrally coupled to the first engaging portion (as described in paragraph 4 of this document)..
Regarding Claim 6, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion is configured to abut against the wheel to restrict an outward movement of the wheel cover in the radial direction relative to the wheel (as described in paragraph 4 of this document)..
Regarding Claim 7, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein the wheel cover is formed of a resin material (Para 84, lines 1-2).
Regarding Claim 8, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 1, wherein the wheel cover attached to the wheel covers at least a part of a surface of the wheel (Abstract, Para 3, Claim 1) , the surface facing outward (Para 94, Figs 2a, 8) of the vehicle.
Regarding Claim 9, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 8, wherein the wheel cover includes a plurality of main body constituting members (five of 10 “caps”, Para 94, Fig 8), each of the main body constituting members corresponding to the main body, and a coupling portion (an intermittent ring formed by each contact element, 36 “ribs, of the five 10 “caps”, under force, contacting 90 “the inwardly facing surface of the wheel”, Para 92, 95, 97, Fig 1, 2b, 7) that couples the main body constituting members in a circumferential direction of a disk (12) constituting the wheel, with the wheel cover attached to the wheel.
Regarding Claim 10, Ishikawa discloses the vehicle wheel structure according to claim 9, wherein the coupling portion couples a plurality of the main body constituting members at a central portion of the disk, with the wheel cover attached to the wheel (as shown Fig 8, Para 92, 95, 97), .
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: The references on the PTO-892 disclose a wheel that supports a tire for a vehicle , the wheel at least partially covered by a resin cover formed by a plurality of cover portions having radially outer and central engaging portions that attach to engaged portions of the wheel, the cover including a plurality of engaging portions engaging the engaged portions of the wheel, the engaging or engaged portions including restricting portions, springs, a pinching portion, holes.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joe Morano can be reached at 571-272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EVA L COMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 3615
/S. Joseph Morano/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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