DETAILED ACTION
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 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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakakibara et al. (US 20050236859).
Regarding claim 1: Sakakibara discloses a vehicle interior part (Fig. 1; abst.; [0001]). Sakakibara discloses a box-shaped interior part main body (Fig. 1; [0024]). Sakakibara discloses a bottom plate 14, that the interior part main body has a bottom opening, a contacting portion, and an engagement member 31 having an engagement portion (Fig. 5; [0024], [0026], [0032]). Sakakibara discloses that the engagement member is movably coupled to the interior part main body and that the bottom plate is configured to fit in the bottom opening of the interior part main body (Fig. 5; [0032] – the engagement member is movable at least because it is a clip). Sakakibara discloses that the bottom plate includes a pressing member and that the pressing member is configured to act on the engagement member to move the engagement portion toward the contacting portion when the bottom plate is fitted in the bottom opening of the interior part main body (Figs. 5-7b; [0032] – the bottom plate is pressed into the interior part main body which is pressed into the floor panel engagement).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Automobiles having a center console are very well known in the art. Further, the structures and attachment means of the console such as the interior console box are also very well in the art. Representative art which appears close to the claimed invention includes Sakakibara et al. (US 20050236859), Vander Sluis et al. (US 20180186303), Philipsenburg et al. (US 20250136019), Gasmann et al. (US 11511673), Vasko et al. (US 5414047), Yamaguchi et al. (US 20140049063), Telesco et al. (US 20220185201), and Vasko et al. (US 20130234463). In general, this art, alone or in combination, discloses various recited features, including but not limited to, a vehicle interior part, a console, a vehicle interior part attaching structure (such as the vehicle floor) having a pair of openings in the vehicle structural component, that the openings are defined by a plurality of peripheral edges of the vehicle structural component, a box-shaped interior part main body, a bottom plate, that the interior part main body has a bottom opening, a contacting portion, and an engagement member having an engagement portion, that the engagement member is movably coupled to the interior part main body, that the bottom plate is configured to fit in the bottom opening of the interior part main body, that the bottom plate includes a pressing member, and that the pressing member is configured to act on the engagement member to move the engagement portion toward the contacting portion when the bottom plate is fitted in the bottom opening of the interior part main body. Thus, upon reviewing these cited publications, and their included references, it appears that the claimed subject matter might teach a generally known concept. However, this art fails to disclose or fairly suggest the specifically recited positional and operational relationships of the recited structural components. Specifically, the art does not disclose the detailed positional and attachment relationships of the box, the bottom plate, and the vehicle structural component (such as the floor) and the remaining recited apparatus structure and the overall relationship to the vehicle. It could be argued that the individual structure is generally known in the art and thus, could just be assembled to disclose the claimed invention. However, the instant invention clearly and specifically recites structural and positional relationships and combinations, which require a greater effort than just cobbling together known structures. Further, the claimed structures are sufficiently detailed to be distinguishable when configured as claimed. The examiner can find no motivation to combine or modify the references which would define a fully functioning apparatus as claimed in the instant application. Thus, it would not have been within routine skill to glean the specifically combined limitations of the instant invention, from the art, without the benefit of hindsight reasoning or extensive experimentation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TARAS P BEMKO whose telephone number is (571)270-1830. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 (EDT/EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached on 571-272-5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Taras P Bemko/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
9/1/2026
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