DETAILED ACTION
This action is a first action on the merits. The claims filed on April 4, 2025 have been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending and addressed below.
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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
This application is a CON of PCT No. US2023/034408 field on October 3, 2023, which claims benefit of US Provisional Application No. US 63/413,800 and 63/460,371 filed on April 19, 2023 and October 6, 2022, respectively.
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 (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 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(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Springer et al., WO 2017/053313 (hereinafter Springer).
Claim 1: Springer discloses a component for a vehicle interior (trim component for vehicle interior, abstract, as shown in Fig 8A-10E) comprising:
a composite structure comprising a substrate (base layer 30, Fig 8A) and a cover (bi-laminate cover layer 20b, Fig 8A);
wherein the substrate comprises a fiber panel formed into a compressed fiber pane (base layer 30 is shown as a fiber panel 30, par [0031]-[0032], the base may be compressed fiber panel , par [0007]);
wherein the cover (20b) comprises a cover layer (skin layer 22, Fig 8A) on the substrate (30) (Fig 8A);
wherein the cover layer (22) comprises an outer surface (outer surface of skin layer 22 opposite the inner surface, towards mold bottom MB in Fig 8A) comprising an exterior surface for the composite structure (30) (outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an exterior surface for the trim component, as shown in Fig 8F);
wherein the cover layer (22) comprises a feature at the outer surface of the cover layer configured to provide a decorative effect (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising a feature shown as a left side recess/indentation and a right side groove, the left side recess/indentation and the right side groove positioned on each side of a middle projection as shown in Fig 9, the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an additional feature at stitch 50 formed through the entire trim component outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an additional feature at stich 50 formed through the entire trim component, as shown in Fig 10A-10E) ;
wherein the feature of the cover layer comprises a stitch pattern (stich 50) provided at the outer surface of the cover layer (22) (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an additional feature at stitch 50 formed through the entire trim component outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an additional feature at stich 50 formed through the entire trim component, as shown in Fig 10A-10E, seams S provided on a trim panel may provide a visual appearance or effect as shown in Fig 2A-2B, par [0011]).
Claim 2: Springer discloses wherein the stitch pattern comprises a top stitch at the outer surface (outer surface of 22) coupled with a bottom stitch at the substrate (30) (a stitch 50 can be sewn into the trim component and stich 50 is sewn through the outer surface of skin layer 22 and the base layer 30, as shown in Fig 10A-10E, par [0037]).
Claim 3: Springer discloses wherein the stitch pattern is formed into the cover layer (22) and the substrate (30) (a stitch 50 can be sewn into the trim component, as shown in Fig 10A-10E, par [0037]).
Claim 4: Springer discloses wherein the feature of the cover layer (22) comprises an indentation in the outer surface of the cover layer and/or a projection at the outer surface of the cover layer (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising a feature shown as a left side recess/indentation and a right side groove, the left side recess/indentation and the right side groove positioned on each side of a middle projection, as shown in Fig 9).
Claim 5: Springer discloses wherein the feature of the cover layer (22) comprises an indentation comprising a recess in the outer surface of the cover layer (22) (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising a feature shown as a left side recess/indentation and a right side groove, the left side recess/indentation and the right side groove positioned on each side of a middle projection, as shown in Fig 9).
Claim 6: Springer discloses wherein the feature of the cover layer (22) comprises a groove in the outer surface of the cover layer (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising a feature shown as a left side recess/indentation and a right side groove, the left side recess/indentation and the right side groove positioned on each side of a middle projection, as shown in Fig 9).
Claim 7: Springer discloses wherein the feature of the cover layer (22) comprises a rib on the outer surface of the cover layer (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an additional feature at stitch 50 formed through the entire trim component and defining a rib on the outer surface of skin layer 22, as shown in Fig 10A-10E).
Claim 8: Springer discloses wherein the feature of the cover layer is below the exterior surface of the cover layer (the recess/indentation feature and the groove feature positioned below the exterior surface of the middle projection in skin layer 22, as shown in Fig 9) and/or the feature of the cover layer is above the exterior surface of the cover layer (the middle projection feature positioned above the exterior surface of the recess/indentation and the groove formed in skin layer 22 as shown in Fig 9, par [0066]).
Claim 9: Springer discloses wherein the cover layer comprises a skin layer formed on the substrate (the laminated skin layer 20b includes both a skin layer 22 and a foam layer 42, par [0066]).
Claim 10: Springer discloses wherein the skin layer (22) comprises a molded thermoplastic material (skin layer 22 molded on base layer 30 using mold M comprised of mold top MT and mold bottom MB as shown in Fig 8A-8F, after the forming process has completed, mold top MT and mold bottom MB of mold M are separated and trim component 200 for a vehicle interior is removed from mold M, par [0035], components may include ... a cover material (e.g. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), ... etc.), par [0010]).
Claim 11: Springer discloses wherein the stitch pattern comprises a stitch through the cover layer and into the substrate (the trim component of Fig 8A-10E comprising seam S in a stitch pattern, see Fig 2A-2B, a stitch 50 can be sewn into the trim component, see Fig 10A-10E, par [0037]).
Claim 12: Springer discloses wherein the stitch pattern is within a recess at the outer surface of the cover (fake seam 1 within recess 4 in the outer surface of decorative layer 8, as shown in Fig 14).
Claim 13: Springer discloses wherein the substrate comprises a structural substrate (base layer 30 may provide a structural support and a foundation for the form of the trim component, par [0058]);
wherein the structural substrate (30) comprises the compressed fiber panel (base is prepared by providing a fiber panel, compressing the fiber panel to form a compression-formed component having a shape and injecting resin into the compression-formed component, par [0008]);
wherein the compressed fiber panel comprises a compression-formed pane (compressing the fiber panel to form a compression-formed component having a shape and injecting resin into the compression-formed component, par [0008]);
wherein the compression-formed panel comprises a rigid compressed fiber panel (the base may comprise a compressed fiber panel, par [0007]).
Claim 14: Springer discloses wherein the cover layer (22) comprises a material softer than a material of the substrate (30) (the base layer may be made of any suitable material, including any natural fiber and/or any polymer (e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, copolymers, compressed fibers, thermoplastic olefin (TPO), filled plastics, polycarbonate, ABS blends, ABS, or any of a variety of other materials), par [0014], components may include ... a cover material (e.g. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), leather, imitation leather, film, cloth, etc.), par [0010]).
Claim 15: Springer discloses wherein the decorative effect of the feature of the cover layer of the cover comprises at least one of (a) indicia; (b) an image; (c) an icon; (d) a logo; (e) a visual effect; (f) a seam; (g) a simulated seam; (h) a simulated stitch; (i) the stitch pattern adjacent a feature; (j) the stitch pattern adjacent an indentation; (k) the stitch pattern adjacent a projection (the trim component of Fig 8A-10E comprising seam S in a stitch pattern, see Fig 2A-2B showing, seams S provided on a trim panel may provide a visual appearance or effect, par [0011]).
Claim 16: Springer discloses a component for a vehicle interior (trim component for vehicle interior, abstract, as shown in Fig 8A-10E) comprising:
a composite structure comprising a substrate (base layer 30, Fig 8A) formed from a fiber panel (base layer 30 is shown as a fiber panel 30, par [0031]-[0032], the base may be compressed fiber panel , par [0007]);
a cover (bi-laminate cover layer 20b, Fig 8A) for the substrate (30) comprising a skin layer (skin layer 22, Fig 8A) on the substrate (30) (Fig 8A);
a stitch pattern (stich 50) formed into the skin layer (22) and the substrate (base layer 30, Fig 8A);
wherein the skin layer (22) comprises an inner surface (inner surface of skin layer 22 facing foam layer 42) coupled to the substrate (30) and an outer surface providing an exterior surface (outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising an exterior surface for the trim component, see Fig 8F));
wherein the skin layer (22) comprises a feature comprising an indentation in the outer surface of the skin layer (22) and/or a projection in the outer surface of the skin layer (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising a feature shown as a left side recess/indentation and a right side groove, the left side recess/indentation and the right side groove positioned on each side of a middle projection, as shown in Fig 9);
wherein the stitch pattern and the feature in the outer surface of the skin layer are configured to provide a visual effect at the exterior surface (trim component of Fig 8A-10E comprising seam S in a stitch pattern, as shown in Fig 2A-2B, according to an exemplary embodiment, seams S provided on a trim panel may provide a visual appearance or effect, par [0011]).
Claim 17: Springer discloses the stitch pattern comprises a top stitch at the cover surface (22) coupled with a bottom stitch at the substrate (30) (the trim component of Fig 8A-10E comprising seam S in a stitch pattern, see Fig 2A-2B, a stitch 50 can be sewn into the trim component, see Fig 10A-10E, par [0037]).
Claim 18: Springer discloses wherein the indentation is formed as a recess in the outer surface of the skin layer (22) (the outer surface of skin layer 22 comprising a feature shown as a left side recess/indentation and a right side groove, the left side recess/indentation and the right side groove positioned on each side of a middle projection, as shown in Fig 9).
Claim 19: Springer discloses wherein the skin layer (22) comprises a molded thermoplastic material (skin layer 22 molded on base layer 30 using mold M comprised of mold top MT and mold bottom MB as shown in Fig 8A-8F, after the forming process has completed, mold top MT and mold bottom MB of mold M are separated and trim component 200 for a vehicle interior is removed from mold M, par [0035], components may include ... a cover material (e.g. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), ... etc.), par [0010]).
Claim 20: Springer discloses wherein the skin layer (22) comprises a skin material (material of 22);
wherein the skin material (material of 22) is softer than the substrate (the base layer may be made of any suitable material, including any natural fiber and/or any polymer (e.g. polypropylene, polyethylene, copolymers, compressed fibers, thermoplastic olefin (TPO), filled plastics, polycarbonate, ABS blends, ABS, or any of a variety of other materials), par [0014], components may include ... a cover material (e.g. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), leather, imitation leather, film, cloth, etc.), par [0010]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The disclosure of Fuehringer et al., WO 2016/023966 (hereinafter Fuehringer) which disclosed a method of forming a decorative stich is relevant to the claims but was not relied upon in the current rejection.
Claims 1-20 are rejected. No claims are allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAROLINE N BUTCHER whose telephone number is (571)272-1623. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara E Schimpf can be reached at (571) 270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CAROLINE N BUTCHER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676
