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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Tada et al. (US 2025/0154973).
Regarding claim 1, Tada et al. (hereafter “D1”) discloses a fastened member (lens holder 4) configured to be fixed to a vehicle body-side member (1 – [0032, 0036]) by a screw member (S), the fastened member comprising: a base (figure 3 shows cross-section of base of 4) including a reference surface (at surface of 11a) configured to receive a bearing surface of the screw member ([0038-0039]); an insertion hole (screw hole 12) provided in the base and configured to allow the screw member to be inserted into the insertion hole ([0037]); and a protruding portion (at projection portions 23) protruding from the reference surface, wherein: the protruding portion includes a tilted surface tilted so as to become higher along a rotation direction in which the screw member is tightened (figure 3); and when the screw member is tightened, the protruding portion (23) and the base are sandwiched between the vehicle body-side member and the bearing surface and are plastically and elastically deformed ([0015]).
Regarding claim 2, D1 discloses wherein a plurality of the protruding portions (23) is provided spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction (figure 2).
Regarding claim 3, D1 discloses wherein the protruding portion (23) is provided so as to protrude radially outward beyond the bearing surface (figure 2).
Regarding claim 4, D1 discloses wherein the base (at 4) includes a recessed portion (seen in figure 2) recessed from the reference surface and adjacent to the protruding portion.
Regarding claim 5, D1 discloses further comprising: a case (4) configured to support an electronic component (lighting component – [0003]); and an extending portion extending from the case and connected to the base, wherein the base, the case, and the extending portion are provided as a single-piece member made of a resin material (figure 1 shows portion of 4 extending out to lens 3; resin material disclosed – [0035]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See notice of references cited form PTO-892. References not applied but cited are relevant as disclosing or suggesting at least one feature in the claims or disclosure of the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK D HAWN whose telephone number is (571)270-5320. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-6.
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/PATRICK D HAWN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
