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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: STEERING WHEEL WITH LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 9 “surface of lens unit” should be “surface of the lens unit”. Claim 2-8 are objected to due to their dependency on claim 1.
Claims 2-8 objected to because of the following informalities: the claim number at the beginning of each claim should be followed by a period. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gardner et al., US 2016/0025281 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Gardner discloses “A steering wheel comprising: a gripping portion (100, Fig. 1; 70, Fig. 5A); a substrate (92, Fig. 5A) disposed in the grip portion, wherein a light emitting element (93, Fig. 5A) is provided on the substrate; and a lens unit (80, Fig. 5A) disposed in the grip portion, wherein the lens unit comprises a light transmitting portion (center portion of 80, Fig. 5A) that has a transmissivity to a light emitted from the light emitting element and emits the light to the outside of the grip portion (seen in Fig. 5A, the light element faces upward and the opening faces outside of the grip), wherein the lens unit accommodates the substrate such that an inner surface of lens unit faces the substrate (seen in Fig. 5A), wherein the lens unit has an outer surface on a side facing a user of the steering wheel (seen in Fig. 5A), wherein the outer surface is composed of a contiguous surface which includes a part of a surface of the light transmitting portion (seen in Fig. 5A, the top surface is smooth and has no breaks, thus is contiguous).”
Regarding claim 2, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “the lens unit supports the substrate (seen in Fig. 5A, the lens unit and the substrate are attached).”
Regarding claim 3, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “the lens unit comprises a low transmissivity portion adjacent to the light transmitting portion (seen in Fig. 5A, the section of 80 surrounding the light opening channel), wherein the low transmissivity portion has a lower light transmissivity than the light transmitting portion (seen in Fig. 5A, the material on the side is thicker), wherein a surface of the light transmitting portion and a surface of the low transmissivity portion form a part of the contiguous surface, and are arranged in contact with each other in the contiguous surface (seen in Fig. 5A).”
Regarding claim 4, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “the lens unit is referred to as a first lens unit, the steering wheel further comprises a second lens unit (40, Fig. 5A) having the transmissivity to the light, the second lens unit is disposed over at least the contiguous surface of the first lens unit (seen in Fig. 5A), wherein a part covering the contiguous surface in the second lens unit has an arcuate contiguous outer shape in a cross section parallel to a direction of an axis of the steering wheel (seen in Fig. 5A).”
Regarding claim 5, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “a light guide (first layer over the light emitting channel, Fig. 5A; seen in other embodiments 50c, Fig. 4; 50, Fig. 2) for guiding the light emitted from the light emitting element to the light transmitting portion, wherein the light guide is arranged in contact with the lens unit, wherein the lens unit and the light guide are integrally formed (seen in Fig. 5A).
Regarding claim 6, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “an outer skin layer (40, Fig. 5A) covering at least the contiguous surface, wherein the outer skin layer has a transmissivity to the light and forms an outermost layer in the grip portion (seen in Fig. 5A).”
In the alternative, Gardner discloses “an outer skin layer (SKIN, Fig. 5A) covering at least the contiguous surface (from the side, Fig. 5A), wherein the outer skin layer has a transmissivity to the light (there is an opening in the middle for the light to escape, Fig. 5A) and forms an outermost layer in the grip portion (seen in Fig. 5A)
Regarding claim 7, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “a core metal (202, Fig. 5A) as a framework of the gripping portion; and an intermediate member (75, Fig. 5A) bolted to the core metal, wherein the intermediate member comprises a first engaging portion (screw hole for bolt 90 in the intermediate member 75, Fig. 5A) for engaging the lens unit, wherein the lens unit comprises a second engaging portion for engaging the first engaging portion (corresponding screw hole for bolt 90 in the lens unit 80, Fig. 5A; additionally, the lens unit and the intermediate member have complementary shapes, so they have engaging portions).
Regarding claim 8, Gardner discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “a core metal (75, 202, Fig. 5A; ¶ [0061] “metallic material”) as a framework of the gripping portion; and a shock absorbing unit (95 polymeric foam molded layer, Fig. 5A) disposed to cover at least a part of the core metal (seen in Fig. 5A), wherein the lens unit has an engaging claw (88, Fig. 5A) for engaging the shock absorbing unit (seen in Fig. 5A).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al., US 20240190339 A1 discloses a steering wheel with lighting device, however the lens unit is not contiguous
Marc et al., US 2021/0206317 A1 discloses a steering wheel with lighting device and an outer arcuate lens
Kihara et al., US 2021/0221285 A1 a steering wheel with lighting device with a first lens unit (30b, Fig. 3) and an outer lens (45, Fig. 3)
Kim et al., US 12071070 B2 discloses a steering wheel with lighting device and an outer arcuate lens and an inner lens unit (200, Fig. 5) that supports the substrate.
Kojima et al., US 20230242180 A1 a steering wheel with lighting device and an outer arcuate lens and an inner light guide
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL CHIANG whose telephone number is (571)270-3811. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 9am-6pm.
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/MICHAEL CHIANG/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/KEITH G. DELAHOUSSAYE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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