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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed 12/17/2025 are entered.
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) 19-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guo (CN 112721574 A).
Regarding claim 19, Guo teaches an air vent (FIG. 5, duct 203 (the airway within shell 2)), comprising: at least one feed channel (FIG. 5, the leftmost part of the duct 203 from which air is received) through which air is feedable; a chamber (FIG. 5, the main part of the duct 203) to which the air is fed via the feed channel; at least one air outlet (FIG. 5, the air outlets above and below air guide member 204) via which the air flows into the vehicle compartment; at least one movable partition (FIG. 5, air door 4) provided in the chamber; and, an adjustment device (FIG. 6, the assembly of the knob 13) that moves the partition into different positions so that the airflow is fed to the at least one air outlet, wherein the partition has an axis of rotation of the partition that moves on a circular path (FIG. 5, the air door 4 rotates about a circular track).
Regarding claim 21, Guo teaches that a cross-section of the airflow is closable by the partition (FIG. 5, the air door 4, when rotated to certain positions (depending on the position of closing air door 3) can shut off certain air flow paths and even the entire air flow).
Regarding claim 22, Guo teaches at least one faceplate (FIG. 3, either of the outer walls of air outlet shells 201 or 202) arranged on the at least one air outlet.
Regarding claim 23, Guo teaches that the partition has a wing-shape (FIG. 5, the air door 4 has the shape of a pair of rotating wings).
Regarding claim 24, Guo teaches that the at least one air outlet is formed by the faceplate and a wall that defines the chamber (FIG. 5, the outlet is made up of the top and side walls of the air outlet shells 201 and 202).
Regarding claim 25, Guo teaches that the adjustment device includes a drive (FIG. 6, the assembly of knob 13 is a drive to actuate the inner assembly).
Regarding claim 26, Guo teaches that the adjustment device includes a transmission (FIG. 6, the assembly of knob 13, which includes transmission gear 12).
Regarding claim 27, Guo teaches that the transmission is a ring gear transmission (FIG. 16, the assembly includes ring gear plate 1103).
Regarding claim 28, Guo teaches that the at least one air outlet includes a first air outlet and a second air outlet, the chamber being divideable by the partition so that the first air outlet is blocked and the airflow is supplied to the second air outlet (FIG. 5, the air door 4 may block flow such that air only enters the top or bottom air outlets).
Regarding claim 29, Guo teaches that the at least one air outlet is shaped so that the airflow is conducted in a particular direction (FIG. 5, the outlets direct the air in particular directions).
Regarding claim 30, Guo teaches that the faceplate and the wall defining the chamber at least in part form a shape of the at least one air outlet (FIG. 5, the shape of the outlets is at least partially determined by the shell 2).
Regarding claim 31, Guo teaches that the at least one air outlet includes a first air outlet with an outflow direction and a second air outlet with an outflow direction, the outflow directions being oriented so that meeting airflows of the first air outlet and of the second air outlet overlap one another to form a third direction (FIG. 5, air flow may exit through the top or bottom exits in their corresponding directions, and, if the air exits through both exits, the airflows would redirect each other in a third direction).
Regarding claim 32, Guo teaches that the partition is symmetrical with respect to each of two center point axes that are at right-angles to one another (FIG. 5, the air guide piece 204 is symmetrical about a horizontal plane and about a plane parallel to the sheet).
Regarding claim 33, Guo teaches at least one guide wall (FIG. 6, the sidewalls of the air door 4) that laterally deflects the airflow.
Regarding claim 34, Guo teaches that the guide wall is mounted on the partition (FIG. 6, the sidewalls of the air door 4 are connected to the other portions of the air door 4).
Regarding claim 35, Guo teaches a console (FIG. 1, the console of which decorative plate is a part); trim (FIG. 1, the trim of the decorative plate 1); and at least one air vent according to claim 19 provided in at least one region of the trim and/or the console (FIG. 1, the adjacent pairs of air outlets 101 is adjacent to the decorative plate 1).
Regarding claim 36, Guo teaches that at least two air vents are arranged so that the air outlets are flush with one another (FIG. 1, the adjacent pairs of air outlets 101 are next to one another and flush).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/17/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. On page 7 of the remarks, the Applicant argues that Guo does not teach a pivot axis that rotates in a circular path. The Examiner respectfully notes that, using broadest reasonable interpretation, claim 19 may be read to recite a pivot axis that spins in a circular (i.e., radial) direction, as taught by Guo.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM C. WEINERT whose telephone number is (571)272-6988. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00 ET.
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/WILLIAM C WEINERT/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/Allen R. B. Schult/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762