ELEVATOR SEATING SYSTEM

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 Objections Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “further wherein …..member:” should be re-written as “wherein…..member further comprising;” Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claims 1-3, 6-9, 12-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIN CN113184646A in a view of Tang CN201729553U. Regarding claim 1, LIN discloses An elevator system (fig. 1, item 2), comprising: at least one elevator car (item 3) including a floor (item 7) and a plurality of walls (walls are inherent part of an elevator system); at least one seat assembly (a plurality of seats) supported on at least one of the plurality of walls or on the floor (inherently seats are on the floor); a detector (weight signal) configured to detect when a passenger is on the at least one seat assembly ; a passenger retention member (safety belt) that is configured to resist movement of a passenger relative to the at least one seat assembly; an indicator (confirming buckle safety belt) configured to provide an indication regarding a condition of the passenger retention member when the detector detects the passenger on the at least one seat assembly. PNG media_image1.png 100 903 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 93 910 media_image2.png Greyscale PNG media_image3.png 142 899 media_image3.png Greyscale PNG media_image4.png 174 904 media_image4.png Greyscale LIN does not disclose but TANG discloses and at least one isolation member (fig, 1, item 7) associated with the at least one seat assembly to isolate the passenger from vibrations or load transfers during elevator travel [0002, 0011]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an isolation member as taught by Tang in LIN’s teachings to avoid generation of resonance. Regarding claim 2, LIN discloses , further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to selectively allow the at least one elevator car to move when the detector detects a passenger on the at least one seat assembly. PNG media_image4.png 174 904 media_image4.png Greyscale Regarding claim 3, LIN discloses , wherein the controller is further configured to prevent the elevator car from moving when the detector detects the passenger on the at least one seat assembly and the indication corresponds to the passenger retention member being in a disengaged condition; and allow the elevator car to move when the detector detects a passenger on the at least one seat assembly and the indication corresponds to the passenger retention member being in an engaged condition for resisting movement of the passenger relative to the at least one seat assembly. PNG media_image5.png 266 975 media_image5.png Greyscale Regarding claim 6, LIN discloses , wherein the passenger retention member comprises a strap, a seat belt, or a harness. PNG media_image5.png 266 975 media_image5.png Greyscale Regarding claim 7, LIN discloses , wherein the detector and indicator are part of a sensing system configured to detect passenger presence, passenger weight, and a retention member setting of whether the passenger retention member is engaged or disengaged, and the sensing system includes a controller that is configured to selectively control movement of the at least one elevator car, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one of the following: prevent elevator car movement or initiate elevator car stopping if the passenger retention member is not engaged or is disengaged during movement of the at least one elevator car, initiate a controlled stop with a lower deceleration rate if the passenger retention member is disengaged during movement of the at least one elevator car, and estimate a load in-car to control motor operation and/or dispatching decisions. PNG media_image6.png 143 907 media_image6.png Greyscale PNG media_image5.png 266 975 media_image5.png Greyscale Regarding claim 8, LIN discloses a plurality of hoistways, and wherein the elevator car is configured to move vertically within at least two hoistways of the plurality of hoistways; and the elevator car is configured to move horizontally between the at least two hoistways of the plurality of hoistways. PNG media_image7.png 115 910 media_image7.png Greyscale PNG media_image8.png 88 906 media_image8.png Greyscale Regarding claim 9, Tang discloses Wherein the at least one isolation member: a first isolation member (item 7) associated with an upper end of the at least one seat assembly; and a second isolation member (item 7) associated with a lower end of the at least one seat assembly (fig. 1 shows two isolation members) [0011]. Regarding claim 12, TANG discloses , wherein the first isolation member and the second isolation member comprise a vertical vibration absorption system (Fig. 1 shows a vertical vibration absorption system) [0011]. Regarding claim 13, LIN discloses :a plurality of hoistways, and wherein: the elevator car is configured to move vertically within at least two hoistways of the plurality of hoistways and to move horizontally between the at least two hoistways of the plurality of hoistways; or the elevator car is configured to move vertically within one hoistway of the plurality of hoistways, and the elevator system further comprises a shuttle car (there are multiple cars) having at least one car receiver configured to receive the elevator car exiting the one hoistway such that the shuttle car can move the elevator car along a horizontal path. PNG media_image9.png 146 904 media_image9.png Greyscale PNG media_image10.png 231 975 media_image10.png Greyscale PNG media_image11.png 167 975 media_image11.png Greyscale Regarding claim 14, LIN discloses , wherein the elevator car is self-propelled. PNG media_image12.png 66 903 media_image12.png Greyscale Regarding claim 15, a combination of LIN and Tang discloses A method of controlling at least one elevator car including a floor and a plurality of walls, the at least one elevator car having at least one seat assembly supported on at least one of the plurality of walls or on the floor, and each seat assembly including a passenger retention member that is configured to resist movement of a passenger relative to the at least one seat assembly, the method including: detecting when a passenger is on the at least one seat assembly; and providing an indication regarding a condition of the passenger retention member when a passenger is detected on the at least one seat assembly; and isolating the passenger from vibrations or load transfers during elevator travel with at least one isolation member associated with the at least one seat assembly. (see claim 1 rejection for detail). Regarding claim 16, LIN discloses selectively allowing the at least one elevator car to move based on the indication satisfying at least one criterion when a passenger is detected on the at least one seat assembly (see claim 2 rejection for detail). Regarding claim 17, LIN discloses , wherein a detector and an indicator are part of a sensing system that detects passenger presence, passenger weight, and a retention member setting of whether the passenger retention member is engaged or disengaged, and the method further includes: preventing the elevator car from moving when a passenger is detected on the at least one seat assembly and the indication corresponds to the passenger retention member being in a disengaged condition; allowing the elevator car to move when a passenger is detected on the at least one seat assembly and the indication corresponds to the passenger retention member being in an engaged condition for resisting movement of the passenger relative to the at least one seat assembly; preventing elevator car movement or initiating elevator car stopping if the indication corresponds to the passenger retention member being disengaged prior to movement of the elevator car, or corresponds to the passenger retention member being disengaged during movement of the elevator car; initiating a controlled stop with a lower deceleration rate if the indication corresponds to the passenger retention member being disengaged during movement of the elevator car; and/or estimating a load in-car to control motor operation and/or dispatching decisions (see claim 7 rejection for detail). Regarding claim 20, LIN discloses mounting the at least one seat assembly in a floating relationship on at least one of the plurality of walls and/or the floor. PNG media_image13.png 67 912 media_image13.png Greyscale Claims 4 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIN in a view of Tang and further in a view of Okada et al. US 6,239,695 B1. Regarding claim 4, a combination of LIN And Tang does not disclose but Okada et al. disclose including selectively allowing the at least one elevator car to move based on the indication satisfying at least one criterion when a passenger is detected on the at least one seat assembly, and further comprising: a safety chain, and wherein: the indicator includes a switch associated with the safety chain; the indication corresponds to an open or closed position of the switch; the switch is closed when the passenger retention member is engaged to resist movement of the passenger relative to the at least one seat assembly; and the at least one criterion comprises the switch being closed (column 2, lines 53-67, column 3, lines 21-37). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a safety chain along with a switch as disclosed by Okada in LIN’s teachings to detect whether the seat belt is fastened or unfastened (Okada’s column 1, lines 10-15) Regarding claim 18, LIN does not disclose but Okada et al. disclose, wherein providing the indication regarding the condition of the passenger retention member further comprises: associating a switch with a safety chain, wherein the indication corresponds to an open or closed position of the switch, and the at least one criterion comprises the switch being closed; and closing the switch when the passenger retention member is engaged to resist movement of the passenger relative to the at least one seat assembly (column 2, lines 53-67, column 3, lines 21-37). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a safety chain along with a switch as disclosed by Okada in LIN’s teachings to detect whether the seat belt is fastened or unfastened (Okada’s column 1, lines 10-15) Allowable Subject Matter Claims 5, 10, 11 and 19 are allowable for the reasons mentioned in the previous office action. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 BICKEY DHAKAL whose telephone number is (571)272-3577. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-4:30 PM. 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Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BICKEY DHAKAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837