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
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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ayette et al. (US Patent Application Publication Number 2008/0168603).
Regarding claim 10, Ayette discloses a lap belt length adjusting device for a child safety seat, wherein a lap belt of the child safety seat comprises a fixing end and a free end, the fixing end is fixed at a position relative to the child safety seat, and the free end is pulled by a user (belt 49 is viewed as a lap belt at least inasmuch as that of the invention and has an end at 48 capable of a fixed position relative to a child seat and a free end for pulling; see at least Figure 7 for instance), the lap belt length adjusting device comprises: an adjustable locking structure (73) fixed to the seat part and through which the free end passes, wherein after the free end passes through the adjustable locking structure, a length of a use section of the lap belt extending between the fixing end and the adjustable locking structure can be increased or decreased (i.e. a use section of 49 above 71 for instance); and the adjustable locking structure is engageable with the lap bel to lock the lap belt passing through the adjustable locking structure and is moveable out of engagement with the lap belt (at least inasmuch as the invention), to allow an increase or decrease in the length of the use section of the lap belt extending between the fixing end and the adjustable locking structure (this is the general manner of operation).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 and 11-14 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 17 April 2026 related to the rejection of claim 10 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Specifically, Applicant argues that Ayette does not disclose a fixing end as claimed. While it is acknowledged that the relevant end of Ayette’s belt may be adjustable, it would nevertheless be fixed relative to the seat at least in use, and it thus viewed as meeting the limitations as currently set forth as explained above.
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 PHILIP F GABLER whose telephone number is (571)272-2155. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00 - 4:30.
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/PHILIP F GABLER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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