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 .
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Election/Restrictions
Upon further consideration, Applicant's arguments with respect to the proper grouping of the election of species have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant’s election of their proposed Species A (figs. 4A-16) and subsequent election of claims 1-17 is accepted and deemed proper.
Applicant additionally argues that examination of claims 1-20 poses no serious burden on the examiner. The Office disagrees. As discussed by Applicant, Figs. 17A-B disclose a separate, mutually exclusive mechanism for movement of the front portion of the seat which does not overlap in scope with Figs. 4A-16 and requires additional search and/or consideration.
The requirement is deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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) 1-3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cordes et al. (US 2020/0130537) (“Cordes”). Cordes discloses a system, comprising: a seat pan assembly, comprising: a fixed link having a fore end and an aft end (shown in the annotated figure below: the arm and pivot joint 22 are fixed to the front portion of the seat pan assembly); an aft driver link (fig. 2: 16a) having an aft driver link fore end and an aft driver link aft end, wherein the aft driver link fore end is pivotably coupled to the aft end of the fixed link (as shown by pivot point at the upper front corner of 20a); and a fore driven link (fig. 2: 16b) having a fore driven link fore end and a fore driven link aft end, wherein the fore driven link aft end is pivotably coupled to the fore end of the fixed link (fig. 2 shows 16b pivotably coupled to the front of 22); wherein, when a downward component force acts upon the aft driver link, the aft driver link aft end is configured to rotate about the aft end of the fixed link and cause the fore driven link fore end to rotate about the fore end of the fixed link such that the fore driven link fore end is configured to move at least partially in an upward direction and forward direction (as shown by the shaded lines of 16b in fig. 2).
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As concerns claim 2, Cordes discloses an aircraft seat comprising the seat pan assembly (paragraph 0002).
As concerns claim 3, Cordes discloses wherein, when the downward component force ceases acting upon the aft driver link, the aft driver link aft end is configured to rotate about the aft end of the fixed link and cause the fore driven link fore end to rotate about the fore end of the fixed link such that the fore driven link fore end is configured to move at least partially in a downward direction and aft direction (as shown in fig. 2).
As concerns claim 5, Cordes discloses wherein the seat pan assembly further comprises: a driver train configured to transmit motion from the aft driver link to the fore driven link (fig. 2: 24, 26).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 and 6-17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art reference of Cordes fails to teach:
wherein the seat pan assembly further comprises: a second fixed link having a second fore end and a second aft end; a second aft driver link having a second aft driver link fore end and a second aft driver link aft end, wherein the second aft driver link fore end is pivotably coupled to the second aft end of the second fixed link; a second fore driven link having a second fore driven link fore end and a second fore driven link aft end, wherein the second fore driven link aft end is pivotably coupled to the second fore end of the second fixed link; an aft crossbar connected between the second aft driver link aft end and the aft driver link aft end; and a fore crossbar connected between the second fore driven link fore end and the fore driven link fore end; wherein, when the downward component force acts upon the second aft driver link, the second aft driver link aft end is configured to rotate about the second aft end of the second fixed link and cause the second fore driven link fore end to rotate about the second fore end of the second fixed link such that the second fore driven link fore end is configured to move at least partially in an upward direction and forward direction; or
wherein the driver train comprises: a driver timing pulley; a driven pulley; and a timing belt installed around the driver timing pulley and the driven pulley.
Further, there is no teaching, suggestion or motivation to modify the prior art absent hindsight.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY J BRINDLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7231. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Dunn can be reached at 5712726670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIMOTHY J BRINDLEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636