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 .
Examiner’s Comment
The drawings filed on 02/10/2026 have been approved by Examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
DE 1020004061852 A discloses wherein the first frame (left and right sides of the seat frame 100 parallel to guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1) and the second frame (front and rear cross members of the seat frame 100 perpendicular to the guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1) are physically separate and distinct.
The first frame and second frame are physically separate and distinct from what element in claim 1.
In claim 1, “wherein the first frame and the second frame are physically separate and distinct” (lines 4-5) is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis in the specification.
Examiners suggests claim language for claim 1 ends of the second frame 300 are coupled to an upper surface of the first frame 200 in paragraph [0036].
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.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
In claim 1, “wherein the first frame and the second frame are physically separate and distinct” (lines 4-5) is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DE 1020004061852 A in view of EP 1316467 B1.
Regarding claim 1, DE 1020004061852 A discloses a vehicle seat
(vehicle seat in the Disclosure) comprising a guide rail (610 as shown in Figure 1) is mounted in a floor plate of the vehicle; a first frame (left and right sides of the seat frame 100 parallel to guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1) moving along the guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1); a second frame (front and rear cross members of seat frame 100 perpendicular to the guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1) coupled to the first frame (left and right sides of the seat frame 100 parallel to guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1), a moving together with the first frame (left and right sides of the seat frame 100 parallel to guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1), wherein the first frame (left and right sides of the seat frame 100 parallel to guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1) and the second frame
(front and rear cross members of the seat frame 100 perpendicular to the guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1) are physically separate and distinct; and a seat cushion (seat cushion 400 as shown in Figure 4) including a first coupling part (folding arms 200 as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5) rotatably coupled (as shown in Figure 5) to the second frame (front and rear cross members of the seat frame 100 perpendicular to the guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1), and a second coupling part (locking loop 410 and upward locking loop 110 as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5) and detachably coupled (locking look 410 is detachably coupled from upward locking loop 110 as shown in Figure 5) to the second frame (front and rear cross members of the seat frame 100 perpendicular to the guide rail 610 as shown in Figure 1).
However, DE 1020004061852 A does not show a seat rail installed on a front floor of the vehicle (claim 1); further comprising: a seatback rotatably coupled to seat cushion, and folded toward the seat cushion (claim 2); and wherein the seat cushion toward which the seatback is folded is accommodated in a space provided by a dashboard of the vehicle (claim 3).
EP 1316467 B1 teaches a front passenger seat (73 under Comparative Example in the Specification) of a vehicle as shown in Figures 12 and 13, comprising a seat rail (slide rails 30 as shown in Figures 12 and 13) installed on a front floor of the vehicle as shown in Figure 12 (claim 1); further comprising: a seatback (73b) rotatably coupled (coupling member 74) to the seat cushion (73a) toward which the seatback (73b) is folded is accommodated in a space (concave portion 76a) provided by a dashboard (instrumental panel body 76) of the vehicle (claim 3).
Regarding claim 1, It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the guide rail mounted in a floor plate of the vehicle of DE 1020004061852 A installed on a front floor of the vehicle, as taught by EP 1316467 B1, with a reasonable expectation of success in order to provide a front passenger seat with a seat frame which serves as the core supporting structure of the seat system directly affecting the safety and comfort of passenger.
Regarding claim 2, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the seat cushion of DE 1020004061852 A, as modified in claim 1, with a seatback rotatably coupled to the seat cushion, and folded forward toward the seat cushion, as taught by EP 1316467 B1, with a reasonable expectation of success in order to provide a seatback for the passenger and the seatback to be forwardly inclined and superimposed closely on the seat cushion.
Regarding claim 3, It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the seat cushion toward which the seat back is folded of DE 1020004061852 A, as modified in claim 1, accommodated in a space provided by a dashboard of the vehicle, as taught by EP 1316467 B1, with a reasonable expectation of success in order to store the front passenger seat in the front end zone of the cabin space.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 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:
Regarding claim 4, wherein the seat cushion toward which the seatback is folded rotates in a space part provided below the dashboard in the space provided by the dashboard, and is accommodated in an upright state in the space provided by the dashboard including inside the dashboard and the space part provided below the dashboard is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claims 5-7 depends from claim 4.
Regarding claim 8, having a striker assembly on an outer side surface thereof is not taught nor fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claims 9 and 10 depends from claim 8.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Lori Lyjak whose telephone number is
571-272-6658. The Examiner can normally be reached from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.
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The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Lori Lyjak/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612B