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 1-13 are pending.
Claims 1-13 have been examined.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 5-6, 8-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nagasawa (US 10654384).
As concerns claim 1, Nagasawa discloses a vehicle seat covering assembly comprising: a first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) and a second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52), defining between them a gap (Nagasawa, as seen in fig. 5, the strip extends on either side of the gap between 21 and 52), and a zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 50), comprising a first closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53), secured to the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21), and a second closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 51), secured to the second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52), the first (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53) and second closure strips (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 51) being secured to each other, the assembly further comprising a facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20), disposed between the first closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53) and the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21), the facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) extending between the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) and the second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52) to conceal the gap (Nagasawa, as seen in fig. 5, the strip extends on either side of the gap between 21 and 52).
As concerns claim 2, Nagasawa discloses wherein the second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52) is made of a material more rigid than the material of the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21).
As concerns claim 5, Nagasawa discloses wherein the facing element is formed by a flexible strip (Nagasawa, as seen in fig. 5, 20 is a strip which is inherently flexible), longitudinal edges of the flexible strip extending on either side of the gap (Nagasawa, as seen in fig. 5, the strip extends on either side of the gap between 21 and 52).
As concerns claim 6, Nagasawa discloses wherein the facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) comprises two portions opposite each other, each of said portions opposite each other extending between the first (Zhang, fig. 3: 30) and the second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52).
As concerns claim 8, Nagasawa discloses wherein the facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) is made of the same material as the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21).
As concerns claim 9, Nagasawa discloses comprising the seat covering assembly (Nagasawa, fig. 1: 3) according to claim 1.
As concerns claim 10, Nagasawa discloses a manufacturing method for a covering assembly, comprising the following steps: providing a first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) and a second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52) separated from each other; placing a facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) on the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21); securing a first closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53) of a zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 50) to the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) and a second closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 51) of the zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 4: 30) to the second covering member (Zhang, fig. 3: 30), the first closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53) being attached to the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) so that the facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) extends between the first closure strip (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53) and the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21); and closing the zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 4: 30) by securing the first (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 53) and second closure strips (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 51), the facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) concealing a gap (Nagasawa, as seen in fig. 5, the strip extends on either side of the gap between 21 and 52) extending between the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) and the second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52) following the closure of the zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 4: 30).
As concerns claim 11, Nagasawa discloses wherein the facing element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 20) placed on the first covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 21) is folded on itself.
As concerns claim 13, Nagasawa discloses wherein the zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 4: 30) is closed by moving a slider, the method comprising a step of separating the slider from the zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 4: 30) following the closure of said zipper (Nagasawa, fig. 4: 30), in order to obtain the covering assembly.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagasawa (US 10654384) in view of Yun (US 20150105502).
As concerns claim 3, Nagasawa is discussed above. However, Nagasawa does not explicitly teach the second covering element (Nagasawa, fig. 5: 52) comprises a polyurethane shell. However, Yun teaches the use of a polyurethane shell in a similar seat; see paragraph 0004.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date to the invention, modify the teachings of Nagasawa to include a polyurethane shell as taught by Yun in order for the material to be durable.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 7 and 12 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 Nagasawa (US 10654384) and Yun (US 20150105502) fails to teach:
Wherein: the first covering element comprises a first edge and a first covering panel, the first closure strip being secured to the first edge, the first edge being folded on the first covering panel; and the second covering element comprises a second edge and a second covering panel, the second closure strip being secured to the second edge, the second edge being folded on the second covering panel;
Wherein the facing element is formed by a flexible strip folded on itself to define the two portions opposite each other, longitudinal edges of the flexible strip each extending from a single side of the gap.
Further, there is no teaching, suggestion or motivation to modify the prior art absent hindsight.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see 1-2, filed 03/11/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-13 under Zhang in view of Fujikake have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Nagasawa.
Conclusion
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JESSICA K THOMPSON
Examiner
Art Unit 3636
/DAVID R DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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