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 .
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to clearly and particularly describe the following aspect of the invention: paragraphs [0006] and [0046] describe the inner side wall of the seat frame mount as including a mounting platform and an oblique plane of the mounting platform that “is a seat frame mounting surface”. This description to clearly and exactly define the mounting platform because an oblique plane is a geometric concept used for describing the two-dimensional properties of an object’s surface. A plane extends infinitely and does not have any thickness, so it is confusing to define the plane as the seat frame mounting surface; rather the upper surface of the mounting platform, which is positioned in the oblique plane, appears to be the seat frame mounting surface.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation in line 2 should recite --. Appropriate correction is required.
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 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lawson (US 2012/0049606).
Claim 1- Lawson discloses a leisure lifting recliner comprising the structure of the claimed contractible linkage device, as follows:
a linkage assembly (500), a seat frame mount (comprising seat mounting plate 400 and seat guard 905) hinged to a top of the linkage assembly (mounting plate 400 is connected at pivot 441, figs. 4-5), and a leg assembly (200) hinged to a front end (901) of a seat frame mount (at pivots 115, 121, figs. 4-5);
an inner side wall (440) of the seat frame mount is provided with a mounting platform (405), wherein a height of the mounting platform (figs. 5, 7) is lower than an upper edge of the seat frame mount (the rear end 902 of the mounting plate 400 includes an upper edge, adjacent pivot 401, that is above the tab 405), and a seat frame mounting surface of the mounting platform is positioned in an oblique plane (fig. 7 shows the tab 405 has an oblique orientation relative to a horizontal plane); and
the leg assembly (200) comprises a footrest link assembly (¶ [0040]) and a footrest member (comprising brackets 170, 140), wherein the footrest link assembly (via ottoman links 110, 120) is hinged to the seat frame mount (fig. 5), the footrest member (170) comprises a footrest plate mounting surface (¶ [0048]) used to mount a footrest plate (provided by foot-support ottoman 45, figs. 1-3), and the footrest plate mounting surface is retracted below the seat frame mount when the footrest link assembly drives the footrest member to be retracted to a limit position (figs. 1-3 show that the seat frame mount, particularly mounting plate 400, carrying the seat 15 is above the base’s 35 forward section 52, and that the footrest plate mounting surface carrying the ottoman 45 is positioned below the seat 15 and flush with the forward section 52 in its retracted position, ¶ [0069]).
Claim 2- Lawson shows the device according to claim 1, wherein the footrest link assembly comprises a footrest driving link (120), a footrest driven link (110), a first footrest link (130), and a second footrest link (150), wherein (with reference to figs. 4-5) the footrest driving link (120) and the footrest driven link (110) are hinged (121, 115) to a front end of the seat frame mount respectively, an end of the first footrest link (130) is hinged (133) to the footrest driving link (120), an opposite end of the first footrest link (130) is hinged (172) to an end of the footrest member (170), an end of the second footrest link (150) is hinged (117) to the footrest driven link (110), and an opposite end of the second footrest link (150) is hinged to a middle of the footrest member (fig. 11).
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.
Claim(s) 11, 14-15 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lawson (US 2012/0049606) in view of Carrera (US 2018/0035803).
Claim 11- Lawson discloses a leisure lifting recliner comprising the structure of the claimed support, as follows:
a linkage assembly (500), a seat frame mount (comprising seat mounting plate 400 and seat guard 905), a leg assembly (200), and a backrest member (25), wherein the seat frame mount is hinged to a top of the linkage assembly (mounting plate 400 is connected at pivot 441, figs. 4-5), and the leg assembly (200) hinged to a front end (901) of a seat frame mount (at pivots 115, 121, figs. 4-5), and the backrest member is hinged to an end (902) of the seat frame mount distal to the leg assembly;
an inner side wall (440) of the seat frame mount is provided with a mounting platform (405), wherein a height of the mounting platform (figs. 5, 7) is lower than an upper edge of the seat frame mount (the rear end 902 of the mounting plate 400 includes an upper edge, adjacent pivot 401, that is above the tab 405), and a seat frame mounting surface of the mounting platform is positioned in an oblique plane (fig. 7 shows the tab 405 has an oblique orientation relative to a horizontal plane); and
the leg assembly (200) comprises a footrest link assembly (¶ [0040]) and a footrest member (comprising brackets 170, 140), wherein the footrest link assembly (via ottoman links 110, 120) is hinged to the seat frame mount (fig. 5), the footrest member (170) comprises a footrest plate mounting surface (¶ [0048]) used to mount a footrest plate (provided by foot-support ottoman 45, figs. 1-3), and the footrest plate mounting surface is retracted below the seat frame mount when the footrest link assembly drives the footrest member to be retracted to a limit position (figs. 1-3 show that the seat frame mount, particularly mounting plate 400, carrying the seat 15 is above the base’s 35 forward section 52, and that the footrest plate mounting surface carrying the ottoman 45 is positioned below the seat 15 and flush with the forward section 52 in its retracted position, ¶ [0069]).
The difference between Lawson and the instant claim is Lawson does not teach that the value of a vertical distance H1 between a highest point where the seat frame mount is positioned on the seat frame mounting surface and a lowest point of the leg assembly is not greater than 170 mm when the support is retracted to a limit position.
Carrera shows a linkage assembly in the field of seat supports comprising a seat frame mount (6), a linkage assembly (fig. 5) that is hinged to the seat frame mount, and a leg assembly (12) hinged to the seat frame mount and the linkage assembly. Carrera teaches that it is desirable to configure the combined assemblies into a compact structure, wherein the height (h2) ranges between 150 mm and 200 mm (¶ [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the seat support of Lawson to have a vertical distance no greater than 170 mm, as taught by Carrera, in order to yield the predictable result of providing a compact form that is unobtrusive.
Claim 14- Lawson and Carrera teach the support according to claim 11, wherein the mounting platform (405) taught by Lawson is a bent part formed by inwardly bending a lower edge of the seat frame mount (fig. 8).
Claim 15- Lawson discloses a leisure lifting recliner comprising the structure of the claimed sofa, as follows:
a seat support leg (26), an armrest frame (55) and a sofa support (¶ [0031], [0035]);
two sets of sofa support disposed oppositely, the sofa support is connected to the armrest frame, the seat support leg is provided below the armrest frame (figs. 1-3);
the sofa support comprises a linkage assembly (500), a seat frame mount (comprising seat mounting plate 400 and seat guard 905), a leg assembly (200), and a backrest member (25), wherein the seat frame mount is hinged to a top of the linkage assembly (mounting plate 400 is connected at pivot 441, figs. 4-5), the leg assembly (200) is hinged to a front end (901) of a seat frame mount (at pivots 115, 121, figs. 4-5), and the backrest member is hinged to an end (902) of the seat frame mount distal to the leg assembly;
an inner side wall (440) of the seat frame mount is provided with a mounting platform (405), wherein a height of the mounting platform (figs. 5, 7) is lower than an upper edge of the seat frame mount (the rear end 902 of the mounting plate 400 includes an upper edge, adjacent pivot 401, that is above the tab 405), and a seat frame mounting surface of the mounting platform is positioned in an oblique plane (fig. 7 shows the tab 405 has an oblique orientation relative to a horizontal plane); and
the leg assembly (200) comprises a footrest link assembly (¶ [0040]) and a footrest member (comprising brackets 170, 140), wherein the footrest link assembly (via ottoman links 110, 120) is hinged to the seat frame mount (fig. 5), the footrest member (170) comprises a footrest plate mounting surface (¶ [0048]) used to mount a footrest plate (provided by foot-support ottoman 45, figs. 1-3), and the footrest plate mounting surface is retracted below the seat frame mount when the footrest link assembly drives the footrest member to be retracted to a limit position (figs. 1-3 show that the seat frame mount, particularly mounting plate 400, carrying the seat 15 is above the base’s 35 forward section 52, and that the footrest plate mounting surface carrying the ottoman 45 is positioned below the seat 15 and flush with the forward section 52 in its retracted position, ¶ [0069]).
The difference between Lawson and the instant claim is Lawson does not teach that the value of a height of the seat support leg is 120-150 mm, and that a vertical distance H1 between a highest point where the seat frame mount is positioned on the seat frame mounting surface and a lowest point of the leg assembly is not greater than 170 mm when the support is retracted to a limit position.
Carrera shows a linkage assembly in the field of seat supports comprising a seat support leg (not designated), an armrest frame (5), a seat frame mount (6), a linkage assembly (fig. 5) that is hinged to the seat frame mount, and a leg assembly (12) hinged to the seat frame mount and the linkage assembly. Carrera teaches that it is desirable to configure the combined assemblies into a compact structure, wherein the height (h2) ranges between 150 mm and 200 mm (¶ [0058]). Figure 1 suggests that the height of the seat support leg is similar to the height (h2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the seat support of Lawson to have a seat support leg height and a vertical distance no greater than 170 mm, as taught by Carrera, in order to yield the predictable result of providing a compact form that is unobtrusive.
Claim 18- Lawson and Carrera teach the support according to claim 11, wherein the mounting platform (405) taught by Lawson is a bent part formed by inwardly bending a lower edge of the seat frame mount (fig. 8).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 12-13, 16-17 and 19-20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TANIA ABRAHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-2635. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am - 5:30 pm.
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 571-272-6670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. 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.
/T.A./Examiner, Art Unit 3636
/DAVID R DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3636