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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the outlets being behind the user interface as recited in claim 9 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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:
Claim 9 recites “wherein the outlets are hidden behind the user interface” which is not described in the specification as the outlets are described as being around the perimeter of the user interface.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by a first interpretation of Fleckenstein (EP 3941766 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Fleckenstein teaches of:
A multidirectional vent for a vehicle heating, venting, and cooling system comprising:
an airside system including a multidirectional vent assembly comprising:
a manifold (Fig. 5 100) comprising:
an inner portion (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
an outer portion (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
one or more inlets (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
one or more outlets disposed opposite the one or more inlets (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
one or more ribs coupling the inner and outer portions disposed from proximal the one or more inlets to the one or more outlets and forming one or more airflow channels therebetween (Fig. 6, 24 couples the inner and outer portions and forms air channels 20 and 22); and
a recess disposed at an outlet end configured to receive a user interface (Fig. 5, 112 receives 90; ¶ [0072], FIGS. 5 to 8 also show the integration of a plurality of air vents 10 into a carrier body 110 of a mounting carrier 100. The mounting carrier 100 can be designed in the form of a one- or multi-part plastic injection-molded component. It can have, in particular, a receptacle 112, for example for receiving one or more functional components 90. Functional components 90 that come into consideration are, in particular, a display, a display or various actuating elements for the vehicle occupants. The receptacle 112 can be configured in particular in the manner of a frame. It may provide a mounting frame for one or more functional components 90.),
wherein the multidirectional vent assembly is disposed in the vehicle cabin and integrally formed with the user interface (Fig. 5, the air vent 100 is positioned in a cabin and as 90 is attached to 100 they are formed integrally).
Regarding claim 2, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
comprising one or more outlets disposed around the perimeter of the user interface (Fig. 5, see the plurality of outlets formed at the plurality of vents 10 formed around the perimeter of 90)
Regarding claim 3, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
wherein the outlets are selected from the group consisting of: actively adjustable, passively adjustable, and stationary (Fig. 10, all of the vents 10 have outlets formed at the downstream ends of 20 and 22, dampers 232 and 234 control the airflow to each of the channels 20 and 22 by openings and closing by varying degrees therefore actively adjusting the outlets)
Regarding claim 4, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
comprising a plurality of outlets wherein the rate of air flow through each outlet is individually adjustable (Fig. 10, each of the outlets at the downstream ends of 20 and 22 have a damper 232 and 234 associated with it that adjust the rate of air flow through each)
Regarding claim 5, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
wherein the airflow volume and/or direction through the one or more outlets is adjusted by one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: vanes, blades (Fig. 10, 232 and 234 are damper blades), and slots.
Regarding claim 6, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
comprising one or more outlets wherein the direction of air flow through each outlet is characterized as unidirectional or bidirectional (Figs. 11-13, each of the outlets are unidirectional as the only supply air in one direction with varying degrees of intensity to)
Regarding claim 7, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
centrally disposed on a dashboard and/or an instrument panel (Fig. 13, 100 is centrally disposed around an instrument panel)
Regarding claim 8, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
configured to position the user interface at an offset distance from the dashboard (Figs. 5 and 14, in the center of 100 the user interface 90 is disposed, in Fig. 14 100 is shown attached to the dashboard of the vehicle, therefore 90 is offset from the dashboard via 100)
Claim(s) 1 and 3-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by a second interpretation of Fleckenstein (EP 3941766 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Fleckenstein teaches of:
A multidirectional vent for a vehicle heating, venting, and cooling system comprising:
an airside system including a multidirectional vent assembly comprising:
a manifold (Fig. 5 100) comprising:
an inner portion (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
an outer portion (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
one or more inlets (Fig. 10, inlets are located at the locations of 232 and 234 that lead to the outlets shown in the annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
one or more outlets disposed opposite the one or more inlets (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below);
one or more ribs coupling the inner and outer portions disposed from proximal the one or more inlets to the one or more outlets and forming one or more airflow channels therebetween (Fig. 6, 24 couples the inner and outer portions and forms air channels 20 and 22); and
a recess disposed at an outlet end configured to receive a user interface (Fig. 5, 112 receives 90; ¶ [0072], FIGS. 5 to 8 also show the integration of a plurality of air vents 10 into a carrier body 110 of a mounting carrier 100. The mounting carrier 100 can be designed in the form of a one- or multi-part plastic injection-molded component. It can have, in particular, a receptacle 112, for example for receiving one or more functional components 90. Functional components 90 that come into consideration are, in particular, a display, a display or various actuating elements for the vehicle occupants. The receptacle 112 can be configured in particular in the manner of a frame. It may provide a mounting frame for one or more functional components 90.),
wherein the multidirectional vent assembly is disposed in the vehicle cabin and integrally formed with the user interface (Fig. 5, the air vent 100 is positioned in a cabin and as 90 is attached to 100 they are formed integrally).
Regarding claim 3, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
wherein the outlets are selected from the group consisting of: actively adjustable, passively adjustable, and stationary (Fig. 10, all of the vents 10 have outlets formed at the downstream ends of 20 and 22, dampers 232 and 234 control the airflow to each of the channels 20 and 22 by openings and closing by varying degrees therefore actively adjusting the outlets)
Regarding claim 4, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
comprising a plurality of outlets wherein the rate of air flow through each outlet is individually adjustable (Fig. 10, each of the outlets at the downstream ends of 20 and 22 have a damper 232 and 234 associated with it that adjust the rate of air flow through each)
Regarding claim 5, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
wherein the airflow volume and/or direction through the one or more outlets is adjusted by one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: vanes, blades (Fig. 10, 232 and 234 are damper blades), and slots.
Regarding claim 6, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
comprising one or more outlets wherein the direction of air flow through each outlet is characterized as unidirectional or bidirectional (Figs. 11-13, each of the outlets are unidirectional as the only supply air in one direction with varying degrees of intensity to)
Regarding claim 7, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
centrally disposed on a dashboard and/or an instrument panel (Fig. 13, 100 is centrally disposed around an instrument panel)
Regarding claim 8, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
configured to position the user interface at an offset distance from the dashboard (Figs. 5 and 14, in the center of 100 the user interface 90 is disposed, in Fig. 14 100 is shown attached to the dashboard of the vehicle, therefore 90 is offset from the dashboard via 100)
Regarding claim 9, Fleckenstein teaches of the multidirectional vent of claim 1, and Fleckenstein further teaches of:
wherein the outlets are hidden behind the user interface (see annotated version of Fig. 6 below, the outlets are positioned behind where the user interface 90 is located)
Annotated Figures
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First interpretation of Fig. 6 of Fleckenstein
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625
949
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Second interpretation of Fig. 6 of Fleckenstein
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Lee (US 20220314745 A1), Ocal (US 20190299745 A1) and Eichhorn (US 20200207181 A1) teach of a display surrounded by a ventilation outlet
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL J GIORDANO whose telephone number is (571)272-8940. The examiner can normally be reached M-Fr 8 AM - 5 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steve McAllister can be reached at (571) 272-6785. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL JAMES GIORDANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3762
/STEVEN B MCALLISTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762