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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 양용준 (KR 20170003376 U) in view of Chiang (US 2005/0278999) and Wadsworth (1,672,183).
Regarding claim 1, 양용준 discloses a passenger seat comprising: a first armrest 110 assembly; a second armrest 110 assembly, the second armrest assembly comprising: a side panel comprising an armrest portion 116 and a side portion 114, an interior compartment 114a disposed within the side panel; and an access panel 120 in a removably attached position to the side panel.
However, 양용준 fails to disclose the side panel comprising a first magnet secured on an interior side of the side panel, the access panel comprising a second magnet secured on an interior side of the access panel, the first magnet being aligned with the second magnet when the access panel is in the removably attached position.
Instead, Chiang discloses the side panel comprising a first magnet 41 secured on an interior side of the side panel, the access panel 30 comprising a second magnet 42 secured on an interior side of the access panel, the first magnet being aligned with the second magnet when the access panel is in the removably attached position.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Chiang and use magnetic attachment means between the access and side panel in the invention of 양용준 because it is simple and efficient attachment means that do not require any tools.
양용준 also fails to disclose the access panel comprises a bezel rim. Instead, Wadsworth discloses the access panel 6 comprises a bezel rim 7.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of Wadsworth and use a bezel rim with the access panel in the invention of 양용준 because it is secure, efficient and inexpensive way to protect the panel.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 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.
Claims 8-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 20, no other prior art references in the record whether taken alone or combination can disclose the first access panel further comprising a bowl shape.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SYED A ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)272-7768. The examiner can normally be reached 10am-10pm.
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/SYED A ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636