May 29, 2026
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 .
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.
Claims 1-2, 5, 8, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Norman et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,913,540 B2).
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As for claim 1, Norman et al. teach a chair seat comprising:
a frame 30 having a groove 38 one on an outer side wall of the frame, the groove 38 substantially extending around the frame;
a cover 58 having a drawstring 70 incorporated in a hem 68 which substantially extends around the cover, the hem and drawstring being disposed in the groove;
the drawstring being tensionable to gather the cover around the frame; and
at least one separate edging strip 80 subsequently insertable into the groove while the drawstring remains tensioned, the edging strip 80 having outer surfaces that form an interference fit with inner surfaces of the groove, thereby constraining the hem and drawstring of the cover and holding the cover taut (see the specification at column 5, lines 21-40 where it reads “As best illustrated in FIG. 8A, the free ends 72 of the drawstring 70 are secured to the seat shell 30 by a fastener or clip member 80 (FIG. 9A). In the illustrated example, the clip member 80 is a spring clip having U-shaped spring body 82 having engagement teeth 84 spaced along the length thereof, and a pair of flanges 86 extending outwardly from the sides of the U-shaped spring body 82. In assembly, the clip 80 (FIGS. 8B and 8C) is vertically aligned with a respective free end 72 of the drawstring 70, and is then inserted into a portion of the channel 38 of the seat shell 30, thereby holding the free end 72 of the drawstring 70 within the channel 38. Alternatively, the clip member 80 (FIG. 8A) can engage a separate aperture 88 within the seat shell member 30, thereby securing at least a portion of the free end 72 of the drawstring 70 within the aperture 88.”).
As for claim 2, Norman et al. teach that the at least one edging strip 80 has barbs 84.
As for claims 5 and 16, Norman et al. teach that said at least one edging strip comprises a plurality of edging strips that constrain the hem and drawstring of the cover to secure the cover and hold the cover taut (see the specification at column 5, lines 35-38 where it reads “Alternatively, multiple clip members 80 (FIG. 8B) may be used to secure one of the free ends 72 of the drawstring 70 within the channel 38. As best illustrated in FIG. 8C, another alternative embodiment includes the securement of two free ends 72 of a drawstring 70 by a single clip 80.”).
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As for claim 8, Norman et al. teach that the frame 30 includes surface features 46 which resist an inward movement of the cover 58 over the frame.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Norman et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,913,540 B2) in view of Hanley (U.S. Patent No. 5,806,925).
Norman et al. teach the structure substantially as claimed but is silent as to whether or not a cleat is provided to hold the drawstring under tension.
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However, Hanley teaches a seat cover that is secured to a seat by a drawstring 22 in which a cleat 30 is provided to hold drawstring under tension and also allow the drawstring to be secured in the cleat and the back cap 65 can cover the cleat. It would have been obvious and well within the level of ordinary skill in the art to modify the cover of the chair seat, as taught by Norman et al., to include a cleat 30 on the drawstring to hold the drawstring under tension, as taught by Hanley, since drawstring cleats, toggles, fasteners, etc. are well known and it would prevent the drawstring of the seat cover from losing tension, thus preventing the seat cover from detaching from the seat.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Norman et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,913,540 B2) in view of Hanley (U.S. Patent No. 5,806,925), as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Plant et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11,291,310 B2).
Norman et al. in view of Hanley teaches the structure substantially as claimed but does not teach a back cap is provided to cover the cleat.
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However, Plant et al. teach a chair seat that includes a back cap 65. It would have been obvious and well within the level of ordinary skill in the art to modify the chair seat, as taught by Norman et al. in view of Hanley., to include a back cap, as taught by Plant et al., since the back cap would be an additional feature to retain the cover 58 in position on the chair seat frame.
Claims 9-13 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Norman et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,913,540 B2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to perform the method of securing a cover to a chair seat, as recited, as this would be the normal and logical manner of securing a cover to a chair seat, as taught by the combination of references discussed above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 14-15 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 prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because it teaches structures and concepts similar to those of the present invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rodney B. White whose telephone number is (571)272-6863. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM-5:00 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 R. 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.
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/Rodney B White/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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