DETAILED ACTION
The following action is in response to application 18/534,324 filed on December 8, 2023.
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
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 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, 12-14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pinto (FR2689081A1). With regard to claim 1, Pinto teaches a system for a vehicle, comprising a heel box 10 coupled to a floor panel 1 of the vehicle, the heel box having a heel support panel 10 configured to support a foot of a driver while the driver is interacting with a pedal of the vehicle with the foot, wherein the heel box is functionally coupled to a seat adjustment system 5 configured to move a seat 3 of the vehicle in a forward direction towards the front of the vehicle and a rearward direction toward the rear of the vehicle, wherein the heel support panel moves in an upward direction away from the floor panel and thereby reduces a first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal as the seat is moved toward the front of the vehicle (Fig. 3) and the heel support panel moves in a downward direction toward the floor panel and thereby increases the first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal as the seat is moved toward a rear of the vehicle (Fig. 2). With regard to claim 12, Pinto teaches the system, wherein the heel support panel is configured to move in response to movement of the seat for only a portion of a movement capability of the seat that is less than an entirety thereof (Figs. 2 and 3). With regard to claim 13, Pinto teaches a method for a vehicle, comprising: moving a seat 3 of the vehicle in a forward direction toward a front of the vehicle; automatically moving a heel support panel 10 in an upward direction away from a floor panel 1 of the vehicle in response to the seat moving toward the front of the vehicle and thereby reducing a first dimension between the heel support panel and a pedal 2 of the vehicle (Fig. 3); supporting a heel of a foot of a driver of the vehicle with the heel support panel while the driver is interacting with the pedal of the vehicle with the foot; moving the seat in a rearward direction toward a rear of the vehicle; and automatically moving the heel support panel in a downward direction toward the floor panel in response to the seat moving toward the rear of the vehicle and thereby increasing the first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal (Fig. 2). With regard to claim 14, Pinto teaches the method, further comprising: moving an elongated member (connected to 31; Fig. 3) in response to the seat moving in the forward direction toward the front of the vehicle and thereby cause the heel support panel to move in the upward direction away from the floor panel (Fig. 3); and moving the elongated member in response to the seat moving in the rearward direction toward the rear of the vehicle and thereby cause the heel support panel to move in the downward direction toward the floor panel (Fig. 2). With regard to claim 20, Pinto teaches a vehicle, comprising: a seat 3; a seat adjustment system 5 configured to move the seat in a forward direction towards the front of the vehicle and a rearward direction towards the rear of the vehicle; and a heel box 10 coupled to a floor panel 1 of the vehicle and functionally coupled to the seat adjustment system, the heel box having a heel support panel 10 configured to support a foot of a driver while the driver is interacting with a pedal 2 of the vehicle with the foot, wherein the heel support panel is configured to move in a upward direction away from the floor panel and thereby reduce a first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal as the seat is moved in the forward direction toward the front of the vehicle (Fig. 3) and the heel support panel is configured to move in a downward direction toward the floor panel and thereby increase the first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal as the seat is moved in the rearward direction toward a rear of the vehicle (Fig. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11 and 15-19 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to show or render obvious the system for a vehicle as claimed, and particularly wherein the elongated member is configured to move relative to the heel box in response to the seat adjustment system moving the seat, wherein movement of the elongated member relative to the heel box causes the heel support panel to move in the upward and downward directions away from and toward the floor panel, respectively, as the seat is moved toward the front and the rear of the vehicle, respectively, and including the remaining structure of claim 2. Please Note: although the elongate member of Pinto (connected to 31) moves relative to the heel box 10 (before or after contacting part 30 of the heel box), the elongated member does not move relative to the heel box when causing the heel box to move in the upward direction. Claims 3-9 are dependent upon claim 2. The present invention also particularly includes a flexible bladder within the heel box that is filled with a gas or liquid, wherein the flexible bladder is compressed between a first end and a second end of the heel box when the seat is moved toward the front of the vehicle, wherein compression of the flexible bladder forces the heel support panel in the upward direction away from the floor panel, and including the remaining structures of claims 10 and 18, respectively. The present invention also particularly includes a piston member and a hydraulic fluid, wherein the piston member applies a force against the hydraulic fluid when the seat moves toward the front of the vehicle and in response the hydraulic fluid forces the heel support panel in the upward direction away from the floor panel, and including the remaining structures of claims 11 and 19, respectively. The present invention also particularly includes pushing a wedge of a heel box in a first direction with the elongated member in response to the seat moving in the forward direction toward the front of the vehicle, wherein the wedge is disposed between a base panel of the heel box and a sloped wall of the heel box, wherein the sloped wall is coupled to the heel support panel, the wedge having a cross-sectional dimension between the base panel and the sloped wall that increases in a second direction from a first end of the heel box to a second end of the heel box opposite the first end, the sloped wall angled such that a second dimension between the sloped wall and the base panel increases in the second direction from the first end of the heel box to the second end of the heel box, wherein movement of the wedge in the first direction toward the first end of the heel box causes an upper wall of the wedge to push against the sloped wall and force the heel support panel in the upward direction away from the base panel, and including the remaining structure of claim 15. Claims 16-17 depend upon claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mendis (US 6474728) has been cited to show a similar system for a vehicle comprising: a seat 16, a pedal 14, a heel box 28, wherein the heel box moves upwards when the seat is moved forward and the heel box moves downwards when the seat is moved rearward (Fig. 1), an elongate member 26, and a bladder 70 to fill in the gap between the heel box and floor panel (Fig. 3B).
Ohtsubo (US 7437229 ) has been cited to show a similar system for a vehicle comprising: a seat 31, a pedal 71, a heel box 51, and wherein the heel box moves upwards when the seat is moved forward and the heel box moves downwards when the seat is moved rearward (Col. 10, line s18-24).
Ohtsubo (US 20090088930) has been cited to show a similar system for a vehicle comprising: a seat 1, a pedal 4, a heel box 6, tracks 41, a biasing member 26, and wherein the heel box moves upwards when the seat is moved forward and the heel box moves downwards when the seat is moved rearward (paragraph 55).
Ujimoto (US 7712816) has been cited to show a similar system for a vehicle comprising: a seat 4, a pedal 20, a heel box 5, rails 65/66, an elongate member 73 on a different geometric plane from the tracks, a wedge member 88, and wherein the heel box moves upwards when the seat is moved forward and the heel box moves downwards when the seat is moved rearward (Col. 11, lines 26-45; Figs. 1 and 13).
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/ROGER L PANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/ROGER L. PANG/
Examiner
Art Unit 3655B
February 4, 2026