DETAILED ACTION
In Response to Applicant’s Remarks Filed 10/30/25
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1, 5-11 and 15-20 are pending.
Claims 1, 5-11 and 15-20 have been examined.
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) 1, 5-7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (CN 109383338) (“Wang”) in view of Line. Wang teaches a vehicle seat configured to be disposed within a vehicle, the vehicle seat comprising: a seat bottom (fig. 1: shown); a seat back (fig. 1: 1); a seat ventilation unit (fig. 1: 15) disposed within the seat bottom; a storage compartment system, comprising: a storage compartment (fig. 2: 14) disposed within the seat bottom and configured to receive an electronic device; and wherein the seat ventilation unit includes one or more fans to generate a cooling airflow to the vehicle seat to cool a passenger seated therein. Wang does not teach wherein the storage compartment includes a wireless charging device and the seat ventilation unit provides cooling airflow to the storage compartment. However, Line teaches a storage compartment including a wireless charging device (paragraph 0024) and a cooling module (fig. 6: 121) configured to provide cooling to the storage compartment to cool the electronic device. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to provide a wireless charger in order to allow charging of devices while they are stored and to provide cooling by way of the existing ventilation unit in order to maintain a desired temperature in the storage compartment, as taught by Line.
As concerns claim 5, Wang, as modified, teaches a first duct configured to supply a first cooling airflow to the vehicle seat (shown in fig. 2 extending from 15 toward 17); and a second duct fluidly coupled to the storage compartment and configured to supply a second cooling airflow to the storage compartment (as discussed above and taught by the combination with Line).
As concerns claim 6, Wang, as modified, teaches wherein the wireless charger is an inductive charger (Line, paragraph 0024).
As concerns claim 7, Wang, as modified, teaches wherein the storage compartment includes a door (Wang, 10) configured to move between an open position that enables the electronic device to be inserted into or removed from the storage compartment, and a closed position that encloses the storage compartment.
As concerns claim 9, Wang, as modified, teaches wherein the storage compartment comprises: a base, wherein the wireless charger is integrated into the base; a top wall; opposed side walls; a rear wall; and a door (fig. 2: shows the storage compartment 14 having a top wall, rear wall, side walls and a door 10 with the base including the wireless charger so that the device may be placed upon it for charging).
As concerns claim 10, Wang, as modified, teaches a headrest having one or more speakers (fig. 1: 5).
Claim(s) 11, 15-17, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Line and further in view of Grupo (FR 2977202). Wang teaches a vehicle seat configured to be disposed within a vehicle, the vehicle seat comprising: a seat bottom (fig. 1: shown); a seat back (fig. 1: 1); a seat ventilation unit (fig. 1: 15) disposed within the seat bottom; a storage compartment system, comprising: a storage compartment (fig. 2: 14) disposed within the seat bottom and configured to receive an electronic device; and wherein the seat ventilation unit includes one or more fans to generate a cooling airflow to the vehicle seat to cool a passenger seated therein.
Wang does not teach wherein the storage compartment includes a wireless charging device and the seat ventilation unit provides cooling airflow to the storage compartment or a track system. However, Line teaches a storage compartment including a wireless charging device (paragraph 0024) and a cooling module (fig. 6: 121) configured to provide cooling to the storage compartment to cool the electronic device. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to provide a wireless charger in order to allow charging of devices while they are stored and to provide cooling by way of the existing ventilation unit in order to maintain a desired temperature in the storage compartment, as taught by Line.
Further, Grupo teaches a rotatable attachment for the seat base to be rotated on a track system (fig. 1: 8). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to provide a rotatable attachment for the seat base in order to allow the user to rotate to a desired position.
As concerns claim 15, Wang, as modified, teaches a first duct configured to supply a first cooling airflow to the vehicle seat (shown in fig. 2 extending from 15 toward 17); and a second duct fluidly coupled to the storage compartment and configured to supply a second cooling airflow to the storage compartment (as discussed above and taught by the combination with Line).
As concerns claim 16, Wang, as modified, teaches wherein the wireless charger is an inductive charger (Line, paragraph 0024).
As concerns claim 17, Wang, as modified, teaches wherein the storage compartment includes a door (Wang, 10) configured to move between an open position that enables the electronic device to be inserted into or removed from the storage compartment, and a closed position that encloses the storage compartment.
As concerns claim 19, Wang, as modified, teaches wherein the storage compartment comprises: a base, wherein the wireless charger is integrated into the base; a top wall; opposed side walls; a rear wall; and a door (fig. 2: shows the storage compartment 14 having a top wall, rear wall, side walls and a door 10 with the base including the wireless charger so that the device may be placed upon it for charging).
As concerns claim 20, Wang, as modified, teaches a headrest having one or more speakers (fig. 1: 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 18 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 references of Line, Wang and Grupo fail to teach wherein the storage compartment is accessible from an inboard side of the seat bottom as there is no teaching, suggestion or motivation to modify the seat bottom of Wang to allow for inboard access to the storage compartment without substantial redesign of the system.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/30/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive with respect to Wang, and moot with respect to Line as a primary reference as it is not used in the manner in the present Office Action, as necessitated by amendment. With respect to Wang, Applicant argues that Wang in combination with Line does not teach claim 11, as Wang does not teach cooling of the storage compartment and Line merely describes a refrigerating unit to cool the storage compartment within the seat. The Office disagrees. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the teaching of Line providing a cooled storage compartment in combination with Wang to provide an additional duct from the ventilation system to cool the storage compartment therein. This is simply a duplication of parts (ducts) to provide the result of Line. Further, Examiner does not concede that the refrigeration unit of Line would not include a fan therein to circulate the cooled air.
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.
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/TIMOTHY J BRINDLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636