CTNF 18/570,405 CTNF 81375 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities: the word “feet” in line 4 should be removed . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1,5,7,12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Furman (US 2018/0369036) . Regarding claim 1, Furman discloses a patient support apparatus comprising: a seat assembly (434, see figure 15B) having a front end (edge away from the back rest section 532, see figure 15B) and a rear end (closer to the back rest frame); a front assembly (536) having a bottom end including a wheel (609b,609a) for contacting a ground surface and a top end operatively attached to the front end of the seat assembly (see figure 15B), the front assembly configured for movement between a plurality of front assembly positions including a front assembly chair position (see figure 15B) and a front assembly loft position (see figures 16F,16G,16H); and a footrest assembly(437,537), the footrest assembly comprising: a footrest mount (where the footrest assembly pivots relative to the front assembly, see figures 16E and 16F) operatively attached to the bottom end of the front assembly, a footrest frame (537) having a footrest front end (facing away from the wheel 609b, see figure 16E) and a footrest back end (close the footrest mount, see figure 16E) operatively attached to the footrest mount, a linkage (540) in between the seat assembly and the footrest mount to coordinate movement of the footrest mount relative to the seat assembly as the front assembly moves between the plurality of front assembly positions (see Par, 0105 as the movements are coordinated by a controller, in order to move the footboard to maintain a predetermined orientation relative to the floor or to another section of the litter 422). Regarding claim 5, wherein the footrest frame (537) is configured for movement relative to the footrest mount between a plurality of footrest frame positions including: a footrest deployed position (see figure 13) where the footrest frame is arranged to support feet of a patient, and a footrest stowed position (see figures 15A and 16F) where the footrest frame is substantially parallel to the front assembly. Regarding claim 7, further comprising a leg support (436, see figure 13) arranged for pivoting movement about a support axis disposed adjacent to the front end of the seat assembly (as it pivots with the front assembly) between a plurality of leg support positions including: a leg support deployed position where the leg support is substantially parallel with the seat assembly to support at least one leg of a patient in an elevated position (as shown in figure 16F to 16G), and a leg support stowed position where the leg support is substantially parallel with the front assembly (as shown in figure 13). Regarding claims 12 and 13, wherein the footrest assembly further comprises a bar/stirrup (126b, see figure 1) extending laterally from the footrest front end to define a handle arranged for facilitating a user moving the patient support apparatus. Regarding claim 14, wherein the front assembly (536) is arranged substantially perpendicular to the seat assembly (434) when the front assembly is in the front assembly chair position (see figure 13) such that the footrest assembly (437,537) is arranged below the seat assembly to support feet of a patient in a seated position. Regarding claim 15, wherein the front assembly (536) is arranged substantially parallel to the seat assembly (434) when the front assembly is in the front assembly loft position (as seen in figure 16G and 16H) such that the footrest assembly is arranged in vertical proximity limitation (such that the footrest assembly is arranged in vertical proximity to the seat assembly to support at least one leg of a patient) to the seat assembly to support at least one leg of a patient. Regarding claim 16, further comprising a front actuator (210) arranged to articulate the front assembly relative to the seat assembly between the front assembly chair position and the front assembly loft position (see Par. 0059). Regarding claim 17, further comprising a rear assembly (602a,602b) coupled to the rear end of the seat assembly and configured for movement between a plurality of rear assembly positions (see figures 13 and 15A) including a rear assembly chair position (see figure 13) and a rear assembly loft position (see figure 15A). Regarding claim 18, further comprising a rear actuator (610a,610b) arranged to articulate the rear assembly relative to the seat assembly between the rear assembly chair position and the rear assembly loft position (see Par. 0107). Regarding claim 19, further comprising a fowler assembly (532) coupled to the rear end of the seat assembly (see figure 13) and arranged for movement relative to the seat assembly (see figure 15A). Regarding claim 20, further comprising a fowler actuator (662) arranged to articulate the fowler assembly relative to the seat assembly (see Par. 0123) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furman in view of Billescas (US 2011/0062740). Furman does not mention a lock for the footrest. However, Billescas discloses a footrest for a wheelchair (see figure 1) with a footrest lock (56) that allows the footrest to go from a locked state (see figure 2) to an unlocked state (when the lock 56 is pressed to unlock the footrest). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify Furman by adding a lock for the footrest, in order to be able to lock and unlock the footrest when needed or for transportation . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-4 and 8-11 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. Regarding claim 2, the art of record did not include “a first pair of links and a second pair of links extending between the front end of the seat assembly and the footrest mount, the first pair of links and the second pair of links arranged to guide the footrest mount along a pre-determined motion profile as the front assembly moves between the plurality of front assembly positions”. Regarding claim 8, the art of record did not include “a first latch for selectively retaining the leg support in the deployed position” (as Furman does not need a latch to retain the leg support as the leg support pivots with the front assembly). Regarding claim 9, the art of record did not include “a second leg support arranged for pivoting movement from a second leg support deployed position to a second leg support stowed position”. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Marlon A Arce whose telephone number is (571)272-1341. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM - 4:30PM. 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, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at 571-272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MARLON A ARCE/Examiner, Art Unit 3611 /VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611 Application/Control Number: 18/570,405 Page 2 Art Unit: 3611 Application/Control Number: 18/570,405 Page 3 Art Unit: 3611 Application/Control Number: 18/570,405 Page 4 Art Unit: 3611 Application/Control Number: 18/570,405 Page 5 Art Unit: 3611 Application/Control Number: 18/570,405 Page 6 Art Unit: 3611