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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Embodiment 1, Figures 1-9, claims 1-9 and 22-25, in the response filed January 5, 2026 is acknowledged. All remaining claims have been withdrawn from further consideration.
Drawings
The drawings filed December 15, 2023 are approved.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information referred to in the IDS filed November 21, 2025 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed July 24, 2025 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed April 25, 2025 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed March19, 2025 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed June 19, 2024 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed December 15, 2023 has been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the first end of the traction element" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 22, as best understood with the above cited indefiniteness, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Caldemeyer (US3794381).
Note a base assembly comprising: a base (12); a supporting leg (17); a sliding element (33) telescopically disposed on the base (10), the supporting leg (20) being pivotally connected to the sliding element and extending and retracting together with the sliding element; and a traction element (36 or 37) configured to pull the supporting leg to move towards the base as the supporting leg rotates from an unfolded position (unlatched) to a folded position (Figure 4).
Regarding claim 4, note the base assembly further comprises a driving element (36) pivoted (by 37) with the supporting leg, and the driving element is configured to roll up the traction element so that the supporting leg is pulled to move towards the base. See Figures 1 and 7.
Regarding claim 5, note the driving element is disposed on the supporting leg, and the driving element is integrally formed with the supporting leg and formed as a part of the supporting leg; alternatively, the driving element and the supporting leg are separately formed and fixedly connected to each other by a fixing structure (38, 39). See Figure 7.
Regarding claim 7, note the driving element is shaped as a boss, and the driving element is provided with an arc-shaped part (38) matched with the traction element; alternatively, the driving element is shaped as a pulley; alternatively, the driving element is shaped as a column.
Regarding claim 8, note a first end of the traction element is connected with the base (by way of 17 and 33), and a second end of the traction element is connected with one of the driving element (36; see Figure 7) and an upper end of the supporting leg.
Regarding claim 9, note an inner top wall of the base is provided with a fixing column (56), and the first end of the traction element (40) is fixed on the fixing column by a first fastener (41, 54, 42).
Regarding claim 22, note the base assembly further comprises a base bracket (41U) disposed in the base, the sliding element (33) is a sliding bracket slidably connected to the base (see Figure 5), a sliding groove is provided on one of the base bracket and the sliding bracket (33), and a sliding rod (46, 47) matched with the sliding groove is provided on the other of the base bracket and the sliding bracket.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 9, 23 and 25, as best understood with the above cited indefiniteness, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DaSilva (US6199949).
Note a base assembly comprising: a base (14); a supporting leg (21); a sliding element (30) telescopically disposed on the base, the supporting leg being pivotally connected to the sliding element and extending and retracting together with the sliding element; and a traction element (27) configured to pull the supporting leg to move towards the base as the supporting leg rotates from an unfolded position to a folded position.
Regarding claim 2, note the traction element is a flexible element (spring).
Regarding claim 3, note the flexible element is a steel wire, a cord (coiled cord), or a webbing. See Figure 4.
Regarding claim 9, note an inner top wall of the base is provided with a fixing column (28), and the first end of the traction element is fixed on the fixing column by a first fastener (hole through 28 which engages 27).
Regarding claim 23, note a child safety seat (10) for a vehicle comprising: a base assembly according to any one of claims 1; and a seat (12) disposed on the base assembly.
Regarding claim 25, note an accommodating groove (inner cavity of the base) for accommodating the supporting leg is provided on the bottom of the base, and after the supporting leg is folded at the bottom of the base, a lower surface of the supporting leg does not protrude from a bottom surface of the base. See Figure 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 24 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. FR3002886A1 shows a base having an adjustable support leg.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MILTON NELSON JR whose telephone number is (571)272-6861. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30am-1:30pm.
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.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
mn /MILTON NELSON JR/February 5, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
Prosecution Insights