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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information referred to in the IDS filed March 25, 2026 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed February 18, 2026 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed October 2, 2025 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed August 1, 2024 has been considered.
The information referred to in the IDS filed April 11, 2024 has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings filed April 11, 2024 are approved.
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) 1-3 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ootsuka et al (US9296318).
Note a cable triggering system capable of actuating a plurality of seat locking mechanisms, the system comprising: a hub (14, 15) configured to rotate about a first pivot point (at 16), wherein the hub is configured to connect with a plurality of cables (14A, 15A) operatively coupled to a plurality of locking mechanisms (4C, 5C), respectively; a bell crank (7) configured to rotate about a second pivot point (at 7B), wherein the bell crank is configured to contact the hub when the bell crank is rotated thereby driving rotation of the hub; and an activation cable (13B) operatively coupled to the bell crank, wherein the activation cable enables rotation of the bell crank thereby rotating the hub for releasing one or more of the locking mechanisms.
Regarding claim 2, note a first conduit (sheathing on 14A) mounted (by way of 14A) to a first side (14) of the hub, and a second conduit (sheathing on 15A) mounted (by way of 15A) to a second side (15) of the hub wherein the first side and the second side oppose each other.
Regarding claim 3, note a first wire (14A) mounted to the first side of the hub and configured within the first conduit, and a second wire (15A) mounted to the second side of the hub and configured within the second conduit.
Regarding claim 9, note a stub (12) configured on the bell crank contacting an end of the hub when the bell crank is rotated.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8 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.
Claims 10-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of record does not show a cable triggering system
including a bell crank pivotally mounted to the housing and configured to contact the hub when pivoted; a first cable attached to a first side of the hub and a second cable attached to a second side of the hub; the first and second cables configured with a conduit and an internal wire; and when the hub is rotated, the hub pulls on the internal wire of the first cable and pushes on the conduit of the second cable adding tension to the first and second cables, in combination with other specifically claimed features.
Regarding claim 20, the prior art of record does not show a cable triggering system including a bell crank rotatably mounted to the housing and configured to contact and rotate the hub; a first cable attached to a first side of the hub, and a second cable attached to a second side of the hub with the second side being opposite the first side; when the hub is rotated, the hub pulls on the first cable and pushes the second cable adding tension to the first and second cables in combination with other specifically claimed features.
when tensioned the first cable is configured to trigger a first locking mechanism; and when tensioned the second cable is configured to trigger a second locking mechanism.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. A cable operator system is shown by each of DE102004040881A1, FR2760711A1, JP2001206119A, Oyama et al (US11486168), and Anderson (US2941630).
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.
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mn /MILTON NELSON JR/April 9, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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