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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Examiner’s Comments
The Examiner notes that the office action below may reference support found in the cited prior art by indicating element numbers, figures or by pointing out a specific paragraph (PAR) number in which support can be found. The PAR number referenced corresponds to paragraph number beginning in the "Detailed Description" of the disclosure unless otherwise noted. The pending claims are 1-20.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-2, 7, 10-11, 15, 17, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 9,277,835 to Jindal.
With regard to claim 1, a garment hanger apparatus (100), comprising: a bracket (110) secured to a seatback of a seat assembly; a hanger assembly configured to extend from the bracket to define a deployed configuration and to retract toward the bracket to define a stowed configuration, wherein the hanger assembly includes surfaces that are configured to support a garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration (figs. 1-3, claim 1 of Jindal discloses the hanger element is adjustable in a vertical position relative to the bracket body, i.e. adjustable between a stowed and deployed configuration); and one or more extension members (134) coupling the hanger assembly to the bracket.
With regard to claim 2, wherein the hanger assembly includes a pair of hanger wings coupled to oppositely disposed ends of the hanger assembly, the pair of hanger wings each including garment contact surfaces that are contoured to slope downward relative to the seat assembly (fig. 2 shows a pair of opposing hanger wings 132, 136 of the hanger assembly that are configured to contact surfaces of a garment and are contoured downwardly).
With regard to claim 7, wherein the hanger assembly is lockable in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, and the hanger assembly includes a release mechanism configured to unlock the hanger assembly to allow for transition between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration (figs. 2-4 show release mechanism 114 that locks the vertically adjustable extension members 134 between a deployed and stowed configuration, i.e. squeezing the extension members inwardly towards each other, compressing the mechanism 114 such the members 134 my slide vertically and when compression is released, the members 134 lock in place due to the outward bias of mechanism 114).
With regard to claim 10, wherein the hanger assembly is configured to support the garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration such that the garment is not in contact with the seatback (figs. 1-3 shows the hanger assembly having hanger wings that are spaced from the seatback such that a garment hanging therefrom would not contact the seatback).
With regard to claims 11, 15, Jindal discloses a garment hanger apparatus (100) capable of a method of use, comprising: a bracket (110) secured to a seatback of a seat assembly; a hanger assembly configured to extend from the bracket to define a deployed configuration and to retract toward the bracket to define a stowed configuration, wherein the hanger assembly includes surfaces that are configured to support a garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration (figs. 1-3, claim 1 of Jindal discloses the hanger element is adjustable in a vertical position relative to the bracket body, i.e. adjustable between a stowed and deployed configuration); and one or more extension members (134) coupling the hanger assembly to the bracket; and wherein the hanger assembly is lockable in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, and the hanger assembly includes a release mechanism configured to unlock the hanger assembly to allow for transition between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration (figs. 2-4 show release mechanism 114 that locks the vertically adjustable extension members 134 between a deployed and stowed configuration, i.e. squeezing the extension members inwardly towards each other, compressing the mechanism 114 such the members 134 my slide vertically and when compression is released, the members 134 lock in place due to the outward bias of mechanism 114).
With regard to claim 17, wherein the hanger assembly is configured to support the garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration such that the garment is not in contact with the seatback (figs. 1-3 shows the hanger assembly having hanger wings that are spaced from the seatback such that a garment hanging therefrom would not contact the seatback).
Claims 1-4, 6-7, 9-12, 14-15, 17-20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 8,573,689 to Golo.
With regard to claim 1, a garment hanger apparatus, comprising: a bracket (10) secured to a seatback of a seat assembly (figs. 1, 16); a hanger assembly (40) configured to extend from the bracket to define a deployed configuration (figs. 2, 12, 15) and to retract toward the bracket to define a stowed configuration (figs. 1, 14), wherein the hanger assembly includes surfaces that are configured to support a garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration; and one or more extension members (see figs. 12, 15) coupling the hanger assembly to the bracket.
With regard to claim 2, wherein the hanger assembly includes a pair of hanger wings (170) coupled to oppositely disposed ends of the hanger assembly, the pair of hanger wings each including garment contact surfaces that are contoured to slope downward relative to the seat assembly (fig. 15 shows distal portions of wings contoured to slope downward and PAR 17 further supports altering the shape of the garment support bar if needed).
With regard to claim 3, wherein the hanger assembly includes a hanger housing (60, fig. 2), and the pair of hanger wings are configured to be extended from the hanger housing when the hanger assembly is moved to the deployed configuration (figs. 2, 12, 15) and are configured to be retracted within the hanger housing when the hanger assembly is moved to the stowed configuration (figs. 1, 14).
With regard to claim 4, wherein the hanger assembly is lockable (via 200, fig. 2, PAR 14) in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, and the hanger assembly includes a release mechanism (205) configured to unlock the hanger assembly to allow transition between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, wherein actuation of the release mechanism is configured to cause transition of the pair of hanger wings to be extended from or retracted within the hanger housing (release 205 allows deployment of wings 170 which when deployed may extend from position 180 to 190, PAR 6).
With regard to claim 6, wherein the bracket (10) includes wing protrusions configured to be received within wing recesses while the hanger assembly is in the stowed configuration (fig. 15 shows downward sloping protrusions on distal ends of wings that are recessed in housing).
With regard to claim 7, wherein the hanger assembly is lockable in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration (via 200), and the hanger assembly includes a release mechanism (205) configured to unlock the hanger assembly to allow for transition between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration (PAR 14).
With regard to claim 9, wherein exterior surfaces of the hanger assembly are flush with or recess relative to exterior surfaces of the bracket while the hanger assembly is in the stowed configuration (PAR 15).
With regard to claim 10, wherein the hanger assembly is configured to support the garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration such that the garment is not in contact with the seatback (fig. 16).
With regard to claims 11, 15, Golo discloses a garment hanger apparatus (10) capable of a method of use, comprising: a bracket (10) secured to a seatback of a seat assembly (figs. 1, 16); a hanger assembly (40) configured to extend from the bracket to define a deployed configuration (figs. 2, 12, 15) and to retract toward the bracket to define a stowed configuration (figs. 1, 14), wherein the hanger assembly includes surfaces that are configured to support a garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration; and one or more extension members (see figs. 12, 15) coupling the hanger assembly to the bracket; and wherein the hanger assembly is lockable (via 200, fig. 2, PAR 14) in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, and the hanger assembly includes a release mechanism (205) configured to unlock the hanger assembly to allow transition between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, wherein actuation of the release mechanism is configured to cause transition of the pair of hanger wings to be extended from or retracted within the hanger housing (release 205 allows deployment of wings 170 which when deployed may extend from position 180 to 190, PAR 6).
With regard to claim 12, wherein the hanger assembly includes a hanger housing (60, fig. 2), and the pair of hanger wings are configured to be extended from the hanger housing when the hanger assembly is moved to the deployed configuration (figs. 2, 12, 15) and are configured to be retracted within the hanger housing when the hanger assembly is moved to the stowed configuration (figs. 1, 14).
With regard to claim 14, wherein the bracket (10) includes wing protrusions configured to be received within wing recesses while the hanger assembly is in the stowed configuration (fig. 15 shows downward sloping protrusions on distal ends of wings that are recessed in housing).
With regard to claim 17, wherein the hanger assembly is configured to support the garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration such that the garment is not in contact with the seatback (fig. 16).
With regard to claim 18, a vehicle comprising a vehicle seat (30, fig. 1); and a garment hanger apparatus, comprising: a bracket (10) secured to a seatback of a seat assembly (figs. 1, 16); a hanger assembly (40) configured to extend from the bracket to define a deployed configuration (figs. 2, 12, 15) and to retract toward the bracket to define a stowed configuration (figs. 1, 14), wherein the hanger assembly includes surfaces that are configured to support a garment hanging therefrom while in the deployed configuration; and one or more extension members (see figs. 12, 15) coupling the hanger assembly to the bracket.
With regard to claim 19, wherein the hanger assembly includes a hanger housing (60, fig. 2), and the pair of hanger wings are configured to be extended from the hanger housing when the hanger assembly is moved to the deployed configuration (figs. 2, 12, 15) and are configured to be retracted within the hanger housing when the hanger assembly is moved to the stowed configuration (figs. 1, 14).
With regard to claim 20, wherein the hanger assembly is lockable (via 200, fig. 2, PAR 14) in both the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, and the hanger assembly includes a release mechanism (205) configured to unlock the hanger assembly to allow transition between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration, wherein actuation of the release mechanism is configured to cause transition of the pair of hanger wings to be extended from or retracted within the hanger housing (release 205 allows deployment of wings 170 which when deployed may extend from position 180 to 190, PAR 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 8, 13, 16, are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but appear to 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. Refer to attachment (PTO-892) for notice of references cited and recommended for consideration based on their disclosure of limitations of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Brian Nash whose telephone number is 571-272-4465. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Newhouse can be reached at 571-272-4544. The official fax number for this Group is: 571-273-8300; Inventor Assistance Center is 800-786-9199.
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/BRIAN D NASH/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3734 1/4/2026