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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-2,4-6,9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Orson et al (8,944,379). Orson et al. shows the use of a seating arrangement (22,24) for a passenger-carrying vehicle, said seating comprising: a first seat (30,32) and a third (30,32) seat arranged in a first row (22B) adjacent each other and facing in a forward direction; and a second seat (30,32) and a fourth seat (30,32) arranged adjacent each other in a second row (24A), the second and fourth seats each facing in the forward direction, the second row being located rearwardly of the first row (Fig. 3); wherein the third seat is offset forwardly in the forward direction with respect to the first seat, the fourth seat is offset forwardly in the forward direction with respect to the second seat (Figs. 3,5) and wherein the second seat is offset with respect to each of the first and third seats in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the forward direction such that it is located between the first and third seats (as seat (32) rearward of the first row is between the first and second seat) in the transverse direction; and wherein the second seat overlaps with each of the first seat and the third seat in the transverse direction, and wherein the fourth seat overlaps with third seat in said transverse direction (Fig. 4) but does not overlap with said first seat in the transverse direction as its rearward of the third seat (Fig.3). Orson et al., shows the first row and the second row are spaced apart from each other by an inter-row pitch (Figs. 3-4) that provides a gap between the first row and the second row the gap providing passenger access to the second seat and to the fourth seat (Fig. 5). Regarding claims 2, the first, second, third and fourth seats face parallely with each other in the forward direction (as show in Figs. 1-2). Regarding claim 4, the first and third seat overlap each other in the forward direction and the second and fourth seat overlap each other in the forward direction (Fig. 1). Regarding claim 5, Orson et al. shows the first and second seat in do not overlap (Fig. 3) when both seats (34) are in an upright position and reclined position (Fig. 4). Regarding claim 9, the forward direction obliquely disposed with respect to a longitudinal direction so the passenger-carrying vehicle (Fig. 4).
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Orson et al in view of Derbyshire. Orson et al. teaches the seat can recline between an upright and reclined or semi-reclined position but fails to show the seat pan having a rear portion that is at a lower level in the reclined position relative to the position of the rear portion of the seat pan in the upright position. Derbyshire teaches the conventional use of a seat that when reclined a seat pan (3b) is in a position forward with respect to the seat pan in an upright position so that a rear portion is at a level lower than a level of the rear portion of the seat pan in the upright state (see Figs. 4a-4c). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the seat of Orson et al. with the teachings of Derbyshire in order to allow for better spacing and comfort for a user.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 7 is 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 21-30 are allowed over the prior art made of record.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Reference No. 2017/0129611 shows features of the claimed invention.
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/ANTHONY D BARFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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December 26, 2025