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 § 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) 1-2 and 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Specht (EP 1110804 A1) in view of Specht (CN112292800). Specht shows the use of a seat system comprising a seat base assembly (8); a seat back assembly (5) coupled to the seat base assembly; and at least one actuator assembly at least partially disposed within the seat base assembly or the seat back assembly (Figs. 5-8), wherein the at least one actuator assembly comprises a motor assembly (1) and a gear assembly (9), wherein the motor assembly has a stator (7). The gear assembly and motor are concentrically arranged about a common axis (Fig. 1). Specht shows all of the teachings of the claimed invention except the use of printed circuit board stator. Specht ‘800 teaches the use of a motor having a printed circuit board stator (3,4). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the motor of Specht with teachings of Specht ‘800 in order to allow for a more compact design and reduction in weight of the parts. Regarding claims 7-8, Specht shows the gear assembly comprises a housing with a single cavity (Fig. 2), wherein a planetary gear set is located in the cavity (9), the planetary gear set comprising a sun gear (11), a plurality of planet gears (16,17) meshed with the sun gear and mounted on a carrier (13). A rotatable ring (21) is in meshed engagement with the planet gears within the cavity, wherein the ring comprises an axially extending annular hub and a bore formed therethrough (Fig. 2). Regarding claim 9, a guide plate (19) is disposed adjacent the ring to support the axial position of the planetary gear set and the ring within the cavity, wherein the guide plate has a central aperture (Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Navatte et al. (8.974,000) in view of Specht (CN112292800). Navatte et al. shows the use of a seat system comprising a seat base assembly (72); a seat back assembly (71) coupled to the seat base assembly; and at least one actuator assembly at least partially disposed within the seat base assembly or the seat back assembly (Figs. 5-8), wherein the at least one actuator assembly comprises a motor assembly (30) and a gear assembly (4), wherein the motor assembly has a printed circuit board (33) stator (31). The gear assembly and motor are concentrically arranged about a common axis (Y). Navatte et al. shows all of the teachings of the claimed invention except the use of printed circuit board stator. Specht teaches the use of a motor having a printed circuit board stator (3,4). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the motor of Navatte et al. with teachings of Specht in order to allow for a more compact design and reduction in weight of the parts. Regarding claims 3-6, Navatte et al in view of Specht shows the gear assembly comprises a housing (1’) with a first cavity (5) and a second cavity (61) (as shown in Fig. 6), wherein the cavities are at least partially separated by a radially extending inner portion, wherein a planetary gear set (66,67) is located in the first cavity, the planetary gear set comprising a sun gear (66), a plurality of planet gears (67) meshed with the sun gear and mounted on a carrier (68), wherein the carrier has an annular hub (65). An armature shaft (11) of the motor assembly extends through and is rotationally coupled with the sun gear (Figs. 6). Regarding claim 5, Navatte et al. in view of Specht shows a first cycloid gear (90) is mounted on the annular hub for rotation therewith (Fig. 6), wherein the first cycloid gear is meshed with a plurality of teeth on an inner surface of the second cavity (Figs. 6, 8), and wherein the first cycloid gear is connected to a second cycloid gear (9) within the second cavity (Figs. 6,8). Regarding claim 6, wherein an actuator (8) is located within an aperture of the second cycloid gear for rotation therewith, and wherein the actuator is connected to the seat base assembly or the seat back assembly. Regarding claims 7-8, Navatte et al. in Specht shows the use of a housing (61) having a single cavity wherein a planetary gear set (66,67) is located in the cavity, the planetary gear set comprising a sun gear (66), a plurality of planet gears (67) meshed with the sun gear and mounted on a carrier (68). A rotatable ring (65) is in meshed engagement with the planet gears within the cavity, wherein the ring comprises an axially extending annular hub and a bore formed therethrough (Fig. 7). Regarding claim 9, Navatte et al in view of Specht shows a guide plate (1’) is disposed adjacent the ring to support the axial position of the planetary gear set and the ring within the cavity, wherein the guide plate has a central aperture (Fig. 8). Regarding claim 10, a cycloid gear (90) is located adjacent the guide plate and on the axially extending annular hub of the ring (Fig. 6) for rotation therewith. Regarding claim 11, the cycloid gear is in meshed engagement with a plurality of teeth of a gear (92) and pinion (8) mechanism to rotate the gear and pinion mechanism within the cavity. Regarding claim 12, the gear and pinion mechanism comprises a pinion (8) that extends through a central bore in the cycloid gear, the central aperture of the guide plate, the bore in the ring and at least partially within an armature shaft (11) of the motor assembly. Regarding claim 13, Navatte et al. in view of Specht further shows the gear and pinion mechanism comprises an annular hub (5) adapted as an actuator (in part with the pinion) connected to the seat base.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WO 2005/100081A2 shows features of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY D BARFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-6852. 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.
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/ANTHONY D BARFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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January 24, 2026