February 18, 2026
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 § 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.
Claims 12-13 are 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.
In claim 12, line 2, “the lower, rearward most portion of each chair arm” lacks antecedent basis.
The aforementioned problem renders the claims vague and indefinite. Clarification and/or correction is required
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, 11-14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoffman et al. (U.S. Patent Nos. 7,997,644 B2 and 8,016,348 B2).
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As for Claims 1 and 16, Hoffman et al. teach a glider recliner mechanism for use on a chair, the glider recliner mechanism comprising:
a base 11;
a glide bracket 24 coupled to the base;
a front glide link 20 having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the front glide link 20 being pivotally coupled to the glide bracket 32;
a rear glide link 25 having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the rear glide link 25 being pivotally coupled to the glide bracket 24;
a recline mechanism 30 having a plurality of interconnected links, the recline mechanism coupled to the lower end of the front glide link and the rear glide link;
a back bracket 48 coupled to the recline mechanism;
a seat plate 66 coupled to the recline mechanism; an ottoman linkage coupled to the recline mechanism; the recline mechanism operable to move the glider recliner mechanism from a closed position, with the ottoman linkage stowed, to an extended position with the ottoman linkage extended in front of the seat plate, and to a fully reclined position with the ottoman linkage extended in front of the seat plate, the seat plate reclined from front to back and the back bracket reclined from an upright position; wherein the interconnected links of the recline mechanism move the lower end of the front glide link forwardly as the recline mechanism moves the glider recliner mechanism from the closed position to the extended position.
Claims 2 and 16, Hoffman et al. teach that the interconnected links of the recliner mechanism further comprise a carrier link 31, and wherein the lower end of the rear glide link is directly, pivotally coupled to the carrier link 31, and the lower end of the front glide link is indirectly, pivotally coupled to the carrier link 31.
As for Claim 11, Hoffman et al. teach a seat coupled to the glider recliner mechanism; a back coupled to the glider recliner mechanism; an ottoman coupled to the glider recliner mechanism; a pair of spaced apart arms 18 coupled to the glider recliner mechanism; the glider recliner mechanism operable to allow a gliding reciprocal motion of the seat with the chair in a closed position with the ottoman linkage stowed below the seat and the back generally upright, and operable to move the glider recliner chair from the closed position to an extended position with the ottoman extended in front of the seat and the back generally upright, and to a fully reclined position with the ottoman extended in front of the seat, the seat reclined from front to back and the back reclined from an upright position; wherein the glider mechanism rotates the glider recliner chair about a recline pivot point located below and behind the back of the seat as the glider recliner chair moves from the extended position to the fully reclined position.
As for Claims 12-14, Hoffman et al. teach that wherein the recline pivot point allows the lower, rearward most portion of each chair arm to be within one and one-half inches of the underlying support surface on which the glider recliner rests, when the glider recliner is moved to the fully reclined position; wherein the seat, in the fully reclined position, is reclined at an angle above twenty degrees, relative to horizontal; wherein the glider recliner mechanism moves the seat forwardly as the recliner chair moves from the closed position to the extended position.
As for Claim 15, Hoffman et al. teach that the glider recliner mechanism prevents the gliding reciprocal motion in the extended position and the fully reclined position (see column 6, lines 52-62 where t reads ‘A locking mechanism 130 is attached to the reclining mechanism 30 to prevent gliding of the chair 10 when it is in the TV or fully reclined positions. The locking mechanism 130 includes a drive link 132 that is pivotally interconnected at one end to the sequencer plate 54 at a pivot 134. The drive link 132 is a straight link that slopes downwardly and slightly forwardly from the pivot 134. The opposite end of the drive link 132 is pivotally interconnected with a downwardly-extending projection 138 of a hook-shaped locking link 136 at a pivot 140. The locking link 136 is attached to the mounting bracket 32 at a pivot 142.”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 and 17-20 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure because it teaches structures and concepts similar to those of the present invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rodney B. White whose telephone number is (571)272-6863. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David R. Dunn can be reached at (571) 272-6670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Rodney B White/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636