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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6, and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ceglarek (EP 3037703 A1).
Ceglarek discloses a valve block for the control of compressed air in a motor vehicle seat.
Claim 1 – Ceglarek teaches a pneumatic control apparatus for a vehicle seat, the pneumatic control apparatus comprising:
a case part (element 11 in figure 4) comprising a pneumatic flow path (element 6 in figure 9) and a plurality of nipples (element 7 in figure 4), wherein the pneumatic flow path forms a supply path for air supplied thereto;
a flow path control valve part (element 3 in figure 4) comprising a first valve intake port (element 8 in figure 6) and a pair of first valve discharge ports (element 12 in figure 5), wherein the first valve intake port is mounted in the case part and is in communication with the pneumatic flow path in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and the pair of first valve discharge ports is in communication with the first valve intake port and is configured to be openable and closable; and
intake/exhaust control valve parts respectively disposed on opposite sides of the flow path control valve part, each of the intake/exhaust control valve parts comprising second valve intake ports and second valve discharge ports, wherein the second valve intake ports are respectively in communication with the first valve discharge ports, and the second valve discharge ports are respectively in communication with the second valve intake ports and are configured to be openable and closable, and wherein each of the intake/exhaust control valve parts is configured to allow air, through the second valve discharge ports, to be introduced or to be exhausted therefrom in the first direction and the second direction,
wherein the pneumatic flow path is formed along a boundary between the first direction and the second direction and is configured to guide air to fill an inside of the flow path control valve part through the first valve intake port,
wherein the intake/exhaust control valve part comprises:
a main body (element A in Image 1 below) comprising the second valve intake ports, the second valve discharge ports, and valve exhaust ports each of which is configured to selectively discharge air (the connection between the flow path, element 6, and the nipple, element 7, is the valve exhaust port, which selectively discharges air “the shut-off 15 of the control valve 2 has a first position in which the connection between the output 6 and the compressed air supply line 6 closes” and “a second position in which the shut-off connection between the compressed air supply line 6 and output 7 releases” in the final paragraph on page 4 of the translation); and
armatures (element 15 in figure 5) movably mounted in the main body, each of the armatures formed to shield a corresponding one of the valve exhaust ports (“the shut-off 15 of the control valve 2 has a first position in which the connection between the output 6 and the compressed air supply line 6 closes” in the final paragraph on page 4 of the translation),
wherein the armatures comprise:
first shape parts each of which is formed to contact a corresponding one of partition members provided in the main body; and
second shape parts each of which is connected to a corresponding one of the first shape parts, wherein each of the second shape parts is configured to form a discharge path connected to a corresponding one of the valve exhaust ports and is configured to allow air discharged from a corresponding one of the second valve discharge ports to be discharged therethrough.
Ceglarek teaches, in figure 5, element 15 is partially long and narrow-shaped, and is partially funnel-shaped. Both shapes are connected to one another with the second, funnel-shaped part also being connected to a corresponding valve exhaust port. The parts contact a partition, between elements 15 and 17 in figure 5, provided in the main body.
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Image 1
Claim 3 – Ceglarek teaches the flow path control valve part comprises:
a main body (element B in Image 1 above) comprising the pair of first valve discharge ports respectively connected to the second valve intake ports in the first direction and the second direction;
armatures (element 16 in figure 5) movably mounted in the main body, each of the armatures formed to shield a corresponding one of the first valve discharge ports; and
elastic members (element 20 in figure 5) each of which is configured to provide elastic force to a corresponding one of the armatures so as to move the corresponding armature in a direction of shielding a corresponding one of the first valve discharge ports.
Claims 4, 5, 13-15 – Ceglarek teaches each of the armatures in the flow path control valves are configured to move, upon receiving a force stronger than the elastic force of a corresponding one of the elastic members, so as to open the corresponding one of the first valve discharge ports.
The main body comprises conductors, in both the flow path control valves and the intake/exhaust valves, each of which is configured to selectively apply, to the corresponding one of the armatures, an electromagnetic force stronger than the elastic force of the corresponding one of the elastic members.
In each of the armatures in the intake/exhaust control valve, each of the first shape parts is configured to move, upon receiving a force stronger than the elastic force of a corresponding one of the elastic members, so as to be spaced apart from the corresponding one of the partition members, thereby selectively opening the discharge path.
Each of the armatures in the intake/exhaust control valve is configured to block, when each of the first shape parts is spaced apart from the corresponding one of the partition members, a corresponding one of discharge paths respectively formed from the second valve intake ports toward the second valve discharge ports.
In the final paragraph of the description, Ceglarek explains an elastic pressure element exerting a force to hold the shut-off in a first position. Ceglarek also explains magnetic coil conductors and electromagnetism being the means to move the shut-off body to a second position, opening a discharge path. The electromagnetic force induced by the magnetic coils is stronger than that of the elastic force, allowing the opening of the discharge path. When in the “shut-off” position, the discharge path is blocked.
Claim 6 – Ceglarek teaches the intake/exhaust control valve part further comprises: elastic members (element 17 in figure 5) each of which is configured to provide an elastic force to a corresponding one of the armatures so as to move the corresponding armature in a direction of shielding a corresponding one of the valve exhaust ports.
Claims 16 and 17 – Ceglarek teaches the intake/exhaust control valve parts are configured to perform, in the first direction, intake/exhaust control on a plurality of operating cells respectively disposed at different positions and configured to have same seat configurations.
The intake/exhaust control valve parts are configured to perform, in the second direction, the intake/exhaust control on the operating cells respectively disposed at the different positions and configured to have the same seat configurations, independently of the first direction.
Ceglarek teaches, in the second and third paragraphs of the description, that valve blocks are commonly used to route compressed air to operating cells (compressed air fillable elements) to perform various functions in a motor vehicle seat.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, starting on page 8 of their remarks and continuing on page 9, that Ceglarek’s disclosure stating “the shut-off element 15, depending on its position, closes or releases the connection between the compressed air supply line element 6 and the output element 7” does not teach “armatures movably mounted in the main body, each of the armatures formed to shield a corresponding one of the valve exhaust ports”.
As clarified in the current action in bold above, the rejection identifies the corresponding features in the cited reference that meet the limitation of “valve exhaust ports.” The reference clearly discloses these elements, as now expressly pointed out in the rejection. “Shield” is interpreted, as commonly defined, as “block”. As the applicant stated, Ceglarek teaches the connection between the compressed air supply line, element 6, and the output, element 7, is closed depending on the position of the shut-off, element 15, the connection between the two elements being the “valve exhaust port”.
Applicant then argues, on page 9, that the first and second shape parts of Ceglarek only teach the claimed first and second shape parts being divided into two distinct shapes. The first and second shape parts of Ceglarek teach the entirety of the claimed features of the first and second shape parts. The specific feature called upon by the applicant being “allowing exhaust in different directions by selectively contacting or spacing apart from the partition member”, Ceglarek teaches this specific feature as well. The first and second parts are moved selectively (the connection between the flow path, element 6, and the nipple, element 7, is the valve exhaust port, which selectively discharges air “the shut-off 15 of the control valve 2 has a first position in which the connection between the output 6 and the compressed air supply line 6 closes” and “a second position in which the shut-off connection between the compressed air supply line 6 and output 7 releases” in the final paragraph on page 4 of the translation). In figure 5, the two main ways the air can leave, or be exhausted from, the system are element 7 and element 12. These elements are not parallel to one another. It is therefore taught by Ceglarek that the exhaust is allowed in different directions.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/T.A.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3636
/DAVID R DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3636
