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
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 and 3-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ceglarek (EP 3037703 A1).
Claim 1 – Ceglarek discloses a valve block for the control of compressed air in a motor vehicle seat. 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, 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.
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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, 8-10 – 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 comprises: a main body (element A in Image 1 above) comprising the second valve intake ports, the second valve discharge ports, and valve exhaust ports each of which is configured to selectively discharge air; 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; and 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.
Claim 7 – Ceglarek teaches 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.)
Claims 11 and 12 – 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 April 14, 2026 have been fully considered but a plurality of them are not persuasive. Clarification from the examiner was necessary for one argument, thus requiring a second non-final office action.
Applicant argues on page 9 that Ceglarek does not teach “the first valve intake port… is in communication with the pneumatic flow path”, and that the air inlet 8 is spaced apart from the common compressed air supply line 6. The fourth paragraph after the description of the figures in the disclosure of Ceglarek states “the compressed air supply line 6 is, in the case of in FIGS. 4 AND 7 shown exemplary valve blocks according to the invention each, connected to a compressed air inlet 8”. Therefore, Ceglarek teaches “the first valve intake port… is in communication with the pneumatic flow path”.
Applicant then argues on page 10 that “even assuming arguendo that the air inlet 8 were [in communication with the compressed air supply line 6], it is not ‘in communication with’ the common compressed air supply line 6 ‘in a first direction and a second direction.’” As shown in figure 6, the air enters element 8 in the y (first) direction, and travels along element 6 in the x (second) direction.
Applicant argues on page 10 that the office action’s assertion that Ceglarek teaches “intake/exhaust control valve parts” of claim 1 is incorrect since there is no specific indication as to where in Ceglarek it is taught. Applicant did not write an argument as to why they are not present in Ceglarek. The “intake/exhaust control valve parts” are taught by Ceglarek as element 2 in figure 4, and sectionally in figure 5. Ceglarek’s teaching of the “intake/exhaust control valve parts” is also apparent in the office action as the parts comprising the “intake/exhaust control valve parts” were rejected in claim 6 due to Ceglarek’s teaching.
Applicant then argues on page 10 that the office action’s assertion of element 11 in figure 5 being both the “main body” of the “flow path control valve part” and the “main body” of the “intake/exhaust control valve parts” does not make the explanation any clearer. Examiner agrees with the applicant that the presence of different main bodies for each of the “flow path control valve part” and the “intake/exhaust control valve parts” was made unclear by the use of element 11. Clarification has been made, see updates in bold in the rejection above.
Applicant then argues on page 10 that the structure of Ceglarek is different in that the claimed invention states “each of the intake/exhaust control valve parts is configured to allow air, through the second valve discharge ports, to be introduced or exhausted therefrom in the first direction and the second direction” and “the pneumatic flow path is formed along a boundary between the first direction and the second direction.” Ceglarek teaches the air is introduced from the supply line in the x (second) direction and is exhausted in the y (first) direction and that the pneumatic flow path is formed along a boundary between the first direction and the second direction.
Conclusion
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/T.A.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3636
/DAVID R DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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