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 1-16 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the bottom surface side" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purpose of examining the claim on merit, the examiner assumes “a bottom surface” in line 6 is “a bottom surface side”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the imaginary line" in lines 18-19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is also unclear to what "the imaginary line" is referring.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the space" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation " the spaces" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 3-6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nonoyama (U.S. 20200307499).
Nonoyama discloses a vehicle airbag device, containing an airbag cushion (20) that is inflated and deployed between a structure (1) in a vehicle cabin and an occupant seated in a seat in the event of an emergency, and an inflator (11) that is installed on the structure (1), the airbag cushion (20) comprising: a bottom surface side (24) into which the inflator (11) is inserted; a restraining surface (32) on an occupant side; a side surface (23) connecting the bottom surface side (24) and the restraining surface (32); a recess part (38) formed in a prescribed range at a center of the restraining surface recessed toward the bottom surface side; and one or more tethers (50, 53) extending between the recess part (38) and the bottom surface side (24); wherein the recess part (38) is pulled toward the bottom surface side by the tether (50, 53) during the inflation and deployment, the airbag cushion (20) further comprising: a plurality of folds (35, 37) formed on an inner wall (40) of the recess (38) part along the imaginary line during inflation and deployment; and a plurality of restraining parts (41) formed radially so as to divide the inner wall in an inner circumferential direction by the plurality of folds (35, 37) during inflation and deployment, wherein the one or more tethers (50, 53) are a plurality of tethers; and the plurality of tethers (50, 53) are provided at three locations around the inflator (11) in the cross-section, wherein the plurality of tethers 50, 53) have the same length, wherein, when the cross-section is viewed as a clock, at least one of the plurality of tethers (50, 53) is provided near the 12 o'clock position and the other tethers are provided between the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions (as best seen in fig. 8, at least one of the two upper tether is positioned near the 12 o'clock position, and two bottom tethers are positioned between the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, wherein the lower tether provided near the 12 o'clock position is shorter than the other tethers (see paragraph 0046), wherein the plurality of tethers have the same length; wherein the structure (1) is a steering wheel of a vehicle; the inflator (11) is provided at a center portion of the steering wheel (1); and the airbag cushion (20) is rolled or folded, and stored in the center portion.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 7-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claims 2 and 7-13, Nonoyama discloses every element of the invention as discussed above except that the recess part comprises: an inlet on an occupant side; a middle bottom part on the bottom surface side; and an intermediate part formed at a prescribed location between the inlet and the middle bottom part; wherein in a cross-section perpendicular to the imaginary line of the airbag cushion, the space inside the intermediate part is narrower than the spaces inside the inlet and the inner bottom part.
Regarding claims 14-15, Nonoyama discloses every element of the invention as discussed above except that a range extending from the side surface of the airbag cushion to at least a portion of the restraining surface is formed by a prescribed side panel; the side panel includes a plurality of subpanels divided in the circumferential direction of the side surface; each of the plurality of subpanels contains: a pair of side edges joined to adjacent subpanels; a first edge on the restraining surface side; and a second edge on the bottom surface side; and the pair of side edges are joined to adjacent subpanels by sewing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOAN C TO whose telephone number is (571)272-6677. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5, Monday-Friday.
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/TOAN C TO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614 February 21, 2026