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 .
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/26/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and arguments with respect to claims filed on 02/09/2026, and IDS filed on 05/26/2026, have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claim 4, line 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the safety belt is deformed subjected to a force” should read, “the safety belt is deformed when subjected to a force”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 25, lines 5-6 is objected to because of the following informalities: “and a fourth elastic member. the rod member” should read, “and a fourth elastic member, the rod member”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 8 is 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 8 recites, with respect to the locked position of the locking member, that “the lock pin portion is snapped into the first groove and the second groove aligned with the first groove.” This limitation is unclear and indefinite, because it cannot be determined whether (1) the lock pin portion is snapped into both the first groove and the second groove, the second groove being aligned with the first groove; or (2) the lock pin portion is snapped into the first groove only, while the second groove is separately aligned with the first groove. These interpretations define materially different scopes, namely, whether the lock pin portion engages one groove or two. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the metes and bounds of the claim. Clarification and/or correction is required. For purposes of examination, the limitation is being interpreted under interpretation (1) above, i.e., that the lock pin portion is snapped into both the first groove and the second groove, the second groove being aligned with the first groove.
Accordingly, claims 9–11, 13, 15, 17–19, and 22 are rejected by virtue of dependence from claim 8.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2, 4-7, and 24-26 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1, none of the prior art of record, either alone or in obvious combination, discloses a safety belt adjustment system for a child safety seat, comprising: an automatic retracting device comprising a retracting shaft and a retractor, the retracting shaft being configured to be connected to a safety belt, the retractor driving the retracting shaft to perform a retracting rotation for retracting the safety belt, so as to tension the safety belt in a buckled state; and a first locking device comprising a drive button and a locking member; the drive button being configured to drive the retracting shaft to perform a release rotation for releasing the safety belt; the locking member having a locked position, and wherein in the locked position, the locking member locks the retracting rotation of the retracting shaft; wherein the locking member further locks the release rotation of the retracting shaft in the locked position, and the locking member has an unlocked position for unlocking the retracting shaft, and when the safety belt is in an unbuckled state, the locking member is in the unlocked position (emphasis added).
Accordingly, claims 2, 4-7 and 24-25 are allowable by virtue of dependence from claim 1.
Regarding claim 26, none of the prior art of record, either alone or in obvious combination, discloses a child safety seat, comprising: a safety belt adjustment system comprising: an automatic retracting device comprising a retracting shaft and a retractor, the retracting shaft being configured to be connected to a safety belt, the retractor driving the retracting shaft to perform a retracting rotation for retracting the safety belt, so as to tension the safety belt in a buckled state; and a first locking device comprising a drive button and a locking member; the drive button being configured to drive the retracting shaft to perform a release rotation for releasing the safety belt; the locking member having a locked position, and wherein in the locked position, the locking member locks the retracting rotation of the retracting shaft; wherein the locking member further locks the release rotation of the retracting shaft in the locked position, and the locking member has an unlocked position for unlocking the retracting shaft, and when the safety belt is in an unbuckled state, the locking member is in the unlocked position (emphasis added).
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claims 8-11, 13, 15, 17-19 and 22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection 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.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel M Keck whose telephone number is (571)272-5947. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00-4:00.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571)270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Daniel M. Keck/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
Prosecution Insights