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 1-11 and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sterner et al. (US Patent No. 8,813,323).
Regarding claim 1, Sterner et al. discloses a seat belt device, comprising:
a latch plate comprising a snap-fit notch and configured to connect to an end part of a seat belt (see annotated Fig. 1);
a shell comprising a latch plate channel, the latch plate channel configured for the latch plate to extend into (see annotated Fig. 1); and
a locking piece comprising two positioning plates and a locking plate connecting the two positioning plates, the locking piece disposed on the shell between a locking position and a release position, the two positioning plates sliding fit with the shell, wherein when the locking piece is in the locking position and the latch plate extends into the latch plate channel, the locking plate is snap-fitted in the snap-fit notch, and when the locking piece is in the release position, the locking plate is configured to avoid the latch plate (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5, also Figs. 2 and 3).
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Regarding claim 2, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates are perpendicular to the locking plate, and the two positioning plates extend from the locking plate in a same direction (see annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates are perpendicular to the locking plate, and the two positioning plates extend from the locking plate in opposite directions (see annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 4, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein a side surface of a first positioning plate of the two positioning plates away from the locking plate comprises a first inclined segment having a first surface inclined off a surface of the locking plate, and in the locking position, an angle a1 between the first inclined segment and an insertion direction of the latch plate is smaller than an angle a2 (see Fig. 3) between the surface of the locking plate and the insertion direction of the latch plate (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 5, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein each of the two positioning plates is configured in a shape gradually protruding from both ends toward a center of each of the two positioning plates, the side surface of the first positioning plate comprises two inclined segments symmetrically disposed, and one of the two inclined segments is the first inclined segment (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 6, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates have a same shape (see annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the shell comprises two shell plates and a connecting plate connecting the two shell plates, the latch plate channel is formed on inner sides of the two shell plates and the connecting plate, each of the two shell plates comprises a limiting hole (44, 46) penetrating through each shell plate along a thickness direction of each shell plate, the locking plate is configured to be fitted in the limiting hole, the locking piece passes through the two limiting holes, and inner surfaces of the two positioning plates are respectively sliding fit with outer surfaces of the two shell plates (see Fig 4A and annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates are configured to be in sliding contact with the two shell plates during movement of the locking piece (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5, also Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 9, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the limiting hole (44, 46) is a fan-shaped hole, and the locking plate is fitted with arc edges of the two limiting holes (see Fig 4A and annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 10, Sterner et al. further discloses, comprising a safety piece, the safety piece comprising a stopping groove and disposed on the shell between a stopping position and an avoiding position, the locking piece disengaged from the stopping groove when the safety piece is in the avoiding position to allow the locking piece to move, and the locking piece engaged in the stopping groove when the safety piece is in the stopping position to prevent the locking piece from moving (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5, also Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 11, Sterner et al. further discloses, comprising an elastic piece deformable between a compression state and a reset state, connected to the safety piece, abutting against the locking piece in the reset state to drive the safety piece to move to the avoiding position, driving the safety piece to rotate to the stopping position in the compression state, pressed to the compression state by the latch plate after the latch plate is inserted into the latch plate channel, and reset to the reset state after the latch plate is disengaged from the latch plate channel (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5, also Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 13, Sterner et al. further discloses, comprising a connecting piece disposed on the shell and configured to connect to a seat belt tensioner (see annotated Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 14, Sterner et al. discloses a vehicle, comprising a seat belt device (see annotated Fig. 1), wherein the seat belt device comprises:
a latch plate comprising a snap-fit notch and configured to connect to an end part of a seat belt (see annotated Fig. 1);
a shell comprising a latch plate channel, the latch plate channel configured for the latch plate to extend into (see annotated Fig. 1); and
a locking piece comprising two positioning plates and a locking plate connecting the two positioning plates, the locking piece disposed on the shell between a locking position and a release position, the two positioning plates sliding fit with the shell, wherein when the locking piece is in the locking position and the latch plate extends into the latch plate channel, the locking plate is snap-fitted in the snap-fit notch, and when the locking piece is in the release position, the locking plate is configured to avoid the latch plate (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5, also Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 15, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates are perpendicular to the locking plate, and the two positioning plates extend from the locking plate in a same direction (see annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 16, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates are perpendicular to the locking plate, and the two positioning plates extend from the locking plate in opposite directions (see annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 17, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein a side surface of a first positioning plate of the two positioning plates away from the locking plate comprises a first inclined segment having a first surface inclined off a surface of the locking plate, and in the locking position, an angle a1 between the first inclined segment and an insertion direction of the latch plate is smaller than an angle a2 (see Fig. 3) between the surface of the locking plate and the insertion direction of the latch plate (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 18, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein each of the two positioning plates is configured in a shape gradually protruding from both ends toward a center of each of the two positioning plates, the side surface of the first positioning plate comprises two inclined segments symmetrically disposed, and one of the two inclined segments is the first inclined segment (see annotated Figs. 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 19, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the two positioning plates have a same shape (see annotated Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 20, Sterner et al. discloses, wherein the shell comprises two shell plates and a connecting plate connecting the two shell plates, the latch plate channel is formed on inner sides of the two shell plates and the connecting plate, each of the two shell plates comprises a limiting hole (44, 46) penetrating through each shell plate along a thickness direction of each shell plate, the locking plate is configured to be fitted in the limiting hole, the locking piece passes through the two limiting holes, and inner surfaces of the two positioning plates are respectively sliding fit with outer surfaces of the two shell plates (see Fig 4A and annotated Fig. 5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sterner et al. (US Patent No. 8,813,323).
Regarding claim 12, Sterner et al. discloses the claimed invention except for each of the two positioning plates has a length of 8-14 mm and a width of 8-14 mm. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to have each of the two positioning plates has a length of 8-14 mm and a width of 8-14 mm, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955), and Gardner v. TEC 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LOUIS A MERCADO whose telephone number is (571)270-5388. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/LOUIS A. MERCADO/
Examiner
Art Unit 3677
/JASON W SAN/SPE, Art Unit 3677