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
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qui (CN 217311849 U) in view of Zhang (CN 206579495 U).
Regarding claims 1 and 2, Qui discloses a flip seat (Fig. 1) for a golf cart, comprising a seat cushion(1), wherein the seat cushion is mounted on a first flip part (8, Fig 1); the first flip part comprises a first rotatable frame (7, Fig. 2); a rotation spindle (15) of the first rotatable frame corresponds to an inner side position of the seat cushion in a depth direction; the seat cushion is provided on the first rotatable frame; the first flip part further comprises a first driving device (6); the first driving device (6) is connected in a driving manner to the first rotatable frame (Fig. 1); the first flip part further comprises a first fixed frame (11,14,24); the first fixed frame is configured to connect a cart body (Fig. 2); and the first rotatable frame is rotatably connected to the first fixed frame; when the first flip part is in a reset state (not shown), the first rotatable frame is flat, and the seat cushion (1) provided on the first rotatable frame is configured to sit a person; and the first driving device (6) is configured to drive the first rotatable frame to flip around the rotation spindle (15) of the first rotatable frame, to raise the seat cushion and an outer side of the first rotatable frame (Fig. 1). Regarding claim 2, Qui further discloses that teh
Qui does not disclose that the seat is an “electric flip seat”.
Zhang a electric driving unit (5) for rotating a seat component.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the effective filing date to use an electric driving means for the flip seat of Qui. The rationale would have been that it is a simple substitution of one known driving means for another known driving means that would yield a predictable result.
Therefore it would have been obvious to combine Qui and Zhang to arrive at the electric flip seat of claims 1 and 2.
Regarding claims 3 and 4, Qui as modified electric flip seat for the golf cart according to claim 1. Qui further discloses that the first rotatable frame is provided with a golf bag locking device (9) for locking a golf bag at a side of the first rotatable frame away from the seat cushion, wherein a posture of the golf bag locked at the side of the first rotatable frame away from the seat cushion is parallel to the depth direction of the seat cushion, and an opening of the golf bag faces outward (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Qui as modified discloses the electric flip seat for the golf cart according to claim 1. Qui further discloses that the first rotatable frame (8) comprises a first articulated frame (7); the first articulated frame is rotatably connected to the first fixed frame (11,14,24); the first rotatable frame (7) further comprises a first bearing plate (4); the first bearing plate is mounted on the first articulated frame; and the first bearing plate is configured to mount the seat cushion (1).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Qui as modified discloses the electric flip seat for the golf cart according to claim 1. Qui further discloses a second flip part (2), wherein the second flip part comprises a second rotatable frame (Fig. 2); the second rotatable frame is rotatably provided on the first rotatable frame; a rotation spindle (3) of the second rotatable frame is located at the outer side of the first rotatable frame in a depth direction (Fig. 1); the seat cushion (1) is provided on the second rotatable frame (2).
Qui is silent as to a second driving device.
Zhang discloses that it is known to use an electric drive device to rotation seat components.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the effective filing date to use a second electric drive means for rotating the first and second frames as it is a known method of rotating elements.
Regarding claim 8, Qui as modified discloses a golf cart, comprising the electric flip seat for the golf cart according to claim 6 and the cart body, wherein the first fixed frame is provided on the cart body.
Regarding claim 9, Qui as modified discloses the golf cart according to claim 8, wherein the cart body is provided with an inspection port (Fig. 1); and when the first flip part is in the reset state, the inspection port is located below the first rotatable frame.
Regarding claim 10, Qui as modified discloses the golf cart according to claim 8, wherein a front side of the electric flip seat for the golf cart is provided with a handrail frame (26); the handrail frame is mounted on the cart body; the handrail frame is provided with a support rod; the second rotatable frame (2) is provided with a lap frame (18); and the second driving device is configured to drive the second rotatable frame to flip, wherein the lap frame is lapped on an upper end of the support rod.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICIA L ENGLE whose telephone number is (571)272-6660. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 7:30 am-4 pm.
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/Patricia L Engle/SPRS, Art Unit 3991
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