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 .
This is the first Office Action for the serial number 19/039,649, SEAT SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE AND A VEHICLE COMPRISING A SEAT SYSTEM, filed on 1/28/25.
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication # 2021/00061142 to Garotte et al. in view of US Patent Application # 2024/0042902 to Jonsson.
Garotte et al. a seat system for a vehicle comprising a vehicle seat (1), an upper frame structure (62), a lower frame structure (61), an upper rail and a stationary lower rail (5) configured for attached to a floor structure (4) of the vehicle. Wherein the vehicle seat is attached to the upper frame structure. The upper frame structure is rotatably (65) attached to the lower frame structure. The lower frame structure is attached to the upper rail. The upper rail is moveably arranged in relation to the lower rail in a longitudinal direction. Wherein a swivel unit (65) is arranged between the upper frame structure and the lower frame structure. Wherein the swivel unit is configured for enabling a rotational movement of the vehicle seat relative to the floor structure. Wherein the swivel unit is configured to establishing a second load path from the upper rail to the vehicle seat via the lower frame structure and the upper frame structure in a vehicle impact event. The seat system comprises one or more connection members (85). Wherein the one or more connection members are anchoring the upper frame to the lower frame structure when the vehicle seat is arranged in a forward position or a rearward position. Wherein each connection member is configured for establishing a third load path when the vehicle seat is arranged in the forward position or in the rearward position from the upper rail to the vehicle seat via the lower frame structure and the upper frame structure in a vehicle impact event. The upper frame structure and the lower frame structure comprises a front left side section, a front right side section, a rear left side section and a rear right side section. Wherein the connection members are arranged at one or more of the front left side section, front right side section, rear left side section and rear right side section. The seat system comprises a locking mechanism (40) configured for locking the upper frame structure, wherein the locking mechanism is in a locked state is preventing a rotational displacement between the upper frame structure and the lower frame structure. Wherein the locking mechanism in an unlocked state is allowing rotational displacement between the upper frame structure and the lower frame structure. A vehicle comprising the seat system.
Garotte et al. teaches all of the elements above but fails to teach the system further comprises an elongated load member attached to the lower rail. Jonsson teaches the load member (5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the load member to Garotte et al.’s system as taught by Jonsson to “preventing large deformations of the rails through the anchoring of the upper rail to the floor structure via the load member, and through the blocking of the lateral movement by the lateral side elements” (section 0007 in Jonnson’s invention).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 10-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 5, the prior arts fail to teach all of the limitations from claims 1-3 and 5 especially with “wherein the first connection part or the second connection part is configured as a T-shaped connection element.” Regarding claim 10, the prior arts fail to teach the limitations from claims 1 and 10 especially with “wherein the upper part of the load member has an upper T-shaped cross-sectional configuration with a laterally extending upper flange”. Regarding claim 13, the prior arts fail to teach all of the limitations from claims 1 and 13 especially with “wherein the one or more lower parts of the load member have lower T-shaped cross-sectional configurations with a laterally extending lower flange”.
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.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US Patent Application Publication # 2023/0274513 to Hocks et al.
US Patent Application Publication # 2024/0034206 to Jonsson
US Patent # 8,245,994 to Yamada et al.
The cited references above teach a seat structure for the vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALFRED J WUJCIAK whose telephone number is (571)272-6827. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Dunn can be reached at 571-272-6670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ALFRED J. WUJCIAK III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3632
/ALFRED J WUJCIAK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636 6/16/26
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