DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is sent in response to Applicants’ Communication received on March 18, 2025 for application number 19/083,254. This Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and Claims.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicants’ claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR 10-2024-0140792 filed on October 16, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 18, 2025 is noted. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “30” has been used to designate both the duct and the anchor upward/downward movement. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hashikawa et al. (US PG Pub No. 2011/0074184 A1), hereinafter “Hashikawa”, in view of Kharade (GB 2609646 A), hereinafter “Kharade”.
Regarding claim 1, Hashikawa discloses a vehicle seat belt cooling device comprising: a pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)) having a webbing inlet/outlet (Fig. 6 (77a)) formed in an upper portion thereof, the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)) comprising slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)) formed in an upward-and-downward direction toward the webbing inlet/outlet (Fig. 6 (77a)); an anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) coupled to the slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)) of the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)), the anchor being movable upwards and downwards along the slide holes (paragraph 36); a webbing (Fig. 3 (53)) having one end connected to the anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) and the other end wound around a retractor (Fig. 3 (50)) mounted in the pillar trim (Fig. 3 (30, 73)); a duct (Fig. 8 (34)) mounted on an inner surface of the pillar trim (Fig. 3 (30, 73)), the duct (Fig. 8 (34)) being configured to transfer a cold air current (paragraphs 31, 32); a cooler (Fig. 6 (36)) mounted on a lower portion of the duct (Fig. 8 (34)); and a driving device (Fig. 3 (52)) for anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) upward/downward movement mounted between the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)) and the duct (Fig. 8 (34)), the driving device (Fig. 3 (52)) being connected to the anchor through the slide holes (paragraphs 36, 41, 47).
Hashikawa fails to disclose that the duct is configured to transfer a cold air current to the webbing inlet/outlet; and, that the cooler is configured to discharge the cold air current to the webbing inlet/outlet along the duct.
However, Kharade discloses that the duct is configured to transfer a cold air current to the webbing inlet/outlet (Kharade (Fig. 1 (104))); and, that the cooler (Kharade (Fig. 1 (106))) is configured to discharge the cold air current to the webbing inlet/outlet (Kharade (Fig. 1 (104))) along the duct.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified Hashikawa by incorporating the teachings of Kharade in order to provide cold air in direct proximity to the seat belt wearer.
Regarding claim 12, Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 1, wherein the duct (Fig. 8 (34)) comprises: a main duct mounted on the inner surface of the pillar trim; and a slide duct withdrawably inserted into an upper portion of the main duct, the slide duct having an upper end connected to a height adjuster panel arranged on the inner surface of the pillar trim, the height adjuster panel being configured to adjust a height thereof (paragraphs 31, 32, 37, 38).
Claims 2-9, 15, 16, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hashikawa, in view of Kharade as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Higuchi (US PG Pub No. 2016/0031410 A1), hereinafter “Higuchi”.
Regarding claim 2, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 1.
The modified invention of Hashikawa fails to disclose that the pillar trim comprises an electromagnet mounted on a lower inner surface thereof, the electromagnet being configured to fix the anchor by magnetic force thereof.
However, Higuchi discloses that the pillar trim (Higuchi (Fig. 1 (2))) comprises an electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraph 72)) mounted on a lower inner surface thereof, the electromagnet being configured to fix the anchor by magnetic force thereof (Higuchi (paragraphs 72, 73)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified Hashikawa by incorporating the teachings of Higuchi in order to have a seatbelt apparatus capable of restraining a passenger by moving the anchor to a position closer to the shoulder of the passenger.
Regarding claim 3, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to perform driving control on the cooler (paragraph 32) and the driving device, the controller being configured to perform a control operation to apply or cut off current to the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58)).
Regarding claim 4, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to perform, when the anchor is to be moved upwards toward the webbing inlet/outlet (paragraph 32-36), current cut-off control on the electromagnet, and to perform, when the anchor is to be fixed to an original position thereof, current application control on the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58)).
Regarding claim 5, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 2, further comprising permanent magnets (Higuchi (Fig. 3 (32, 34))) respectively attached to upper and lower portions of the electromagnet, configured to retain the anchor in its original position upon de-energization of the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73)).
Regarding claim 6, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 5, wherein the anchor (Higuchi (Fig. 2 (38))) further comprises a metal plate attachable to the electromagnet and the permanent magnets (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73)).
Regarding claim 7, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 3, further comprising a smart device configured to transmit, to the controller, a remote control signal to drive the cooler for generation of the cold air current and to drive the driving device for upward movement of the anchor (Kharade (Powering on or start-up of the control unit 114 may power the temperature 5 conditioning element 106. The control unit 114 may be remotely powered on. A user may not need to physically switch on a button or control located on control unit 114 in order to power it on. The control unit 114 may be capable of wirelessly communicating with a remote device, such as a user's smartphone or a remote server. The control unit 114 may comprise a wireless communication module. The control unit 114 may be connected to or may be an ECU comprising a wireless communication module.)).
Regarding claim 8, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 3, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the webbing and to transmit a webbing temperature detection signal to the controller (Kharade (paragraphs 3, 13, 30)).
Regarding claim 9, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured, upon receiving the webbing temperature detection signal from the temperature sensor, to determine, when the current temperature of the webbing is equal to or higher than a set temperature, driving of the cooler so as to generate the cold air current and driving of the driving device so as to perform upward movement of the anchor (Kharade (paragraphs 13, 30, 34, 37)).
Regarding claim 15, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses a method of cooling a seat belt in a vehicle prior to a passenger entering the vehicle in summer, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller, a remote control signal transmitted from a smart device to drive a cooler for generation of a cold air current and to drive a driving device for upward movement of an anchor (Kharade (Powering on or start-up of the control unit 114 may power the temperature 5 conditioning element 106. The control unit 114 may be remotely powered on. A user may not need to physically switch on a button or control located on control unit 114 in order to power it on. The control unit 114 may be capable of wirelessly communicating with a remote device, such as a user's smartphone or a remote server. The control unit 114 may comprise a wireless communication module. The 10 control unit 114 may be connected to or may be an ECU comprising a wireless communication module.)); cutting off current to an electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58)) mounted on an inner surface of a pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)), thereby allowing the anchor (Fig. 3 (54)), which is connected to one end of a webbing of the seat belt, to move upwards along slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)) formed in an upward-and-downward direction toward a webbing inlet/outlet (Fig. 6 (77a))(paragraphs 36, 41, 47); operating the cooler (Kharade (Fig. 1 (106))) to discharge the cold air current to the webbing inlet/outlet (Kharade (Fig. 1 (104))) along a duct mounted on the inner surface of the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)); and cooling the webbing in a state in which the anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) is moved upwards toward the webbing inlet/outlet by the driving device (Fig. 3 (52)).
Regarding claim 16, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the method of claim 15, further comprising: detecting, by a temperature sensor, a temperature of the webbing or the vehicle interior; and automatically determining, when the temperature is equal to or higher than a set temperature, to perform the receiving of the remote control signal and the operating of the cooler so as to generate the cold air current (Kharade (paragraphs 13, 30, 34, 37)).
Regarding claim 18, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses a seat belt cooling system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)) having a webbing inlet/outlet (Fig. 6 (77a)) formed in an upper portion thereof and slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)) formed in an upward-and-downward direction toward the webbing inlet/outlet (Fig. 6 (77a)); an anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) coupled to the slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)) of the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)) and movable upwards and downwards along the slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)); a webbing (Fig. 3 (53)) having one end connected to the anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) and the other end wound around a retractor (Fig. 3 (50)) mounted in the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)); an electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraph 72)) mounted on a lower inner surface of the pillar trim (Higuchi (Fig. 1 (2))), the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraph 72)) being configured to fix the anchor (Higuchi (Fig. 2 (38))) by magnetic force (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73)); a duct (Fig. 8 (34)) mounted on an inner surface of the pillar trim (Fig. 3 (30, 73)) and configured to transfer a cold air current (paragraphs 31, 32) to the webbing inlet/outlet (Kharade (Fig. 1 (104))); a cooler (Fig. 6 (36)) mounted on a lower portion of the duct (Fig. 8 (34)), the cooler (Kharade (Fig. 1 (106))) being configured to discharge the cold air current to the webbing inlet/outlet (Kharade (Fig. 1 (104))) along the duct (Fig. 8 (34)); a driving device (Fig. 3 (52)) for anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) upward/downward movement mounted between the pillar trim (Fig. 6 (30, 73)) and the duct (Fig. 8 (34)) and connected to the anchor (Fig. 3 (54)) through the slide holes (Fig. 6 (77)); a smart device configured to transmit, to a controller, a remote control signal to drive the cooler for generation of the cold air current and to drive the driving device for upward movement of the anchor (Kharade (Powering on or start-up of the control unit 114 may power the temperature 5 conditioning element 106. The control unit 114 may be remotely powered on. A user may not need to physically switch on a button or control located on control unit 114 in order to power it on. The control unit 114 may be capable of wirelessly communicating with a remote device, such as a user's smartphone or a remote server. The control unit 114 may comprise a wireless communication module. The 10 control unit 114 may be connected to or may be an ECU comprising a wireless communication module.)); and the controller configured to perform driving control on the cooler (paragraph 32) and the driving device and to perform a control operation to apply or cut off current to the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58)), wherein, in response to the remote control signal from the smart device (Kharade (paragraphs 3, 13, 30)), the controller is configured to cut off current to the electromagnet so that the anchor becomes movable upwards along the slide holes and to operate the cooler to direct the cold air current toward the webbing inlet/outlet, thereby cooling the webbing before a passenger enters the vehicle (Kharade (paragraphs 13, 30, 34, 37)).
Regarding claim 19, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the seat belt cooling system of claim 18, further comprising: permanent magnets (Higuchi (Fig. 3 (32, 34))) respectively attached to upper and lower portions of the electromagnet, each of the permanent magnets having weaker magnetic force than the magnetic force of the electromagnet, such that the anchor is fixed to an original position thereof when current applied to the electromagnet is cut off due to a turned-off vehicle engine (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73-75)).
Claims 10, 11, 17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hashikawa, in view of Kharade and Higuchi as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Klein (US PG Pub No. 2009/0082926 A1), hereinafter “Klein”.
Regarding claim 10, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 3.
The modified invention of Hashikawa fails disclose a passenger seating detector configured to detect whether a passenger sits on a seat and to transmit a detection signal to the controller.
However, Klein discloses a passenger seating detector configured to detect whether a passenger sits on a seat and to transmit a detection signal to the controller (Klein (Abstract; paragraph 29)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified Hashikawa by incorporating the teachings of Klein in order to confirm the presence of an occupant before the system starts to operate.
Regarding claim 11, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the vehicle seat belt cooling device of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to perform, upon receiving the detection signal from the passenger seating detector (Klein (Abstract; paragraph 29)), a control operation to stop driving of the cooler and a control operation to cause the driving device to move the anchor downwards to a position allowing the anchor to be attached to the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73)).
Regarding claim 17, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the method of claim 15, further comprising: detecting, by a passenger seating detector, that a passenger has sat on a seat (Klein (Abstract; paragraph 29)); stopping driving of the cooler; and moving the anchor downwards to an original position of the slide holes by applying current to the electromagnet, thereby allowing the passenger to fasten the seat belt (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73)).
Regarding claim 20, the modified invention of Hashikawa discloses the seat belt cooling system of claim 18, further comprising: a passenger seating detector configured to detect whether a passenger sits on a seat (Klein (Abstract; paragraph 29)) and to transmit a detection signal to the controller, wherein, upon receiving the detection signal, the controller is configured to stop driving of the cooler and to cause the driving device to move the anchor downwards to a position allowing the anchor to be attached to the electromagnet (Higuchi (paragraphs 54-58, 72, 73)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13 and 14 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.
Conclusion
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/O.M/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LINDSAY M LOW/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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