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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 04/10/2025 and 03/31/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
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Annotated Horst Figure 4
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Annotated Horst Figure 5
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 1 – 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horst et al. US 20120178544 A1 (hereinafter Horst) in view of US 20250003252 A1 (hereinafter EA).
Re. Cl. 1, Horst discloses a carrier mounting part (Fig. 2, Ref. 12) comprising a rotating base (Fig. 2, Ref. 160) configured to connect to a carrier and a fixed base (Fig. 2, Ref. 140; Para. 0023) configured to connect to the swing arm, the rotating base being rotatably connected to the fixed base around an axis (Fig. 5, Ref. 150; Para. 0025),
wherein the rotating base is provided with at least two engaging parts, the at least two engaging parts being spaced apart in a circumferential direction around the axis, and the fixed base is provided with at least one positioning part, wherein when any one of the engaging parts abuts against the same positioning part in the circumferential direction, the rotating base is fixed relative to the fixed base; or
the rotating base is provided with at least one engaging part (Fig. 3, Ref. 18; Para. 0025), and the fixed base is provided with at least two positioning parts (Fig. 5, Ref. 144), the at least two positioning parts being spaced apart in a circumferential direction (See Fig. 5), wherein when the same engaging part abuts against any one of the positioning parts in the circumferential direction, the rotating base is fixed relative to the fixed base (See Fig. 5);
wherein one of the rotating base and the fixed base is provided with at least one side wall (Fig. 5, Inner side of Ref. 144) extending along the circumferential direction, the at least one side wall is correspondingly provided with the engaging part or the positioning part (See Fig. 5).
Re. Cl. 1, Horst fails to disclose an elastic protrusion. Wang teaches carrier mounting part (Fig.4, Ref. 21) with a rotating base (Fig. 20, Ref. 212) provided with an elastic protrusion (Fig. 20, Ref. 2125) located on the at least one wall (Fig. 20, Ref. 21231) and capable of elastically deforming (Para. 0086) wherein when the rotating base is fixed relative to the fixed base, the elastic protrusion abuts against the engaging part or the positioning part correspondingly formed on the fixed base (Para. 0086). When orienting the elastic protrusion of Wang to the wall of Horst, the elastic protrusion would deform in a radial direction perpendicular to the said rotating axis.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Horst with Wang's teaching of an elastic protrusion. Doing so would more securely enable the rotating base to be locked in at least a first or second rotational position relative to the fixed base by applying an interference fit between the deformable protrusions and the engaging part as opposed to a clearance fit (Para. 0086).
Re. Cl. 2, Horst discloses the engaging part or the positioning part provided on the at least one side wall is a positioning recess (Fig. 5, Ref. 144), and the engaging part or the positioning part correspondingly formed on the other one of the rotating base and the fixed base is a positioning protrusion (Fig. 3, Ref. 18), wherein when the rotating base is fixed relative to the fixed base, the positioning recess abuts against the positioning protrusion in the circumferential direction (See Fig. 5).
Re. Cl. 2, Horst fails to disclose protrusions. Wang teaches the positioning part provided on at least one wall (Fig. 18, Ref. 21112) is a positioning recess (Fig. 18, Ref. 2119; Para. 0086), the positioning recess comprises two protrusions (Fig. 18, Ref. 2118) spaced apart and the at least one wall located between the two protrusions (See Fig. 18). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Horst with Wang's teaching of a positioning recess comprising two protrusions. Doing so would evenly distribute the shear stress of an interference fit across the two protrusions on either side of the positioning parts.
Re. Cl. 3, Horst discloses that on the fixed base, the at least one side wall is two side walls (Fig. 5, Side Wall A & Side Wall B), the two side walls are spaced apart in the radial direction (See Fig. 5), wherein the positioning recess is provided on one of the two side walls (See Fig. 5).
While Horst does not disclose ribbing on the fixed base, it does disclose that on the rotating base, the at least one side wall is two side walls (Fig. 4, Side Wall 1 & Side Wall 2), the two side walls are spaced apart in the radial direction (See Fig. 4), and the two side walls are connected to each other through at least one connecting rib (Fig. 4, Connecting Rib 2) disposed opposite to one of the two side walls. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fixed base of Horst with the ribbing of the rotating base, such that the ribbing is between the two elastic protrusions of the positioning recess in the radial direction. Doing so would reinforce the positioning parts and improve their durability.
Re. Cl. 4, Horst discloses one of the rotating base and the fixed base is provided with an inner side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall A) and an outer side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall B) extending along the circumferential direction, the inner side wall is located inside of the outer side wall and spaced apart from the outer side wall in the radial direction (See Fig. 5), and the inner side wall and/or the outer side wall is the at least one side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall A), the engaging part or the positioning part formed on the other one of the rotating base and the fixed base is located between the inner side wall and the outer side wall (Fig. 5, Ref. 144).
Re. Cl. 5, Horst discloses an inner side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall A) provided with the at least one positioning part (Fig. 5, Ref. 144).
Re. Cl. 5, Horst fails to disclose protrusions. Wang teaches elastic protrusions (Fig. 2, Ref. 2125) formed by protruding outward orthogonally from the wall. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Horst with Wang's teaching of CLAIMLANG, orienting them to the positioning parts on the side wall such that the protrusions protrude perpendicular to the side wall, resulting in protrusion in the radial direction. Doing so would ensure a resilient fit between the side walls of the rotating and fixed bases.
Re. Cl. 6, Horst discloses in the rotating base, that one of the rotating base and the fixed base is provided with two inner side walls (Fig. 4, Side Wall 3 & Side Wall 4) and two outer side walls (Fig. 4, Side Wall 1 & Side Wall 2), the two inner side walls are spaced apart in the radial direction (See Fig. 4) and connected to each other through at least one second connecting rib (Fig. 4, Connecting Rib 1), the two outer side walls are spaced apart in the radial direction (See Fig. 4) and connected to each other through at least one first connecting rib (Fig. 4, Connecting Rib 2), and the engaging part or the positioning part (Fig. 3, Ref. 18) formed on the other one of the rotating base and the fixed base is located between an inner side wall in the radial outside of the two inner side walls and an outer side wall in the radial inside of the two outer side walls (See Fig. 3).
In the fixed base, Horst discloses an inner side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall A) and an outer side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall B) extending along the circumferential direction, the inner side wall is located inside of the outer side wall and spaced apart from the outer side wall in the radial direction (See Fig. 5), and the inner side wall and/or the outer side wall is the at least one side wall (Fig. 5, Side Wall A), the engaging part or the positioning part (Fig. 5, Ref. 144) formed on the other one of the rotating base and the fixed base is located between the inner side wall and the outer side wall, in a radial direction on inner side wall in the radial outside of the inner side wall (See Fig. 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 applied the two wall and ribbing structure of the rotating base to the fixed base. Doing so applies the rigidity and structural support of the ribbing structure and dual wall system to the base with the positioning part, rather than or as well as the base with the engaging part.
Re. Cl. 6, Horst fails to disclose protrusions. Wang teaches an elastic protrusion (Fig. 20, Ref. 2125) located on the at least one wall (Fig. 20, Ref. 21231) and capable of elastically deforming (Para. 0086) in a direction orthogonal to the at least one wall. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Horst with Wang's teaching of an elastic protrusion applied on the at least one wall. Doing so would allow for a more resilient connection between the two bases through the elastic deformation of the protrusion, which is further reinforced by the ribbing structure.
Re. Cl. 7, Horst discloses a seat (Fig. 2 Ref. 1) comprising a base (Fig. 2, Ref. 14), a carrier located above the base (Fig. 2, Ref. 16), a bracket extending upward from the base (Fig. 2, Ref. 10), a swing arm having one end connected to the carrier and the other end pivotally connected to the bracket (Fig. 2, Ref. 120), and the carrier mounting part disposed at the end of the swing arm connected to the carrier (See Fig. 2).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horst and Wang as applied to claims 1 – 7 above, and further in view of US 20140287846 A1 (hereinafter Mountz).
Re. Cl. 8, Horst as modified by Wang fails to disclose a wheel. Mountz teaches an apparatus (Fig. 1, Ref. 100) comprising at least one wheel (Fig. 9, Ref. 118), the at least one wheel is provided on the bracket or the base (Fig. 9, Ref. 110), and the at least one wheel is not in contact with a horizontal plane when the seat is placed on the horizontal plan (Fig. 2 & 9; Para. 0034). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Horst’s invention with Mountz's teachings of a wheel. Doing so would facilitate easier transportation of the carrier base via rolling as opposed to lifting or dragging (Para. 0018, 0034).
Claims 9 & 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Horst and Wang as applied to claims 1 – 7 above, and further in view of Bellows et al. US 20080238163 A1 (hereinafter Bellows).
Re. Cl. 9, Horst discloses the swing arm is provided with a lower connecting part (Fig. 2, Ref. 124), where the lower connecting part is inserted into the fixed base in a direction perpendicular to the axis (Fig. 2; Para. 0023).
Re. Cl. 9, Horst as modified by Wang fails to disclose a reinforcement part. Bellows teaches a swing arm (Fig. 2, Ref. 30) provided with a lower connecting part (Fig. 2, Ref. 50) and at least one reinforcement part (Fig. 9, Ref. 80) fixedly connected to the fixed base (Fig. 2, Ref. 36), the at least one reinforcement part is inserted into the lower connecting part in a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the lower connecting part and spaced apart from the axis (See Fig. 9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Horst’s invention with Bellows’s teachings of a reinforcement part. Doing so provides additional support to the fixed base and the lower connecting arm when supporting the load of the child carrier.
Re. Cl. 10, Horst discloses a positioning part (Fig. 5, Ref. 144) disposed opposite to the lower connecting part (Fig. 2, Ref. 124) along the extending direction of the lower connecting part, given that the lower connecting part is inserted into coupling members (Fig. 5, Ref. 140; Para. 0023) and the positioning part is disposed opposite to the coupling members along the extending direction of the lower connecting part (See Fig. 5).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mountz US 20170367493 A1, Wang US 20250213052 A1, Zhang US 20120034985 A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GELILA S KEBEDE whose telephone number is (571)270-0369. The examiner can normally be reached 6:00AM - 2:00PM, Mon - Thurs.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at (571) 272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GELILA KEBEDE/ Examiner, Art Unit 3632
/TERRELL L MCKINNON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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