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 statement (IDS) submitted on 11/14/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: “adjacent to the traction cable the first sealing lip extends further than at more distant locations” should be rewritten as “the seal comprises one end adjacent to the traction cable, and a second end distant from the traction cable, the first sealing lip extending further longitudinally at the adjacent end than at the distant end”, in order to increase clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-14 are objected to because of the following informalities: “A tensioning device” should be rewritten as “The tensioning device”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the first sealing lip is at least 1.5 times, preferably at least twice the length of the second sealing lip in the longitudinal extension direction of the tensioner tube”. This renders the claim unclear and indefinite, as it is unclear whether the sealing lip is required to be at least 1.5x longer than the second sealing lip, or twice as long as the second sealing lip.
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.
Claims 1-5, 8, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Specht (US6149095A), henceforth referred to as Specht.
Regarding claim 1, Specht discloses a tensioning device for a safety belt component, comprising - a gas generator for generating a pressurized gas (Figures 2: gas generator comprised of casing 21 and igniter 32), a piston that can be driven by the pressurized gas (Figure 1: piston 2 driven by pressurized gas), a traction cable which is connected to the piston and can be connected to a safety belt component that is to be set into a tensioning movement (Column 3 lines 38-43: "The movement transmitting system advantageously includes a rack on the step piston and a pinion that can engage the rack and is coupled to a winding shaft of an automatic seatbelt retractor for the seatbelt. However, traction cable connections or lever mechanisms can also be used to connect the step piston to the seatbelt"), a tensioner tube for receiving and guiding the piston (Figure 1: guide tube 1 guides piston 2), a gas generator housing accommodating the gas generator (Figures 1 and 2: end part 6 of guide tube 1 forms a housing for accommodating igniter 32 and casing 21), wherein the gas generator housing is arranged in the tensioner tube (Figure 1: end part 6 is formed by guide tube 1), a seal, wherein the seal seals the gas generator housing against an inner side of the tensioner tube on a side facing the piston (Figure 1: seal 17 seals igniter 32 and casing 21 against inner walls 19 of guide tube 1), wherein the seal has a first sealing lip which extends along the longitudinal extension direction of the tensioner tube (Figure 1: first sealing lip formed by sealing insert 20 of seal 17 extends along the longitudinal direction of guide tube 1), at least when the gas generator is triggered, lies flat against the inside of the tensioner tube and is pressed against the inside of the tensioner tube by the pressurized gas (Figures 2 and 3: when gas generator is triggered, sealing rim 18 lies flat against the inside of tube 1, and is pressed by the pressurized gas in chamber 38).
Regarding claim 2, Specht discloses the seal has a base portion which bears against an axial end face of the gas generator housing (Figure 1: seal 17 comprises sealing rim 18, which contacts an axial end face of end part 6).
Regarding claim 3, Specht discloses the base portion abuts against the axial end face of the gas generator housing at a distance from an outer edge of the axial end face (Figure 1: sealing rim 18 abuts the end face of end part 6 at a distance from the outer edge of the face).
Regarding claim 4, Specht discloses the seal is conical on its outer periphery in the transition from the base portion to the first sealing lip (Figure 1: seal 17 is conically shaped in its transition from rim 18 to insert 20).
Regarding claim 5, Specht discloses the first sealing lip extends in the axial direction beyond the gas generator housing (Figure 1: first lip formed by sealing insert 20 extends beyond casing 21 in the axial direction).
Regarding claim 8, Specht discloses the first sealing lip extends to different distances in the longitudinal extension direction at different locations in the peripheral direction (Figure 1: seal insert 20 is conically shaped, thus extends at different radii along the longitudinal axis).
Regarding claim 14, Specht discloses the seal is formed in one piece (Figure 1: seal 17 is formed in one piece).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 9-13 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the “seal has a second sealing lip which extends along the longitudinal extension direction of the tensioner tube, at least in the event of triggering of the gas generator, lies flat against a radially outwardly directed surface of the gas generator housing and is pressed by the pressurized gas against the radially outwardly directed surface of the gas generator housing” as found in dependent claim 6, is not found in prior art, nor is an obvious combination of prior art. Specht does not teach two sealing lips, nor the behavior of the a sealing lip being pressed against a radially outwardly directed surface of the gas generator housing when pressurized.
Further, the “adjacent to the traction cable the first sealing lip extends further than at more distant locations” as found in dependent claim 9 is not found in prior art, nor is an obvious combination of prior art. Specht does not teach said limitation, and could not be reasonably modified to meet said limitation.
Further, the “first sealing lip has reinforcing ribs” as found in dependent claim 10, is not found in prior art, nor is an obvious combination of prior art. Specht does not teach said limitation, and could not be reasonably modified to meet said limitation.
Claim 7 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, by virtue of depending from dependent claim 6.
Cited Prior Art not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes Cunningham (US-6454306-B1) and Wier (US-6250720-B1), which disclose gas piston seat belt tensioning devices.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J O'NEILL whose telephone number is (571)272-4752. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri: 7AM-4PM.
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/MATTHEW JAMES O'NEILL/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
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