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 .
This action is written in response to the amendment filed 05/22/2026
Claims 1-42 have been cancelled and claims 43-62 have been added
Claims 43-62 are presented for examination
This action is Non-Final
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 43 and 45-48 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Randrup (US 3,156,358).
Claim 43. Randrup discloses an article carrier configured to hold articles, comprising:
a main panel;
a first aperture formed in the main panel for engaging with a first article;
a second aperture formed in the main panel for engaging with a second article;
a first cover panel and a second cover panel disposed over the first aperture and the second aperture respectively;
a first connector panel comprising a first outer free edge, the first connector panel being hingedly connected to the first cover panel and disposed to slope down from the first cover panel to the first outer free edge;
a second connector panel comprising a second outer free edge, the second connector panel being hingedly connected to the second cover panel and disposed to slope down from the second cover panel to the second outer free edge;
wherein the first cover panel is hingedly connected to the main panel via a first intermediate panel,
wherein the second cover panel is hingedly connected to the main panel via a second intermediate panel
wherein the first outer free edge of the first connector panel and the second outer free edge of the second connector panel are disposed adjacent to each other above the main panel (see annotated figure below also fig. 8 where both outer and inner free edges are sloped).
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Claim 45. Randrup discloses an article carrier according to claim 43, wherein each of the first outer free edge and the second outer free edge comprises a linear straight edge (Randrup; fig. 1).
Claim 46. Randrup discloses an article carrier according to claim 43, wherein respective centers of the first aperture and the second aperture are spaced apart over an interspace corresponding with a diameter of one of the articles, which is measured at a widest point of a body of the articles the article carrier is configured to hold (Randrup; fig. 8).
Claim 47. Randrup discloses an article carrier according to claim 43, wherein the first connector panel and the second connector panel are hingedly connected to the first cover panel and the second cover panel by a first connector fold line and a second connector panel fold line, respectively,
wherein the first connector panel extends from the first connector panel fold line to the first outer free edge, and
wherein the second connector panel extends from the second connector panel fold line to the second outer free edge (Randrup; see annotated figure of claim 1).
Claim 48. Randrup discloses an article carrier according to claim 43, wherein each of the first connector panel and the second connector panel is angled with respect to the main panel (Randrup; fig. 1).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 56-58 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Randrup (US 3,156,358) in view of Wood (US 3,722,945).
Claim 56-58. Randrup discloses an article carrier configured to hold articles, comprising:
a main panel;
a first receiving aperture formed in the main panel and comprising a first pair of locking tabs hingedly connected to the main panel and spaced apart from each other (diagonally);
a second receiving aperture formed in the main panel and comprising a second pair of locking tabs hingedly connected to the main panel and spaced apart from each other (see duplicate aperture of fig. 2):
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a first cover panel and a second cover panel disposed over the first receiving aperture and the second receiving aperture respectively;
a first connector panel hingedly connected to the first cover panel;
a second connector panel hingedly connected the second cover panel (fig. 8; see annotated figure of claim 43).
Randrup fails to disclose a connector edge. Wood teaches wherein each of the first connector panel 22-18 and the second connector panel 23-19 comprises a connector edge 26-29 formed by a cut 24 in each of the first connector panel and the second connector panel (fig. 2),
wherein the first outer free edge @30 of the first connector panel 18-22 and the second outer free edge @31 of the second connector panel 19-23 are disposed adjacent to each other above the main panel 1 (fig. 1, 3); and
wherein the connecter edge of the first connector panel extends between the first pair of locking tabs of the first receiving aperture and the connecter edge of the second connector panel extends between the second pair of locking tabs of the second receiving aperture (fig. 1, 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the edges of Randrup to include the connector edges of Wood to ensure an easy gripping of the carrier.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 44 and 49-55 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.
Claims 59-62 allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 05/22/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 43 have been fully considered and are not persuasive. Claim 43 requires the first and second outer free edges are adjacent to one another above the main panel. According to Meriam-Webster dictionary, adjacent is defined as “next to or very near a specific location”. With the specific location being the (a center point) central panel, the panels of Randrup are believed to be disposed adjacent to one another. Further, Applicants specification places the can receiving apertures adjacent to one another (pg. 7, ll. 26-27). Applicant’s figure 2 shows the can receiving apertures placed adjacent one another separated by finger grips 90. The locking tabs are also arranged adjacent to one another but separated by support edges 21. This configuration is also present in the present prior art. Dependent claim 44 further states the panels abutting one another, differing from an adjacent configuration.
Claim 56 has been updated to clarify the panels of the prior art that represents the connector panels. As a single blank, the panels of Wood are only defined by a fold lines. This allows for multiple sections to represent a single section that can be used to abut another larger section. The rejection is respectfully maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAVEN COLLINS whose telephone number is (571)270-1672. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm EST.
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/RAVEN COLLINS/Examiner, Art Unit 3735
/Anthony D Stashick/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3735
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