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 12/17/2025
Claim 1 has been amended
Claims 1-13, 17-18, 20 and 22-25 are presented for examination
This action is Non-Final
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) 17-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thompson (US 11,142,383) in view of Currie (US 3,221,876).
Claim 17. Thompson discloses a package comprising a carrier for carrying one or more objects, the carrier comprising:
a plurality of panels including a handle panel 23 and opposed side panels 51, 53 connected to opposing ends of the handle panel (fig. 2),
wherein the first side panel is hingedly connected to the handle panel by a first fold line 61 and the second side panel is hingedly connected to the handle panel by a second fold line 63,
wherein the carrier further comprises a first relief crease 156 formed in the handle panel and extending from the first fold line at an angle with respect to the first fold line; and
a second relief crease 156 formed in the handle panel and extending from the second fold line at an angle with respect to the second fold line (col. 5, ll. 16-23).
Thompson teaches the panels are connected/adhered to one another to form a closed configuration (col. 5, ll. 51-67). Although an adhesive is not positively claimed and only a portion of the side panels are configured to receive an adhesive, Thompson fails to teach the use of an adhesive that connects the panels to the product.
Currie represents evidence of an adhesive-receiving portion wherein a first side panel 22 of the opposed side panels comprises a first adhesive- receiving portion @A such that the first side panel is adhered to one side or edge of one object at the first adhesive-receiving portion and a second side panel 22 of the opposed side panels comprises a second-adhesive receiving portion @A such that the second side panel is adhered to one side or edge of one object at the second adhesive-receiving portion (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 panels of Thompson to include the adhesive and receiving portions of Currie to assist in further reinforcing the secured position of the products when stored inside of the package.
Claim 18. Thompson-Currie discloses the package according to claim 17 comprising at least one additional object secured to the one object to which at least one of the opposed side panels is adhered (Currie; fig. 2-3).
Claim 20. Thompson-Currie discloses the package according to claim 18 wherein the carrier comprises a first relief cut, the first relief cut comprising a first portion 150 extending along the first fold line and a second portion 144 extending in the first side panel at an angle with respect to the first fold line (Thompson; fig. 1); and
a second relief cut, the second relief cut comprising a first portion 152 extending along the second fold line and a second portion 148 extending in the second side panel at an angle with respect to the second fold line (Thompson; fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 and 22-25 are allowed.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ANTHONY STASHICK can be reached at 571-272-4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/RAVEN COLLINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3735
/Anthony D Stashick/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3735