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 .
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) 1-2, 4-6, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liang (US 7731081 B2).
Regarding claims 1-2 and 12, Liang discloses a paper box structure comprising a cover (200); a box body (200; see Figures 5-6); a connecting plate (100), connected between the cover and the box body through bending, so that the cover is adapted to rotate relative to the box body to open and close (see Fig. 4); and a first integrally folded lining partition (400), disposed in the box body and folded to form a main space of a step structure (410; see Figures 5-6), wherein a lower surface of the step structure and an inner surface of the box body jointly form a first accommodation space, wherein the first lining partition is integrally formed and folded (see Figures 4-6). Examiner notes that each of the cover and box body comprise two opposing lining partitions creating a total of four lining partitions within the box.
Regarding claims 4-6, Liang discloses a box wherein the step structure comprises a top surface (400) and a step platform surface (410) lower than the top surface (see Figure 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 9-10 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.
Claim 11 is allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 5-8, filed 12/05/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-2 under USC 102(a)(1)—in view of Gunnett have been fully considered and are persuasive. Gunnett lacks an integrally formed partition. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of USC 102(a)(1)--Liang.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER R DEMEREE whose telephone number is (571)270-1982. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHAN J NEWHOUSE can be reached at (571)272-4544. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER R DEMEREE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3734
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