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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Desmeules (US 2024/0049360).
Desmeules discloses the claimed structure of the glove including a glove body (45), a heating unit (48), a control unit (30), a sensing element (11) having a first sensing element (14’) and a second sensing element (14) wherein the first sensing element and the second sensing element are disposed in a spacing manner and both are connected to the control unit (also, see Figure 2 and Figure 3), and the first sensing element and the second sensing element sequentially sense a presence of a hand/body that generates a hand/body signal which is provided to the control unit that controls the heating unit to perform wherein when there is no hand/body signal the control unit stops heating (para 0011-0012 and 0028).
With respect to claim 3, Desmeules disclose the control unit having a control switch (26) to turn on and off the heating unit.
With respect to claim 5, Desmeules discloses that each of the first sensing element and the second sensing element is a touch sensing plate (also, see Figure 2 and 4A).
With respect to claim 6, Desmeules discloses the sensor (11) with the first sensing element, the second sensing element, sensing circuits that are fixed on a fixed sheet (a circuit board 20) wherein Desmeules further disclose that the sensor (11) fixed inside the glove body with connecting wires (21) that electrically connects the sensor (11’) to the control unit (30; also see Figure 7B).
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Desmeules (US 2024/0049360) in view of Macher et al (US 8,664,571).
Desmeules discloses the structure claimed except for the control unit having an outer joint capable of extending out and used for connecting the control unit to an external power supply.
Macher shows it is known to provide a glover with a control unit wherein the control unit is further provided with an outer joint such as a cable (30) which extends out of a glove and connected to an external power supply (column 5, lines 48-61).
In view of Macher, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt the control unit of Desmeules with an outer joint such as a cable that is capable of extending out of the glove which allows for a convenient and flexible electrical connection to an external power supply (e.g., battery) that can be provided outside of the glove (e.g., a battery containing pocket provided outside the glove).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Desmeules (US 2024/0049360) in view of Gueritee et al (US 2022/0087344).
Desmeules discloses the structure claimed except for the first sensing element is arranged at a part corresponding to a center of the back of the hand and the second sensing element arranged at one of parts corresponding to the fingers as claimed.
Gueritee shows a sensor having a first sensing element (2b) and a second sensing element (2a) wherein the first sensing element is arranged at a part corresponding to a back of the hand the second sensing element arranged at one of the parts that correspond to the fingers (also, see para 0010 and 0050; i.e., one of the sensing part/element runs on the palms and goes through base points of each of the finger parts) for detecting a user hand and controlling the heating unit based on a hand signal sensed by the sensor (para 0035).
In view of Gueritee, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt Desmeules with a first sensing element that is provided on part that corresponds to a center potion or any suitable location of a back of the hand with the second sensing element arranged on the corresponding finger parts or any other suitable locations as an alternative sensor arrangement or as a matter of routine operations/experimentation to detect a presence of a hand of a user for controlling the heating element to turn off the heating element when no hand signal is generated for safe and effectively means of operating the heating unit.
Claim(s) 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Desmeules (US 2024/0049360) in view of Gross et al (US 4,021,640).
Desmeules discloses the structure claimed including an article of apparel having an outer layer (36) and an inner lining (33) with the sensor (11) having the first sensing element and the second sensing element arranged between the outer layer and the inner lining (see Figure 6) but does not explicitly show a glove cover with a lining as claimed.
Gross shows it is known for a glove having a glove body with an outer covering (10) and an inner liner with a heating unit.
In view of Gross, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt the glove body of Desmeules having an outer covering, an inner liner, and the heating unit as a known arrangement of a heated glove wherein the first sensing element and the second sensing element are disposed between the outer covering of the glove body and the inner liner as shown with an article of clothing (as illustrated in Figure 6 of Desmeules) to arrange the first and second sensing elements in close proximity with a hand of the user that is placed in the glove to measure its presence therein.
With respect to claim 8, Desmeules shows an insulating fabric material (35) that is provided over the sensor (11 which includes the fixed sheet such as a circuit board 20 as shown in Figure 4A-4B) and thus fixes the sensor/fixed sheet on the inner lining (33), and while Desmeules does not explicitly show the insulating material as sponge, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt Desmeules with the insulating material that includes or sponge or any other suitable insulating material, lacking criticality, that provides thermal insulation that would predictably protect the sensor from heat generated from the heating unit.
With respect to claim 9, Gross further discloses a thermal insulation layer (20/21) arranged between the glove cover (1) and an inner liner (11) wherein the thermal insulating layer is arranged between the glove cover and the heating unit (30), and it would have been obvious to adapt Desmeules with the thermal insulation that is provided between the glove cover and the heating unit as taught by Gross to predictably retain heat without heat loss through the glove cover.
With respect to claim 10, Gross discloses the heating unit having a heat generation sheet (30) and a heat dissipation film (33) connected to the heat generation sheet wherein the heat generation sheet and the heat dissipation film are jointed arranged that forms an integrated structure matched within the glove body (also, see Figure 3; and column 3, lines 5-25), and it would have been obvious to adapt Desmeules with the heating unit taught by Gross that is capable of providing an effective heat throughout the glove.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG Y PAIK whose telephone number is (571)272-4783. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:30; M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at 571-272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANG Y PAIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761