DETAILED ACTION
In response to Amendments/Arguments filed 10/23/2025. Claims 1-33 are pending. Claims 1-18 and 23-33 are withdrawn. Claims 19-22 are examined thusly. Claims 19-21 are amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kiljunen et al. (WO 2011/042610) in view of Laine et al. (WO 2018/122470).
Kiljunen discloses a bio-adhesive and a wood board thereof. With respect to claims 19 and 20, Kiljunen discloses a bio-adhesive is disposed between two wood veneers, wherein the bio-adhesive comprises a natural-based binder that is a lignin that contains active hydroxyl and amine functional groups, a crosslinking agent, and other additives such as property modification agents and viscosity enhancers (pp. 2-12). Examiner notes lignin is modified using the same materials as that disclosed in the instant application and as such, the lignin is considered to be the claimed oxidized lignin (pp. 7-8). The resulting material is a cured adhesive between two veneers, resulting in a crosslinked adhesive. Examiner further notes that the terms “acoustic product” and “acoustic element” do not provide any structure to the claim since there are no materials claimed. As such, the bonded wood veneers can broadly be considered an “acoustic product” and “acoustic element”. However, Kiljunen is silent to the claimed property modification agent and viscosity enhancer is a plasticizer.
Laine discloses a bio-based adhesive that contains an oxidized lignin. With respect to the plasticizer, Laine discloses that the adhesive composition contains a plasticizer to control the viscosity of the blend and enables an adhesive to be handled by simple machinery (p. 14, lines 9-16). As such, for adjusting the viscosity and enabling the adhesive to be handled by simple machinery, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use the plasticizers of Laine as at least the viscosity enhancer of Kiljunen.
Claims 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kiljunen (WO 2011/042610) in view of Laine et al. (WO 2018/122470) as applied to claim 19 above, and further in view of Ecophon® Acoustic Design Technical Paper (Hereafter “Ecophon Paper”).
The prior art discloses the above including Laine disclosing a similar bio-adhesive is used in panels for flooring and ceiling installations. However, the prior art is silent to similar panels being used as part of a suspending ceiling and suspended wall.
The Ecophon Paper discloses acoustic designs with wall acoustic solutions. With respect to claims 21 and 22, the Ecophon Paper discloses for absorption of acoustics, a suspension ceiling of panels is used (Introduction Section) and for further improvement of acoustics in room, a plurality of panels can be suspended on a wall (FIGS. 6 and 8-9). The application of a suspended ceiling and suspended walls containing a plurality of panels allows for improvement in acoustic absorption (entire paper). As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the panels in the manner as claimed, in order to provide absorption of acoustic noise for comfort purposes.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 11-12, filed 10/23/2025, with respect to the 35 USC 103 rejections under Laine in view of Choi and further in view of the Ecophon paper have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of the claims have been withdrawn. Examiner acknowledges the instant amendments as overcoming the previous rejection. However, Laine is still applicable as a secondary reference as shown above with respect to the incorporation of plasticizers. Examiner notes that plasticizers are materials that lower the viscosity of polymers in processing. As shown by Laine, incorporation of plasticizers in the bio-adhesive compositions allows for control the viscosity of the blend and enables an adhesive to be handled by simple machinery (p. 14, lines 9-16). As such, for adjusting the viscosity and enabling the adhesive to be handled by simple machinery, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use the plasticizers of Laine as at least the viscosity enhancer of Kiljunen. Further, the Ecophon paper is still applicable as shown above.
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 PRASHANT J KHATRI whose telephone number is (571)270-3470. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-6:30PM.
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PRASHANT J. KHATRI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1783
/PRASHANT J KHATRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783