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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because on line 15, “(Fig. 3)” should be deleted. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the decorative layer" in line 3 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Further on lines 7-8 and 9-10 of claim 7, the recited limitation "the substrate" lacks proper antecedent basis.
Claims 8-12 are rejected under 112 second paragraph based on dependency on a rejected base claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cannon et al. (US 2014/0211498 A1).
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Regarding claim 1, Cannon et al. teaches a shaped part (figure 1) having a shaped-part front face designed as a visible face, comprising;
a decorative layer (14) having a front face (top portion of 14) and a rear face (bottom portion of 14) opposite the front face (top portion of 14),
a transparent or translucent substrate (12; see paragraph [0047] where 12 is made of a clear, transparent or translucent plastic) located on the rear face (bottom portion of 14) of the decorative layer (14), wherein the substrate (12) has a front face (front portion of 12) and a rear face (bottom portion of 12) opposite the front face (front portion of 12), and
at least one light source (light sources 26; see paragraph [0057]) located laterally on or at the rear face (see figure 3 where light sources 26 are on a lateral face) of the substrate (12) for shining through the substrate (12) and/or for illuminating at least a part of the front face (front/top portion of 14; figure 3 and 5) of the decorative layer (14),
wherein the substrate (12) has one or more recesses (see at least figure 3) on its front face (see figure 3),
wherein each recess (see recesses in 14; figure 5) has a bottom face (see figure 5) and at least one lateral face (see 14 in figure 5),
wherein the decorative layer (12) has a number of break portions (see break poritons in 14 in figure 5) corresponding to the number of recesses (see figure 5, recesses in 14),
wherein each break portion (see break portions in top portion of 14 in figure 5) is at least partially broken out of the decorative layer (14) in the direction of the substrate (12) along provided breaking edges (see figure 5), and one break portion (figure 5) is located on the bottom face (see break portion in 14 in figure 5) of each recess (see recess in 14 in figure 5) so that the at least one lateral face of each recess (see recesses in 14 in figure 5) is exposed and forms a part of the shaped-part front face (see figure 5), and
wherein light (L) emanating from the light source (26) shines through the transparent or translucent substrate (12) and is coupled out of the lateral face or lateral faces of the one or more recesses (see recesses in 14 in figure 5) to illuminate the front face (front/top surface of 14; figure 5) of the decorative layer (14).
Regarding claim 2, Cannon et al. teaches the shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that each break portion (see top portion of 14 in at least figure 5) has at least one breaking edge (see top portion of 14 in figure 5), each breaking edge completely severing the decorative layer (14; figure 5).
Regarding claim 3, Cannon et al. teaches the shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of recesses (see top portion of 14 in figure 5) and a corresponding number of break portions (see break portions of 14 in figure 5) are provided, the recesses and/or break portions forming a pattern on the front face of the decorative layer (14; see figure 5, 5A and 5B).
Regarding claim 4, Cannon et al. teaches the shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that: the decorative layer (14) is made of wood and/or wood veneer and/or stone and/or metal and/or plastics material (see paragraph [0059] where plastic material is disclosed), or in that the decorative layer (14) comprises wood and/or wood veneer and/or stone and/or metal and/or plastics material (paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 5, Cannon et al. teaches the shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source (26) is or comprises a flat or partially flat light element (see shape of light source 26 in at least figure 2), the light element (26) extending at least in portions over the rear face (see figure 2) of the substrate (12).
Regarding claim 6, Cannon et al. teaches the shaped part according to claim 1, characterized in that:
a light barrier is provided on the rear face (14) of the decorative layer (12), and/or
in that a protective and/or optical layer is located on the front face (13) of the
decorative layer (12).
Regarding claim 7, Cannon et al. teaches a method for producing a shaped part, comprising the steps of: providing a decorative material (plastic material of 14; paragraph [0026]) intended to form the decorative layer (14);
creating breaking edges (see top portion of 14 in figure 5 ) in the decorative layer (14);
providing an injection mold (paragraph [0026]), comprising at least a first mold half and a second mold half as well as a cavity formed by the two mold halves (see paragraph [0069[ where molding is disclsoed), wherein an insert having a negative structure (see paragraph [0050]) with respect to one or more recesses (see top portion of 14 in at least figure 5) to be formed in the substrate (14) is located on the first mold half (paragraph [0026]),
or wherein the first mold half has a mold face with a negative structure (paragraph [0050]) with respect to one or more recesses (see top portion of 14 in at least figure 5, 5A and 5B) to be formed in the substrate (14); inserting the decorative material (plastic; paragraph [0026]) provided for forming the decorative layer (14) into the injection mold (paragraph [0026]) in such a way that the front face (top portion of 14) of the decorative material (material of layer 14) provided for forming the decorative layer (14) 1s oriented toward the first mold half; closing the injection mold (paragraph [0026]); injecting a transparent or translucent substrate material to form the substrate (12; see paragraph [0026] where transparent and translucent material is disclosed) from the second mold half onto the rear face (back or bottom side of 14) of the decorative material (plastic; see paragraph [0026]) provided for forming the decorative layer (14), wherein the front face (see figure 5) of the decorative material (plastic material of 14) provided for forming the decorative layer (14) is pressed against the insert or the mold face of the first mold half and the decorative layer (14) of the shaped part (see figure 1-4) is thus formed in a shape specified by the insert (42) and/or the mold face of the first mold half, and
wherein the decorative material (material of layer 14) provided for forming the decorative layer (14) is broken at the breaking edges (see edges of layer 14 in figure 5) by the negative structure (paragraph [0050])) of the insert (42) or the mold face of the first mold half in such a way that break portions (see break portions in layer 14) are formed in the decorative layer (14), wherein each break portion (see break portions in layer 14) is at least partially broken out of the decorative layer (14) in the direction of the substrate (12) to be formed, wherein a recess (see recesses formed in 14 in figure 5) is formed by the negative structure of the insert (42) or the mold face of the first mold half on the front face (front face of 12) of the substrate (12) in the region of each break portion, each recess (see figure 5) having a bottom face (recesses in top portion of 14) and at least one lateral face (see top portion of 14), wherein one break portion (see break portions of 14 in figure 5, 5A and 5B) is located on the bottom face (see figure 5) of each recess (see figure 5) due to the negative structure of the insert (42) or the mold face of the first mold half, so that the at least one lateral face (see 14 in figure 5) of each recess (see top portion of 14 in figue 5) is exposed and forms a part of the shaped-part front face (see figure 5);
solidifying the substrate material (material of substrate 12) and removing the substrate-decorative layer composite (12 and 14 combined) from the injection mold (paragraph [0026]); locating a light source (26) for shining through the substrate (12) and/or for illuminating at least part of the front face (front portion/top portion of 14; figure 5) of the decorative layer (14) laterally on the substrate (12) or on the rear face (back surface of 12) of the substrate (12).
Regarding claim 8, Cannon et al. teaches the method according to claim 7, characterized in that the breaking edges (see edges of top portion of 14 in at least figure 5, 5A and 5B) are produced by means of an embossing plate (see paragraph [0049] where embossing is disclosed) before injection molding in the decorative material (plastic; see paragraph [0026]) provided for forming the decorative layer (14).
Regarding claim 9, Cannon et al. teaches the method according to claim 8, characterized in that the embossing plate (see paragraph [0049] where embossing is disclosed) is used as an insert for the injection mold (see paragraph [0026]) after the breaking edges (see figure 5A and 5B where edges are formed on a top potion of 14) have been produced.
Regarding claim 10, Cannon et al. teaches the method according to claim 7, characterized in that the breaking edges (see edges of recesses of layer 14 in at least figure 5 are produced by the insert or the mold face of the first mold half during injection molding in the decorative material (14) provided for forming the decorative layer (14; see paragraph [0026] where injection molding is disclosed).
Regarding claim 11, Cannon et al. teaches the method according to claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of recesses (see 14 where recesses in the top surface are positioned) and a corresponding number of break portions (see 14 where break portions are between each recess) are provided, the recesses (see 14 in at least figure 5) and/or break portions forming an intended pattern on the front face (top portion of 14) of the decorative layer (14).
Regarding claim 12, Cannon et al. teaches the method according to claim 7, characterized in that: a light barrier is provided on the rear face (14) of the decorative layer (12), and/or in that a protective (light emitting layer; see paragraph [0020] where the light emitting layer is protective) and/or optical layer is located on the front face of the decorative layer (14) after the substrate-decorative layer (12 and 14 combined) composite has been produced.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA MCMILLAN APENTENG whose telephone number is (571)272-5510. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ABDULMAJEED AZIZ can be reached at 571-270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSICA M APENTENG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ABDULMAJEED AZIZ/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875