Final Rejection
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 .
Drawings
Therefore, the limitations “a dispenser system” as recited to in claim 7 line 2 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Therefore, the limitations “wherein the dispenser facing side of the end plug cooperates with the roll holder portion to fixedly mount the end plug to the roll holder portion such that relative rotation between the roll holder portion of the dispenser and the end plug is prevented, wherein the roll holder portion is rotatable relative to a cooperating portion of the dispenser to permit rotation of the roll relative to at least a portion of the dispenser once mounted for the dispensing of sheet material” as recited in claim 10 lines 1-6;
Thus, it is not clear as to how the roll holder portion (member 104; Figure 1) is rotatable relative to a cooperating portion of the dispenser (Remarks dated 10/03/2025 disclose the cooperating portion of the dispenser may, for example, be an arm of the dispenser with is construed to be member 102 of Figure 1). The arm 102 pivots outwards towards the sidewall of the dispenser but the roll holder portion 104 is not rotatable relative to the arm of the dispenser 102, it is instead shown to be connected as a unitary piece
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1,3-4,6-11,13,14,17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by Lewis (WO 2012073203 A2)(alone).
Referring to claims 1,17 and 18. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1) and method for use in mounting a roll of sheet material (60) to a dispenser (110; Figure 9), wherein the end plug (14; Figure 1) has a roll facing side (bottom side of 14 as shown in Figure 8) comprising formations (46; Figure 7) configured to be insertable into an opening in an end of a roll of sheet material in use (insertable into core 62; Figure 8), the formations of the roll facing side including formations for securing the end plug to the roll of sheet material (see Figure 8);
wherein the formations (46; Figure 7) of the roll facing side comprise formations (outer surface of 46; Figure 7) configured to provide an interference fit (see portion 46 configured for a friction fit during insertion into roll core) securing the end plug to the roll (see Figure 8; Para. [54]; Since the roll cap 14 is desirably not removable form a core when the roll material is depleted, it is generally preferred, that the roll cap be prepared from a material that is recyclable or is biodegradable).
and an opposite dispenser facing side (top side of 14 as shown in Figure 8) comprising formations (48) configured to cooperate with formations of a roll holder portion (12) of a dispenser (110) in use for mounting the end plug to the dispenser,
wherein at least some of the formations (48) of the opposite dispenser facing side (top side of 14 as shown in Figure 8) and the formations of the roll holder portion of the dispenser (see formations on member 12; Figure 2A) do not engage with one another (curved portion of 28 and the rear portion of 46 as shown in Figure 7, do not engage with on another).
Lewis discloses the end plug (14; Para. [54]; as comprised of a may be prepared from a wide variety of material including plastic materials, metal materials, cardboard and the like, provided that the material is durable enough to support the roll of the web material while on the support. Since the roll cap 14 is desirably not removable form a core when the roll material is depleted, it is generally preferred, that the roll cap be prepared from a material that is recyclable or is biodegradable. Suitable biodegradable plastics include, for example polymer derived from plant based materials) plastic or biodegradable materials.
Lewis does not specifically disclose wherein the end plug is injection moulded.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have used an injection molding process to form the end plug, since it has been held that the provision of adjustability, where needed, involves only routine skill in the art. In re Stevens, 101 USPQ 284 (CCPA 1954).
Referring to claim 3. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1) for use in mounting a roll of sheet material (60) to a dispenser (110; Figure 9),
wherein the fibers are cellulosic fibers (The roll cap 14 may be prepared from a wide variety of material including plastic materials, metal materials, cardboard and the like, provided that the material is durable enough to support the roll of the web material while on the support; Para. 54; cardboard material is made from cellulosic fibers).
Referring to claim 4. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1) for use in mounting a roll of sheet material (60) to a dispenser (110; Figure 9),
wherein the end plug is biodegradable (The roll cap 14 may be prepared from a wide variety of material including plastic materials, metal materials, cardboard and the like, provided that the material is durable enough to support the roll of the web material while on the support; Para. 54; cardboard material is biodegradable).
Referring to claim 6. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the moulded fibrous end plug (14) is secured to an end of a roll product (end of roll 60; see Figure 8) comprising a roll of sheet material having an opening in the end thereof (see opening at 71), wherein the formations (46) of the roll facing side of the end plug (14) being inserted into the opening in the end of the roll (open end in core of 62; Figure 8) to secure the end plug to the roll (see Figure 8).
Referring to claim 7. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the moulded fibrous end plug (14) is mounted in a dispenser system (110; Figure 9), the dispenser system comprising
a dispenser (110; Figure 9) comprising a roll holder portion (12) comprising formations (26) configured to cooperate with the formations of the dispenser facing side of the end plug (14) for mounting the end plug (14) to the dispenser in use (see Figure 7).
Referring to claim 8. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the moulded fibrous end plug (14) is mounted in a dispenser system (110; Figure 9), the dispenser system comprising a dispenser (110; Figure 9) comprising a roll holder portion (12)
and a roll of sheet material (60) having an opening in an end thereof (open end in core of 62; Figure 8), wherein the moulded fibrous end plug (14) is secured to the end of the roll of sheet material (see Figure 8); wherein the formations of the roll facing side (side 46) of the end plug (14) configured to be insertable into an opening in an end of a roll of sheet material are inserted into the opening in the end of the roll of sheet material (see Figure 8 and 7); and wherein the formations (48) associated with the dispenser facing side of the end plug (14) cooperate with formations (26) of the roll holder position of the dispenser to mount the end plug to the dispenser (see Figure 8).
Referring to claim 9. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the dispenser facing side (48) of the end plug (14) cooperates with the roll holder portion (12) to rotatably mount the end plug (14) to the holder portion of the dispenser (see Figure 7).
Referring to claim 10. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the dispenser facing side (side 48) of the end plug(12) cooperates with the roll holder portion (12) to fixedly mount the end plug (14) to the roll holder portion (12) such that relative rotation between the roll holder portion of the dispenser and the end plug is prevented (see members 210 and 212; Figure 11 and 12), wherein the roll holder portion (12) is rotatable relative to a cooperating portion of the dispenser to permit rotation of the roll relative to at least a portion of the dispenser once mounted for the dispensing of sheet material (see Figure 7 and 8).
Referring to claim 11. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the cooperating portion of the dispenser (110) is an arm (20) of the dispenser (20), the roll holder portion (12) being mounted to the arm (20) of the dispenser via a mounting portion (connecting portion of 20) that is rotatable relative to the arm (see members 48 in Figure 7).
Referring to claim 13. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the formations of the dispenser facing side (side of 14 comprising member 48; Figure 8) of the end plug (14) and the formations of the roll holder portion (28) which cooperate with one another include respective sets of one or more formations that are complimentary to one another (see complimentary configuration in Figure 7).
Referring to claim 14. Lewis discloses a moulded fibrous end plug (14; Figure 1), wherein the dispenser is a wall-mounted dispenser (see Figure 9).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/30/206 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See modified rejections cited above including all amended limitations.
Applicant’s amendment to the drawings filed 03/30/2026 is acknowledged and is entered.
Applicant’s amendment to the specifications filed 03/30/2026 is acknowledged and is entered.
Applicant argues the primary reference of Lewis does not disclose “an end plug formed by moulding a fibrous material” as required by the limitation of the claims. It is to be noted the specifications are devoid of specifically defining as to what constitutes a fibrous material in the scope of the applicant invention.
Lewis discloses “The roll cap 14 may be prepared from a wide variety of material including plastic materials, metal materials, cardboard and the like, provided that the material is durable enough to support the roll of the web material while on the support. Since the roll cap 14 is desirably not removable form a core when the roll material is depleted, it is generally preferred, that the roll cap be prepared from a material that is recyclable or is biodegradable. Suitable biodegradable plastics include, for example polymer derived from plant based materials, such as polylactic acid. However, other suitable plastics maybe used that are not biodegradable;” Para. [54]. Cardboard is mainly comprised of paper fibers obtained from wood pulp thus, a cardboard material satisfies the claim of moulding a fibrous material. It is also to be noted that plastic fibers can be used to form a plastic material.
It is suggested the Applicant include specific structure of the embodiment that is not disclosed in the cited reference of Lewis (WO 2012073203 A2) to overcome the rejections.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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 RAKESH KUMAR whose telephone number is (571)272-8314. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH from 8AM-6:30PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached at (571) 272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RAKESH KUMAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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