DETAILED ACTION
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)(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) 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lui et al. (US 11,666,124).
Regarding claim 1, Lui discloses a band 50 comprising: a first portion 60 comprising a plurality of fibers (col 6 lines 22-63 and Figure 7); a second portion 110 extending from an end of the first portion, the second portion having a thick section and a thin section (see Figure 32, right side, showing the band end having thick and thin sections); and a first component 140/144 encompassing the thick section and a portion of the thin section (Figure 31 and 32).
Regarding claim 2, the first portion has a non-uniform cross-section – see Figure 6.
Regarding claim 3, the first portion and the second portion are a same material – see Figure 2 and sections 60 and 110.
Regarding claim 4, the second portion further includes a film 96 having a same material as the first portion (col 19 lines 23-65).
Regarding claim 5, the thin section extends from the end of the first portion – see right side of Figure 32.
Regarding claim 6, the thick section defines a plurality of holes along a length of the thick section – see pins 146 which extend through the end of the band thereby defining holes along a length of the thick section.
Regarding claim 7, a second component 70 further encompasses the first component 140/144.
Regarding claim 8, the first component includes a protrusion (see pins 146) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined by the band – Figure 21.
Regarding claim 9, see pins 146 which extend through the second portion thereby defining a first hole and the first component 140/144 defines a second hole (see Figure 21), the first hole being concentric with the second hole.
Regarding claim 10, the second component 70 is configured to be engaged with a lug of a watch case 2 – Figure 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/9/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that component 70 of Lui is not a second component configured to be engaged with a lug of a watch case. It is first noted that the claim is directed to the band and not to the combination of the band and watch. As such, the lug is only functionally recited in the claim. However, the claims do not define any specific structure of the lug or second component over that disclosed by Lui. To the degree presently recited, channel 14 is considered a lug having an upper horn and a lower horn to which component 70 can be engaged.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/COREY N SKURDAL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3734
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