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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4-14-2026 has been entered.
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 of this title, 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 10, 13-14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over USPGPUB 20080229599, Auth in view of DE 4130799 A1, Supe-Dienes, (see google translation attached, referred to as Supe-Dienes).
(As a preliminary matter, in the rejections below, it is noted that the designation of the distance sensors as “first”, “second”, “third”, and “fourth” “distance sensors”, while substantive, may be met with various prior art apparatuses regardless of which sensor therein is designated as a first through fourth sensor. In other words, while the number of sensors is substantive, the designation of each sensor is simply semantic. For instance, as long as a device includes four sensors, two of which help to sense a gap distance, and two of which sense an overlap distance, then the claim is met, regardless of whether the sensors are designated as a “first”, “second”, “third” or ”fourth” sensor. For instance, as treated below, the first distance sensor in Auth is designated as a first vertical distance sensor, the second distance sensor is designated as a first distance sensor is designated as a first vertical distance sensor vertical distance sensor; the third distance sensor is designated as a first horizontal distance sensor, and the fourth distance sensor is designated as a second horizontal distance sensor. Such numerical designations do not change the fact that the Auth apparatus has the correct number of sensors as required per the claims as set forth).
Regarding Claims 10 and 14, Auth discloses:
A trimming device for metallic sheets (par.0028 “metal strip to be trimmed”) comprising:
an upper knife (3) including an upper knife central circular face (face on outer diameter of knife), the upper knife having an upper knife diameter (diameter of knife) and an upper knife thickness (thickness of knife, see fig. 2), the upper knife being mounted on an upper shaft (upper shaft 15 [left in fig 2]);
a lower knife (2) including a lower knife central circular face (face on outer diameter of knife), the lower knife having a lower knife diameter (diameter of knife) and a lower knife thickness (thickness of knife), the lower knife mounted on a lower shaft (lower shaft 15) [right in fig 2]);
the upper knife and the lower knife being vertically shifted (par 0029) so as to define an overlap V therebetween (par 0029), the overlap defining a shear of the metallic sheet to be trimmed (par 0029 and par. 0020);
at least one of the upper and lower shafts being movable vertically (par 0029 and 0032, since the blades are “fixed” on the shafts [par 0032] and the mounting of the blades is adjustable vertically to change the “vertical overlap V” between the blades, via the actuators 9, which are all also attached fixedly to the shafts [par 0029]);
wherein the upper knife and said lower knife are horizontally shifted to define a gap distance between the central circular faces of the upper knife and the lower knife (par 0029), at least one of the upper and lower shafts is movable horizontally (par 0030)
the computer (controller 17) is configured to compute the gap distance (par. 0037), and
the trimming device further comprising:
a first horizontal distance sensor (upper probe 10 and switch 21) configured to measure a first horizontal distance to the upper knife (par’s 0034 and par 0037), and a second horizontal distance sensor (Lower probe 10 and switch 22) able to measure a second horizontal distance to said lower knife (par’s 0034 and 0037).
Auth lacks: a first vertical distance sensor located above the upper knife able to measure a first vertical distance from the first distance sensor to an upper end of the upper knife; a second vertical distance sensor located below the lower knife able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor to a lower end of the lower knife; and a computer able to compute the overlap (Claim 10), and measuring a first vertical distance between the first vertical distance sensor and the upper knife central circular face; measuring a second vertical distance between the second vertical distance sensor and the lower knife central circular face; and computing an overlap LMEASURED based on the first and second vertical distances, the diameters of the upper and lower knives and a position of the first distance sensor relative to the position of the second distance sensor (Claim 14).
Supe-Dienes discloses a slitting device having overlapping upper and lower adjustable knives (abstract), in the same field of endeavor as the slitting device having overlapping upper and lower adjustable knives of the present invention and discloses that such a system comprises: an upper knife 15 a lower knife 11, the upper knife and the lower knife being vertically shifted with an overlap so as to define a shear of the metallic sheet (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, which par. ends with “readjustment of the depth of overlap between upper knife 15 and lower knife 11”); at least one of the upper and lower knives being movable vertically (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, which par. ends with “readjustment of the depth of overlap between upper knife 15 and lower knife 11 .”); (which is analogous to the shifting/adjust device of Auth) and discloses that said adjustment system and method of use includes:
a first vertical distance sensor (31) located above the upper knife (fig. 3) able to measure a first vertical distance from the first distance sensor to an upper end of the upper knife (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, “A sensor 31 , which measures the distance between the sensor 31 and the cutting edge of the upper knife 15, is attached to the carriage 24 above the upper knife 15 and sits above its cutting edge”); a second vertical distance sensor (32) able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor a lower knife (11) (“a further sensor 32 is arranged, which determines the distance to the lower knives 11 underneath it.”); and a computer able to compute the overlap (10th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section “with the help of this sensor, the depth of overlap between the upper knife 15 and lower knife 11 can be set very precisely”, see also claim 10 of Supe-Dienes which discloses the control unit for performing this function) (Claim 10), and measuring a first vertical distance between the first vertical distance sensor and the upper knife central circular face (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, since the measured distance is of a central width section of the knife; fig. 3); measuring a second vertical distance between the second vertical distance sensor and the lower knife central circular face (10th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section; since the sensor senses the edge of the lower knives, including a central portion of a width thereof); and computing an overlap LMEASURED based on the first and second vertical distances, the diameters of the upper and lower knives and a position of the first distance sensor relative to the position of the second distance sensor (10th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section “with the help of this sensor, the depth of overlap between the upper knife 15 and lower knife 11 can be set very precisely”, see also claim 10 of Supe-Dienes which discloses the control unit for performing this function) (Claim 14), in order to perform an adjustment of a knife system so that the overlap between upper knife and lower knife despite a changed Knife diameter can be achieved, 16th par under “Description” Section.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Auth by including a first vertical distance sensor located above the upper knife able to measure a first vertical distance from the first distance sensor to an upper end of the upper knife; a second vertical distance sensor for measuring a distance able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor to the lower knife; and a computer able to compute the overlap (Claim 10), and measuring a first vertical distance between the first vertical distance sensor and the upper knife central circular face; measuring a second vertical distance between the second vertical distance sensor and the lower knife central circular face; and computing an overlap LMEASURED based on the first and second vertical distances, the diameters of the upper and lower knives and a position of the first distance sensor relative to the position of the second distance sensor (Claim 14), in order to perform an adjustment of a knife system so that the overlap between upper knife and lower knife despite a changed Knife diameter, as taught by Supe-Dienes.
As modified above, the Auth device modified by Supe-Dienes still lacks the second sensor being located below the lower knife, measuring the vertical distance to a lower end of the second knife.
It would have been obvious as a matter of design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Auth by rearranging the lower sensor such that the second sensor 32 be located below the lower knife able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor to a lower end of the lower knife, since it has been held that a rearrangement of Parts which would not have modified the operation of the device is an obvious matter of design choice (In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950)). Here, making the second sensor be below the lower blade to measuring the vertical distance to a lower end of the second knife, as opposed to being above the second blade to measure the distance of the upper end of the lower knife, would not change the function of measuring the distance of the second blade relative to the first blade and adjusting an overlap between the blades in accordance with this measurement, as disclosed to be the function of such a measurement in Supe-Dienes.
Regarding Claim 13, in Auth, the first shaft and the second shaft are both able to be moved vertically (par 0029 and 0032, since the blades are mounted on the shafts and the mounting of the blades is adjustable vertically).
Regarding Claim 16, in Auth, the method of use thereof further comprises the steps of: measuring a first horizontal distance between the first horizontal distance sensor and the upper knife (par 0034); measuring a second horizontal distance between the second horizontal distance sensor and the lower knife (par 0034); computing a gap distance based on the first horizontal distance and the second horizontal distances, and a position of the first horizontal distance sensor relative to the position of the second horizontal distance sensor (par’s. 0034-0037), and, in making the measurements above, the measurements are inherently computed in part via a measurement of the thicknesses of the blades.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Auth in view of Supe-Dienes and further in view of JP2002096214, Torio, (see google translation attached, referred to as TorioTr).
Regarding Claim 18, Auth as modified in view of Supe-Dienes discloses a method of measuring an overlap between two slitting blades using the method as recited in Claim 14 (see Claim 14 rejection below). Modified Auth, as modified in the Claim 14 rejection above, also includes a method for assessing a wear of a trimming device for metallic sheets comprising the use of: an upper knife including an upper knife central circular face, the upper knife having an upper knife diameter and an upper knife thickness, the upper knife being mounted on an upper shaft; a lower knife including a lower knife central circular face, the lower knife having a lower knife diameter and a lower knife thickness, the lower knife mounted on a lower shaft; the upper knife and the lower knife being vertically shifted so as to define an overlap therebetween, the overlap defining a shear of the metallic sheet to be trimmed; at least one of the upper and lower shafts being movable vertically; a first distance sensor able to measure a first vertical distance to an upper end of the upper knife; a second distance sensor able to measure a second vertical distance to a lower end of the lower knife; and a computer able to compute the overlap (see Claim 14 rejection above).
Modified Auth lacks, Feature I, a first vertical distance sensor located above the upper knife able to measure a first vertical distance from the first distance sensor to an upper end of the upper knife; a second vertical distance sensor located below the lower knife able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor to a lower end of the lower knife; and a computer able to compute the overlap, and
Feature II, the method also including the method comprising: while the upper and lower trimming knives are still, measuring an overlap, LSTILL, using the method as recited in claim 14;- measuring an overlap, LROTATING, with the upper and lower trimming knives being rotating, using the method as recited in claim 14;- comparing the two measurements, LSTILL and LROTATING; and- emitting an alert if a difference between LSTILL and LROTATING is greater than a predefined threshold value LDANGER.
Regarding Feature I, Supe-Dienes discloses a slitting device having overlapping upper and lower adjustable knives (abstract), in the same field of endeavor as the slitting device having overlapping upper and lower adjustable knives of the present invention and discloses that such a system comprises: an upper knife 15 a lower knife 11, the upper knife and the lower knife being vertically shifted with an overlap so as to define a shear of the metallic sheet (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, which par. ends with “readjustment of the depth of overlap between upper knife 15 and lower knife 11”); at least one of the upper and lower knives being movable vertically (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, which par. ends with “readjustment of the depth of overlap between upper knife 15 and lower knife 11 .”); (which is analogous to the shifting/adjust device of Auth) and discloses that said adjustment system and method of use includes: a first vertical distance sensor (31) located above the upper knife (fig. 3) able to measure a first vertical distance from the first distance sensor to an upper end of the upper knife (9th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section, “A sensor 31 , which measures the distance between the sensor 31 and the cutting edge of the upper knife 15, is attached to the carriage 24 above the upper knife 15 and sits above its cutting edge”); a second vertical distance sensor (32) able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor a lower knife (11) (“a further sensor 32 is arranged, which determines the distance to the lower knives 11 underneath it.”); and a computer able to compute the overlap (10th par. of detailed description section, after the summary of figures section “with the help of this sensor, the depth of overlap between the upper knife 15 and lower knife 11 can be set very precisely”, see also claim 10 of Supe-Dienes which discloses the control unit for performing this function), in order to perform an adjustment of a knife system so that the overlap between upper knife and lower knife despite a changed Knife diameter can be achieved, 16th par under “Description” Section.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Auth by including a first vertical distance sensor located above the upper knife able to measure a first vertical distance from the first distance sensor to an upper end of the upper knife; a second vertical distance sensor for measuring a distance able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor to the lower knife; and a computer able to compute the overlap, in order to, perform an adjustment of a knife system so that the overlap between upper knife and lower knife despite a changed Knife diameter can be achieved, as taught by, Supe-Dienes.
As modified above, the Auth device modified by Supe-Dienes still lacks the second sensor being located below the lower knife, measuring the vertical distance to a lower end of the second knife.
It would have been obvious as a matter of design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Auth by rearranging the lower sensor such that the second sensor 32 be located below the lower knife able to measure a second vertical distance from the second distance sensor to a lower end of the lower knife, since it has been held that a rearrangement of Parts which would not have modified the operation of the device is an obvious matter of design choice (In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950)). Here, making the second sensor be below the lower blade to measuring the vertical distance to a lower end of the second knife, as opposed to being above the second blade to measure the distance of the upper end of the lower knife, would not change the function of measuring the distance of the second blade relative to the first blade and adjusting an overlap between the blades in accordance with this measurement, as disclosed to be the function of such a measurement in Supe-Dienes.
Regarding Feature (II) Torio discloses a method for assessing the wear (third par. of pg. 3 of TorioTr “accurately predict the wear”) of a trimming device for metallic sheet (second par. of pg. 2 of TorioTr “cutting a metal band”) having: an upper knife 1A including an upper knife central circular face having an upper knife diameter (fig 1) and an upper knife thickness (as seen in fig. 5a and b); a lower knife 1b including a lower knife central circular face (fig 1) having a lower knife diameter (fig 1) and a lower knife thickness (See thickness as seen in fig 5a 5b), the upper knife and the lower knife being vertically shifted with an overlap so as to define a shear of the metallic sheet (last par. of page 3 of TorioTr and first full par. of pg. 4 of Torio Tr); at least one of the upper and lower shafts being movable vertically (second par. of pg. 5 TorioTr); a first distance sensor (3a) able to measure a first vertical distance to the upper knife (last par. of pg 4 of TorioTr); a second distance sensor 3b able to measure a second vertical distance to a lower knife (last par. of pg 4 of TorioTr); and a computer (processing device 10) able to compute the overlap (last 2 par’s. of pg. 4 of TorioTr); the method comprising: while the upper and lower trimming knives are still (“before the start” (of a trimming operation, third par. of pg 5 TorioTr), measuring an overlap, LSTILL, (“predetermined clearance overlap”; third par. of pg 5 TorioTr) using the method as recited in claim 14 (see above); measuring an overlap, LROTATING, with the upper and lower trimming knives being rotating, (overlap measured after the start of the crop, third par. of pg 5 TorioTr) using the method of Claim 14 (see explanation below); comparing the two measurements, LSTILL and LROTATING (third par. of pg 5 TorioTr) and- emitting an alert (replacement command signal, fourth par. of pg 5 TorioTr), if a difference between LSTILL and LROTATING (“correction overlap”, third par. of pg 5 TorioTr) is greater than a predefined threshold value LDANGER (“allowable range”, fourth par. of pg 5 TorioTr), in order to adjust for wear of the blades within a predetermined range, (fourth par. of pg 5 TorioTr).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Auth by having a method of use thereof include while the upper and lower trimming knives are still, measuring an overlap, LSTILL, using the method as recited in claim 14;- measuring an overlap, LROTATING, with the upper and lower trimming knives being rotating, using the method as recited in claim 14;- comparing the two measurements, LSTILL and LROTATING; and- emitting an alert if a difference between LSTILL and LROTATING is greater than a predefined threshold value LDANGER, in order to adjust for wear of the blades within a predetermined range as taught by Torio.
Claims 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Auth in view of Supe-Dienes, as applied to Claims 10 and 16, respectively, above, and further in view of GB2514774A, Wootton.
Regarding Claim 12, Modified Auth discloses all of the limitations of claim 10 as discussed.
Modified Auth lacks the first, second, third and fourth distance sensors are inductive sensors (claim 12).
Wootton discloses a Shear and a blade gap detection for a shear, in the same field of endeavor as the shear with blade gap detection of the present invention and includes: the horizontal gap distance sensors being inductive sensors (pg 6, 5-9), in order to allow the device to measure the distance in a contactless manner thus making blade change and maintenance more convenient, page 6, 5-10.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Auth by having each of the sensors thereof be inductive sensors (claim 12) in order to allow the device to measure the distance in a contactless manner thus making blade change and maintenance more convenient, as taught in Wootton.
Regarding Claim 17, Modified Auth, lacks the method of use including wherein a gap working range, from a minimum gap GMINIMUM to a maximum gap GMAXIMUM, is defined and wherein the method comprises the steps of:- comparing the gap distance to GMINIMUM and GMAXIMUM,- if the gap distance is smaller than GMINIMUM, moving horizontally at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set the gap distance at least equal to GMINIMUM,- if the gap distance is greater than GMAXIMUM, moving horizontally at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set the gap distance at maximum to GMAXIMUM.
Wootton discloses a rotating blade adjustable shearing device in the same field of endeavor as the rotating blade adjustable shearing device of the present invention and discloses that the tool includes: a gap working range (“acceptable range” in the steps 39. page 8, lines 20-30), from GMINIMUM to GMAXIMUM, (since a range implicitly comprises maximum and minimum values) is defined and wherein the method comprises the steps of: comparing the gap distance to GMINIMUM and GMAXIMUM, if the gap distance is smaller than GMINIMUM, moving horizontally at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set the gap distance at least equal to GMINIMUM, (page 8, lines 20-30),- if the gap distance is greater than GMAXIMUM, moving horizontally at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set the gap distance at maximum to GMAXIMUM (page 8, lines 20-30), in order to adjust the gap of the blades in accordance with an acceptable range of distances between the blades, based on a material to be sheared, (page 8, 15-30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Auth by having the method of use including wherein a gap working range, from a minimum gap GMINIMUM to a maximum gap GMAXIMUM, is defined and wherein the method comprises the steps of:- comparing the gap distance to GMINIMUM and GMAXIMUM,- if the gap distance is smaller than GMINIMUM, moving horizontally at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set the gap distance at least equal to GMINIMUM,- if the gap distance is greater than GMAXIMUM, moving horizontally at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set the gap distance at maximum to GMAXIMUM, in order to adjust the gap of the blades in accordance with an acceptable range of distances between the blades, based on a material to be sheared, as taught by Wootton.
Claim 15, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Auth in view of Supe-Dienes as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of CN111468775A to China National Heavy Machinery Research Institute Co Ltd (translation attached, and herein referred to as “China National”).
Regarding Claim 15, Modified Auth lacks the process of use including an overlap working range, from a minimum overlap LMINIMUM to a maximum overlap LMAXIMUM, is defined, the method further comprising the steps of: comparing LMEASURED to LMINIMUM and LMAXIMUM, -if LMEASURED is smaller than LMINIMUM, moving vertically at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set LMEASURED at least equal to LMINIMUM, - if LMEASURED is greater than LMAXIMUM, moving vertically at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set LMEASURED at maximum to LMAXIMUM.
As noted above, the Auth device as modified by Torio discloses an adjusting of the shafts vertically in order to adjust an overlap of the blades.
However, Modified Auth lacks the process steps for this vertical adjustment also including comparing the values measured (LMEASURED) to a desired range e.g., LMINIMUM and LMAXIMUM, as required by claim 15.
China National, discloses a web slitter in the same field of endeavor as the slitter of the present invention (see abstract) and includes: defining a working range (“allowable error range” of “overlap target value”, fourth par of pg 6 of China National), minimum overlap LMINIMUM to a maximum overlap LMAXIMUM, of an overlap distance (since defining an allowable error range of the overlap target value of an overlapping amount with an “allowable error” amount, per steps three and six, in China National, intrinsically includes an upper and lower limit) the method further comprising the steps of: comparing LMEASURED to LMINIMUM and LMAXIMUM, (ninth to eleventh par. of pg. 9 of China National) if LMEASURED is smaller than LMINIMUM, moving vertically at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set LMEASURED at least equal to LMINIMUM, if LMEASURED is greater than LMAXIMUM, moving vertically at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set LMEASURED at maximum to LMAXIMUM, (twelfth par. of pg. 9 of China National “when the difference value between the detection value of the overlapping amount of the disc shear and the target value of the overlapping amount of the disc shear is smaller than or equal to an allowable error value, the control module controls the motor of the adjusting module to stop rotating; and when the difference value between the detection value of the overlapping amount of the disc shear and the target value of the overlapping amount of the disc shear is larger than the allowable error value, returning to the step, and controlling the motor of the adjusting module to continuously rotate and adjust by the control module”) in order to insure accurate overlapping positioning of the knives via an automatic control, (fourth to last par. of pg. 6 of China National).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Auth by including defining a working range (for the overlap adjustment of China National), from minimum overlap LMINIMUM to a maximum overlap LMAXIMUM, the method further comprising the steps of: comparing LMEASURED to LMINIMUM and LMAXIMUM, - if LMEASURED is smaller than LMINIMUM, moving vertically at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set LMEASURED at least equal to LMINIMUM, - if LMEASURED is greater than LMAXIMUM, moving vertically at least one of the upper and lower shafts to set LMEASURED at maximum to LMAXIMUM in order to ensure accurate positioning of the knives as disclosed in China National, Also an artisan of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would be beneficial to an end user to have the adjustment be based on a predetermined error range in order to automatically control of an accurate adjustment of the overlapping amount of the blades, as disclosed by China national.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 4/14/26, with respect to claim objections have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant has amended the claims in accordance with the examiner’s recommendations, rendering the objections to the claim moot.
Applicant’s arguments, see remark(s), filed 04/14/2026, with respect to prior art rejections, as the claims are presently amended, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Applicant correctly notes that Torio lacks wherein a first vertical distance sensor able to measure a first vertical distance to an upper end of the upper knife; a second vertical distance sensor able to measure a second vertical distance to a lower end of the lower knife. However, via updating search, a new rejection is made over Supe-Dienes.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of USPGPUB and USPN 20230380326; 4592259 and 20080210075 disclose state of the are blade slitters with detection and adjustor devices, and thus each disclose elements of the present invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FERNANDO A AYALA whose telephone number is (571)270-5336. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Eastern standard.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Adam Eiseman can be reached on 571-270-3818. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FERNANDO AYALA/
Examiner, Art Unit 3724
/BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724
Prosecution Insights