DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the communications filed on 9/29/2025.
The Examiner notes claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined; claim(s) 1-3, 15, & 18-20 is/are currently amended; all other claims are original or previously presented. Please see the Response to Amendments and Response to Arguments sections below for more details.
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.
And/or
(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) 1-4 & 8-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Roijko et al. (US 4902283), hereinafter Roijko.
Regarding claim 1. (Each claim status is listed above in the Status of Claims section) Roijko discloses a layered cleaning device [Fig 1; 10] comprising:
(a) one or a plurality of non-porous layer(s) with an attached cavity [Fig 1-3; Col6:line23-35; 12, 12, 20, & 22 are a plurality of layers which can be impervious to water and aqueous solutions (i.e. non-porous) and form an attached cavity]; and
(b) an opening to the cavity disposed on the exterior surface of the cleaning device to receive a hand [Fig 4]; wherein at least one of said layers bears a cleaning layer on said exterior surface [Fig 1-3; 20 & 22 are a cleaning layer], the cleaning layer comprising a moist wipe [Col2:line11-13 & Col5:line20-23; the cleaning layer can be moistened forming a moist wipe]; wherein said cleaning layer is suitable for contact with human skin [Fig 4; Abstract; the cleaning layers are to be in contact with human skin]; and wherein the device can be folded or inverted and thereby secured into a collapsible disposable form [Fig 5-8; Col4:line55-60].
Regarding claim 2. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the moist wipe includes a cleaning fluid [Col2:line11-13 & Col5:line20-23; the fluids are for cleansing (i.e. cleaning)].
Regarding claim 3. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the moist wipe includes a skin care treatment [Col2:line11-13 & Col5:line20-23; lanolin is used for both cleaning and skin care].
Regarding claim 4. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the device has between two and ten of said non-porous layers [Fig 2-3].
Regarding claim 8. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, wherein said at least of said attached layers forming said attached cavity is bound along at least one edge to at least one of a second of said attached layers [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 9. Roijko discloses the device of claim 8, wherein said first and said second attached layers are bound within a bias region, wherein said bias region is located adjacent to said edge [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 10. Roijko discloses the device of claim 9, wherein said layers are bound together within said bias region to form an attachment located adjacent to said edge [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 11. Roijko discloses the device of claim 10, wherein said attachment is in the form of a seal that is water tight and liquid tight [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 12. Roijko discloses the device of claim 11, wherein said seal is further vapor and odor tight [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8; by heat sealing the inner layers and stitching the outer layers through the heat seal no liquid, vapor, or odor can pass through the seal].
Regarding claim 13. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, wherein said seal extends along the edges of at least three of said plurality of non-porous layers to form said attached cavity [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 14. Roijko discloses the device of claim 13, wherein said seal cavity has a seal that extends along at least two of said layers to form a pocket [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 15. Roijko discloses the device of claim 13, wherein said attached cavity has a seal that extends along at least three of said layers to form a cavity [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 16. Roijko discloses the device of claim 15, wherein said seal is formed between at least two of said attached layers; wherein said seal is located within a bias region, wherein said bias region is located adjacent to at least of one said edges [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 17. Roijko discloses the device of claim 16, wherein said seal is formed between at least three of said attached layers; wherein a first seal is located within a first bias region to form a first edge of said cavity; wherein a second and third seal are located within a second and third bias region, respectively, to form two additional edges, a second edge and a third edge, respectively, of said cavity; wherein said first, second and third seal form a cavity that has a continuous seal formed between said first, second and third seal; wherein said continuous seal is located adjacent to said first, second and third edges and extends across said first, second and third bias regions [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 18. Roijko discloses the device of claim 17, wherein said continuous seal extends along at least three edges of said cavity, the cavity also comprising a fourth edge; wherein said seal is located within a bias region of each of said layers; and wherein said seals have the property of being one of watertight, liquid tight, vapor tight and odor tight, or a combination thereof [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 19. Roijko discloses the device of claim 18, wherein the fourth edge of said cavity is not sealed and provides an opening to said cavity to receive at least one appendage selected from a digit, finger, thumb, palm, hand, or combination thereof, of a user; and wherein said cavity is invertible [Fig 1-4; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
Regarding claim 20. Roijko discloses a method for cleaning a skin surface in a diaper changing process, comprising using the device of Claim 1 in a series of steps to: (a) first clean said skin surface using said cleaning layer [Fig 4; Col4:line32-55], then; to (b) fold or invert said cleaning layer into an interior cavity formed from at least one of said non-porous layers, and then; to (c) close said interior cavity by securing with a closure means selected from a string, strap, adhesive or combination thereof [Fig 5-8; Col4:line55 – Col5:line5], and then: (d) disposing of the cleaning device, optionally with a soiled diaper or other soiled articles contained within the cavity [Col5:line2-5]; wherein said interior cavity is in the form of a pocket formed from at least two of said non-porous layers bound together to form a seam located within a bias region; wherein said bias region is located adjacent to at least one edge of at least one of said layers; and wherein said seam is selected from a seam that is water tight, liquid tight, odor tight, vapor tight, or combinations thereof [Fig 1-3; Col3:line56 – Col4:line8].
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.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roijko in view of Heise (US 4937881), hereinafter Heise.
Regarding claim 5. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the device can be secured by a string.
However Heise teaches a similar cleaning device of bonded layers wherein the device can be secured by a string [Fig 12; Col4:line13-15; 82 seals 80 after use].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the cavity as disclosed by Roijko to have the device be secured by a string as taught by Heise for the purpose of preventing odor and noxious materials from being released [Heise: Col3:line55-57].
Regarding claim 6. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the device can be secured by an adhesive.
However Heise teaches a similar cleaning device of bonded layers wherein the device can be secured by an adhesive [Fig 1-8; Col3:line18-29 & Col3:line38-52; 12/28 is a adhesive used to seal the wipe after use].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the cavity as disclosed by Roijko to have the device be secured by an adhesive as taught by Heise for the purpose of preventing odor and noxious materials from being released [Heise: Col3:line55-57].
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roijko in view of Held et al. (US 7725979), hereinafter Held.
Regarding claim 7. Roijko discloses the device of claim 1, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the device can be treated with anti-bacterial compounds.
However Held teaches a similar cleaning device of bonded layers wherein the device can be treated with anti-bacterial compounds [Abstract].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the device as disclosed by Roijko to have the device can be treated with anti-bacterial compounds as taught by Held for the purpose of enabling the device to sanitize a skin surface of bacteria and fungus [Held: Col1:line39-51].
Response to Amendments
Claim Objections
Applicant's amendments, filed 9/29/2025, with respect to the claim objections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of 7/1/2025 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
35 U.S.C. 112(b) Rejection
Applicant's amendments and arguments, see Pages 5, filed 9/29/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of 7/1/2025 are withdrawn.
35 U.S.C. 102 & 103 Rejection
Applicant's arguments and exhibit, see Pages 5-8 and attached Exhibit A, filed 9/29/2025 have been fully considered but are moot in light of the new grounds of rejection, see above for details.
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 AARON R MCCONNELL whose telephone number is (303)297-4608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 0700-1600 MST [0900-1800 EST] 2nd Friday 0700-1500 MST [0900-1700 EST].
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/AARON R MCCONNELL/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723