DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claim 4 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/15/2025.
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaaki Mitsui (JP 2005/334893 A – hereinafter Mitsui) in view of JP 2004/248423 A – hereinafter Ikushima) and Matsubayashi et al. (US 2019/0305654 A1 – hereinafter Matsubayashi).
Re Claim 3:
Mitsui discloses a laminate dispensing method comprising: preparing a plurality of thin steel sheets (T) weakly joined by one of an adhesive (caulking) before a curing process and a temporary crimping (can be securely crimped to each other) before a final crimping, a fixed squeeze (5) having a guide hole (near T) that accommodates the thin steel sheets (T) in a stacked state and that guides the thin steel sheets (T) gradually descending at a low speed, a backup (9) receiving the thin steel sheets (T) in a stacked state, a backup lifting mechanism (10) that raises and lowers the backup (9), a push-out mechanism (22) that dispenses a laminate (Q) on the backup (9) when a predetermined number of the thin steel sheets (T) being laminated is referred to as the laminate (Q), a movable squeeze (21) provided below the fixed squeeze (5), a squeeze opening and closing mechanism (mechanism which allows 21 to extend and retract as seen in Figs. 3 and 4) that opens and closes the movable squeeze (21), and a control unit that controls the backup lifting mechanism (10) and the push-out mechanism (22), wherein the control unit performs control to close the movable squeeze (21) while the thin steel sheets (T) protruding downward from the fixed squeeze (5) (see Fig. 4) are suspended on the thin steel sheets (T) inside the fixed squeeze (5) by a joining action (caulking/crimping), and to dispense the laminate (Q) while the movable squeeze (21) is closed (see Fig. 4), but where if fails to specifically teach adhesive.
Ikushima teaches adhesive (“adhesive coating on their surfaces”). Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the invention, to have been motivated to combine the teachings of Mitsui with that of Ikushima to allow for stacking of products as a unit.
Matsubayashi teaches a controller (170) (see paragraph [0033]). Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the invention, to have been motivated to combine the teachings of Mitsui with that of Ikushima and Matsubayashi to allow for control on an automatic device as known within the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 2 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELVIN L RANDALL, JR. whose telephone number is (571)270-5373. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00 am-5 pm est.
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/K.L.R/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651