DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species III (Fig.3) in the reply filed on 11/26/2025 is acknowledged. Applicant further discussed that claims 1-11 read on the elected species and claims 12-14 are withdrawn.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/15/2023 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Abdo et al.(US 20190383649).
Regarding claim 1, Abdo et al teaches a manufacturing process (figs.1-4) for strips containing labels with variable information through thermal transfer printing comprising the following steps (figs.1-4): providing a support strip (104 figs.1-4) comprising a substrate and a release coat (106) arrayed on the substrate surface;
applying a layer of protective varnish on the support strip (102 figs.1-4); drying the protective varnish layer (paragraph 0019,0020);
applying at least one identification layer (108) on a region of the protective varnish layer, forming at least one label; drying the at least one identification layer of the at least one label (paragraph 0020,0023,0029);
providing a strip-type ribbon (100) for thermal transfer printing of variable information on each of the at least one label on the said strips containing the labels;
printing variable information on each of the at least one label through thermal transfer (112);
applying a layer of adhesive varnish on the preceding layers (110);
drying the adhesive varnish layer (paragraph 0023,0029); wherein said protective varnish is a copolyester varnish; the said printing of variable information (112) takes place through thermal transfer at a temperature at or below 30° C.; and, the printing speed of the strips containing the labels is between 0.25 and 1.2 m/s (paragraph 0020,0023,0029).
Regarding claim 2, Abdo et al further teaches wherein said step providing a support strip (104) comprising a substrate and a release coat comprises: providing the support strip comprising a substrate; depositing a release coat on the said substrate through a rotogravure process; and drying the said release coat (paragraph 0018-0020, 0023,0029; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 3, Abdo et al further teaches wherein said adhesive varnish layer has a thickness of 1 to 5 microns (paragraph 0019).
Regarding claim 4, Abdo et al further teaches wherein the printing of the protective varnish layers, the identification layers, and adhesive varnish layer is performed on a rotogravure press (paragraph 0023,0029; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 5, Abdo et al further teaches wherein the release agent is a polyethylene wax at a temperature between 58° C. and 95° C (paragraph 0024,0026; figs 1-4).
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Regarding claim 6, Abdo et al further teaches wherein said thermal transfer printing is performed through contact between at least one printhead and the strip-type ribbon wherein the contact between the strip-type ribbon and at least one of the labels, wherein the printhead is reset between each printing operation, thus printing the variable information on each label (paragraph 0049,0050; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 7, Abdo et al further teaches wherein the ribbon is wax/resin type (paragraph 0023,0029; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 8, Abdo et al further teaches further comprising the application of at least one additional identification layer before applying the adhesive varnish layer (paragraph 0018-0020, 0023,0029; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 9, Abdo et al further teaches wherein the identification layer before applying the variable information serves as a guide for the printhead to transfer said variable information (paragraph 0018-0020, 0023,0029; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 10, Abdo et al further teaches wherein said variable information is the identification code of a Data Matrix or QR Code type label (paragraph 0018-0020, 0023,0029; figs 1-4).
Regarding claim 11, Abdo et al further teaches wherein said drying of the protective varnish layer, drying the at least one identification layer, and drying the adhesive varnish layer takes place in one or more kilns positioned downstream from the corresponding printheads, with temperature settings between 52° C. and 65° C (paragraph 0024-0026; figs 1-4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENOK D LEGESSE whose telephone number is (571)270-1615. The examiner can normally be reached General Schedule 9:00 am- 5:00 pm, IFP.
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/HENOK D LEGESSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853