DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 3 April 2025 has not been considered because the translation provided is illegible.
Specification
The title of the invention is too long. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it refers to the purported merits of the invention and is a run-on type sentence. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claims 4-16, 21-34 and 38-51 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim cannot depend from another multiple dependent claim. See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claims have not been further treated on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 35-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The preambles of claims 35-37 recite a “use,” which denotes a process of using; however, there are no process recitations therein. The claims may be a product or a process, but not both. The purposes (“improve the fatigue life” and “reduce the depth”) do not add patentable weight or meaning to either a product or a process. As a product, these claims are essentially duplicates of claim 1. As a process, these have no steps. Claims 35-37 have not been further treated on the merits.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mercer et al. (GB 2 225 048).
Mercer discloses a construction including a polymer geogrid (4) at least partially embedded in a bound aggregate layer (5) with a geotextile (2) affixed to the geogrid (Figure 1).
Mercer meets the method recitation of claims 17-19.
Regarding claims 2 and 20, the mesh naturally has at least two axes. Looking to Figure 1, because of the nodes (at lead line 4) include increased depth, they are deemed to meet the recitations of triaxial.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references teach multi-layered constructions.
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GARY S. HARTMANN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3671
/GARY S HARTMANN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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