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
Claims 10-15 and 18-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/4/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-9 and 16-17 in the reply filed on 3/4/2026 is acknowledged.
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 1-9, and 16-17 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the crests" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim does not actively establish the feature before referring to “the” feature, and it is recommended actively establishing a feature before referring to “the” feature in order to clearly refer to an established feature.
Claim 8 recites the limitations "the fibers” and “the structures" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. It is recommended actively establishing a feature before referring to “the” feature in order to clearly refer to an established feature.
Claims 2-9 and 16-17 depend from a rejected base claim, incorporate the indefinite language though dependency, and are rejected for the same reasons as the base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 and 16-17 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Independent claim 1 discloses a method including, inter alia, concurrently activating and bonding the precursor sheet, wherein activating comprises passing the precursor sheet between a pair of activation rollers, and wherein the bonding comprises embossing of bonding points, wherein the embossing is effected by embossing projections arranged along the crests of the ribs and/or grooves on the activation roller surfaces.
Kobayashi et al. [US2009/0035527] discloses a method of manufacturing a non-woven sheet. Kobayashi discloses providing a precursor sheet (laminate sheet 10B), heat embossing the sheet (10B) at an embossing unit (25) then stretching the sheet at a stretching unit (30) between corrugated rolls (33 and 34). Kobayashi fails to disclose concurrently activating and bonding as required by the claim as Kobayashi’s process first embosses then subsequently activating by stretching. Kobayashi also fails to disclose the embossing effected by embossing projections arranged along the crests of the ribs or grooves on the activation roller surfaces.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Orlando can be reached at 571-270-5038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
May 14, 2026
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