DETAILED ACTION
The following is a Final office action in response to communications received on 8/16/2026. Claims 11-14 were previously withdrawn. Claims 1, 4 and 8-9 have been amended. Claims 1-10 are pending and examined below.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments to the claims are sufficient to overcome the 35 U.S.C. 112 second paragraph rejections set forth in the office action dated 5/6/2026.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rockenbach (U.S. Patent No. 6,266,922).
Regarding claim 1, Rockenbach discloses a revolving door (1, Figs. 1-2 and 6) with a turnstile (38) which is arranged between opposing barrel elements (2, 3) and with a ceiling assembly (7) which is arranged on top of the barrel elements (2, 3) and on which the turnstile (38) is rotatably mounted, wherein the ceiling assembly (7) has a sandwich design with at least one bottom cover panel (17) and/or at least one top cover panel (16) and at least one filler (11), wherein the at least one filler is provided as a core material and the at least one filler has a cover panel (considered to be the panels enclosed on the interior approximate 8 and 9) on at least one or both cover surfaces, wherein the at least one bottom cover panel and/or the at least one top cover panel is/are connected to the at least one filler (11). The Examiner considers both the bottom and top cover panels to be connected to the filler material, at least indirectly.
Regarding claim 2, Rockenbach discloses the ceiling assembly (7) is configured as an assembly configured to be handled individually and configured to be attached to the barrel elements (2, 3) and/or the turnstile (38) and can configured to be detached from the barrel elements (2, 3) and/or the turnstile (38).
Regarding claim 3, Rockenbach discloses one or a plurality functional element (6) of the revolving door (1) are accommodated at least partially at the bottom cover panel (13), in particular in the region of the filler (11).
Regarding claim 4, Rockenbach discloses at least the bottom cover panel (17) has one or a plurality of openings (Center opening of 17) such that one or a plurality of functional elements (6) are arranged in connection with the one or plurality of openings (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Rockenbach discloses the bottom cover panel (17) and/or the top cover panel (16) are connected to the filler (11) in a force-fitting manner.
Regarding claim 6, Rockenbach discloses the bottom cover panel (17) and/or the top cover panel (16) are connected to one another with the filler (11). The limitation of the panels and filler being connected in a thermobonding process is considered a product by process limitation.
Regarding claim 8, Rockenbach discloses structural elements (19) penetrate the filler (11, Figs. 7-7A).
Regarding claim 9, Rockenbach discloses one or the plurality of functional elements (6) comprise at least one drive (34), in particular wherein the one or plurality of functional elements (6) are arranged in one or a plurality of recesses in the filler (11).
Regarding claim 10, Rockenbach discloses the ceiling assembly (7) is arranged on the barrel elements (2, 3) such that the barrel elements (2, 3) laterally enclose the ceiling assembly (7, Figs. 5-6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rockenbach (U.S. Patent No. 6,266,922).
Regarding claim 7, Rockenbach discloses the bottom cover panel (17) and/or the top cover panel (16) as set forth above but does not disclose the bottom or top panel covers have an aluminum material, a steel material and/or a plastic material and/or a glass material. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the bottom and/or top cover panels to be comprised of any of the well-known materials such as aluminum, steel, plastic or glass for cost and aesthetic purposes, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. There would be no new or unpredictable results achieved from using a material commonly used in construction.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Rockenbach fails to teach at least one filer provided as a core material and having a cover panel on at least one or both cover surfaces, wherein the at least one bottom cover panel and/or the at least one top cover panel is/are connected to the at least one filler.
In response to Applicant’s argument(s), Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant has not sufficiently set forth limitations to define or distinguish the core material of the claimed invention from that of Rockenbach. Applicant simply claims a ceiling assembly that has a sandwich design. The Examiner broadly and reasonably considers any member that is sandwiched there in-between to be capable of being classified as a core material. As such, the face band (11) broadly and reasonably constitutes a filler/core material. Furthermore, the Applicant has not defined cover panels and cover surfaces and their structural relationship. Hence, the Examiner considers the interior panels within the circumference of the face band to be cover panel(s) and the interior surface of the face band to be the cover surface for which the cover panels are attached. Therefore, the Examiner maintains that Rockenbach anticipates the invention as claimed.
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 JAMES J BUCKLE JR whose telephone number is (571)270-3739. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 8:00 am to 6:30pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Glessner can be reached at 5712726754. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JAMES J BUCKLE JR/Examiner, Art Unit 3633
