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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1-6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1-6 contain multiple periods, which is improper.
Each claim begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. Periods may not be used elsewhere in the claims except for abbreviations. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim 1 is further objected to because in line 6, “forming chamber” should read --formation chamber--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ota et al (20200114594).
In regards to Claim 1, Ota teaches a process for making panels, comprising:
feeding at least one fiber material (Abstract; Paragraph 22) and at least one powder material (Abstract; Paragraph 30) to a formation chamber (Detail 18), wherein at least one between the fiber material and the powder material comprises at least one thermos-fusible component (Paragraph 29);
dropping the fiber material together with the powder material through the formation chamber (Figure 1, at M7);
generating in the formation chamber a turbulence (at Detail 181) capable to mix fibers of the fiber material with powders of the powder material as the fibers and the powders fall downward, wherein the mixed fibers and powders deposit on a support plane (Detail 191) and form a mat (Detail M8) on the support plane;
heating the mat (at Detail 202) so as to activate the at least one thermo-fusible component, creating cohesion between the fibers and the powders and forming a cohesive mat comprising a fiber matrix retaining the powders;
pressing and heating the cohesive mat to form a panel (at Detail 21).
In regards to Claim 2, Ota teaches opening the fibers of the fiber material in a flaking device (Detail 13).
In regards to Claim 7, Ota teaches an amount of the at least one fiber material in the mat is between 5% and 95% and an amount of the at least one powder material in the mat is between 95% and 5% (Abstract).
In regards to Claim 8, Ota teaches the mat comprises:
a main material part of the fiber material or part of the powder material, wherein the amin material is chosen from the group comprising: cellulose-based waste, recovered material from laminates, waste from textile industries, natural fibers (Paragraph 22);
at least one between a resin and bi-component fibers; wherein the resin is part of the powder material and is either a phenolic resin or an epoxy resin (Paragraph 29); wherein the bi-component fibers are part of the fiber material and are polyethylene/polypropylene bi-component fibers.
In regards to Claim 9, Ota teaches the mat additionally comprises an additional component chosen from viscose fibers and inorganic powder (Paragraphs 22, 23 teach wood pulp based fiber, which is viscose).
In regards to Claim 10, Ota teaches a plant to make panels, comprising:
fiber feeding devices (Details 242, 172);
powder feeding devices (Details 171, 172);
a formation device internally delimiting a formation chamber (Detail 18) and having at least one upper inlet (at left of Detail 18, at M7 arrow) in communication with the fiber feeding devices and with the powder feeding devices, wherein the formation device comprises turbulence generating devices (Detail 181, 182) placed in the formation chamber and a support plane (Detail 191) placed at a base of the formation chamber;
a heat-setting oven (Detail 202, acts as contact oven) operationally located downstream of the formation device;
a press equipped with a heater and operationally located downstream of the heat-setting oven (Detail 21).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See of Record.
Specifically, at least Wakabayashi et al (20210301469) Figure 1, Yoshioka et al (20200077216) Figure 3, Taniguchi et al (20190246393) Figure 1, and Doris (6024905) Figure 1 teach elements similar to those as currently claimed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shaun R Hurley whose telephone number is (571)272-4986. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 8:00am - 3:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Clinton T Ostrup can be reached at (571) 272-5559. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAUN R HURLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3732