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 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 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miaud (US Pat. 5,368,158).
Regarding claim 14, Miaud teaches a textile hand mitt for the efficient removal of contaminants from a surface in the field with the hand mitt comprising first and second outward facing textile (front and back of 11 layers) sides with each side for contacting the surface [Title, 3:51-62 and Fig. 6a]. The first and second textile sides have edges being joined together along the edges to form a hand mitt [3:51-62 and 4:3-7]. Each of the first and second textile sides of the mitt comprising at least one immobilized contaminate surface removal media (active chemical decontaminant) and an internal liner layer (barrier material or absorbent layer) on the backside of the first and second outward facing textile sides of the mitt.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 15-17 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miaud (US Pat. 5,368,158) in view of Benaddi et al. (US Pat. 8,642,058).
Regarding claims 15 and 17, Miaud is silent regarding the claimed immobilized contaminant removal media being absorptive media. However, Benaddi et al. teach using a fabric or activated carbon and/or zeolite in order to improve neutralization of chemical and biological warfare. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the absorptive media of Benaddi et al. in Miaud et al. in order to improve neutralization of chemical and biological warfare and arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 16, The previous combination is silent regarding the claimed property. However, given the previous combination teaches such a similar product made of such similar materials, the claimed property is necessarily inherent to the mitt of the previous combination.
Regarding claim 21, Miaud is silent regarding the claimed different immobilized contaminant surface removal media. However, Benaddi et al. teach the various layers can have differing immobilized contaminant surface removal media in order to provide differing functionality. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have each of the first second textile sides of the hand mitt be comprised of differing immobilized contaminant surface removal media as taught by Benaddi et al. used in Miaud in order to provide differing functionality and arrive at the claimed invention.
Claims 22-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miaud (US Pat. 5,368,158) in view of Navin et al. (US Pat. 11,465,121).
Regarding claims 22-23, Miaud teaches a dual sided textile hand mitt for removal of CW agent contaminants from a surface in the field with the hand mitt comprising first and second outward facing textile (front and back of 11 layers) sides with each side for contacting the surface [Title, 3:51-62 and Fig. 6a]. The first and second textile sides have edges being joined together along the edges to form a hand mitt wherein edges not joined allow for insertion of a hand and at least partial forearm into the mitt [Fig. 6A, 3:51-62 and 4:3-7]. Each of the first and second textile sides of the mitt comprising at least one immobilized contaminate surface removal media (active chemical decontaminant) for the removal of CW agent contaminants from the surface upon contact of each textile side with the surface and an internal liner layer (barrier material or absorbent layer) on the backside of the first and second outward joined facing textile sides of the mitt for protecting am inserted hand and a partial forearm from CW agent contaminants. Miaud is silent regarding the claimed immobilized contaminant removal media being metal oxyhydroxide. However, Navin et al. teach metal oxyhdroxide (including aluminum oxyhydroxide) as immobilized contaminant removal media because they are highly absorptive and effective at removing and decontaminating the agents from the surfaces [claim 1 and :56-6:7]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the metal oxydroxide immobilized contaminant removal media of Navin et al. in Miaud because they are highly absorptive and effective at removing and decontaminating the agents from the surfaces and arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 24, the previous combination is silent regarding the claimed property. However, given the previous combination teaches such a similar product made of such similar materials, the claimed property is necessarily inherent to the mitt of the previous combination.
Regarding claim 25, the previous combination is silent regarding the claimed fold over edge. However, given Miaud teaches joined together textile edges, it would have been more than obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include at least one fold over edge in order to provide a finished edge without raw fabric edges as is well known in the art and arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 26, the mitt is thumbless [Fig. 6A].
Art Not Used but Relevant
US Pat. 4,729,834 teaches zeolite in fabric for adsorption and desorption.
Conclusion
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/Shawn Mckinnon/Examiner, Art Unit 1789
