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 .
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 6-7, 10-11, 13-14, 16, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huber, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0035683 in view of Chulpsa, U.S. Patent No. 5,080,943.
Huber discloses a roller drive unit for cargo. The drive roller comprises a core and a covering. See paragraph 0007. The covering comprises a plurality of covering layers wrapped around the core. The covering layers include a rubber compound and a fabric layer, wherein the layers have pores, openings or apertures. See paragraph 0009 and 0010. The fabric layers can be woven fabric layers. See paragraph 0011. The structure is formed by winding the covering layers and the woven layers around a core layer and curing or vulcanizing. See paragraph 0015. The layers can be cured or vulcanized. See paragraph 0009. The covering layers are rubber or another similar vulcanizable material or polymerizing material. See paragraph 0014. The core is equated with the claimed mandrel. Instead of woven fabrics, monofilament lattice structures can also be used. Suitable fibers for the woven fabrics include carbon fibers. See paragraph 0024. Note that the claims do not require that the different rubber layers are different compositions.
Huber discloses a structure for a guide roll as set forth above.
Huber differs from the claimed invention because it does not clearly consolidating the layers to avoid gaps or air or providing a bearing. However, it is well known to provide a bearing in the end of a guide roller. Further, it would have been obvious to have consolidated the layers in order to provide a unitary structure having no gaps or unadhered portions in the finished guide roll.
Huber does not disclose providing some of the layers so that the layers are angled, (bias), relative to the circumferentially wrapped layers.
However, Chulpsa discloses a composite tube comprising alternating layers of fibers and a polymeric material. Chulpsa discloses orienting the fibers both circumferentially and at angles, (bias), in order to provide improved strength to the structure. See col. 2, lines 26-44; col. 3, lines 56-60. The fibers can be carbon fibers.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided some of the fabric layers in Huber so that they were at an angle relative to the circumferentially wrapped fibers in order to provide strength in all directions.
Claim(s) 8-9, 18-19 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huber, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0035683 in view of Chulpsa, U.S. Patent No. 5,080,943 as set forth above, and further in view of Dolog et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20180086901.
Huber discloses a structure as set forth above.
Huber differs from the claimed invention because it does not disclose the particularly claimed rubber composition.
However, Dolog teaches employing hydrogenated nitrile rubber, (paragraph 0017), and a functionalized filler such as functionalized graphene , (paragraph 0021), which can be nanosized having a particles size of 250 nm to 1 micrometer. See paragraph 0026. Dolog teaches that the rubber can further comprise additional additives such as plasticizers, other fillers, antioxidants. See paragraphs 0033-0035. The rubber composition is useful in forming structures having improved mechanical properties, reliability and thermal stability as well as good chemical resistance. See paragraph 0037.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to have employed the particular composition disclosed by Dolog as the rubber in Huber in order to provide a structure having improved mechanical properties, reliability, thermal stability and chemical resistance as taught by Dolog.
Claim(s) 5, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huber, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0035683 in view of Chulpsa, U.S. Patent No. 5,080,943, and further in view of Nakamura et al, U.S. Patent No. 5,725,922.
Huber discloses a structure as set forth above.
Huber differs from the claimed invention because it does not disclose applying a primer and adhesive to the mandrel.
However, Nakamura teaches that in forming a rubber roll it was known to provide a primer and adhesive to the mandrel in order to provide improved adhesion. See col. 6, lines 1-12.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have employed a primer and adhesive to enhance adhesion between the mandrel and the rubber composition.
Applicant's arguments filed 10/14/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that CHulpas does not teach the claimed layer of left facing angle-biased fabric or the right facing angle-biased fabric.
However, Chulpas teaches first and second spirally wrapped fiber bands which are equated with the angle-biased fabrics. See claim 7 as well as figure 2 which show first and second carbon fiber webs and col. 3, lines 1-7. Applicant argues that figure 2 of Chulpas shows a single fiber web with angled fibers, but as set forth at col. 3, figure 2 shows two fiber webs, (fiber webs 1 and 4), which are angled, which correspond to the claimed angle-biased fabrics.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 ELIZABETH M IMANI whose telephone number is (571)272-1475. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Wednesday 7AM-7:30; Thursday 10AM -2 PM.
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/ELIZABETH M IMANI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1789
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