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
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Andrade et al. (US pub 2022/0040510).
Andrade et al. disclose:
1. A waist padding assembly (100, figure 1) comprising:
a center portion (center row of layers from front/center layer 101 back to rear/center layer 110; figure 1) comprising a porous ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) material (102 EVA, 105 Pronon ® urethane, 110 thermoplastic rubber; [0037]), the center portion configured to contact a back of a user (@ layer 101); and
two side portions (left and right 104s) comprising polyurethane foam (memory foam, [0037]), the two side portions respectively connected to opposing sides of the center portion (figure 1) and configured to contact respective flanks of the user.
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2. The waist padding assembly of claim 1, wherein the center portion comprises a first side (@101) and a second side (@110), wherein the first side (@101) is configured to contact the back of the user (figure 9A).
3. The waist padding assembly of claim 2, wherein the center portion further comprises: a warp mesh material (109, figure 1), wherein the warp mesh material (109) is disposed along the second side (adjacent 110) of the center portion and is configured to cover a portion of the porous EVA material (110) of the center portion (see above).
4. The waist padding assembly of claim 2, wherein the center portion further comprises: a 3D spacer fabric (101), wherein the 3D spacer fabric is disposed along the first side of the center portion (figure 1) such that the 3D spacer fabric (101) is configured to contact the back of the user (figure 9A), and the 3D spacer fabric is configured to cover a second portion (102) of the porous EVA material of the center portion (figure 1).
5. The waist padding assembly of claim 4, wherein the 3D spacer fabric (101) is disposed opposite a warp mesh material (109) relative to the porous EVA material (102), wherein the 3D spacer fabric (101) and warp mesh material (109) are at least in part parallel to each other (figure 1, see above).
6. The waist padding assembly of claim 1, wherein the porous EVA material of the center portion further comprises: a plurality of holes (cutouts in 102 and apertures 170 in 105 and 110), and, wherein the plurality of holes are aligned with each other (center cutouts on 102 align with apertures 170 in 105 and 110) and configured to be oriented towards a back of a user (an axis passing through the cutouts and apertures would be directed toward the back of a user wearing the assembly), such that the plurality of holes are configured to assist in the breathability of the center portion (assembly is designed “to allow air to circulate”; [0036], 0037]).
7. The waist padding assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of holes are configured to be perpendicular to a length of the center portion (figure 1).
8. The waist padding assembly of claim 1, further comprises: one or more edge covers (unnumbered edge trim of waist belt assembly best seen in figures 7A-7D), circumferentially disposed around an edge of the center portion and the two side portions (figures 7A-7D).
9. A harness assembly (figure 7A) comprising:
waist padding assembly (100, figure 1, see below) comprising:
a center portion (center row of layers from front/center layer 101 back to rear/center layer 110) comprising a porous ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) material (102 EVA, 105 Pronon ® urethane, 110 thermoplastic rubber; [0037]), the center portion configured to contact a back of a user (@ layer 101); and
two side portions (left and right 104s) comprising polyurethane foam (memory foam, [0037]), the two side portions respectively connected to opposing sides of the center portion (figure 1) and configured to contact respective flanks of the user;
a backplate (unnumbered backplate with dorsal D ring best seen in figure 7B) connected to the waist padding assembly at or proximate the center portion (figure 7B); and
at least one strap (belt strap 230) configured to secure the waist padding assembly to the user.
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10. The harness assembly of claim 9, wherein the center portion comprises a first side (@101) and a second side (@110), wherein the first side (@101) is configured to contact the back of the user (figure 9A).
11. The harness assembly of claim 10, wherein the center portion further comprises: a warp mesh material (109, figure 1, see above), wherein the warp mesh material (109) is disposed along the second side (adjacent 110) of the center portion (see above) and is configured to cover a portion of the porous EVA material (110) of the center portion.
12. The harness assembly of claim 10, wherein the center portion further comprises: a 3D spacer fabric (101), wherein the 3D spacer fabric is disposed along the first side of the center portion such that the 3D spacer fabric is configured to contact the back of the user (figure 9A), and the 3D spacer fabric (101) is configured to cover a second portion (102) of the porous EVA material of the center portion (figure 1).
13. The harness assembly of claim 12, wherein the 3D spacer fabric (101) is disposed opposite a warp mesh material (109) relative to the porous EVA material (102) wherein the 3D spacer fabric (101) and warp mesh material (109) are at least in part parallel to each other (figure 1, see above).
14. The harness assembly of claim 9, wherein the porous EVA material of the center portion further comprises: a plurality of holes (cutouts in 102 and apertures 170 in 105 and 110), wherein the plurality of holes are aligned with each other (center cutouts on 102 align with apertures 170 in 105 and 110) and configured to be oriented towards a back of a user (an axis passing through the cutouts and apertures would be directed toward the back of a user wearing the assembly), such that the plurality of holes are configured to assist in the breathability of the center portion (assembly is designed “to allow air to circulate”; [0036], 0037]).
15. The harness assembly of claim 14, wherein the plurality of holes are configured to be perpendicular to a length of the center portion (figure 1).
16. The harness assembly of claim 9, further comprises: one or more edge covers (unnumbered edge trim of waist belt assembly best seen in figures 7A-7D), circumferentially disposed around an edge of the center portion and the two side portions (figures 7A-7D).
17. The harness assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a belt (215, figure 2B), wherein the belt (215) is configured to be disposed along a length of the waist padding assembly (figure 2B).
18. The harness assembly of claim 17, wherein the belt (215) further comprises: at least two attachment rings, (220, 221, figure 2B) wherein the at least two attachment rings (220, 221) are disposed on opposite ends of the belt adjacent to the respective two side portions (104, 104) of the waist padding assembly (figure 2B).
19. The harness assembly of claim 17, the harness assembly further comprises: a retainer (201, figure 2A), wherein the retainer is secured to a portion of the waist padding assembly and configured to define a passage ([0039]), and wherein the belt is configured to pass through the passage ([0039], figure 2B).
20. A method of manufacturing a waist padding assembly, the waist padding assembly (100, figure 1) comprising a center portion (center row of layers from front/center layer 101 back to rear/center layer 110) comprising a porous ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) material (102 EVA, 105 Pronon ® urethane, 110 thermoplastic rubber; [0037]), the center portion configured to contact a back of a user (@ layer 101); and two side portions (left and right 104s) comprising polyurethane foam (memory foam, [0037]), the two side portions respectively connected to opposing sides of the center portion (figure 1) and configured to contact respective flanks of the user;
the method comprising: attaching the two side portions (104, 104) to either of the opposing sides of the center portion (the assembly of separate layers shown in figure 1 to their compact/assembled form shown in figures 2A-2B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COLLEEN M CHAVCHAVADZE whose telephone number is (571)272-6289. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00AM-4:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at 571-270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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COLLEEN M. CHAVCHAVADZE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3634
/COLLEEN M CHAVCHAVADZE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634