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 .
1) A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2-2-26 has been entered.
2) 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.
3) 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.
4) Claims 1, 10 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haseda (US 2018/0162176) in view of Giron (US 4,480,671) and Radulescu et al (US 6,196,288).
Haseda discloses a pneumatic tire (heavy load size 295/75R22.5) having a tread comprising a circumferential shoulder rib 21 (body) and a narrow circumferential rib 22 (shoulder) separated by a narrow circumferential groove 3 (decoupling groove). The narrow circumferential groove has a width = 0.3 to 5.0 mm such as 2.0 mm [FIGURES 1-2, paragraph 23, Table 1]. It is noted that the claimed range of “greater than 2.0 mm” overlaps Haseda’s range of 0.3 to 5.0 mm. It is noted that 5.0 mm falls within the claimed range of “greater than 2.0 mm” [claim 1]. The narrow circumferential groove has an enlarged bottom having a circular cross section [FIGURE 2] and a radius (e.g. 2 mm) greater than or equal to the width (e.g. 2 mm) of the narrow circumferential groove and less than or equal to two times the width of the circumferential groove [paragraphs 26,28]. Therefore, diameter (“width W2”) of the enlarged bottom is two to four times the width of the narrow circumferential groove. Thus, Haseda et al satisfies “the width W2 is greater than the width W1”. A centerline of the narrow circumferential groove intersects the center of the groove base defined by the enlarged bottom having a circular cross section [FIGURE 2]. The tire is excellent in groove bottom crack resistance, tear resistance and irregular wear resistance. Haseda discloses the claimed invention except for the sipes.
Giron discloses a pneumatic tire (heavy load tire size 11R22.5, tread width
= 200 mm) having a tread comprising a shoulder land portion (body) and a narrow circumferential rib 8 separated by a narrow circumferential groove 7 [FIGURES 1-2]. The narrow circumferential groove has a width = 0.5 to 4% tread width such as 1.5% tread width. When tread width = 200 mm [col. 3 line 6], then the width of the narrow circumferential groove is 1 to 8 mm such as 3 mm. The shoulder land portion has a sharp edge A (for expelling water and improving transverse adherence), which is maintained throughout the life of the tire while eliminating drawbacks of irregular wear and defect in handling. The shoulder land portion comprises short one end open parallel sipes opening into the narrow circumferential groove [FIGURES 4-5]
wherein the sipes have function of favoring break up of water film between ground
and rib [col. 3 lines 34-44].
Radulescu et al discloses a heavy truck tire (heavy load tire) having a tread comprising main ribs 20, 24, 26 separated by circumferential grooves 21, 23 and also comprising narrow grooves 29 and narrow ribs 27 [FIGURES 1-2, col. 4 lines 30-58]. Both edges of each main rib comprise sipes 12 (length = 4-8 mm, pitch = 4-8 mm) to delay onset of irregular wear and the growth thereof; these sipes comprising sipes extending axially into the axially inner groove wall of the narrow groove 27 [FIGURE 2, col. 8 lines 16-43, claim 1]. The sipes are inclined at angle of 55-90 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction (angle of 0-35 degrees with respect to the axial direction) to help the tire’s endurance by better distributing the rib edge stresses [col. 9 lines 44-54, claim 1]. The sipes are inclined at angle of 5-15 degrees with respect to the radial direction to increase robustness of ribs with respect to irregular wear [col. 10 lines 28-40, claim 1].
As to claims 1, 10 and 12-20, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide Haseda’s pneumatic tire such that:
the tire includes a decoupling groove, comprising: a body, a shoulder, a tread surface including at least one decoupling groove extending radially inwardly into the body from the tread surface, and a plurality of parallel sipes, wherein the decoupling groove is oriented adjacent to the shoulder, wherein the decoupling groove is defined by an axially outer groove sidewall and an axially inner groove sidewall, has a width W1, and has a centerline, wherein the plurality of parallel sipes extend axially into the inner groove sidewall, wherein the decoupling groove has a radially inner groove base defined by a curvilinear base surface, has a width W2, and has a center, wherein the width W2 is greater than the width W1, and wherein a centerline of the decoupling groove intersects the center of the groove base and wherein the width W1 is greater than 2.0 mm wherein the tire has an axial axis A, a radial axis R, and a circumferential axis C, wherein the sipes are angled in a plane formed by the circumferential and axial axes, and wherein the sipes are angled in a plane formed by the circumferential and radial axes, wherein the sipes are angled by a sipe angle SA1 in the plane formed by the circumferential and axial axes, wherein the sipes are angled by a sipe angle SA2 in the plan formed by the circumferential and radial axes, wherein SA1 is 25.0 degrees from the axial axis A, and wherein SA2 is 10.0 degrees from the radial axis R [claim 1],
the width W1 is 2.5 mm [claim 10],
the width W2 is 2.0 times the value of the width W1 [claim 12],
the groove base comprises circular cross-section having a diameter D, and wherein the diameter D is equal to the width W2 [claim 13],
the sipes are open to the tread surface and the decoupling groove [claim 14],
the tire includes a decoupling groove, comprising: a body, a shoulder, a tread surface including at least one decoupling groove extending radially inwardly into the body from the tread surface, and a plurality of parallel sipes, wherein the decoupling groove is oriented adjacent to the shoulder, wherein the decoupling groove is defined by an axially outer groove sidewall and an axially inner groove sidewall, has a width W1, and has a centerline, wherein the plurality of parallel sipes extend axially into the inner groove sidewall, wherein the decoupling groove has a radially inner groove base defined by a curvilinear base surface, has a width W2, and has a center, wherein the width W2 is greater than the width W1, wherein the width W1 is greater than 2.0 mm, wherein a centerline of the decoupling groove intersects the center of the groove base, wherein the tire has an axial axis A, a radial axis R, and a circumferential axis C, wherein the sipes are angled in a plane formed by the circumferential and axial axes, and wherein the sipes are angled in a plane formed by the circumferential and radial axes, wherein the sipes are angled by a sipe angle SA1 in the plane formed by the circumferential and axial axes, wherein the sipes are angled by a sipe angle SA2 in the plan formed by the circumferential and radial axes, wherein SA1 is between 20.0 degrees and 30.0 degrees from the axial axis A, and wherein SA2 is between 5.0 degrees and 15.0 degrees from the radial axis R [claim 15],
SA1 is 25.0 degrees from the axial axis A [claim 16],
SA2 is 10.0 degrees from the radial axis R [claim 17],
the width WI is 2.5 mm [claim 18],
the width W2 is 2.0 times the value of the width W1 [claim 19],
the groove base comprises circular cross-section having a diameter D, and wherein the diameter D is equal to the width W2 [claim 20]
since:
(1) Haseda teaches providing a pneumatic tire (heavy load tire size 295/75R22.5) having a tread comprising a circumferential shoulder rib and a narrow circumferential rib separated by a narrow shoulder circumferential groove wherein the narrow circumferential groove has a width = 0.3 to 5.0 mm, the narrow circumferential groove has an enlarged bottom having a circular cross section having a radius greater than or equal to the width of the narrow circumferential groove [diameter (“width W2”) of enlarged bottom is 2 to 4 times width of narrow circumferential groove], a centerline of the narrow circumferential groove intersects the center of the enlarged bottom portion (groove base); the tire being excellent in groove bottom crack resistance, tear resistance and irregular wear resistance [FIGURE 2], and
(2) Giron discloses a pneumatic tire (heavy load tire size 11R22.5, tread width = 200 mm) having a tread comprising a shoulder land portion (body) and a narrow circumferential rib 8 separated by a narrow shoulder circumferential groove 7 [FIGURES 1-2] to create a sharp edge for improving transverse adherence and eliminate irregular wear wherein the width of the narrow circumferential groove is 1 to 8 mm such as 3 mm wherein the shoulder land portion comprises short one end open parallel sipes opening into the narrow circumferential groove [FIGURES 4-5] and wherein the sipes have function of favoring break up of water film between ground and rib [col. 3 lines 34-44] and
(3) Radulescu et al discloses a heavy truck tire (heavy load tire) having a tread comprising main ribs 20, 24, 26 separated by circumferential grooves 21, 23, narrow circumferential shoulder grooves 29 and narrow ribs 27 [FIGURES 1-2, col. 4 lines 30-58] wherein both edges of each main rib comprise parallel sipes 12 (length = 4-8 mm, pitch = 4-8 mm) to delay onset of irregular wear and the growth thereof; these sipes comprising sipes extending axially into the axially inner groove wall of the narrow groove 27 [FIGURE 2, col. 8 lines 16-43, claim 1], wherein the sipes are inclined at angle of 55-90 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction (angle of 0-35 degrees with respect to the axial direction) to help the tire’s endurance by better distributing the rib edge stresses [col. 9 lines 44-54, claim 1] and wherein the sipes are inclined at angle of 5-15 degrees with respect to the radial direction to increase robustness of ribs with respect to irregular wear [col. 10 lines 28-40, claim 1].
Hence, Haseda discloses heavy load pneumatic tire having tread comprising a narrow circumferential groove (decoupling groove) wherein width W1 is greater than 2.0 mm and width W2 is greater than width W1 and a centerline of the decoupling groove intersects the center of the curvilinear groove base. Giron, also directed to heavy load pneumatic tire having tread comprising a narrow shoulder circumferential groove, motivates one of ordinary skill in the art to add sipes to the shoulder rib of Haseda’s heavy load pneumatic tire such that the sipes open to a narrow groove to favor braking up water film between ground and rib. Radulescu, also directed to heavy load pneumatic tire having tread comprising decoupling groove, motivates one of ordinary skill in the art to add sipes to the shoulder rib of Haseda’s heavy load pneumatic tire such that the sipes open to a narrow groove to delay onset of irregular wear and the growth thereof. Furthermore, Radulescu et al motivates one of ordinary skill in the art to incline the sipes at an angle of 0-35 degrees with respect to the axial direction to help the tire’s endurance by better distributing the rib edge stresses and to incline the sipes at an angle 5-15 degrees with respect to the radial direction to increase robustness of rib with respect to irregular wear.
As to the decoupling groove (narrow groove) having a width W1 greater than 2.0 mm [claims 1, 15], width W1 is 2.5 mm [claims 10, 18], the claimed width is rendered obvious by (1) Haseda’s teaching to provide the narrow groove with a width = 0.3 to 5.0 mm, (2) Haseda’s teaching to provide a narrow groove with a width, for example, of 2.0 mm [e.g. Working Example #3], and (3) Giron teaches providing a narrow groove in a tread of a heavy load tire such that the width of the narrow groove is 0.5 to 4% tread width wherein when the tread width is 200 mm [col. 3 line 6], the narrow groove has a width = 1 to 8 mm [200mm x 0.005 = 1 mm, 200 mm x 0.04 = 8 mm].
As to the sipes being inclined at angle SA1 = 25 degrees from the axial axis, angle SA2 = 10.0 degrees from the radial axis [claim 1], angle SA1 = 20.0 to 30.0 degrees from the axial axis, angle SA2 = 5.0 to 15.0 degrees from the radial axis [claim 15], angle SA1 = 25.0 degrees from the axial axis [claim 16], angle SA2 = 10.0 degrees from the radial axis [claim 17], the claimed angles are rendered obvious by Radulescu et al’s teaching to incline the sipes at an angle of 0-35 degrees with respect to the axial direction to help the tire’s endurance by better distributing the rib edge stresses and to incline the sipes at an angle 5-15 degrees with respect to the radial direction to increase robustness of rib with respect to irregular wear.
As to width W2 (curvilinear groove base) being 2.0 times width W1 (decoupling groove = narrow groove) [claim 12, 19], this claimed width relationship is rendered obvious by Haseda’s teaching to provide the narrow groove and enlarged bottom having circular cross section such that, for example, the diameter (“width W2”) of the enlarged bottom having circular cross section is 2.0 times the width of the narrow groove [Working Example #3].
As to the curvilinear groove base having a circular cross section having a diameter D equal to the width W2 of the curvilinear groove base [claims 13, 20], Haseda renders this claimed diameter obvious since Haseda teaches providing the enlarged bottom of the narrow groove with a circular cross section having a radius R.
As to the sipes being open to the tread surface and the decoupling groove
[claim 14], both Giron [FIGURE 4] and Radulescu et al [FIGURE 2] teach arranging sipes in a rib of the tread of the heavy load tire such that the sipes open to the tread surface and a narrow groove.
Remarks
5) Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 10 and 12-20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection and the reasons presented therein.
6) No claim is allowed.
7) Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN D MAKI whose telephone number is (571)272-1221. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM-6PM.
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/STEVEN D MAKI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1749
March 3, 2026