DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
A preliminary amendment was filed by applicant on 10/03/2023.
Claims 1-22 are amended.
Claims 1-22 are remaining in the application.
The amended Abstract and Specification are accepted, except as otherwise noted.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the following informality:
The drawing figures lack sufficient contrast and/or clarity.
Figs. 1 and 2 do not include any drawing reference characters correlated to the written description of the Specification and only include text and/or labels.
Appropriate correction is required.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. No new matter should be entered.
In addition to Replacement Sheets containing the corrected drawing figure(s), applicant is required to submit a marked-up copy of each Replacement Sheet including annotations indicating the changes made to the previous version. The marked-up copy must be clearly labeled as “Annotated Sheets” and must be presented in the amendment or remarks section that explains the change(s) to the drawings. See 37 CFR 1.121(d)(1). Failure to timely submit the proposed drawing and marked-up copy will result in the abandonment of the application.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informality:
The Specification does not include drawing reference characters for Figs. 1 and 2.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
10. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
11. Claims 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor, regards as the invention.
12. The following claimed features/limitations lack sufficient antecedent basis in the claims (as recited in independent claim 1, subsequent dependent claims, and throughout the claims):
its nose, its tail, the floating object, its external profile, the three-dimensional mesh, the shell, the external surface, the stratified sheet, the final shape, the result, the skeleton, the two sheets, said sheets, the collection, its length, the model, the surfer, the parameters, the graphic modeling, the mesh, this selected model, the model, its total/local density, the thicknesses, the mesh lines, the user, said slices, the sheet, the median external profile, the front board, said board, the resin, the sheets, these portions, the portions, either side, the entire internal skeleton, the one hand, the other hand, the flat angle, the same pattern, the general shape, the honeycomb type, certain vertices, the center, the cellular structures, the latter, the thickness, the stratification material, the material, the volume, the total volume, and the interior.
This list may not be all inclusive, applicant should review and ensure proper antecedent basis for all claim limitations; all claim limitations recited subsequent to an initial recitation of the same/similar feature(s) require sufficient antecedent to the first recitation of such in the claims.
Use of pronouns such as it, its, this and/or these does not make clear the particular or specific feature or features being referred to in the claims.
Regarding claim 12, the phrase "type" renders the claim(s) indefinite because the claim(s) include(s) elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "type"), thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 1 specifies in step (d) certain features/steps that are required in step (c), where such features/steps of step (c) have not yet been specified/recited, which is confusing/unclear.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow recitation, range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c). In the present instance, claim 20 recites a broad recitation/limitation (prior to the phrase “and preferably”), and then the claim recites a recitation, range or limitation which is a narrower statement (following the phrase “and preferably”) of the previously recited range/limitation. The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Claim 11 recites “step b) consists of producing a skeleton including on the one hand a median peripheral belt and on the other hand a central cellular structure comprising a plurality of polygonal geometric patterns each consisting of wires, the flat angle between two consecutive wires of the same pattern being substantially equal to 60° ”, which is unclear regarding interpretation of “on the one hand” and “on the other hand” as recited in the claim.
Claims 1-22 are rejected as failing to define the invention in the manner required by 35 U.S.C. 112(b). The claim(s) are narrative in form and replete with indefinite language. The structure which goes to make up the device must be clearly and positively specified. The structure must be organized and correlated in such a manner as to present a complete operative device. Note the format of the claims in the patent(s) cited.
Allowable Subject Matter
As best understood by the examiner, claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
As best understood by the examiner, claims 2-22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
21. The prior art cited and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
The prior art references disclose floating aquatic objects (water sports boards) that include a skeleton/core including wire or mesh, and with fiber and resin used in the manufacturing thereof.
22. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL V VENNE whose telephone number is (571) 272-7947. The examiner can normally be reached between M-F, 7am-3:30pm Flex. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Samuel J. Morano can be reached on (571) 272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
23. If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Daniel V Venne/
Senior Examiner, Art Unit 3615
12/17/2025