DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group II in combination with Species 2 (in effect claims 8, 9, 11, 12 and claim 17, with claim 12 being examined only for the limitation of “the apertures are formed by bores in the core” as “the core has a grid-like structure, which forms the apertures” is directed towards a non-elected species) in the reply filed on 22 September 2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Kamada (US20190022965) does not disclose the limitation of at least one aperture in a core which is filled by the mold material and interlocks the mold material with the core. Given the amendments made by the applicant to claim 8, the lack of unity requirement with regards to Group I (claims 1-7) and Group II (claims 8-13) in view of Kamada is withdrawn; however, Groups I and II still lack unity of invention in view of Ishihara (JPH09314570) (machine translation), given that the shared technical feature, as set forth in the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) rejection below, is not a special technical feature that makes a contribution over the prior art.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: formed rib “503” disclosed in [0037] is not found in Fig 6a-6b. 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. 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “503” has been used to designate both a “rib” in [0037] of the specification and a “leg” in [0038]. 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. 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.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8: which has radially, on [[the]] an inside of the mold, mold surfaces… being configured for forming cuts in [[the]] a tread profile of the vehicle tire…
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 8, 9, 11, 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ishihara (JPH09314570) (machine translation).
Regarding claim 8, Ishihara discloses a vulcanizing mold for the manufacture of vehicle tires, which has radially on inside mold surfaces with mold projections (“fine rib” (12), Fig 4, 14) of a cast mold material ([0040]), the mold projections being configured for forming cuts in a tread profile of the vehicle tire to be manufactured ([0004]), wherein the mold projections each have a core (“reinforcing material” (28)) of a metal of higher strength than the mold material which is at least partially coated with the mold material ([0032], [0041]), wherein the core has at least one aperture (“through holes” (33)), which is filled by the mold material and interlocks the mold material with the core ([0040], [0041], Fig 14).
Regarding claim 9, Ishihara discloses all limitations of claim 8 as set forth above. Additionally, Ishihara discloses that the core is completely coated with and encased by the mold material (Fig 14, [0032], [0040], [0041]).
Regarding claim 11, Ishihara discloses all limitations of claim 8 as set forth above. Additionally, Ishihara discloses that the core has a multiplicity of apertures (“through holes” (33)), which are filled by the mold material and interlocks the mold material with the core (Fig 14, [0040], [0041]).
Regarding claim 12, Ishihara discloses all limitations of claim 11 as set forth above. Additionally, Ishihara discloses that the apertures are formed by bores in the core (Fig 14).
Regarding claim 17, Ishihara discloses all limitations of claim 8 as set forth above. Additionally, Ishihara discloses that the core is completely encased by the mold material (Fig 14, [0032], [0040], [0041]) and wherein the mold projections are devoid of any sipe blade attached to the core (Fig 14).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sato et al. (JPH09174564) (machine translation) discloses a vulcanizing mold in which a harder core material (“back material”) is covered by a softer mold material (“electrical resistance layer”, [0020], Fig 3).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER D BOOTH whose telephone number is 571-272-6704. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:00-4:30.
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/ALEXANDER D BOOTH/Examiner, Art Unit 1749
/John J DeRusso/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744