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 .
Status of Claims and Application
This non-final action on the merits is in response to the election of invention received by the office 04 November 2025. Claims 13-24 are pending. Claims 18-24 are withdrawn as non-elected.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of the invention of group I (claims 13-17) in the reply filed on 04 November 2025 is acknowledged.
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) 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent 6,059,558 to Buzzell et al. (‘558 hereafter).
Regarding claim 13, ‘558 teaches a tool insert for the production of an object by an injection molding method, the tool insert comprising: an insert frame (Fig. 3 items 32); and at least one lamination assembly having a plurality of individual laminations, the at least one lamination assembly inserted in the insert frame (Fig 3 items 24 and 26), at least one curved surface introducible into the object in that the insert frame has a curved surface or at least one distortion cushion arranged between the insert frame and the at least one lamination assembly (Fig. 3 items 20).
Regarding claim 14, ‘558 teaches the tool insert wherein the individual laminations of the lamination assembly have different functionalities imparted by a different microstructuring of the individual laminations (Fig 3 items 24 and 26 – examiner’s note: items 24 and 26 are shaped so as for form the right half or left haft of an article).
Regarding claim 15, ‘558 teaches the tool insert wherein differently structured individual laminations are arranged in alternating fashion within the at least one lamination assembly of the tool insert (Fig 3 items 24 and 26).
Regarding claim 16, ‘558 teaches the tool insert wherein the distortion cushion or the curved surface of the insert frame replicates a surface line of a desired surface of the object (Fig 1 items 20).
Regarding claim 17, ‘558 teaches the tool insert wherein the distortion cushion is present and designed to counter any distortions (Figs. 1 and 3 items 20, C4L49-C4L57).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
U.S. Patent 2,831,394 to Heenan et al. teaches a mold assembly with a number of differently structured lamellar cores held in place with curved elements so as to provide desired shape to a molded article.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John P Robitaille whose telephone number is (571)270-7006. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Galen Hauth can be reached at (571) 270-5516. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JPR/Examiner, Art Unit 1743
/GALEN H HAUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1743
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