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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim should read “fiber selected from . Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 13,15 and all claims depending therefrom are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 13,15, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by EP3584382.
Claim 1. EP3584382 discloses an absorber tile element (102) comprising compressed fiber material (paragraphs 0036,0053) and having a first major surface, an opposing second major surface, and at least one side edge surface (as seen in the figures and noted in the disclosure) extending between the first major surface and the second major surface, an anchor element (any of 106a-f) associated with one of the first major surface and the second major surface or one of the at least one side edge surfaces (as noted in the figures and disclosure) of the absorber tile element,
wherein the anchor element comprises a head portion (110a-b, 110e-f) and a threaded portion (112a-b, 112c-f), the threaded portion (112a-b, 112e-f) being threaded into the absorber tile element from the surface associated with the anchor element such that the head portion becomes recessed in the absorber tile element (as seen in the figures and noted in the disclosure), characterized in that,
the anchor element comprises a wire lock (124a-b,124e-f) arranged in the anchor element such that the wire lock becomes recessed in the absorber tile element (where at least at portion of the wire lock is recessed in the absorber tile element, similar to applicants claimed invention) together with the head portion, the wire lock having an access port (the top part of 124 where wire 104 enters the wire lock from above as seen in the figures) accessible from a top side of the head portion (as seen in the figures).
Claim 2. The absorber tile element according to claim 1 wherein the wire lock defines an internal wire lock channel (the internal channel as seen in figures 2b and 4 that the wire extends through) terminating in the access port at a first end and in an outlet port (at the bottom as seen in figures 2b,4) at a second end, and wherein the anchor element defines an internal anchor element channel (122a,e,f), the anchor element channel adjoining the outlet port (as seen in figures 2b,4), and being configured to guide a suspension wire (104a-b, 104x, 204a) through the anchor element, which suspension wire has been passed through the wire lock and introduced into the anchor element channel (as seen in figures 2b,4).
Claim 3. The absorber tile element according to claim 2, wherein the anchor element channel is configured to guide the suspension wire through the anchor element such that the suspension wire is deflected in a direction towards the top side (116a-b, 116e-f) of the head portion (where the wire is capable of bending toward the top side, where it is possible to bend the wire 104 in cavity 114e,f and make it exit the cavity through the opening 118e,f).
Claim 4.The absorber tile element according to claim 3, wherein the anchor element channel is configured to deflect the suspension wire with a bending radius in the range of 3-40 mm (where it is capable of the claimed intended use).
Claim 5. The absorber tile element according to claim 2, wherein the anchor element channel is configured to guide the suspension wire through the anchor element such that the suspension wire is guided in a direction towards a bottom side of the threaded portion (as seen in figure 4).
Claim 6. The absorber tile element according to claim 5, wherein the anchor element channel extends along a central axis of the anchor element (1as seen in the figures and noted in the disclosure).
Claim 7. The absorber tile element according to claim 1, wherein the head portion and the threaded portion partially overlap in a direction along a central axis of the anchor element (as seen in the figures).
Claim 8. The absorber tile element according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is provided at least one mounting tool recess (114a-f) accessible by a mounting tool from a top side of the head portion (as seen in the figures).
Claim 9. The absorber tile element according to claim 1, wherein the head portion comprises a wire lock holding member (any of 118 and/or any of 114) supporting the wire lock (as seen in the figures).
Claim 10. The absorber tile element according to claim 1, wherein the wire lock is housed within the anchor element (wherein the lower portion of 124 is within the anchor element as seen in the figures of the various embodiments).
Claim 11. The absorber tile element according to claim 1, wherein the wire lock comprises a biased release member (124a with 126a) protruding beyond a top surface (as seen in the figures where at least a portion of 126a protrudes beyond) of the head portion and being provided with the access port (where the access portion is at the top of 124a).
Claim 12. The absorber tile element according to claim 1,wherein the compressed fiber material comprising fiber selected form the group consisting of mineral fiber, wood fiber, textile fiber, polymer fiber and metal fiber (as noted at least at paragraph 0053).
Claim 13. The absorber tile element according to claim 1, wherein the anchor element has an extension in the interval of 10-150 mm along a central axis (CA) thereof (paragraphs 0040, 0067), wherein the anchor element has an extension in the interval of 10-100 mm (paragraphs 0040, 0070 and 0063) in a direction transverse to the central axis (CA), and wherein the threaded portion of the anchor element comprises threads having a pitch in the interval of 4-10 mm (as seen in the figures and noted at least at paragraph 0063).
Claim 14. A tile system comprising: an absorber tile element according to claim 1, and a suspension wire (104a-104f, 104x, 204a) releasably coupled to the wire lock for suspension of the absorber tile element (as seen in the figures of the various embodiments).
Claim 15. The tile system according to claim 14, wherein the suspension wire has a diameter in the range of 0,5-3 mm, (paragraph 0065).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA LAUX whose telephone number is (571)272-8228. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-3:30.
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JESSICA L. LAUX
Examiner
Art Unit 3635
/JESSICA L LAUX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635