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 I (i.e., claim(s) 11-18) without traverse in the reply filed on 01/13/2026 is acknowledged. Claim(s) 1-10 and 19-20 is/are withdrawn as being drawn to nonelected groups. Accordingly, claim(s) 11-18 is/are examined herein.
Notes
Examiner wishes to point out to applicant that claim(s) 11-18 is/are directed towards an apparatus and as such will be examined under the following conditions. The process/manner of using the apparatus and/or the material worked upon by the apparatus is/are viewed as recitation(s) of intended use and is/are given patentable weight only to the extent that structure is added to the claimed apparatus (See MPEP 2114 II and 2115 for further details). For instance, the recitations “for a composite part” and “to compress a fiber preform therebetween for shape forming the fiber preform into a shaped body” are viewed as recitation(s) of intended use failing to add structure to the claimed apparatus.
The term “undulations converge toward a hinge side” has been interpretated below in view of [0034] and [0037] of Applicant’s published application.
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) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Meir (US 20200375317).
Regarding claim 11, Meir discloses a shape forming fixture (mold press 400: Figs. 4A and 5-6) for a composite part (110: P0035, 0041, 0053-0054, Fig. 5-6), comprising:
a first forming mold (top mold: P0041, Fig. 5-6);
a second forming mold (bottom mold: P0041, Fig. 5-6); and
a hinge, whereby the first forming mold is pivotally coupled to the second forming mold (“The mold press can be a clamshell design, where the top portion and the bottom portion are hinged along one edge so that the knitted component may be insert between the top portion and the bottom portion and the mold press closed down on the knitted component”: P0041, Fig. 5-6); and
the first forming mold is configured to rotate toward the second forming mold to compress a fiber preform (120 and 112) therebetween for shape forming the fiber preform into a shaped body (P0035, 0041-0042, 0053-0054, Fig. 5-6; Fig. 5 clearly depicting rotation of the top mold toward the bottom mold).
PNG
media_image1.png
277
221
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 12, Meir further discloses a first plurality of undulations defining a first contact surface of the first forming mold (P0041, Fig. 5, annotated Fig. 6); and
a second plurality of undulations defining a second contact surface of the second forming mold (P0041, Fig. 5, and annotated Fig. 6),
the second plurality of undulations are configured to interlock with the first plurality of undulations (P0041, annotated Fig. 6).
PNG
media_image2.png
284
452
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Claim(s) 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sydney (US 3205791).
Regarding claims 11-16, Sydney discloses a shape forming fixture (Fig. 3, C1, L60-61) for a composite part (the apparatus in Fig. 3 is capable of shape forming any material/sheet including a composite part: See MPEP §§ 2112.01 I, 2114 I-II, and 2115), comprising:
a first forming mold (6);
a second forming mold (5); and
a hinge, whereby the first forming mold is pivotally coupled to the second forming mold (C1, L68-72, Fig. 3); and
the first forming mold is configured to rotate toward the second forming mold to compress a fiber preform therebetween for shape forming the fiber preform into a shaped body (6 is expected to be capable of rotating toward the second forming mold due to their hinge connection and 5 being mounted to a frame: C1, L68-72, Fig. 3; wherein 5 and 6 are expected to be capable of compressing any material including fiber preform therebetween for shape forming the fiber preform into a shaped/corrugated body: C1, L25-29; C2, L1-25, Fig. 3; See MPEP §§ 2112.01 I, 2114 I-II, and 2115),
a first plurality of undulations (10) defining a first contact surface of the first forming mold (C2, L1-25, Fig. 3); and
a second plurality of undulations (9) defining a second contact surface of the second forming mold, the second plurality of undulations are configured to interlock with the first plurality of undulations (C2, L1-25, Fig. 3),
wherein the first plurality of undulations converge (10) toward a hinge side of the first forming mold (C2, L1-25, Fig. 3),
wherein the second plurality of undulations (9) converge toward a hinge side of the second forming mold (C2, L1-25, Fig. 3),
wherein the first plurality of undulations (10) extend from a free side of the first forming mold (C2, L1-25, Fig. 3),
wherein the second plurality of undulations (9) extend from a free side of the second forming mold (C2, L1-25, Fig. 3). Therefore, Sydney discloses the shape forming fixture (apparatus) substantially as claimed by applicant.
PNG
media_image3.png
269
370
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meir as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Nomura (US 20190359781).
Regarding claims 13-16, Meir further discloses a hinge side and a free side of the first/top and the second/bottom forming molds (See annotated Fig. 4A above), but Meir the fails to disclose the claimed shape/configuration of the first plurality of undulations and the second plurality of undulations.
In the same field of endeavor, shape forming fixtures for a composite part (abstract), Nomura discloses the technique of using a mold having a corrugated shape corresponding to a desired corrugated shape of a composite part and press molding the corrugated composite part with the mold (P0044, 0224-0225, 0286, Fig. 10; wherein press molding molds comprise top and bottom parts/halves: Fig. 7) for the benefit(s) of press molding corrugated composite parts comprising undulations from side to side which are desirable in the art (P0002, 0044, Fig. 10).
PNG
media_image4.png
261
479
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Since Meir explicitly discloses that the shape/configuration of the first plurality of undulations and the second plurality of undulations are modifiable (P0041, Figs. 4A-D) and Nomura discloses that corrugated composited parts having undulations from side to side are desirable in the art, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the fixture/molds of Meir in view of Nomura by changing the shape/depth of the first plurality of undulations to converge/decrease toward a hinge side of the first forming mold, changing the shape/depth of the second plurality of undulations to converge/decrease toward a hinge side of the second forming mold, changing the shape of the first plurality of undulations to extend from a free side of the first forming mold, and changing the shape of the second plurality of undulations to extend from a free side of the second forming mold for yielding the predictable result/benefit of shaping a converging corrugated composite part comprising undulations/corrugations extending and converging from the free sides towards the hinge sides of the molds as suggested by Nomura. See MPEP §§ 2143 I C, 2143 I G, 2144 II, and/or 2144.04 IV B.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meir as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Angevine (US 20120192733).
Regarding claims 17-18, Meir fails to disclose a convex feature disposed on an outer surface of the first forming mold.
In the same field of endeavor, shape forming fixtures (embossing apparatuses: Abstract, P0009), Angevine discloses the technique of providing a convex feature (722) disposed on an outer surface of a first forming mold (712), opposite a first contact surface (bottom embossing surface), and located at a free side of the first forming mold, and the convex feature is configured to transfer a compressing force into the first forming mold to compress a material/sheet (708) between the first forming mold (712) and a second forming mold (710), wherein the convex feature includes a rounded rod (722 is a roller) extending substantially parallel to a hinge line of a hinge (714) coupling the first forming mold and the second forming mold for the benefit(s) of maintaining substantially parallel relationship as the first forming mold is pressed toward the second forming mold (P0074-0076, Figs. 1A and 7).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the fixture/molds of Meir in view of Angevine by incorporating a convex feature disposed on an outer surface of the first forming mold, opposite the first contact surface, and located at the free side of the first forming mold, and the convex feature is configured to transfer a compressing force into the first forming mold to compress the fiber preform between the first forming mold and the second forming mold, wherein the convex feature includes a rounded rod extending substantially parallel to a hinge line of the hinge coupling the first forming mold and the second forming mold for yielding the predictable result/benefit of maintaining substantially parallel relationship as the first forming mold is pressed toward the second forming mold as suggested by Angevine. See MPEP §§ 2143 I C, 2143 I G, and/or 2144 II.
Conclusion
Additional prior art made of record and not relied upon that is considered to be pertinent to
Applicant’s disclosure.
Ishihara (US 20020139164) discloses a relevant apparatus (Fig. 4 and accompanying text).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERZI H MORENO HERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-0625. The examiner can normally be reached 1:00-10:00 PM PT.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
JERZI H. MORENO HERNANDEZ
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1743
/JERZI H MORENO HERNANDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1743