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(s) 1-4 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,044 to Steensen.
Claim 1, Steensen discloses an inflatable product, comprising an inflatable body 10 comprising a first wall defined by a lower rectangular ring 24b and a first auxiliary sheet defined by a reinforcing strip 24c joined/fused with each other [Fused is customarily defined as to join together to form a single entity, or to become joined]; and a supplemental layer defined by an upper rectangular ring 24a capable of covering the first wall and fixed to the reinforcing strip of the inflatable body by sewing (col. 3 lines 20-51).
Claim 2, Steenson discloses the inflatable product wherein the inflatable body further comprises a second wall defined by a vertical panel 18 joined with the reinforcing strip; and lower rectangular ring and the vertical panel do not overlap each other.
Claim 3, Steenson discloses the inflatable product wherein the lower rectangular ring is substantially perpendicular to the vertical panel when the inflatable body is inflated to expand.
Claims 4 and 14, Steenson discloses all of the limitations as stated above and a method of producing wherein the upper rectangular ring 24a and the reinforcement strip 24c are sewn by sewing threads, the lower rectangular ring 24b and the reinforcement strip 24c are joined along a first joining line defined by the overlapped edges of the reinforcement outer edges with the sewing threads illustrated by the (X) disposed inside the first joining line, and the vertical panel 16 and the reinforcing strip 24c are joined along via a second joining line defined the outer edge of the upper rectangular ring 24a with the first joining line disposed inside the second joining line (fig. 5) (col. 3 lines 20-51).
5. Claim(s) 1-3 and 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0226912 to Mileti et al. in view of U.S. Pub No. 2013/0230671 to Lin.
Claim 1, Mileti discloses an inflatable product, comprising an inflatable body 15 comprising a first wall defined by an upper surface of a support 17 and a first auxiliary sheet defined by a side rail sheet 39 fused via seal (C) with each other [0045]; and a supplemental layer defined by a top sheet 23 capable of covering the first wall and fixed to the first auxiliary sheet of the inflatable body. Mileti is silent to joining layers by sewing and/or gluing. Lin discloses sewing as a means for mechanically joining and affixing materials together for an inflatable structure [0087]. Selecting from a plethora of known means of joining is considered an obvious modification and it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the sewing disclosed in Lin with the inflatable product of Mileti with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have provided an equivalent and alternative means to join the top sheet and the auxiliary sheet of Mileti.
Claim 2, Mileti discloses the inflatable product wherein the inflatable body further comprises a second wall defined by a side rail 19 fused with the seal (C); and the upper surface and the side rail do not overlap each other.
Claim 3, Mileti discloses the inflatable product wherein the upper surface of the support is substantially perpendicular to a vertical surface of the side rail when the inflatable body is inflated to expand.
Claim 7, Mileti discloses the inflatable product, but is silent to a tension element. Lin discloses tensioning elements 3 [0020]-[0022]. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the tensioning elements in Lin with the inflatable product of Mileti with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have maintained the inflatable product in a desired geometric arrangement when the product of Mileti is pressurized.
Claim 8, Mileti, as modified, discloses the inflatable product wherein the tension element of Lin is made of fabric [0062].
Claim 9, Mileti, as modified, discloses the inflatable product wherein Lin further comprises a fusible element defined by weld strips 31 wherein the weld strips are fused with the inflatable body, and the tension element 32 is connected to the weld strips to pull the inflatable body through the weld strips when the inflatable body is inflated.
Claim 10, Mileti, as modified, discloses the inflatable product wherein the tension element of Lin is capable of being connected to the fusible element by sewing or adhesion [0087].
Claim 11, Mileti, as modified, discloses the inflatable product, wherein the tension element of Lin is connected to the inflatable body by fusion [0087].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 12-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regards to claims 1-4, 7-11, and 14 claims are given the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification and limitations in the specification are not read into the claims. Therefore, the words of a claim are generally given their ordinary and customary meaning. Fused is customarily defined as to join together to form a single entity, or to become joined. Therefore, an alternative expression of the Applicant’s claim recitation would read as follows “an inflatable body comprising a first wall and a first auxiliary sheet joined with each other” and would meet the Applicant’s broad claim language. Steensen expressly recites the outer edge of the lower rectangular ring 24b is sewn to the upper edge of the lower vertical panel 18, the outer edge of the upper rectangular ring 24a is sewn to the lower edge of upper vertical panel 16, and the inner edges of the rectangular rings are sewn together with reinforcing strip 24c, and the Examiner reads the joining/sewing of the first wall and the first auxiliary sheet upon the Applicant’s broad limitation since the function of joining the wall and the sheet is performed by an equivalent joining means. It appears that the Applicant continues to rely on broad structural language that fails to clearly distinguish the present invention over the prior art of record and does not preclude the Examiner from interpreting the claims as stated above.
Contrary to the Applicant’s arguments, Steenson discloses all of the limitations as stated above and a method of producing wherein the upper rectangular ring 24a and the reinforcement strip 24c are sewn by sewing threads, the lower rectangular ring 24b and the reinforcement strip 24c are joined along a first joining line defined by the overlapped edges of the reinforcement outer edges with the sewing threads illustrated by the (X) disposed inside the first joining line, and the vertical panel 16 and the reinforcing strip 24c are joined along via a second joining line defined the outer edge of the upper rectangular ring 24a with the first joining line disposed inside the second joining line (fig. 5) (col. 3 lines 20-51).
Similarly, Mileti discloses an inflatable product, comprising an inflatable body 15 comprising a first wall defined by an upper surface of a support 17 and a first auxiliary sheet defined by a side rail sheet 39 fused via seal (C) with each other [0045]; and a supplemental layer defined by a top sheet 23 capable of covering the first wall and fixed to the first auxiliary sheet of the inflatable body. Mileti is silent to joining layers by sewing and/or gluing. Lin discloses sewing as a means for mechanically joining and affixing materials together for an inflatable structure [0087].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,742 to Klearman discloses an inflatable object having stitched (44) auxiliary layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,593 to Wolfe discloses an inflatable object having a plurality of layers capable of being attached to each other by welding, adhesive bonding, or stitching.
CA 2,882,149 to Vrzalik et al. discloses an inflatable object and that it is well known that mattress and cushions are sewn with seams.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDRICK C CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-7040. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.
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/FREDRICK C CONLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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