DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, claims 1-18 in the reply filed on 4/6/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the method of providing, securing, encapsulating, securing, and finishing to form a window glazing of glass and plastic cannot be a materially different product from that claimed in claim 1. This is not found persuasive because a method of doing the above steps using different materials would result in a materially different product since the materials are different.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 19 and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected method, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 4/6/2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: “wherein the bullet-resistant door having at least a UL 752-Level 8 protection”. The term “having” should be “has” for proper grammatical structure. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 17 recites “wherein the bullet-resistant door having a UL-752-Level 8 protection” does not further limit claim 1 which recites the same UL protection value. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claims 1-2 and 6-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deering (US 20200072580).
Deering an anti-ballistic panel and door thereof. Considering claims 1 and 17-18, Deering discloses the door the anti-ballistic panel and door thereof comprises a layered assembly defining an inner perimeter, wherein the panel comprises wood core layers that are pre-machined, door veneers, and shock-mitigating materials and is secured internal to the door, wherein the resulting door has a UL 752-Level 8 protection (FIGS. 1 and 2; para. 0044-0075). Regarding claim 2, as shown in Figure 2, the door comprises two foam layers that are diametrically opposed that serve as the shock-mitigating layers as claimed (FIG. 2, elements 160 and 170; para. 0050). Examiner notes that claim 2 does not recite any materials and since foam materials and can absorb shock, the foam layers would meet the instant limitations as claimed.
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Deering discloses a lite disposed within the door as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and anti-ballistic glass is disposed within the lite (FIGS. 1 and 2, element 70; para. 0046). Concerning claims 8 and 9, diametrically opposed veneer layers having crossband veneer layers as claimed (para. 0049 and 0060; FIGS. 2 and 4, elements 120 and 130, elements 230, 240, 250, and 260). With respect to claims 10 and 11, the door comprises a bullet persistent panel comprising the claimed manganese steel (FIG. 2, element 180; para. 0054). In regards to claims 12 and 13, the bullet persistent panel comprises a plurality of layers including a front-face anti-ballistic layer and a backing layer joined via a metallurgical bonding that includes a metallic intermediate layer and the method includes the claimed processes (para. 0055). Concerning claims 14-16, the front-face, backing layer, and intermediate layer comprise the claimed materials (para. 0056-0057).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deering (US 20200072580) in view of Auyer et al. (US 4835033).
Deering discloses the above, including hanging stiles that have hardware to secure the door, wherein the stiles can be a hardwood laminate which comprises a wood, a natural material (para. 0077), but is silent to the shock-mitigating layers comprising balsa wood.
Auyer disclose balsa wood materials for use in anti-ballistic applications, wherein Miguel discloses using balsa for composite armor laminates, wherein balsa and foam are known materials that are lightweight and have requisite strength values (col. 3, lines 14-22). As such, in order to lower the weight of the door while also maintaining strength values, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to substitute the foam of Deering with the balsa of Auyer.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Glover (US 20210055080) and Miguel (US 4404889) disclose laminates for ballistic applications.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRASHANT J KHATRI whose telephone number is (571)270-3470. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Veronica Ewald can be reached at (571) 272-8519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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PRASHANT J. KHATRI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1783
/PRASHANT J KHATRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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