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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “convex profile” of claim 14 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 111. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 203 (Page 21, lines 33 and 35), 220 (Page 23, line 10). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 15 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 15, line 4 - it appears there is a typographical error and “characterized each lateral portion of the fin is movable such" should read "characterized such that each lateral portion of the fin is movable such that"
Claim 16, line 9 – it appears there is a typographical error and “the first distance between" should read "the first distance"
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 6-11, and 15-19 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.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the third position" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 7-11 are rejected because they depend from rejected claim 6.
Regarding claim 15, it is unclear which lateral portion applicant intends to refer to. For the purpose of examination, Examiner assumes applicant intends to mean a first lateral portion of the two opposed lateral portions.
Claims 16-19 are rejected because they depend from rejected claim 15.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the first lateral portion" in lines 5-6 and “the second lateral portion” in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 17 is rejected because it depends from rejected claim 16.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-12, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang, Foreign Patent Document, WO2023093434.
Regarding independent claim 1, Yang discloses a roller system for conveying a web (Paragraph [0067]) comprising: a center roller (1, Fig. 2) for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the center roller (longitudinal axis of 1, Fig. 2), and a set of fins (2, Fig. 2), arranged around the longitudinal axis each fin having two opposed lateral portions (lateral portion from 21 to 111, opposing portion from 111 to 22, Fig. 6), wherein each lateral portion of each fin is movable such that a first distance between one lateral portion and the longitudinal axis is less or higher than a second distance between the opposed lateral portion and the longitudinal axis (fins movable to vary distance between each lateral portion and central roller as shown in Figures 5 and 6).
Regarding claim 2, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 1, and wherein each fin of the set of fins comprising an outer surface for supporting the web (3, Fig. 2, 5), the outer surface delimiting a first lateral portion of the fin and a second lateral portion of the fin separated from the first lateral portion by a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (3 delimits first lateral portion, 21 to 111, Fig. 6 and second lateral portion 111 to 22 separated by a plane through 111 orthogonal to 1, Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 3, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 2, and wherein each fin being movable relative to the longitudinal axis between at least two positions: a first position wherein a first distance between the first lateral portion and the longitudinal axis is less than a second distance between the second lateral portion and the longitudinal axis (position shown in Figure 6), and a second position wherein the second distance is less than the first distance (position shown in Figure 5).
Regarding claim 4, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 3, and the fin being arranged to move from the first position (Fig. 6) to the second position (Fig. 5), under the effect of a total force exerted by the web is higher on the second lateral portion of the surface (Paragraph [0070], lines 1-7).
Regarding claim 5, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 3, and wherein the first lateral portion and/or the second lateral portion of each fin is designed to bend between the first position to the second position (designed to move between positions of Figs. 5 and 6, thus bending).
Regarding claim 6, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 4, and wherein each fin is mechanically connected to the center roller by a mechanical link (11, 111, Fig. 6) and each fin is configured to tilt around the mechanical link to move from the first position to the second or the third position (fins 2 tilt about 11, 111, Figs. 5, 6).
Regarding claim 7, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 6, wherein the mechanical link comprises a pivot connection (11, 111, Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 8, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 7, and wherein the pivot connection is an axial pivot connection between the fin and the center roller (11, 111 axial pivot connection between fin 2 and center roller 1, Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 9, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 7, and wherein the mechanical link (11, 111, Fig. 6) between a fin and the center roller comprises a junction comprising at least one tapered portion (11, 111 are tapered portions, Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 10, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 9, and wherein the junction between the center roller and the fin comprises: a thin central portion (111, Fig. 6); a first tapered portion having a thickness decreasing from the fin to the thin central portion (23, Fig. 6), and a second tapered portion having a thickness decreasing from the center roller to the thin central portion (1 to 111, 11, Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 9, and wherein, in the first position or in the second position, a second axis perpendicular to the outer surface and passing through the mechanical connection is tilted with respect to the longitudinal axis by an angle strictly inferior to 90° (See annotated Figs. 5, 6 of Yang below).
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Annotated Figs. 5 and 6 of Yang
Regarding claim 12, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 3, and wherein each fin is movable relative to the longitudinal axis between at least the first position (Fig. 6), the second position (Fig. 5), and a third position wherein the profile of the outer surface is symmetric with respect to the plane (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 18, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 1, and a conveyor system comprising a plurality of rollers to transport a web along a predefined path and at least one roller system (Paragraph [0003]-[0007], [0067]).
Regarding claim 20, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 18 and a conveyor system (Paragraph [0038]), a method for conveying a web (Paragraph [0070]), and a web (Paragraph [0003]), wherein the roller system is used to move the web along its predefined path (Paragraph [0019], lines 4-6) and to automatically correct web misalignment (Paragraph [0077], lines 10-11; Paragraph [0086], lines 4-10).
Claim(s) 15-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohnishi, US9962970.
Regarding independent claim 15, Ohnishi discloses a system for conveying a web (10, Fig. 1) comprising: a support element (45, Fig. 3) having a first face (45, 41A, Fig. 3), and at least one fin (43, Fig. 3), arranged on the first face (fin 43 arranged on 45, 41A, Fig. ) and having two opposed lateral portions (left and right halves of fin 43 divided at 44, Fig. 3) characterized each lateral portion of the fin is movable such a first distance between said lateral portion and the first face is less or higher than a second distance between the opposed lateral portion and the first face (shown with direction Y, in Fig. 3, 4B).
Regarding claim 16, Ohnishi discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 15, and the at least one fin (43, Fig. 3) being movable between three positions: a first position, wherein the profile of the outer surface is symmetric with respect to the first face (position of fin 43 in Fig. 3); a second position wherein a first distance between the first lateral portion and the first face is less than a second distance between the second lateral portion and the first face (Position of fin 43 in Figure 4B); a third position wherein the second distance is less than the first distance between (position shown by moving fin in Y directions of Fig. 3, in opposite direction of Fig. 4B).
Regarding claim 17, Ohnishi discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 16, and the fin being arranged to move from the first position to the second position or the third position, under the effect of a total force exerted by the web is higher on respectively the first lateral portion or the second lateral portion of the surface (shown in Figure 4A, tension is higher on right side, which pushes fin down to position of Fig. 4B).
Regarding claim 19, Ohnishi discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 15, and a conveyor system comprising a plurality of rollers to transport a web along a predefined path (10, Fig. 1).
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.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang, Foreign Patent Document, WO2023093434, in view of Kistner et al., US6554223.
Regarding claim 13, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 2, and a set of fins. However Yang does not disclose the profile of the outer surface comprises a concave profile. Kistner et al. teaches a roller system having a roller with a concave profile (RI, Fig. 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fin of Yang to have a convex profile to align the web during processing (Column 1, lines 10-16). One would have been motivated to make this modification to minimize defects in the web during processing.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang, Foreign Patent Document, WO2023093434, in view of Gruber-Nadlinger et al., US7789818.
Regarding claim 14, Yang discloses the invention substantially as claimed as described above in claim 2, and a set of fins. However Yang does not disclose the profile of the outer surface comprises a convex profile. Gruber-Nadlinger et al. teaches a roller system having a roller with a concave profile (Fig. 2C). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fin of Yang to have a convex profile to “prevent fold formation or sagging on moving material webs” (Column 1, lines 16-18). One would have been motivated to make this modification to minimize defects in the web during processing.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/K.R.B./ Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANNA M MOMPER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3619