DETAILED ACTION
This communication is a first office action on the merits. Claims 1-9, as filed are currently pending and have been considered below.
Election/Restrictions
Claim 9 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 17 December 2025.
The traversal is on the ground(s) that Examiner does not explain why a technical relationship under PCT Rule 13.1 is absent. This is not found persuasive because as previously established in the requirement mailed 05 November 2025, and reiterated herewith, a special technical feature is not present in the independent claims in view of the prior art anticipating all the claim limitations.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takayoshi et al. (JP2014-27989).
Regarding claim 1, Takayoshi et al. discloses an apparatus comprising:
a textile substrate fabric composed of warp and weft (Abstract); and
multiple engaging elements (6) rising from the one surface of the substrate fabric (Fig. 1 as shown),
wherein the engaging element is a loop-shaped engaging element, a hook-shaped engaging element, or both (English Translation, Page 5, Paragraph 1),
wherein the hook-shaped engaging element is formed of a yarn for hook-shaped engaging element which is woven into the substrate fabric parallel to the warp (Translation, Page 7, lines 11-12),
wherein the loop-shaped engaging element is formed of a yarn for loop-shaped engaging element which is woven into the substrate fabric parallel to the warp (Translation, Page 7, lines 11-12),
wherein the warp is made of a polyethylene terephthalate-based polyester, wherein the yarn for hook-shaped engaging element is made of the polyethylene terephthalate-based polyester or a polybutylene terephthalate-based polyester (Translation, Page 6, second to last paragraph),
wherein the yarn for loop-shaped engaging element is made of the polyethylene terephthalate-based polyester or a polybutylene terephthalate-based polyester (Translation, Page 6, second to last paragraph),
wherein the weft is made of a core-sheath type heat-fusible fiber in which a heat- fusible low-melting point polyester resin is contained as a sheath component and the polyethylene terephthalate-based polyester is contained as a core component (Translation, Page 6, 2nd paragraph),
wherein a root of the engaging element is fused to the melted sheath component and fixed to the substrate fabric (Translation, Page 6, lines 8-12),
wherein the sheath component and the core component of the warp and the weft, and the engaging element are dyed with a disperse dye (Translation, Page 12, second paragraph describes a disperse dye), and
(1) the disperse dye is present inside the core component of the core-sheath type heat- fusible fiber (Translation, Page 12, second paragraph describes a disperse dye);
(2) a rupture elongation of the hook-shaped engaging element is 27 to 41%; and
(3) a rupture elongation of the loop-shaped engaging element is 35 to 45% (the materials for the warp and weft yarns used in Takayoshi et al. and the present claimed application being the same would also have the same physical properties).
Regarding claim 2-8, Takayoshi et al. further discloses: wherein the rupture elongation of the hook-shaped engaging element is 27 to 38%; wherein the rupture elongation of the loop-shaped engaging element is 35 to 40 %; wherein the engaging element is the hook-shaped engaging element, and a degree of crystallization of the engaging element is 62 to 72 %; wherein the engaging element is the hook-shaped engaging element, and a breaking strength of the engaging element is 4.29 to 4.47 cN/dtex; wherein the engaging element is the loop-shaped engaging element, and the degree of crystallization of the engaging element is 75 to 87 %; wherein the engaging element is the loop-shaped engaging element, and the breaking strength of the engaging element is 2.01 to 2.07 cN/dtex; wherein a transmittance of the sheath component (heat-fused portion) of the core-sheath composite fiber is 70% or less (as described above, the materials for the warp and weft yarns used in Takayoshi et al. and the present claimed application being the same would also have the same physical properties).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Form 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL S LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-5735. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571) 272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.S.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3677
/JASON W SAN/ SPE, Art Unit 3677
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