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 .
Priority
1. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
2. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
3. This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitations recite sufficient structure to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “support and movement means” in claim 1, and “translating means” in claims 3,4.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure to perform the claimed function.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claims 1,7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Damiani et al. PGPub 2024/0199363.
Damiani discloses, regarding claim 1, A system for support and movement of a stack of interfolded sheets during production of stacks of interfolded sheets in an interfolding machine, wherein the interfolding machine comprises unwinding and folding means (11a,11b) of sheets for folding the sheets in an interfolded way to form a stack of interfolded sheets of a desired height, the system comprising:
support and movement means of a stack of interfolded sheets comprising at least a support table (31a,b) predisposed to support a stack of interfolded sheets (50) under formation up to formation of a completed stack of interfolded sheets of a desired height;
a conveyor belt (40), configured to be able to restingly receive a completed stack of interfolded sheets and transport the completed stack of interfolded sheets towards a work station (see at least fig.13,14; ¶0051);
wherein the at least a support table, for the formation of a stack of interfolded sheets of a desired height, is vertically movable superiorly of the conveyor belt in order to be positionable in a first raised position (see at least fig.1,9B), in order to start to restingly receive the sheets folded in an interfolded manner from the unwinding and folding means of the interfolding machine, and then, during the folding in an interfolded manner of the sheets, is movable vertically downwards in order to enable the formation of a stack of interfolded sheets until it is positioned in a second raised position (see at least fig.2,12) at which the formation of the stack of interfolded sheets is completed, at the desired height,
wherein the at least a support table, after the stack of interfolded sheets has been formed at the desired height, is movable from the second raised position towards the conveyor belt in such a way as to deposit the formed stack of interfolded sheets on the conveyor belt and then be returned into the first raised position in order to restingly receive a next stack of interfolded sheets under formation (see at least fig.1,2,9B,12);
the system being characterised in that it comprises translating means (60) of the conveyor belt which are arranged and configured, according to the height of the stack of interfolded sheets which is to be formed, in order to translate the conveyor belt vertically (direction 160; fig.9A) and adjust the position of the conveyor belt, and therefore the distance of the conveyor belt, with respect to the second raised position into which the support table is brought for the completion of the formation of the stack of interfolded sheets (see at least fig.10, ¶0056).
Regarding claim 7, A system for support and movement of a stack of interfolded sheets during production of stacks of interfolded sheets in an interfolding machine, wherein the interfolding machine comprises an unwinder/folder (aa1,11b) for folding the sheets in an interfolded way to form a stack of interfolded sheets of a desired height, the system comprising:
at least a support table (31a,b) predisposed to support a stack of interfolded sheets (50) under formation up to formation of a completed stack of interfolded sheets of a desired height;
a conveyor belt (40), configured to be able to restingly receive a completed stack of interfolded sheets and transport the completed stack of interfolded sheets towards a work station (see at least fig.13,14; ¶0051);
wherein the at least a support table, for the formation of a stack of interfolded sheets of a desired height, is vertically movable superiorly of the conveyor belt in order to be positionable in a first raised position (see at least fig.1,9B), in order to start to restingly receive the sheets folded in an interfolded manner from the unwinder/folder of the interfolding machine, and then, during the folding in an interfolded manner of the sheets, is movable vertically downwards in order to enable the formation of a stack of interfolded sheets until it is positioned in a second raised position (see at least fig.2,12) at which the formation of the stack of interfolded sheets is completed, at the desired height,
wherein the at least a support table, after the stack of interfolded sheets has been formed at the desired height, is movable from the second raised position (S2) towards the conveyor belt in such a way as to deposit the formed stack of interfolded sheets on the conveyor belt and then be returned into the first raised position (S1) in order to restingly receive a next stack of interfolded sheets under formation;
the conveyor belt including a translator (60) arranged and configured, according to the height of the stack of interfolded sheets which is to be formed, in order to translate the conveyor belt vertically (direction 160; fig.9A) and adjust the position of the conveyor belt, and therefore the distance of the conveyor belt, with respect to the second raised position into which the support table is brought for the completion of the formation of the stack of interfolded sheets (see at least fig.10, ¶0056).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. Claims 5,11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Damiani et al. PGPub 2024/0199363 in view of Hauschild et al. USP 5,730,695.
Damiani discloses substantially all the limitations of the claims (see ¶6 above) and further discloses the at least a support table comprises a pair of elements (31a,31b) facing one another, but does not expressly disclose the at least a support table comprising a fork element or a pair of fork elements.
Hauschild teaches the support table comprising a pair of fork elements (22’,23’) facing one another.
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to provide the at least a support table with a pair of fork elements, as taught by Hauschild, in the device of Damiani, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing friction-free and interference-free operation during transfer of the stack (C4/L49-51).
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 2-4,6,8-10,12 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.
10. Claim 13 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Damiani discloses a similar system (see ¶6 above), however, the prior art of record does not fairly disclose or suggest wherein the support member is mounted slidably vertically by means of respective straight sliding guides on a frame, and wherein the translator is configured and arranged to be connected to the support member in order to translate the support member vertically with respect to the respective straight sliding guides and thus vary a distance of the conveyor belt from the position of the support table when the support table is in the second raised position for the completion of the formation of the stack of interfolded sheets at the desired height.
Conclusion
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Walsh et al. (USP 8,882,098) discloses a system comprising at least a support table (110,112), a conveyor belt (126) to receiving a completed stack (122,124), and a translator to sideways shift the conveyor belt so as to clear an obstruction or jam (see at least fig.7a; C25/L39-50).
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESLIE A. NICHOLSON III whose telephone number is (571)272-5487. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael C McCullough can be reached at 571-272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LESLIE A NICHOLSON III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653 1/23/2026