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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on December 12, 2025 acknowledging the restriction requirement of the office action mailed on October 23, 2025.
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) 1-3 and 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 110216818 in view of Zhou (US 2020/0173108), CN 214137425, Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903) and Takekuma (US 2018/0093394).
CN 110216818 (figs. 1-6; paragraph references are made relative to the English translation, [0002]-[0068]) discloses a flooring production line (fig. 1; [0035]), comprising an extrusion device 11, 14, a calendering lamination device 12 (figs. 1, 4-5), a cooling device 14, a tractor 17, and a cutter 18 that are arranged sequentially along a material conveying direction (fig. 1), wherein
a film unwinding mechanism 13 is provided on a top of the calendering lamination device 12 (fig. 1);
a delivery track 100 [0027], [0035] is provided along the calendering lamination device 12, the cooling device 14, the tractor 17, and the cutter 18 (fig. 1);
the extrusion device comprises an extrusion mechanism 11 and a hopper 14 (fig. 2);
the extrusion mechanism comprises an extruding chamber (within which are placed screws 115; fig. 1);
the extruding chamber comprises a rear end provided with a feed port (in communication with the hopper 114; fig. 1), and a front end provided with a mold [0035], [0039];
a screw 115 is provided in the extruding chamber along the front-rear direction (fig. 1); and
the hopper 114 is connected to the feed port (fig. 2).
However, CN 110216818 does not disclose the flooring production line being a polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) flooring production line, a loading system, the extrusion device being an internal
mixing extrusion device OR a rotor, as disclosed by claim 1.
Zhou (US 2020/0173108) discloses a floor (flooring) production line, wherein the floor
production line is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) floor production line (figs. 8-9; [0004], [0069], [0071],
[0074]).
CN 214137425 (figs. 1-3; paragraph references are made relative to the English translation, [0002]-[0052]) disclose an extrusion production line (figs. 1-3), comprising a loading system 2, an internal-mixing extrusion device, a cooling device 63 [0031], a tractor 65 [0039], and a cutter 66 [0031] that are arranged sequentially along a material conveying direction (figs. 1, 3), wherein
the internal-mixing extrusion device comprises an internal mixing mechanism 42, an extrusion mechanism 52, and a hopper (not labeled but shown in fig. 2 having a metering feeder 51 in/connected to the hopper);
the internal mixing mechanism 42 comprises a mixing chamber (as shown in fig. 2, it would be obvious, if not inherent, that mixer 42 includes a mixing chamber to receive extrusion material from the loading station 2);
the mixing chamber comprises a rear end provided with a first feed port, and a front end provided with a first discharge port (as shown in fig. 2, it would be obvious, if not inherent, that the mixing chamber of mixer 42 includes a first feed port at a rear end in order to receive extrusion material from metering feeder 41 and includes a first discharge port at a front end in order to discharge the extrusion material to the hopper (not labeled but shown in fig. 2, the hopper including the metering feeder 51, i.e., the metering feeder 51 is in/connected to the hopper));
the extrusion mechanism 52 is located below the internal mixing mechanism 42 (fig. 2);
the extrusion mechanism 52 comprises an extruding chamber ([0032], the extruder 52 is a single screw extruder, and thus inherently includes an extruding chamber in which the
single screw is placed);
the extruding chamber comprises a rear end provided with a second feed port (as
shown in fig. 2, it would be obvious, if not inherent, that the extruding chamber includes a (second) feed
port at a rear end in order to receive extrusion material from the metering feeder 51), and a front end provided with a mold 53 (fig. 2);
a screw is provided in the extruding chamber along the front-rear direction [0032]; and
the hopper is connected between the first discharge port and the second feed port (as shown in fig. 2, the hopper (not labeled) shown connected to the metering feeder 51 is between the first discharge port of the mixer 42 and the (second) feed port of the extruder 52).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to modify the flooring production line of CN 110216818 to be a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring
production line, as disclosed by Zhou (US 2020/0173108), because such a modification is known in the
art and would provide an alternative configuration for the flooring production line capable of producing
PVC flooring products; to modify the flooring production line of CN 110216818 with a loading system
and the extrusion device to be an internal mixing extrusion device, as disclosed by CN 214137425,
because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the
production line including a loading system and an internal-mixing extrusion device known to be
operable in the extrusion art for feeding, processing and extruding extrusion materials.
CN 214137425 further discloses that the internal mixing mechanism 42 is a parallel internal
mixer 42 [0036]. However, CN 214137425 does not disclose that a rotor is provided in the mixing
chamber along a front-rear direction.
Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903) (fig. 6; [0004]-[0008]) discloses an internal mixing mechanism (fig. 6) that is a parallel internal mixer ([0004], a twin (parallel) continuous mixer; [0005], pair of left and right rotors 54),
the internal mixing mechanism comprising a mixing chamber 53,
the mixing chamber comprises a rear end provided with a first feed port 63, and a front end provided with a first discharge port 65;
wherein a rotor 54 is provided in the mixing chamber along a front-rear direction (fig. 6);
wherein the rotor 54 is a single-kneading structure (fig. 6 shows the rotor having one kneading structure 69); the rotor 54 comprises a rotor shaft 60; and a helical material conveying segment 68, a mixing segment 69, and a discharge segment (not labeled but shown in fig. 6 adjacent to the discharge port 65) are arranged sequentially on the rotor shaft 60 (fig. 6),
wherein an additional helical segment 70 is further provided between the mixing segment 69 and the discharge segment directly adjacent to the discharge segment (fig. 6), wherein the additional helical segment 70 has a shorter distance between helical windings than the helical material conveying segment 68 (fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made, to further modify the internal mixing mechanism wherein a rotor (parallel rotors) is provided in
the mixing chamber along a front-rear direction, as disclosed by Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903), because such a modification is known in the internal mixing art and would provide an alternative configuration for the internal mixing mechanism (the parallel internal mixer) known to be operable in the internal mixing art.
However, Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903) does not disclose the additional helical segment having a shorter length along the front-rear direction than the helical material conveying segment.
Takekuma (US 2018/0093394) (fig. 1; [0025]-[0041]) discloses an internal mixing mechanism (fig. 1) that is a parallel internal mixer (fig. 1; [0025], a twin (parallel) screw extrusion kneader),
the internal mixing mechanism comprising a mixing chamber 11,
the mixing chamber comprises a rear end provided with a first feed port 15, and a front end provided with a first discharge port 18;
wherein a rotor is provided in the mixing chamber along a front-rear direction (fig. 1);
wherein the rotor is a single-kneading structure (fig. 1 shows the rotor having one kneading structure along zones B to E); the rotor comprises a rotor shaft 20, 30; and a helical material conveying segment 21, 31, a mixing segment (defined by paddles 22, 23, 32, 33 in zones B to E), and a discharge segment 27, 37(adjacent to the discharge port 18) are arranged sequentially on the rotor shaft 20, 30 (fig. 1),
wherein an additional helical segment (fig. 1; discharge screw pairs 26, 36 located upstream of the discharge port 18) is further provided between the mixing segment (defined by paddles 22, 23, 32, 33 in zones B to E) and the discharge segment 27, 37 directly adjacent to the discharge segment (fig. 1), wherein the additional helical segment (fig. 1; discharge screw pairs 26, 36 located upstream of the discharge port 18) has a shorter length along the front-rear direction than the helical material conveying segment 21, 31 (fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the rotor wherein the additional helical segment has a shorter length along the front-rear direction than the helical material conveying segment, as disclosed by Takekuma (US 2018/0093394), because such a modification is known in the internal mixing art and would provide an alternative configuration for the rotor known to be operable in the internal mixing art.
As to claim 2, CN 214137425 further discloses the loading system 2 comprising a vacuum loader
22 [0034], a loss-in-weight feeder 31 [0049], [0052], and a mixing bunker 32, 33 [0049], wherein the
vacuum loader 22, the loss-in-weight feeder 31 and the mixing bunker 32, 33 are connected sequentially
(fig. 1); a discharge port of the mixing bunker is provided with a screw batcher 41 (fig. 2; [0049], the
metering feeder 41 is connected to the discharge end (port) of the mixing bunker 32, 33; [0037], the metering feeder is a twin-screw feeder (a screw batcher)); and the discharge port of the mixing bunker
32, 33 is connected to the first feed port (of mixer 42) (fig. 2).
As to claim 3, CN 110216818 further discloses the calendering lamination device being a three-
roll calender, a four-roll calender or a five-roll calender ([0063], four-roller pressing machine 12 for
calendaring; [0045], alternatively three calender rollers are used for calendering).
As to claim 5, CN 110216818 further discloses a manipulator 19 including a robot being provided
behind the cutter 18 for manipulating cut panel product (fig. 1; [0027], [0035]). It would have been
obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made, to further modify the
robot to automatically lift the cut panels, thereby defining an automatic panel lifter, because such cut
panel manipulation (lifting) would have been found in view of the manipulation teachings of CN
110216818 depending upon the desired/needed manipulation of the panels. If Applicant disagrees, the
following alternative rejection is put forth. Zhou (US 2020/0173108) further discloses an automatic
plate (panel) lifter 19 for stacking a cut product being further provided behind a cutter 17 (fig. 8; [0069],
full-automatic production including a plate (panel) lifter 19). It would have been obvious to one of
ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made, to further modify the manipulator to be an
automatic plate (panel) lifter, as disclosed by Zhou (US 2020/0173108), because such a modification is
known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the production line known to be
operable in the art for handling cut product.
As to claim 6, Zhou (US 2020/0173108) further discloses two or more extruders (extrusion
devices) 13 are arranged to form a co-extrusion system for extruding at least two co-extruded layers
[0069], [0075]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention
was made, to further modify the production line wherein two or more internal-mixing extrusion devices
are arranged to form a co-extrusion system, as disclosed by Zhou (US 2020/0173108), because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative configuration for the production line
capable of producing product including at least two co-extruded layers.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 110216818 in view of Zhou (US 2020/0173108), CN 214137425, Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903) and Takekuma (US 2018/0093394) as applied to claims 1-3 and 5-6 above, and further in view of CN 111016394 and Fujii et al. (US 2004/0026824).
CN 110216818, Zhou (US 2020/0173108), CN 214137425, Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903) and Takekuma (US 2018/0093394) do not disclose the limitations of claim 3-4. As to claim 3, this is an alternative rejection to cover the five-roll limitations of claim 3.
CN 111016394 discloses a production line including an extrusion device for extruding layer 64
[0050] and a calendering lamination device (figs. 2-3), wherein the calendering lamination device is a
five-roll calender (rollers 51, 521, 522, 523, 524), the five-roll calender comprises a thickness fixing roll
set (rollers 521, 522, [0071]), a pre-laminating roll set (rollers 51, 523; roller 51 presses film 66 onto the
layer 64 before lamination in pressing roll set), and a pressing roll set (rollers 523, 524); the pressing roll
set comprises an embossing roll 524 (figs. 2-3; [0034], [0042]-[0077]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the calendering lamination device to be a five-roll calender, as disclosed by CN
111016394, because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative
configuration for the calendering lamination device known to be operable in the art.
Fujii et al. (US 2004/0026824) disclose a production line including a calendering lamination
device (fig. 2) including a pressing roll set (roll 23, 24); the pressing roll set comprises an embossing roll
23; and the embossing roll 23 is provided with a water cooling device [0055].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was
made, to further modify the embossing roll with a water cooling device, as disclosed by Fujii al. (US 2004/0026824), because such a modification is known in the art and would provide an alternative
configuration for the embossing roll known to be operable in the art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 12, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that CN ‘746 does not disclose the rotor as recited by amended claim 1
The Examiner agrees. However, such rotor is disclosed by Ueda et al. (US 2004/0257903) and Takekuma (US 2018/0093394) as mentioned in the prior art rejections above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JOSEPH S LEYSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5061. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sam Xiao Zhao can be reached at 5712705343. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.S.L/Examiner, Art Unit 1744
/XIAO S ZHAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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