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 .
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 1-4 are 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 1 recites the limitation "the CD direction" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is noted that a subsequent use of the phrase “CD direction exists later in the claim at line 8, without “the” preceding it to refer back to the same at line 5. Claims 2-4 depend from claim 1 and therefore are rejected for the same reasons.
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)(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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ogiwara (USPPN 2011/0100576, previously cited on IDS filed 6/12/2024).
As to claim 1, Ogiwara discloses a base fabric for papermaking felt having a wet-paper-side layer on which a wet-paper-side surface is formed, a roll-side layer on which a roll- side surface is formed, and, at both ends, seam loop parts which connect the wet-paper-side layer and the roll-side layer and through which core wires are passed in the CD direction (Figs. 1-2, see both sides and a seam side; see also claim 1; see also core wire 13, 23), wherein the wet-paper-side layer and the roll-side layer are made of MD yarns material in the running direction of the felt (MD direction) and CD yarns material in the transverse direction of the felt (CD direction) (see para 58: yarn examples, including wool; Fig. 1, see felt 1, see 1L and 2L seams, and weft and warp yarn 11, 12, 21, 22),wherein the seam loop parts are formed of MD yarns material, wherein the base fabric for papermaking felt further includes one or more stuffer yarns passed through near the outer side of one seam loop part and on the inner side of other seam loop part or near the outer side of one seam loop part and on the inner and outer sides of the other seam loop part, and wherein the stuffer yarns are hydrophilic yarns (see examples of stuffer yarns at Fig. 4 that are packed in between the layers) (para 58: hydrophilic materials achieve water absorption).
As to claim 2, Ogiwara discloses wherein the hydrophilic yarns are fiber having a moisture content of 6% or more at a relative humidity of 65% and 200 C (standard state) (para 58: Ogiwara discloses a moisture percentage of 4.5% or more, which overlaps with the claimed rate).
As to claim 3, Ogiwara discloses wherein the hydrophilic yarns are rayon or hydrophilically treated nylon (para 58: hydrophilic material selection including nylon and rayon).
As to claim 4, Ogiwara discloses the method as claimed in forming a seamed felt (see Ogiwara at claim 8 and Figures generally).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RITA P ADHLAKHA whose telephone number is (571)270-0378. The examiner can normally be reached M, W-F 9-3pm EST.
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/RITA P ADHLAKHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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