FIRST NON-FINAL REJECTION
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
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-6 in the reply filed on 2/3/2026 is acknowledged.
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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Peachey et al. GB 2248723.
With respect to clam 1, Peachey teaches a safety mat (switch tile, figure 1), comprising: a pressure-sensitive switch mat (switch plates 2, figure 1) having a surface formed of a flexible sheet and configured to detect presence or absence of a load ( switch tile may be made of stainless steel sheets, page 4); a step board (plate 7) disposed on the pressure-sensitive switch mat (page 4, figure 4); and a plurality of load transferring members (integral downward extending studs 5, figure 1) arranged at intervals between the pressure-sensitive switch mat and the step board (figure 1), wherein a load acting on the step board is detected by the pressure-sensitive switch mat via the plurality of load transferring members (switch is sensitive to pressure, page 2 and page 4).
With respect to claim 2, Peachey teaches wherein the load transferring member is made of rubber or metal (studs 5 may be polyethylene, PVC or Nylon, page 4).
With respect to claim 3, Peachey teaches wherein the step board is made of an aluminum plate or a stainless steel plate or a steel plate (metal plate 7, page 4).
With respect to claim 4, Peachey teaches wherein the step board is provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs (interpreted as the area of the cover 4 that supports the studs 5 and which the studs 5 protrude from, figure 1), and the plurality of load transferring members are fixed to the reinforcing ribs (figure 1).
With respect to claim 5, Peachey teaches a bottom board having an area larger than that of the pressure-sensitive switch mat and disposed below the pressure-sensitive switch mat (tray 1 is larger than the switch plate 2, figure 1); and a plurality of elastic support members (link 6, figure 1), wherein the plurality of elastic support members are provided on the bottom board while avoiding the pressure-sensitive switch mat, and support the step board (the cover 4 is flexibly secured to tray 1 by links 6 thereby retaining the switch within the tile assembly, page 4), and wherein the elastic support members are configured to be compressed when a load is applied to the step board (links 6 may compress with a load, figure 1).
With respect to claim 6, Peachey teaches wherein the elastic support member is a spring (links 6 are interpreted as being springs, page 4, figure 1).
Conclusion
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FREDDIE KIRKLAND III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
/Freddie Kirkland III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855 5/13/2026
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