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 .
This office action is in response to applicant’s communication of 6/6/2024. Currently claims 1-22 are pending and rejected below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/27/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bentley (US 2020/0046047 A1).
Bentley discloses an adjustable placket closure system (see figures 1-17), comprising:
a placket (800 for example) being an opening formed in one or more pieces of material (opening formed between upper and lower flaps of 800) and defining a first placket side (left side of 800) on one side of said opening and a second placket side (right side of 800 or 808b side) on an opposite side of said opening; a first fastener (on 810 portions) attached to said first placket side and having a fixed portion (upper on 810) along at least a portion of said first fastener fixedly attached to said first placket side; a second fastener (on 808b portion side) attached to said second placket side and having a fixed portion (on 808 upper) along at least a portion of said second fastener fixedly attached to said second placket side; at least one of:
(i) said first fastener having a releasable portion (on lower portion of 810 mid section) along at least a portion of said first fastener releasably attached to said first placket side, and
(ii) said second fastener having a releasable portion (on 808B side on lower or mid section as in figure 15 for example) along at least a portion of said second fastener releasably attached to said second placket side; and said first fastener being correspondingly configured and selectively attachable to said second fastener (note attachment of 810 portions to 808b side portions as in figure 15 for example).
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Concerning claim 2 and said first fastener comprises both said releasable portion and said fixed portion attached to said first placket side (see left side of 800/810 of figure 15).
Concerning claim 3 and said second fastener comprises both said releasable portion and said fixed portion attached to said second placket side (see right side of 800/808B of figure 15).
Concerning claim 4 and said second fastener consists of said fixed portion (see right side of 800/808B upper portion of figure 15).
Concerning claim 5 and at least one access slit formed in said material, said access slit having a terminal end at said placket opening (note slit formed between 810 portions); and at least one finger formed of said material and defined between said at least one access slit and an end of said material (note finger material upper 810 portion near 808A); wherein said at least one finger and said at least one access slit are located on at least one of said one or more pieces of material having said releasable portion (as in upper portion of figure 15).
Concerning claim 6 and said at least one access slit is continuous with said placket opening (see continuous of slit near 810 portions as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 7 and a plurality of access slits formed in said material, a first finger defined between one of said plurality of access slits and an end of said material, and a second finger defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of access slits (note fingers of material on one side of 810, other finger of 810 and 808a side as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 8 and said first fastener and said second fastener collectively define one of a zipper, buttons, snaps, a magnetic closure, and hook-and-loop fasteners (note buttons/snaps in figure 15).
Concerning claim 9 and a releasable attachment mechanism between said releasable portion and said placket, selectively joining said releasable portion to said placket (note middle section 810 near 820 portion and associated attachment elements to that as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 10 and said releasable attachment mechanism is one of a zipper, buttons, snaps, a magnetic closure, and hook-and-loop fasteners (note buttons/snaps in figure 15).
Concerning claim 11 and said placket is formed in said material of said device, and said first and second fasteners are mounted to said placket of said device (see figure 15 and note placement of fasteners).
Concerning claim 12 and said device is a garment being one of a vest, a wrap, a band, a garment suitable for wearing by a user, an adaptive garment, and a medical garment (examiner is of the position that the device of 800 would be considered a vest, wrap garment, or medical garment).
Concerning claim 13 and at least one access slit formed in said material and having a terminal end at said placket such that said at least one access slit is continuous with said placket opening (note slit formed between 810 portions); and at least one finger formed of said material and defined between said at least one access slit and an end of said material (note fingers of material on one side of 810, other finger of 810 and 808a side as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 14 and said releasable portion of at least one of said first and second fasteners is disposed in proximity to said at least one access slit (note proximity of 810 releasable portion near slit as in figure 15 middle area).
Concerning claim 15 and a plurality of access slits formed in said material, a first finger defined between one of said plurality of access slits and an end of said material, and a second finger defined between adjacent ones of said plurality of access slits (note fingers of material on one side of 810, other finger of 810 and 808a side as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 16 and said garment is a vest having at least a neck (figure 15 topmost portion of vest) and said first and second fasteners extend from said neck at one of (i) substantially perpendicular to said neck of said vest and (ii) an oblique angle relative to said neck of said vest (see placement as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 17 and at least one rear fastener disposed proximate to a back of said user when said garment is worn, and at least one shoulder fastener disposed proximate to a shoulder of said user when said garment is worn and (ii) at least one detachable fastener element mounted to said material of said garment in proximity to at least one access slit formed in said material, securing a medical tubing to said garment (see uppermost multiple fasteners on shoulder and near back as in figure 15).
Concerning claim 18 and at least one of said at least one rear fastener and said at least one shoulder fastener is selectively adjustable (note shoulder button adjusts to accommodate tubing between).
Concerning claim 19 and said device is one of a bag, a backpack, luggage, a pouch, a pocket, a purse, a wallet, a messenger bag, a tote bag, a rucksack, a container, or an accessory (see pocket 402 or accessory 408).
Concerning claim 20 and a pocket (see pockets 410, 402, or 412) accessible through at least one of (i) said first placket side and said second placket side and (ii) said placket and said releasable portion, said pocket being selectively sealed by at least one of (iii) said first fastener and said second fastener and (iv) said releasable attachment mechanism (as in pockets shown in figures 11, 13 or 15 for examples).
Concerning claim 21 and a method of using a garment having an adjustable placket closure system, said method comprising: providing the garment of claim 12; placing said garment on a user; connecting said first fastener to said second fastener; selectively detaching said releasable portion of at least one of said first and second fasteners from said garment;
at least one of: (i) inserting a medical tubing through an access slit in said garment, (ii) manipulating said medical tubing extending through an access slit in said garment, and (iii) removing said medical tubing from said access slit in said garment; and reattaching said releasable portion of said at least one of said first and second fasteners to 20 said garment (see description of operation of garment as as discussed in paragraphs [0034]-[0040] and operation of garments as in figures 11-15).
Concerning claim 22 and said releasable portion is detached from said garment, manipulating a finger formed in said garment by said access slit extending from at least one of said first placket side and said second placket side adjacent to said releasable portion (as discussed in paragraphs [0038]-[0040] and operation of garments as in figures 11-15).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP A GRAY whose telephone number is (571)272-7180. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST (FLEX).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Tsai can be reached at (571)270-5246. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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PHILLIP A. GRAY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3783
/PHILLIP A GRAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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