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 1-12 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.
Claims 1, 6, and 8 recites the limitation "the location". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-5, 7, and 8-12 are rejected base upon dependance on a rejected base claim.
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 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0184710 to Chaffee
Claim 1, Chaffee discloses a system for maintaining of an outer cover 60 having a tab 70 and an inner bladder 20 of an inflatable object 10 comprising a first patch defined by a fastener 111 attached to an outer surface of an inner bladder proximate a cuff structure of a gas valve defined by an outlet 30 associated with said inner bladder [0047]; a second patch of a complementary cooperating fastener 111 attached to an inner surface of said outer cover opposed to the position of the first patch when said inner bladder is positioned within said outer cover, wherein when the inflatable object is inflated, the first and second patches are capable of making contact during inflation, owing to air rising pressure within the inner bladder, and capable of establishing a positive alignment and attachment between said first and second patches and when the object is thereafter deflated, the inner bladder and outer cover capable of maintaining such attachment and alignment of the first and second patches [0053].
Claim 8, Chaffee discloses an inflatable object 10 equipped with a positive location structure capable of maintaining the relative position of an outer cover and an inner bladder of the inflatable object, comprising an inflatable inner bladder 20, having an inflation cuff defined by a gas valve defined by an outlet 30; an outer cover 60 enveloping and surrounding said inner bladder, having a through passage for aligning with and enabling access to said inflation cuff; a first patch of a fastener 111 attached to an outer surface of the inner bladder proximate said cuff structure associated with the inner bladder; a second patch comprising a complementary cooperating fastener 111 to said first patch fastener, attached to an inner surface 70 of said outer cover opposed to the position of the first patch when said inner bladder is positioned within said outer cover, wherein when the inflatable object is inflated, the first and second patches are capable of making contact owing to rising pressure within the inner bladder and establish a positive alignment between said first and second patches and when the object is thereafter deflated, the inner bladder and outer cover are capable of maintaining attachment and alignment of the first and second fasteners [0053].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 2-5 and 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0184710 to Chaffee in view of U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0000020 to Matheus et al.
Claims 2 and 9, Chaffee discloses the system, but is silent to a third patch attached to said inner bladder remote from said cuff structure, and a fourth patch attached to said inner surface of said tab in a position opposed to said third patch. Matheus discloses third patch defined by a fastener attached to an inner support (22,50) remote from a cuff structure (40,42), and a fourth patch defined by a fastener attached to said inner surface of a cover defined by a sleeve 26 in a position opposed to said third fastener being secured via straps (32,38) and fasteners [0018]-[0020]. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the straps and additional fasteners of Matheus with the inner bladder and inner cover of Chafee with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have provided additional means to secure the air mattress of Chaffee to the lower support.
Claims 3 and 10, Chaffee, as modified, discloses the system wherein the fourth attachment to said outer cover is flexible and is capable of allowing movement between said fourth and third attachment with respect to said outer cover.
Claims 4 and 11, Chaffee, as modified, discloses the system wherein said flexible attachment of Matheus is a pair of complimentary loops wherein a first one of said loops is discontinuous and is looped into an opposed second loop of said loops [0018](fig. 2).
Claims 5 and 12, Chaffee, as modified, discloses the system wherein said discontinuous loop is a pair of small diameter tie elements (fig. 2)(Matheus).
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0000020 to Matheus et al. in view of U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0184710 to Chaffee.
Claim 6, Matheus discloses a method of providing positive location and alignment between an outer cover (26,76) and an inner bladder 22 of an inflatable object, comprising the steps of providing said inner bladder equipped with a cuff structure defined by an inflation gas valve 42 [0042]; providing an outer cover surrounding and containing said inner bladder and including a through passage 40 for accessing said cuff structure. Matheus is silent to attaching a first positive location patch to an outer surface of said bladder proximate said cuff structure attaching a second positive location patch. Chaffee discloses a first positive location patch defined by a fastener 111 to an outer surface of said bladder 20 proximate a cuff structure defined by an inflation outlet 30 attaching a second positive location patch defined by a fastener 111 to an inner surface of a tab 70 of an outer cover 60 proximate said through passage and opposing said first patch when said respective through passage and said cuff structure are aligned; inflating said bladder to force contact between said outer surface and inner surface and contact between said first and second patches thereby attaching said first and second patches [0053]. It would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the first and second fasteners and tab of Chaffee with the cover of Matheus with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have provided to prevent discomfort and add comfort, improve the texture and feel of the bladder for the inflatable device of Matheus. Claim 7, Matheus discloses the method wherein a third patch defined by a fastener is attached to said inner bladder via an inner support (22,50) remote from a cuff structure , and a fourth patch defined by a fastener is attached to said inner surface of a cover in a position opposed to said third fastener being secured via straps (32,38) and fasteners [0018]-[0020].
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,198 to Jimenez discloses a cover having a fastening means.
U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0138992 to Morrison discloses a mattress top being secured via straps and fasteners.
U.S. Pat. 2,253,801 to Neal discloses an inner bladder having a cover with a fastening means.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDRICK C CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-7040. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.
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/FREDRICK C CONLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3673