DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the amendment filed December 15, 2025 in which claims 1-16 and 21-25 are presented for examination and claims 17-20 are canceled.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s First Argument: Objection to the drawings should be withdrawn at least in view of current amendments to the drawings.
Examiner’s Response: Agreed. The objection is withdrawn.
Applicant’s Second Argument: Rejection of claim 10 under 35 USC 102 over a cited reference should be withdrawn at least in view of current amendments to claim 10.
Examiner’s Response: Agreed. The rejection is withdrawn.
Applicant’s Third Argument: Rejection of claim 1 under 35 USC 103 over cited references should be withdrawn at least in view of current amendments to claim 1.
Examiner’s Response: Agreed. The rejection is withdrawn.
Applicant’s Fourth Argument: Rejection of the claims for nonstatutory double patenting over USPN 12,064,205 should be withdrawn at least in view of the eTerminal Disclaimer filed December 26, 2025.
Examiner’s Response: Agreed. The rejection is withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 and 25 are allowed.
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)(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.
Claims 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by USPN 3,695,493 Karr.
To claim 21, Karr discloses a glove donning apparatus (see Figures 1-6; col. 2, line 55 – col. 9, line 24), comprising:
a vacuum chamber (see Figure 1; col. 1, line 58 – col. 2, line 30);
a glove holder (96) positioned at an opening (76) of the vacuum chamber (see Figures 1-4 and 6; col. 4, line 50 – col. 7, line 15);
bellows (34) in communication with the vacuum chamber (see Figures 1 and 5; col. 3, line 30 – col. 4, line 49), the bellows moveable between a contracted top position and an expanded bottom position (see Figure 1; col. 3, line 30 – col. 4, line 49; col. 7, lines 3-63);
and a catch (38) configured to retain the bellows in the top position, the bellows configured to fall from the top position to the bottom position upon release of the catch (see Figure 1; col. 3, lines 38-67; col. 7, lines 33-63).
To claim 22, Karr further discloses a glove donning apparatus wherein the vacuum chamber includes at least one air leak (66) (see Figures 1 and 5; col. 4, lines 19-49) that in combination with expansion of the bellows results in a constant vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber when a glove is positioned in the glove holder and the bellows falls from the top position to the bottom position (see Figures 1 and 5; col. 4, lines 19-49; functional).
To claim 23, Karr further discloses a glove donning apparatus further comprising at least one weight (user’s foot on foot pad 50) removably coupled to the bellows, wherein the at least one removable weight increases the constant vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber when the at least one weight is coupled to the bellows and the bellows falls from the top position to the bottom position (see Figure 1; col. 3, lines 48-67; functional).
To claim 24, Karr further discloses a glove donning apparatus wherein the bellows includes a bellows platform (48) and the catch is provided by a latch (50) configured to engage the bellows platform (see Figure 1; col. 3, lines 48-67).
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 GRIFFIN HALL whose telephone number is (571)270-0546. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alissa Tompkins can be reached at (571) 272-3425. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/F Griffin Hall/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3732