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 .
RESPONSE TO AMENDMENT
Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
Election/Restrictions
Applicants' election without traverse of Species B in the reply filed on 29 June 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim 8 is 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.
With Regards to Claim 8: Regarding claim 8, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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.
(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.
Claims 1-4, 13-16, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cheever et al. (US 2020/0298614 A1).
Regarding Claim 1: Cheever teaches a crafting mat assembly (ref. #10) comprising a layered interior body portion (ref. #26) in a chamber or cavity (ref. #28) of a container portion (ref. #24), and that it is configured to permit applied heat from passing there-through (figures 1, 17 to 19, [0005], [0057], and [0058] of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 2: Cheever teaches that the crafting pad comprises an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a sidewall section that defines a perimeter of the crafting pad, and an outwardly facing surface of at least a portion of the side wall section has a convex curvature, as defined along a direction extending from the upper surface toward the lower surface (figures 1 and 17 to 19 of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 3: Cheever teaches that the sidewall section having the convex curvature extends entirely and circumferentially around the perimeter of the crafting pad (figures 17 to 19, [0058], [0087], and [0097] of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 4: Cheever teaches that the convex curvature extends from the upper surface to a flange of the sidewall section of the crafting pad (figures 18 to 19 of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 13: Cheever teaches that the multi-layered composite portion comprises at least one fill layer (ref. #12, "upper layer"; and ref. #14, "lower layer") and a heat-reflective layer (ref. #16, "intermediate layer") (figures 18 to 19, and [0123]-[0125] of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 14: Cheever teaches that the multi-layered composite portion is entirely retained within the enclosure pocket (figures 1 and 17 to 19 of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 15: Cheever teaches that the at least one fill layer comprises a first fill layer and a second fill layer (i.e., the lower layer and the upper layer), and the heat-reflective layer is disposed between the first fill layer and the second fill layer (figures 18 to 19 and [0123]-[0125] of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 16: Cheever teaches that the first fill layer comprises a fibrous material, the heat-reflective layer comprises a metallic foil material, and the second fill layer comprises a foam material ([0123]-[0125] of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 19: Cheever teaches a crafting pad (ref. #10, "crafting mat assembly") comprising an enclosure portion (ref. #24, "container portion") defining an enclosure pocket (ref. #28"), the enclosure portion also defining an upper surface of the crafting pad, a lower surface of the crafting pad opposite the upper surface, and a sidewall section of the crafting pad that defines a perimeter of the crafting pad, and a multi-layered composite portion (ref. #26, "layered interior body portion") retained in the enclosure pocket, the multi-layered composite portion comprising a first fill layer (ref. #12, "upper layer") and a heat-reflective layer (ref. #16, "intermediate layer"); wherein an outwardly facing surface of a sidewall of at least the first fill layer of the multi-layered composite is convexly curved so as to correspondingly impart a convex curvature to the sidewall section of the enclosure portion, and the crafting pad is configured to facilitate heat transfer from a heat press to a workpiece operably engaged against the crafting pad (figures 1, 17 to 19, [0005], [0057], [0058], and [0123]-[0125] of Cheever).
Regarding Claim 20: Cheever teaches that the multi-layered composite further comprises a second fill layer (ref. #14, "lower layer"), wherein an outwardly facing surface of a sidewall of the second fill layer is also convexly curved so as to also contribute to the convex curvature of the sidewall section (figures 1, 17 to 19, [0005], [0057], [0058], and [0123]-[0125] of Cheever).
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.
Claims 5-9 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheever et al. (US 2020/0298614 A1) as applied to claims 1, 2, and 4 above, and further in view of Takiguchi et al. (JP 2018-075631 A).
Cheever is relied upon as described above.
Regarding Claim 5: Cheever fails to disclose --the flange is an outwardly extending lip--.
Takiguchi discloses a hot press cushioning material (ref. #1) comprising a laminated body (ref. #2) between two surface layers (ref. #6), wherein the surface layers are sewn together at a sewn portion (ref. #10) with a sewing thread (ref. #11) along the entire circumference of the peripheral edges (ref. #12) of both surfaces of the surface layer laminated on both sides of the laminated body, and wherein the sewn portion extends inward a predetermined length (ref. "W1") from the edge of the surface of the surface layer (figures 1 to 2, 4, [0026]-[0029], and [0043] of Takiguchi).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have combined the cushioning material of Takiguchi with the crafting pad disclosed by Cheever in order to have --the flange be an outwardly extending lip--. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have combined the cushioning material of Takiguchi with the crafting pad disclosed by Cheever, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP §2144.04(IV)(C). (In the instant case, rearranging the peripheral edge of the enclosure portion to extend outwards instead of inwards would involve a mere rearrangement of the lip.)
Regarding Claim 6: Cheever in view of Takiguchi discloses that the enclosure portion comprises a first enclosure layer, said upper surface being a surface of the first enclosure layer, the enclosure portion comprises a second enclosure layer, said lower surface being a surface of the second enclosure layer, and the first enclosure layer is coupled to the second enclosure layer at the flange (figures 18 to 19 of Cheever; figures 2, 4, and [0043] of Takiguchi).
Regarding Claim 7: Cheever in view of Takiguchi discloses that the outwardly facing surface of the sidewall section is a surface of the first enclosure layer, such that the first enclosure layer forms the upper surface and extends to form the outwardly facing surface of the sidewall section of the crafting pad (figures 18 to 19 of Cheever; figures 2, 4, and [0043] of Takiguchi)
Regarding Claim 8: Cheever in view of Takiguchi discloses that in response to the crafting pad being supported by a flat planar surface, such as a platen of a heat press and/or a tabletop, the flange extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the lower surface and substantially parallel to the flat planar surface (figures 18 to 19 of Cheever; figures 2, 4, and [0043] of Takiguchi). (In the instant case, Cheever discloses that the flange is substantially parallel going inwards (figure 19 of Takiguchi), as such when repositioned to be outwards, it would also be substantially parallel as claimed.)
Regarding Claim 9: Cheever in view of Takiguchi discloses that the flange forms the outward most footprint of the crafting pad (figures 18 to 19 of Cheever; figures 2, 4, and [0043] of Takiguchi).
Regarding Claim 18: Cheever in view of Takiguchi discloses the crafting pad further comprising a stiffening panel disposed within the enclosure pocket, the stiffening panel configured to impart additional rigidity to the crafting pad (figure 2, [0029], and [0033] of Takiguchi). (In the instant case, the rubber composition provided with short fibers increase reinforcement (i.e., rigidity).)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12, and 17are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With regards to the closest prior art of record Cheever et al. (US 2020/0298614 A1): Cheever teaches --a crafting pad--, wherein Cheever's crafting pad further comprises the structure --a crafting mat assembly (ref. #10) comprising a layered interior body portion (ref. #26) in a chamber or cavity (ref. #28) of a container portion (ref. #24), and that it is configured to permit applied heat from passing there-through-- (figures 1, 17 to 19, [0005], [0057], and [0058] of Cheever). However, Cheever does not teach that --a foot layer coupled to the lower surface, the foot layer configured to facilitate frictional engagement with at least one of a platen of a heat press and a tabletop-- {instant claim 10}, --the crafting pad further comprises a skirt portion extending from the enclosure portion, the skirt portion being configured to reversibly extend around and at least partially envelope a border end of a platen of a heat press to facilitate retention of the crafting pad against the platen-- {instant claim 12}, --the second fill layer comprises a fibrous material-- {instant claim 17}. Therefore, the claims as written overcome the prior art of record. Furthermore, no combination of Cheever with any other prior art of record would have provided sufficient motivation for a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Cheever in such a way as to meet the claimed invention. It is these teachings that makes the claim(s) allowable over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Anazawa et al. (JP H04-261693 A) discloses a seat cushion with a retention skirt.
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/DONALD M FLORES JR/
Donald M. Flores, Jr.Examiner, Art Unit 1781
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