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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1-13, 15-19, and 21-22 are currently pending and under consideration. The preliminary amendment submitted on October 7th, 2024 has been entered. Claims 3-13 and 15-19 have been amended. Claims 14 and 20 have been cancelled.
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) 1-13, 15-19, and 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Weber et al. (U.S. Publication 2023/0181389) based on Foreign application priority dated December 15, 2021.
Regarding claim 1, Weber discloses an absorbent insert 25 for use in a reusable chassis 2 of a diaper or pants, and which is adapted to be removable from the reusable chassis (¶0115 outer shell comprises a compartment or pocket, configured, or dimensioned to receive the insert, the outer shell comprises flexible and resilient means that are arranged to maintain the inserted within the compartment), said absorbent insert comprising an absorbent material 23 between a top core wrap sheet 35a and a back core wrap sheet 35b, said absorbent insert having a first 31 and second 32 longitudinal edge and first 33 and second 34 transverse edge, wherein the absorbent insert is provided with at least one elongate channel zone (30; ¶0138 at least one channel), wherein the absorbent insert is free of side panels, fasteners, cuffs and elastic waist elements (these elements are present on the chassis rather than the insert; ¶0115 has chassis/outer shell comprising pocket thus absorbent insert does not comprise fasteners).
Regarding claim 2, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the conditions of less absorbent material being present as compared to other regions of the absorbent insert (¶0137 one or more channels are substantially free of absorbent material; each of the channels is bounded or surrounded by absorbent material 23), substantially no absorbent material is present (¶0137 substantially free of absorbent material), and the top core wrap sheet is attached to the back core wrap sheet (¶0138 top layer 35a of said core wrap 35 is adhered, or bonded, to a bottom layer of said core wrap to form the one or more channels) are fulfilled at the at least one elongate channel zone.
Regarding claim 3, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the first elongate channel zone comprises an attachment zone where the top core wrap sheet is attached to the back core wrap sheet (¶0138 top layer 35a of said core wrap 35 is adhered, or bonded, to a bottom layer of said core wrap to form the one or more channels).
Regarding claim 4, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses a liquid pervious topsheet (8; ¶0113 liquid permeable topsheet) at a wearer facing side of the top core wrap sheet (¶0114 outer side of the backsheet the garment-facing surface thus outer-side of top sheet disposed opposite the garment-facing surface of backsheet would be wearer facing surface, i.e. body-facing direction ¶0115).
Regarding claim 5, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses comprising a liquid impervious backsheet (9; ¶0113 liquid impermeable backsheet) at a garment facing side of the bottom core wrap sheet (¶0114 outer side of the backsheet the garment-facing surface; Fig. 3 illustrates placement at garment facing side of the bottom core wrap sheet).
Regarding claim 6, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the at least one elongate channel zone extends from a crotch region 4 in the direction of the first and second transverse edge (Fig. 2 shows insert placed in crotch region of the device, Fig. 4 shows extension of channels in the L direction from center line TCL and thus extends in the direction of the first and second transverse edges 33 and 34).
Regarding claim 7, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses in the at least one channel zone substantially no absorbent material is present between the top core wrap sheet and the back core wrap sheet (¶0137 substantially free of absorbent material).
Regarding claim 8, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the at least one channel zone comprises a plurality of sections which have substantially no absorbent material (¶0137 substantially free of absorbent material) between the top core wrap sheet and the back core wrap sheet, and absorbent material is present in area in-between adjacent said sections, between the top core wrap sheet and the back core wrap sheet (Fig. 4 shows adjacent splits illustrative by elements 38 and 37 with Fig. 3 showing absorbent material to either side and between the channels).
Regarding claim 9, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses a contour of the at least one channel zone is adjacent to absorbent material (Fig. 3 shows top and bottom sheets 35a,b contouring toward each other with absorbent material between and to either side of the channel and therefore adjacent to the contour).
Regarding claim 10, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the length of the at least one channel zone is larger than 10% of the length of the absorbent insert (¶0137 10% to 95% of the length).
Regarding claim 11, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the width of the at least one channel zone is at least 5 mm (¶0095 from 5 mm to 50 mm).
Regarding claim 12, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses said at least one channel zone is a permanent channel zone, in particular a permanent attachment zone which remains attached when wetted (¶0154 permanent boding of the top and bottom layers of the core wrap…enhance fluid flow through the channel).
Regarding claim 13, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the absorbent insert is provided with a plurality of channel zones where the top core wrap sheet is attached to the back core wrap sheet (see illustrative diagram of Fig. 4 below), wherein the plurality of channel zones comprises at least a first and a second elongate channel zone (see illustrative diagram of Fig. 4 below) , wherein said first and second channel zone extend next to each other from the crotch region in the direction of the second transverse edge 34 (see illustrative diagram of Fig. 4 below).
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Illustrative diagram of Fig. 4 of Weber et al. (U.S. Publication 2023/0181389).
Regarding claim 15, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the first channel zone crosses the second channel zone at a crossing point (crosses at 36 which has end on TCL), wherein the crossing point is preferably on a longitudinal center line TCL of the absorbent core extending between the first and second transverse edge.
Regarding claim 16, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the first and second channel zone together form a substantially X-shaped zone (Fig. 4 shows substantial X-shape).
Regarding claim 17, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the absorbent material 23 comprises cellulosic fluff pulp 21 and superabsorbent particles 22.
Regarding claim 18, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the absorbent insert is a disposable absorbent insert (¶0113 disposable insert).
Regarding claim 19, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the absorbent insert is a compostable absorbent insert (¶0069 composted).
Regarding claim 21, Weber discloses an absorbent insert 7 for use in a reusable chassis 2 of a diaper or pants, and which is adapted to be removable from the reusable chassis (¶0115 outer shell comprises a compartment or pocket, configured, or dimensioned to receive the insert, the outer shell comprises flexible and resilient means that are arranged to maintain the inserted within the compartment), said absorbent insert comprising a liquid pervious topsheet (8; ¶0113 liquid permeable topsheet), a liquid impervious backsheet (9; ¶0113 liquid impermeable backsheet), and an absorbent core 10 comprising an absorbent material 23 between a top core wrap sheet 35a and a back core wrap sheet 35b, said absorbent core being positioned in between said topsheet and said backsheet (Fig. 3 shows placement between), said absorbent insert having a first 31 and second 32 longitudinal edge and a first 33 and second 34 transverse edge wherein the absorbent insert is free of side panels, fasteners, cuffs and elastic waist elements (these elements are present on the chassis rather than the insert; ¶0115 has chassis/outer shell comprising pocket thus absorbent insert does not comprise fasteners).
Regarding claim 22, Weber discloses the absorbent insert according to claim 1. Weber further discloses the absorbent insert is substantially rectangular (Fig. 4 shows substantially rectangular shape).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smet et al. (U.S. Publication 2020/0276059) discloses channel structures of an absorbent insert.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER DANIEL SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-8564. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am-5:00pm.
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/PETER DANIEL SMITH/Examiner, Art Unit 3781
/PHILIP R WIEST/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3781
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