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 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 1-6 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the plurality of continuous first sheet materials" in lines 13-14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim previously establishes “a plurality of first sheet materials” but does not disclose the first sheet materials as continuous first sheet materials. The claim previously establishes “continuously arranging” but does not disclose plural continuous first sheet materials.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the plurality of continuous second sheet materials" in lines 14-15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim previously establishes “a plurality of second sheet materials” but does not disclose the second sheet materials as continuous second sheet materials. The claim previously establishes “continuously arranging” but does not disclose plural continuous second sheet materials.
Claims 2-5 depend from a rejected base claim, incorporate the indefinite language though dependency, and are rejected for the same reasons as the base claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the plurality of continuous first sheet materials" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim previously establishes “a plurality of first sheet materials” but does not disclose the first sheet materials as continuous first sheet materials. The claim previously establishes “continuously arranging” but does not disclose plural continuous first sheet materials.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the plurality of continuous second sheet materials" in lines 11-12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim previously establishes “a plurality of second sheet materials” but does not disclose the second sheet materials as continuous second sheet materials. The claim previously establishes “continuously arranging” but does not disclose plural continuous second sheet materials.
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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wa [WO2015/152325, of record, previously cited].
Wa discloses a method for manufacturing a layered product by which a plurality of sheets are layered to manufacture the layered product, the method comprising: a first arranging step of continuously arranging first sheet materials (P1 or P2) in a transfer passage (transport path 3) for performing transfer of the sheets along a transfer direction of the transfer passage (Figure 1; paragraphs 0018, 0021-23); and a second arranging step of continuously arranging second sheet materials (P4) along the transfer direction (3) above the first sheet materials (P1 or P2) arranged in the transfer passage, wherein in the second arranging step (Figure 1; paragraph 0068-0082), the second sheet materials are arranged at downstream positions of the transfer passage with respect to arrangement positions of the first sheet materials (see Figure 1), and in the first arranging step and the second arranging step, one side (the leading edge side) of each of the plurality of continuous first sheet materials or one side of each of the plurality of continuous second sheet materials is inclined with respect to the transfer direction to change a length of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials in the transfer direction compared to a case where the one side is parallel to the transfer direction, thereby adjusting an arrangement pitch of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials in the transfer direction (paragraph 0039-54, 0072-0086; Figures 3 and 5 show each of P2 has an inclined leading and trailing edge side compared to the arrow of the transfer direction).
With respect to claim 2, Wa discloses in the first arranging step and the second arranging step, the arrangement pitch of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials in the transfer direction is adjustable by adjusting an angle at which the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials are inclined with respect to the transfer direction (paragraph 0054).
With respect to claim 3, Wa discloses the plurality of first sheet materials and the plurality of second sheet materials are sheet materials having a parallelogramic shape with two opposite angles which are acute angles, and in the first arranging step and the second arranging step, the arrangement pitch of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials in the transfer direction is adjustable by arranging one side of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials to be inclined with respect to the transfer direction (Figure 1; paragraph 0034, 0038).
With respect to claim 4, Wa discloses a first heat-fusing step of performing heat fusion of the plurality of first sheet materials arranged in the first arranging step to previously arranged first sheet materials; and a second heat-fusing step of performing heat fusion of the plurality of second sheet materials arranged in the second arranging step to previously arranged second sheet materials, wherein in the first heat-fusing step and the second heat-fusing step, a heat fusion possible range having a width in the transfer direction is set, the heat fusion is performed on the plurality of first sheet materials and the previously arranged first sheet materials within the heat fusion possible range, and the heat fusion is performed on the plurality of second sheet materials and the previously arranged second sheet materials within the heat fusion possible range, and in a case where no heat fusion is performable on the plurality of first sheet materials or the second sheet materials within the heat fusion possible range in the first heat-fusing step and the second heat-fusing step, arrangement positions of the plurality of first sheet materials in the transfer direction in the first arranging step or arrangement positions of the second sheet materials in the transfer direction in the second arranging step are adjusted (paragraph 0056-0060).
With respect to claim 5, Wa discloses the plurality of first sheet materials and the second sheet materials are fiber sheets in which fibers are arranged in a certain direction (paragraph 0019, 0031).
With respect to claim 6, Wa discloses a device for manufacturing a layered product which layers a plurality of sheets to manufacture the layered product, the device comprising: a first arrangement unit (6) configured to continuously arrange a plurality of first sheet materials in a transfer passage for performing transfer of the sheets along a transfer direction of the transfer passage; a second arrangement unit (15) configured to continuously arrange a plurality of second sheet materials along the transfer direction above the plurality of first sheet materials arranged in the transfer passage; and an arrangement adjusting unit configured to incline one side (the leading edge side) of each of the plurality of continuous first sheet materials or one side of each of the plurality of continuous second sheet materials arranged in the transfer passage with respect to the transfer direction to change a length of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials in the transfer direction compared to a case where the one side is parallel to the transfer direction, and configured to adjust an arrangement pitch of the plurality of first sheet materials or the plurality of second sheet materials in the transfer direction (paragraph 0039-54, 0068-0086: Figure 1; Figures 3 and 5 show each of P2 has an inclined leading and trailing edge side compared to the arrow of the transfer direction).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/9/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant asserts in Wada only the succeeding sheet is rotated and there is no disclosure of a configuration in which one side of each of the plurality of continuous sheet materials is systemically inclined with respect to the transfer direction.
Wada shows in Figure 1 each sheet coming of the devices (6 and 15) are provided with a inclined leading and trailing edge, and each sheet is rotated as it is provided to the conveyor path (3), so that the leading edge of each sheet is inclined with respect to the transfer direction (shown as an arrow on conveyor 3). Figures 3 and also show each of the leading and trailing edges of each sheet (P2) is inclined with respect to the transfer direction (shown as an arrow).
With respect to claim 6, it is noted the claim is directed toward an apparatus. The apparatus of Wada includes a rotating arrangement that is capable of rotating each sheet.
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 DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
September 2, 2026
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