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 § 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 1-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2006/0246312 Krettenauer.
Regarding claim 1, Krettenauer teaches a planar member 1 that is integrally formed (figure 1) and capable of being used in a twisted state around an axis extending in a predetermined direction (figure 3, through the central gaps), the planar member comprising:
one or more column portions 20,21 extending in the predetermined direction (figure 3);
a plurality of branch portions (projections formed by each U-shaped cut), each connected to the one or more column portions (figure 2); and
a plurality of surface portions (webs 10,11), each of which has a gap with the one or more column portions and is connected to any one of the branch portions (figure 3).
Regarding claim 2, Krettenauer teaches that the one or more column portions include two or more of the column portions 20,21 arranged at intervals between them (figure 3), and
the branch portions are each connected to two adjacent column portions (figure 3, connected via the webs and opposite branch to the opposing column).
Regarding claim 3, Krettenauer teaches that the one or more column portions include two column portions (figure 2, columns 20,21).
Regarding claim 4, Krettenauer teaches that the surface portions 10,11 each have an edge connected to the corresponding branch portion (17,19), and the entire edge is connected to the corresponding branch portion (figure 2).
Regarding claim 5, Krettenauer teaches that the surface portions 10,11 each have an edge connected to the corresponding branch portion (side edges of 17,19), and only a portion of the edge is connected to the corresponding branch portion (figure 2).
Regarding claim 6, Krettenauer teaches that each side of the branch portion in the predetermined direction is connected to the surface portion (figure 3, at edges 17,19 for example).
Regarding claim 8, Krettenauer teaches a planar member 1 that is integrally formed (figure 1), comprising:
one or more column portions 20,21 extending in a predetermined direction (figure 1);
a plurality of branch portions (projections formed by each U-shaped cut), each connected to the one or more column portions (figure 2); and
a plurality of surface portions 10,11, each of which has a gap with the one or more column portions and is connected to any one of the branch portions (figure 3);
wherein the planar member is in a twisted state around an axis extending in the predetermined direction (figure 3, axis being through the central gaps).
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2006/0246312 Krettenauer in view of US 2011/0011025 Dorsy.
Regarding claim 7, Krettenauer teaches the planar member but teaches forming it out of metal (paragraph 0025). Dorsy teaches an expandable panel structure where the planar member may be made out of metal or wood, among other materials (paragraph 0092). It would have bene obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to replace the metal of Krettenauer with the wood of Dorsy because when the grains are placed in a particular direction, the panel may be strengthened against transverse bending (paragraph 0091).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Megha M Gaitonde whose telephone number is (571)270-3598. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.
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/MEGHA M GAITONDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781
