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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/9/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Campos Souza et. al. (United States Patent Application Publication US 2024/0125049 A1) .
The applied reference has a common applicant and inventor (Voith Patent GMBH, Jose Luiz Campos Souza, and Marc Erkelenz) with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding claim 1, Campos Souza et. al. discloses a method for adjusting a component for a machine for the production or processing of a fibrous web (Campos Souza et. al. [0003]: Suction pressure rolls are a special type of suction roll. Together, with a mating element, usually a mating roll, these suction rolls form a press nip for pressing and removing water from the web of fibrous material.), the component including at least one adjustment device for setting an operating state of the component (Campos Souza et. al. [0017]-[0019]: embodiments enable a reliable and reproducible positioning of sealing strips and/or edge deckles in suction rolls, and simplify the optimal adjustment of the suction roll for the operating personnel. [0021]: a method for adjusting a suction roll, in particular for a machine for producing or processing a web of fibrous material.), the method comprising: carrying out at least one of an image capture or a video capture of an exterior of the component and transmitting the capture to a computing unit; determining an actual value of an operating state using the computing unit by at least one of analyzing at least one of the image capture or the video capture of the exterior of the component or acquiring values from an embedded sensor system; and based on the determined actual values of the operating state, presenting metadata for adjusting the adjustment device by overlaying the adjustment device with at least one of the image capture or the video capture on a display (Campos Souza et. al. [0020]-[0025]).
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Regarding claim 2, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1, which further comprises using a functional roller as the component (Campos Souza et. al. [0036]: With regards to the apparatus, embodiments are directed to an apparatus for adjusting a suction roll, in particular for a machine for producing or processing a web of fibrous material, comprising a camera for recording image/video recordings, a computing unit, and a display, wherein the camera is in contact with the computing unit such that it can transmit the image and/or video recordings to the computing unit. Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1, which further comprises attaching a marker element to the exterior of the component or in an immediate vicinity of the exterior of the component, and capturing the marker element during at least one of the image capture or the video capture (Campos Souza et. al. [0048]-[0050]).
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Regarding claim 4, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1, which further comprises providing a database system, and using the computing unit to access the database system to determine the metadata (Campos Souza et. al. [0091]-[0092]: It is possible for the computing unit to be connected to a further database from which information about the relevant suction roll is stored.).
Regarding claim 5, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 4, which further comprises storing the actual value of the operating state in the database system (Campos Souza et. al. [0091]-[0092]: It is possible for the computing unit to be connected to a further database from which information about the relevant suction roll is stored. [0023]: determining the actual values of the position of the sealing strips and/or edge deckles and/or other, non-visible components by the computing unit through image analysis of the image and/or video recording of the exterior of the roll and/or by acquiring values from an embedded sensor system.).
Regarding claim 6, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1, which further comprises: providing a suction roller as the component, the suction roller having a suction box inside the suction roller as well as an adjustment device for setting a position of the suction box; determining actual values of the position of the suction box and displaying the actual values of the position of the suction box on the display as a virtual position overlaid with at least one of the image capture or the video capture; and configuring at least one of the display or the computing unit so that upon a shift of the virtual position of the suction box on the display, or a gesture control, settings of the adjustment device suitable for achieving the shift are displayed on the display (Campos Souza et. al. [0020]-[0025], [0048]-[0050], [0084]-[0086] AR application use).
Regarding claim 7, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1, which further comprises: providing a suction roller as the component, the suction roller having an adjustment device for setting a position of at least one of sealing strips or format limiters; displaying actual values of the position of at least one of the sealing strips or format limiters are on the display as virtual positions overlaid with at least one of the image capture or the video capture; and configuring at least one of the display or the computing unit so that upon a shift of the virtual position of at least one of the suction box or the format limiter on the display, or a gesture control, the settings of the adjustment device suitable for achieving the shift are displayed on the display (Campos Souza et. al. [0020]-[0025], [0048]-[0050], [0084]-[0086] AR application use).
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Claim 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Campos Souza et. al. (United States Patent Application Publication US 2024/0125049 A1) in view of Jaschinski et. al. (United States Patent Application Publication US 2020/0048835 A1).
The applied references has a common applicant (Voith Patent GMBH) and inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding claim 8, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1. However, Campos Souza et. al. fails to disclose which further comprises: providing a spreader roller as the component, the spreader roller having an adjustment device for setting an angle of inclination; determining an actual value of the angle of inclination; and depending on a desired change in the angle of inclination, displaying settings of the adjustment device suitable for achieving the desired change on the display.
Jaschinski et. al. teaches providing a spreader roller as the component, the spreader roller having an adjustment device for setting an angle of inclination; determining an actual value of the angle of inclination; and depending on a desired change in the angle of inclination, displaying settings of the adjustment device suitable for achieving the desired change on the display (Jaschinski et. al. Abstract, Figure 1, [0061]-[0062]: The inclination angle as a function of at least one parameter is now to be set in a corresponding manner, specifically as a function of the currently fed back inclination angle of the respective de-watching strip.). This is important to the claimed invention because different rollers have different functions, which allows for various types of fibrous web production. Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teachings of Campos Souza et. al. and Jaschinski et. al. so that the spreader roller is included in the solution of the claimed invention.
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Campos Souza et. al. (United States Patent Application Publication US 2024/0125049 A1) in view of Van Wersch (United States Patent Application Publication US 2005/0122511 A1).
The applied reference (US 2024/0125049 A1) has a common applicant and inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding claim 9, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 1. However, Campos Souza et. al. fails to disclose which further comprises: providing a pick-up roller as the component, the pick-up roller having an adjustment device for positioning the pick-up roller or for positioning the pick-up roller relative to a forming fabric; determining an actual value of the position of the pick-up roller; and displaying suitable settings of the adjustment device on the display.
Van Wersch teaches providing a pick-up roller as the component, the pick-up roller having an adjustment device for positioning the pick-up roller or for positioning the pick-up roller relative to a forming fabric; determining an actual value of the position of the pick-up roller; and displaying suitable settings of the adjustment device on the display (Van Wersch Abstract, Figure 1, [0024]-[0027]: process of a denim textile web guided through a first tensioning means from a roller, in the transport direction, into a hot flue designated as a whole as having a housing. At the end, the finished woven textile can be rolled onto a roller by way of a tension regulator.). This is important to the claimed invention because various different fabrics can be handled with different types of rollers. Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teachings of Campos Souza et. al. and Van Wersch so that different types of rollers are included in the solution of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 10, Campos Souza et. al. discloses the method according to claim 9, which further comprises providing a database system, and using the computing unit to access values stored in the database system for setting the adjustment device (Campos Souza et. al. [0091]-[0092]: It is possible for the computing unit to be connected to a further database from which information about the relevant suction roll is stored.).
Conclusion
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/JESSICA YIFANG LIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2668 July 2, 2026
/VU LE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2668
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