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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/03/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2019/0185722) in view of Huang et al. (US 2021/0300649).
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Regarding claim 1, Zhang teaches an automatic packaging film which prevents the films from getting stuck or broken during automatic packaging (“a wrap film joint structure”) (Paragraph [0005]). The films include the packaging films which are separated into two sections (“a previous section of the wrap film and a subsequent section of the wrap film”) (Paragraph [0023]). As illustrated in figure 7 presented below, the films further include a U-shaped adhesive tape composed of an adhesive layer #6B, a substrate #6D (“a first connecting layer”), a separable layer #6C (“a second connecting layer”), and a strong adhesive layer #6A (Paragraph [0023]).
As illustrated above, the substrate is partially connected to the separable layer, partially connected to the section #1 (“subsequent section”), and partially connected to the section #2 (“the previous section”). Additionally, the separable layer is connected to the previous section of the strong adhesive layer (“a first adhesive layer”).
Zhang is silent with respect to the sections of the packaging film having a tear line between the two.
Huang teaches an agricultural packaging which uses double sided adhesives (Paragraph [0020]). The packaging films include a perforation line which allows sections to be separated when a dragging force is applied (Paragraphs [0022]; [0025]; [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to form the packaging films of Zhang to further include a perforation line in order to allow for the sections to be separated during a dragging force as taught by Huang.
Regarding claim 2, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 1. As illustrated in the figure above, the length of the substrate layer is greater than a length of the film between the strong adhesive layer and a connection position of the connecting layer in the subsequent section of the film.
Regarding claim 3, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 1. The films are initially form as shown in the figure above. The wraps are then extended as shown in figures 8-9 shown below.
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As shown in the figures above, the previous section only includes the strong adhesive layer and the subsequent section is provided with the substrate, the separable layer and the adhesive layer. This ultimately teaches “a bonding force between the first connecting layer and the previous section of the wrap film is greater than a bonding force between the previous section of the wrap film and the subsequent section of the wrap film; the bonding force between the first connecting layer and the previous section of the wrap film is smaller than a bonding force between the first connecting layer and the subsequent section of the wrap film; and a bonding force between the second connecting layer and the first connecting layer is greater than a bonding force between the second connecting layer and the first adhesive layer, and a bonding force between the first adhesive layer and the previous section of the wrap film is greater than the bonding force between the second connecting layer and the first adhesive layer.”
Regarding claim 4, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 1. As illustrated in the figure 7 above, the substrate has a first end portion and a second end portion such that the first end portion is connected to the adhesive layer (“second adhesive layer”) and the second end portion is connected to the strong adhesive layer which is bonded to the subsequent section of the films. Furthermore, the second end portion is connected to the separable layer.
Regarding claim 5, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 4. As illustrated in figure 7 above, the separable is in a flat state between the substrate and the strong adhesive layer. Additionally, as shown in figure 9, the separable layer is provided with the subsequent section upon separation of the films teaching “a connection area between the second connecting layer and the second end portion is greater than a connection area between the second connecting layer and the first adhesive layer; and alternatively, the second connecting layer is fixedly connected to the second end portion.”
Regarding claim 7, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 1. As shown in figure 7, the substrate is in a folded state with the bent portion being provided adjacent to the previous section of the films.
Regarding claim 8, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 7. Zhang teaches the substrates being formed from polyethylene (Paragraph [0024]) and Huang teaches the films also being formed form polyethylene (Abstract).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2019/0185722) in view of Huang et al. (US 2021/0300649) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Hayes (US 11,142,382).
Regarding claim 6, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 5.
Zhang is silent with respect to the separable layer having a release layer.
Hayes teaches a continuous sheet of wrapping material with separable segments (Col. 2, Lines 63-65). The sheets, as illustrated in figure 1, include a release liner in order to disengage the removable section from the closing adhesive (Col. 7, Lines 55-64).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to form the films of Zhang to allow for the separable layer to easily disengage from the strong adhesive layer as taught by Hayes.
Claims 9-14 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2019/0185722) in view of Huang et al. (US 2021/0300649).
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Regarding claim 9, Zhang teaches an automatic packaging film which prevents the films from getting stuck or broken during automatic packaging (“a wrap film joint structure” & “the wrap film joint structure is located on a wrap film”) (Paragraph [0005]). The films include the packaging films which are separated into two sections (“a previous section of the wrap film and a subsequent section of the wrap film”) (Paragraph [0023]). As illustrated in figure 7 presented below, the films further include a U-shaped adhesive tape composed of an adhesive layer #6B, a substrate #6D (“a first connecting layer”), a separable layer #6C (“a second connecting layer”), and a strong adhesive layer #6A (Paragraph [0023]).
As illustrated above, the substrate is partially connected to the separable layer, partially connected to the section #1 (“subsequent section”), and partially connected to the section #2 (“the previous section”). Additionally, the separable layer is connected to the previous section of the strong adhesive layer (“a first adhesive layer”).
Zhang is silent with respect to the sections of the packaging film having a tear line between the two.
Huang teaches an agricultural packaging which uses double sided adhesives (Paragraph [0020]). The packaging films include a perforation line which allows sections to be separated when a dragging force is applied (Paragraphs [0022]; [0025]; [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to form the packaging films of Zhang to further include a perforation line in order to allow for the sections to be separated during a dragging force as taught by Huang.
Regarding claim 10, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 9. Huang further teaches the packaging films being used to wrap cotton (Paragraph [0022]).
Regarding claim 11, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 9. As illustrated in the figure above, the length of the substrate layer is greater than a length of the film between the strong adhesive layer and a connection position of the connecting layer in the subsequent section of the film.
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Regarding claim 12, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 9. The films are initially form as shown in the figure above. The wraps are then extended as shown in figures 8-9 shown below.
As shown in the figures above, the previous section only includes the strong adhesive layer and the subsequent section is provided with the substrate, the separable layer and the adhesive layer. This ultimately teaches “a bonding force between the first connecting layer and the previous section of the wrap film is greater than a bonding force between the previous section of the wrap film and the subsequent section of the wrap film; the bonding force between the first connecting layer and the previous section of the wrap film is smaller than a bonding force between the first connecting layer and the subsequent section of the wrap film; and a bonding force between the second connecting layer and the first connecting layer is greater than a bonding force between the second connecting layer and the first adhesive layer, and a bonding force between the first adhesive layer and the previous section of the wrap film is greater than the bonding force between the second connecting layer and the first adhesive layer.”
Regarding claim 13, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 9. As illustrated in the figure 7 above, the substrate has a first end portion and a second end portion such that the first end portion is connected to the adhesive layer (“second adhesive layer”) and the second end portion is connected to the strong adhesive layer which is bonded to the subsequent section of the films. Furthermore, the second end portion is connected to the separable layer.
Regarding claim 14, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 13. As illustrated in figure 7 above, the separable is in a flat state between the substrate and the strong adhesive layer. Additionally, as shown in figure 9, the separable layer is provided with the subsequent section upon separation of the films teaching “a connection area between the second connecting layer and the second end portion is greater than a connection area between the second connecting layer and the first adhesive layer; and alternatively, the second connecting layer is fixedly connected to the second end portion.”
Regarding claim 16, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 9. As shown in figure 7, the substrate is in a folded state with the bent portion being provided adjacent to the previous section of the films.
Regarding claim 17, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 16. Zhang teaches the substrates being formed from polyethylene (Paragraph [0024]) and Huang teaches the films also being formed form polyethylene (Abstract).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2019/0185722) in view of Huang et al. (US 2021/0300649) as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Hayes (US 11,142,382).
Regarding claim 15, Zhang teaches the films as discussed above with respect to claim 14.
Zhang is silent with respect to the separable layer having a release layer.
Hayes teaches a continuous sheet of wrapping material with separable segments (Col. 2, Lines 63-65). The sheets, as illustrated in figure 1, include a release liner in order to disengage the removable section from the closing adhesive (Col. 7, Lines 55-64).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to form the films of Zhang to allow for the separable layer to easily disengage from the strong adhesive layer as taught by Hayes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL P DILLON whose telephone number is (571)270-5657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri; 8 AM to 5 PM.
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/DANIEL P DILLON/Examiner, Art Unit 1783
/MARIA V EWALD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1783
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