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 Objections
Claims 11 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the base plate" in line 3 and the limitation "the counter plate" in line 5. There are insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the elastic connection device" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 19 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 (cited on IDS filed on 06/20/2025).
Regarding claim 1, PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 discloses a foot mat arrangement (shown in Figure 1) for a vehicle (16 shown in Figure 1), the foot mat arrangement (shown in Figure 1) comprising: a floor covering (backing layer 54 of carpet floor covering 12 shown in Figures 1 and 4); a first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in Figure 1) that is connected to the floor covering (backing layer 54 of carpet floor covering 12 shown in Figures 1 and 4); a foot mat (10 shown in Figure 1); a second hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1) which is at least partially arranged on an underside of the foot mat (10 shown in Figure 1); wherein the second hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1) is connected to the first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in in Figure 1) by a hook-and-loop connection (shown in Figure 4), wherein the first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in Figure 1), the foot mat (10 shown in Figure 1) and the second hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1) are made of the same mono-material (in claims 17-24 of the PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1).
PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 discloses all components of the mat can comprise a material which is either or a member of a common chemical family to facilitate recycling of the mat.
However, PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 does not show that the floor covering made of the same mono-material.
Regarding claim 1, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the foot mat arrangement of PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 with the floor covering made of the same mono-material with a reasonable expectation of success in order to facilitate recycling of the mat.
Regarding claim 2, PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1, as modified, discloses the foot mat arrangement (as shown in Figure 1) according to claim 1, wherein the mono-material (in claims 17-24 of the PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1) is formed as a polyester (page 14, lines 4-7).
Regarding claim 18, PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1, as modified, discloses a vehicle (16 shown in Figure 1) having the foot mat arrangement (shown in Figure 1) according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 disclose a method for manufacturing a foot mat arrangement (shown in Figure 1) for a vehicle
(16 shown in Figure 1), wherein the foot mat arrangement (shown in Figure 1) has the following: a floor covering (backing layer 54 of carpet floor covering 12 shown in Figures 1 and 4); a first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in Figure 1) that is connected to the floor covering (backing layer 54 of carpet floor covering 12 shown in Figures 1 and 4); a foot mat (10 shown in Figure 1); a second
hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1) which is at least partially arranged on an underside of the foot mat (10 shown in Figure 1); wherein the second
hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1) is connectable to the first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in Figure 1) by a hook-and-loop connection (shown in Figure 4), wherein the first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in Figure 1), the foot mat (10 shown in Figure 1) and the second hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1) are made of the same mono-material (in claims 17-24 of the PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1), said method comprising the step of: connecting the first hook-and-loop element (30 shown in Figure 1) and the second hook-and-loop element (58 shown in Figure 1).
PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 discloses all components of the mat can comprise a material which is either or a member of a common chemical family to facilitate recycling of the mat.
However, PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 does not show that the floor covering made of the same mono-material.
Regarding claim 19, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the foot mat arrangement of PCT reference WO 97/06029 A1 with the floor covering made of the same mono-material with a reasonable expectation of success in order to facilitate recycling of the mat.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, wherein the first hook-and-loop element (18) has a base plate (88), wherein a counter plate (38) of the foot mat arrangement (8) is at least partially arranged on the floor covering (12), wherein a connection system (16) connects the base plate (88) and the counter plate (38) to one another, wherein the connection system (16) has an elastic connection device (90), and wherein the connection device (90) extends between mutually facing sides (60, 74) of the base plate (88) and the counter plate (38) is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claims 4-10 and 13-17 depends from claim 3.
Regarding claim 11, wherein the floor covering (12) has an access opening (24, 66, 68), the base plate (88) is at least partially arranged on an upper side (28) of the floor covering (12), the counter plate (38) is at least partially arranged on an underside (30) of the floor covering (12), wherein the underside (30) of the floor covering (12) is opposite the upper side (28) of the floor covering (12), wherein the second hook-and-loop element (20) is at least partially arranged on an underside (22) of the foot mat (10), and wherein the connection system (16) passes through the access opening (24, 66, 68) is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claim 12 depends from claim 11.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
DE 102007004146 A1 (cited on IDS filed on 11/14/2024) teaches non-slip mat for automobile floors, has underside with upper and lower needled non-woven layers, consolidated and bonded together by fused polyethylene fiber components (in paragraphs [0019], [0040] and [0041]).
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Lori Lyjak whose telephone number is
571-272-6658. The Examiner can normally be reached from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.
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/Lori Lyjak/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612B
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