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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is the Final Office Action for application number 18/983,255 STABILIZER PAD AND ASSEMBLY filed on 12/16/2024. Claims 1, 2 and 5-17 are pending. This Final Office Action is in response to applicant’s reply dated 6/24/2026. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Applicant's amendment necessitated any new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1, 2, 5, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 2,226,294 to Erickson.
[AltContent: arrow]With regards to claim 1, Erickson teaches a device having a pad component (18) including a first surface and an opposing second surface separated by a side wall surface forming a perimeter edge; one or more notch elements
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, each notch element formed-recessed inward from the side wall surface toward the center of the pad component and each notch element comprising a cross-member (37) element forming a slot aperture within the notch element, and-each notch element configured for attaching a lanyard (22, 33) to transport the stabilizer pad.
With regards to claim 2, Erickson teaches wherein each of the one or more notch elements is defined by a first sidewall segment an opposing second sidewall segment, both connected by base wall segment. (See Figure 1)
With regards to claims 5 and 15, Erickson teaches wherein the cross-member element (37) is rigid.
With regards to claim 14, Erickson teaches a pad (18) component including a first surface and an opposing second surface separated by a side wall surface forming a perimeter edge; a notch element formed inward from the side wall surface toward the center of the pad component, the notch element configured for attaching a lanyard (22, 33) used to transport the stabilizer pad; the notch element defined by a first side segment, a second side segment, both connected by a third side segment, and further comprising a cross-member element (37) that forms a slot aperture with the third side segment, the slot aperture configured for feeding the lanyard through the slot aperture and the cross-member element configured for attaching a the lanyard to transport the stabilizer pad.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent No. 2,226,294 to Erickson.
With regards to claims 12 and 13, it has been held that a suitable material is obvious and using rubber or bamboo would be obvious because it is a suitable durable material and is a sustainable material.
Response to Arguments
The applicant’s argument are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11 and 16 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.
Claim 17 is allowed.
With regards to claim 6, the prior art does not teach one or more recess elements, each including a handle element.
With regards to claim 10, the prior art does not teach wherein the cross-member element of each notch element is insert molded into the stabilizer pad component or machined from a pad material.
With regards to claims 11 and 17, the prior art does not teach a pocket element located on one of the first surface, the opposing second surface, and the side wall surface, the pocket element configured to receive one or more data devices to provide data such as location, identification, certification, recertification, current load weight, or total load weight the pad component has supported during its lifecycle.
With regards to claim 16, the prior art does not teach, wherein the cross-member element of the notch element is insert molded into the stabilizer pad component or machined from a pad material.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227, if the examiner cannot be reached. The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments) or 571-273-6823 (informal communications only). Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 8/10/26
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