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.
1.Claims 1-2, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Lee (US20210375251).
With respect to claim 1 Lee discloses an acoustic article comprising:
A first member (308) in sheet form comprising a porous material ;
A first skin member provided on a first primary surface of the first member in a thickness direction (310);
A second member in sheet form comprising a porous material (304); and
A second skin member (302) provided on a second primary surface of the second member on the other side in a thickness direction,
Wherein the first member and the second member are laminated (para 53), with the first member and the second member secured to each other at least partially in a planar direction (the layers are secured to each other through the intermediate layers, but are still secured to each other, there being no requirement of direct connection).
With respect to claim 2 Lee further discloses wherein the second member (302) comprises a filler containing porous particles (para 95,125 and abstract).
With respect to claim 10 Lee further discloses a method of manufacturing an acoustic article comprising:
Preparing a first member (308) in sheet form comprising a porous material, the first member including a first skin (310) member provided on a first primary surface of the first member;
Preparing a second member (304) in sheet form comprising a porous material, the second member including a second skin (302) member provided on a second primary surface of the second member; and
Laminating the first member and the second member (para 53) with the first skin member and the second skin member position on outer sides in a thickness direction when laminated, and with the first member and the second member secured to each other at least partially in a planar direction (indirectly through the intermediate member).
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.
2.Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US20210375251) in view of Mori (US20110067949).
With respect to claim 3 Lee discloses the invention as claimed except expressly wherein the first member and the second member are secured to each other by fusion at their both edge portions in a first direction parallel to the planar direction.
Mori discloses the use of fusing the edges of an acoustic article (see para 24 and figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing to combine the teachings of Mori to fused the edges of the sound absorbing layers to form a cover as this would allow for a rugged attachment with a minimal amount of surface area needed to be heated and compressed.
With respect to claim 4 Lee as modified by Mori discloses the invention as claimed except expressly wherein the first primary surface is longer than the second primary surface when viewed form a direction parallel to the planar direction and orthogonal to the first direction. Such sizing would have been an obvious smatter to one of ordinary skill in the art as the surfaces have no requirement of being identical, one would have found it obvious to select the sizing based upon the available space and surface needed to be covered by the device of Lee as modified by Mori.
3.Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US20210375251) in view of Mori (20110067949) in view of Das (US5274200).
With respect to claim 5 Lee discloses wherein the first member and the second member are fused to each other including at their first that are parallel to the planar direction, but does not disclose them being separable from each other at their second edge portions.
Mori discloses fused edges of an acoustic cover member.
The combination of Lee and Mori results in a cover that has the edges fused together in a nonremovable manner.
Das discloses an acoustic cover which has one end of the cover permanently attached and the other portion of the cover coupled with a hook and loop fastener system (see element 28).
It would have been an obvious matter to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Das to use a separable connection to allow for the installation and removal of a cover with the covering device of Lee as modified by Mori. Such an arrangement would allow for repair of the device to be covered without having to replace the cover.
With respect to claim 6 Lee as modified further discloses wherein the first member and the second member are secured to each other with a tape member (see 28 of Das the strip of hook and loop fasteners is considered to be a tape this can be applied to nay and all edges, as it is taught by Das to allow for such a connection at multiple edges. There is no requirement of permanent attachment ) at their first edge portions in a first direction parallel to the planar direction and are separable from each other at their second edges (see again teachings of element 28).
4. Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US20210375251) in view of Mori (20110067949) in view of Das (US5274200) in view of Takata (US2016329039).
With respect to claims 7 and 8 Lee as modified discloses the invention as claimed except for the presence of a nonwoven fabric provided as a skin member between the first member and the second member.
Takata discloses the use of a nonwoven fabric skin layer (2) between layers of acoustic absorbing material (layers 31 and 32).
It would have been an obvious smatter to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Takata to use such a nonwoven layer between the acoustic layers so as to stabilize the layers and provide additional strength.
5. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US20210375251) in view of Borroni (US20110139542).
With respect to claim 9 Lee discloses the invention as claimed except for the presence of the pin member which penetrates the respective acoustic layers and includes a head section formed at both edge portions of the main body.
Borroni discloses the use of pin members (17) to pass through the respective layers of an acoustic member (see abstract).
It would have been an obvious matter to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing to combine the teachings of Borroni to use pin members having heads to secure the layers of Lee so as to simply and effective combine the layers at discrete locations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Eckerle (US20240426098) discloses an assembly of multiple panels using pin members; Sheehan (US9803303) discloses a multilayer insulation system; Duval (US20120037447) discloses a soundproofing assembly; and Walker (US2160009) discloses a pipe covering and penetrative mechanical fasteners.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FORREST M PHILLIPS whose telephone number is (571)272-9020. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 9:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei Hammond can be reached at (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FORREST M PHILLIPS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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