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 .
Claims 18,19,24, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The phrase “said sheet or panel-sheet product” (cl 18:14) lacks antecedent basis in the claim.
The phrase “said sheet or panel-sheet product” (cl 18:17) lacks antecedent basis in the claim.
The phrase “i.e. for providing…with a decoration” (cl 18:23-25) is indefinite because the metes and bounds of the phrase are unascertainable.
The phrase “said sheet or panel-sheet product” (cl 19:7) lacks antecedent basis in the claim.
The phrase “said sheet or panel-sheet product” (cl 24:2-3) lacks antecedent basis in the claim.
The phrase “a die having a slot opening” (cl 29:2) is indefinite because it is unclear whether it is related to the die having a slot opening recited in independent claim 17. If they are the same, it should be clearly and positively recited as such.
The phrase “such as…gravity” (cl 29:3-4) is indefinite because the metes and bounds of the phrase are unascertainable.
The phrase “a die having a slot opening” (cl 30:2) is indefinite because it is unclear whether it is related to the die having a slot opening recited in independent claim 17. If they are the same, it should be clearly and positively recited as such.
Corrections are required.
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.
Claim(s) 17, 18, and 28 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2004-18706 (english machine translation provided).
17. (New) A method for manufacturing a decorative panel comprising at least a polymeric board and an applied thereon decoration,
wherein said polymeric board is a filled solid plastic composite material having an amount of filler of at least 50 wt% (JP2004-18706: paras. 0010 and 0013; figs 1-2; a wood resin molded product is extrusion molded from a resin and a filler of 20-85 wt%), wherein said method comprises
using a device comprising at least an extruder and a die having a slot opening, said die being coupled to an outlet of the extruder, said extruder and die extruding polymeric material in an extrusion direction through said slot opening into said polymeric board (JP2004-18706: para. 0026; figs 1-2; since a panel/sheet shaped wood resin molded product is extrusion molded, an extruder and a die having a slot/slit opening must be used to impart the panel/sheet shape),
wherein said extruder is a parallel twin-screw extruder, a conical twin-screw extruder or a super-conical twin-screw extruder (JP2004-18706: para. 0026; figs 1-2; a wood resin molded product is extrusion molded with a parallel twin-screw extruder).
18. (New) The method of claim 17, wherein said device has at least one or more of the following characteristics:
the device comprises an active delivery system for providing a decorative layer onto the extruded polymeric material (JP2004-18706: para. 0031; figs 1-2; decorative sheet 2 is laminated onto the woody resin molded product 1 by a system used in an extrusion lamination method or a heat lamination method or a dry lamination method).
28. (New) The method of claim 17, wherein said polymeric board comprises at least 65 wt.% of a filler (JP2004-18706: paras. 0010 and 0013; figs 1-2; a wood resin molded product is extrusion molded from a resin and a filler of 20-85 wt%).
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.
Claim(s) 20,22,23,24,25,26,27, and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP2004-18706 as applied to claim 17 above. The above teachings of JP2004-18706 are incorporated hereinafter.
Regarding claim 20, JP2004-18706 does not teach the allowed necking amount. Since the allowed necking amount is well-known in the extruding art for producing high quality products, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the die of JP2004-18706 to not allow necking above the claimed amount in order to produce high quality products.
Regarding claim 22, JP2004-18706 teaches embossing the decorative sheet before laminating the sheet onto the woody resin molded article (JP2004-18706: para. 0027), does not teach an embossing-in-register system. Since embossing in register systems are well-known in the embossing art for its efficiency and accuracy, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to emboss the decorative sheet of JP2004-18706 with an embossing in register system in order to ensure accuracy without compromising efficiency.
Regarding claim 23, JP2004-18706 does not teach an additional calendaring roller for a provision of a backing and/or a padding layer. Since adding a layer like a backing or padding by calendaring onto an extrudate panel is well-known in the extruding art, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add a backing or padding layer by calendaring onto the woody resin molded article of JP2004-18706 in order to produce diverse products.
Regarding claim 24, JP2004-18706 teaches providing a decorative sheet 2 onto the woody resin molded article 1 by various systems used in an extrusion lamination method or a heat lamination method or a dry lamination method (JP2004-18706: para. 0031) and embossing the decorative sheet before laminating the sheet onto the woody resin molded article (JP2004-18706: para. 0027), but does not teach an embossing system coupled to the delivery system for the decorative layer. Since it is well-known in the molding art to combine various system in order to reduce cycle time, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to couple the embossing system and delivery system for the decorative sheet of JP2004-18706 in order to reduce cycle time.
Regarding claim 25, JP2004-18706 does not the claimed repeat length of the embossing roller. Since the claimed repeat length is well-known in the embossing art for producing aesthetically pleasing designs, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the claimed repeat length into the embossing system of JP2004-18706(modified) in order to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the decorative sheet of JP2004-18706.
Regarding claim 26, JP2004-18706 does not teach cooling by air or water cooling system. Since cooling of an extrudate by air or water is well-known in the extruder art for its simplicity and efficiency, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to cool the extrudate of JP2004-18706 by air or water in order to reduce molding complexity.
Regarding claim 27, JP2004-18706 does not teach the claimed production capacity. Since the claimed production capacity is well-known in the extruder art for the efficient production of high quality products, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to design the device of JP2004-18706 to produce at the claimed capacity in order to efficiently produce high quality products.
Regarding claim 30, JP2004-18706 does not teach the claimed calendaring section. Since calendaring rollers, counter rollers, and nips are well-known in the extruding art for controlling the dimensions of an extrudate panel, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the claimed calendaring rollers, counter rollers, and nips into the device of JP2004-18706 in order to produce woody resin molded articles having various dimensions including widths.
Claims 19,21, and 29 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references teach extruding composite panel: JP2004-230613 (removing fumes); RU2716191 (embossing using cameras), CN205705222 (super-conical twin extruder for making panels), and CN112549573 (composite board having a decorative film).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDMUND H LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1204. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9AM-4PM.
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EHL
/EDMUND H LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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