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
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 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) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Adams (US 2596970 A).
Regarding claim 1, Adams discloses a package for dispensing flexible pipe in packaged in a coil, c comprising: a coil of flexible pipe (11; see Fig. 1); a packaging material provided around an outer perimeter of the coil of flexible pipe (see Col. 3, lines 45-50), the packaging being open to allow access to an inner, central portion of the coil from a top or bottom of the coil (23; see Fig. 1); and a sheet or plate (15; see Fig. 1 or 3) adhered to the packaging material on one of the top or bottom surface of the coil, the sheet or plate having an opening (23; see Fig. 1) through which the pipe can be dispensed or a weakened portion that can be opened to provide an opening through which the pipe can be dispensed (11; see Fig. 1 for pipe being dispensed), wherein the sheet or plate has a strength greater than packaging material provided around an outer perimeter of the coil of flexible pipe (see Col. 2, lines 35-40; “strong flexible material” is stronger than a tape that is used around the coil).
Regarding claim 2, Adams discloses package for dispensing flexible pipe in packaged in a coil, comprising: a coil of flexible pipe (11; see fig. 1); a packaging material provided around an outer perimeter of the coil of flexible pipe (see Col. 3, lines 45-50), the packaging being open to allow access to an inner, central portion of the coil from a top or bottom of the coil (23; see Fig. 1); and a band (15; see fig. 1 or 3) made of a material adhered to the packaging material having a strength suitable to prevent tearing or otherwise enlarging the opening of the packaging material beyond the inner perimeter of the band (see Col. 2, lines 35-40; “strong flexible material”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REHMAN A QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-6262. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00am-5:00pm.
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/REHMAN A QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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