DETAILED ACTION
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 § 112
1. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
2. Claims 1-14 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. In claim 1, on line 4 and in claim 8, on lines 3-4,
each occurrence of “conventional steel filaments and the prestressed steel filaments” is
indefinite since it is unclear to what parameters and standards are being applied for
conventional steel filaments and the prestressed steel filaments since it does not positivity limit
the metes and bound of patent protection as desired. Furthermore, in claim 8, on line 3, “a core
wire” dependent on claim 1, recites “a core wire on line 5” is indefinite since it is unclear if this
structure is the same or different from one another. Correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-2 and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uryu (JP
2004277968 A). Uryu discloses a method for producing a layered steel cord including a
steel cord (1) composed of six wires (13) disposed around a linear core wire (11)
forming an inner sheath (12) and twelve wires (15) disposed over the inner sheath
forming the outer sheath as shown in figures 1-6. Further, all filaments (15) are pre-
twisted prior to being supplied to the stranding machine and compression processing is
performed on the filaments to impart new helical plastic deformation, paragraphs 6-12
and 27-54. Also, two different monofilaments (15a, 15b) are arranged alternately in the
stranding machine tool and twisted with the core wire (11) that forms the layered
structural steel cord as shown in figures 1 and 2 However, Urvu does not show
filaments being prestressed.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective date of the
claimed invention that steel cord having the filaments (15a, 15b) arranged alternately of
Urva being pre-twisted prior to being suppled through the stranding machine are
substantially prestressed to a certain degree in order to evenly distribute stress in
forming the layered steel cord about the core wire or as required for a particular
application thereof.
With regard to claims 2 and 9, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art
before the effective date of the claimed invention that steel cord formed through the
stranding machine of Urva can including but not limited to a straightener, overtwister,
etc. in order to minimize the twisted steel cord from being warped or depending on end
use thereof.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 3-7 and 10-14 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.
Claims 3 and 10 with its respective dependents are allowable because the prior art does
not teach or suggest the recitation therein including a layered steel cord formed of
alternating steel filaments being prestressed through an operation strep of prestressing on
a filament production water tank.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure. Each of the prior art references cited on PTO-892 discloses a layer steel cord
with a steel filaments twisted about a core wire.
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January 6, 2026 /TAJASH D PATEL/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 3732