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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claim 10 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected process, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on August 3, 2026 .
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-9 in the reply filed on August 3, 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Arai et al (US 20260108398 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Arai discloses a hook structure (100, connecting sheet), having a first extending direction (perpendicular to XY-plane) and a second extending direction (XY-plane), and comprising: a supporting layer (110, sheet base material and 125, second adhesive layer), comprising: a base layer (125, second adhesive layer); and a plurality of hook columns (figure 2), the hook columns arranged at intervals along the first extending direction (paragraph 26, lines 3-5), wherein each of the hook columns comprises a plurality of hook units (130, hook members), the hook units (130, hook members) of each of the hook columns are arranged at intervals along the second extending direction (paragraph 26, lines 5-8), and the hook units (130, hook members) are integrally connected (paragraph 25) to one side of the base layer (125, second adhesive layer); and
a covering layer (120, first adhesive layer) and a plurality of surface areas of the base layer (125, second adhesive layer) exposed on the side (figure 2) of the base layer (125, second adhesive layer).
Regarding claim 2, Arai discloses the hook columns are arranged at intervals (paragraph 26, lines 5-7) along the first extending direction (perpendicular to XY-plane) with an equidistant interval space (figure 2).
Regarding claim 3, Arai discloses the hook units (130, hook members) of each of the hook columns are arranged at intervals (paragraph 26, lines 3-5) along the second extending direction (XY-plane) with an equidistant interval space (figure 2).
Regarding claim 4, Arai discloses the supporting layer (110, sheet base material and 125, second adhesive layer) is made of an elastic material (paragraph 28, lines 22-36 and figure 4), and the supporting layer extends along at least one of the first extending direction (perpendicular to XY-plane) and the second extending direction (XY-plane) (paragraph 26, lines 3-7).
Regarding claim 5, Arai discloses the supporting layer (110, sheet base material and 125, second adhesive layer) comprises a first polymer material (paragraph 28, lines 25-27), and the covering layer (120, first adhesive layer) comprises a second polymer material (paragraph 24, lines 7-9).
Regarding claim 7, Arai discloses a substrate (150, target object) disposed on the other side of (figure 1 and figure 3B) the base layer (125, second adhesive layer) of the supporting layer (110, sheet base material and 125, second adhesive layer).
Regarding claim 8, Arai discloses the substrate (150, target object) is a fabric (paragraph 20).
Regarding claim 9, Arai discloses the substrate (150, target object) is elastic (160, panties) and the substrate (150, target object) extends along at least one of the first extending direction (perpendicular to XY-plane) and the second extending direction (XY-plane).
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.
Claims 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al (US 20260108398 A1) as applied to claims 1, 5, and 7 above, in view of Kono et al (US 20030126724 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Arai discloses a hook structure (100, connecting sheet) having a supporting layer (figure 2) comprising a first polymer material (paragraph 28, lines 25-27) and a base layer (125, second adhesive layer).
Arai does not explicitly disclose the first polymer material being a thermoplastic polymer.
Regarding claim 6, Kono teaches a hook structure (10, surface fastener) having a supporting layer (21, substrate and 42, hard resin material) comprising a first polymer material (41, elastic resin material) wherein the first polymer material is a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic styrene or a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (paragraph 31, lines 1-4) and a base layer (21, substrate).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the sheet base material (110) of Arai to be constructed of thermoplastic elastomer as taught by Kono. One would be motivated to make this modification to have hook members (130 of Arai) that are soft and flexible (paragraph 31 of Kono), thus making them easier to make with the target object (150 of Arai).
Regarding claim 9, the previously made combination of Arai in view of Kono discloses a substrate (25, adhesive layer of Kono) disposed on the other side of the base layer (125, second adhesive layer of Arai) of the supporting layer (110, sheet base material and 125, second adhesive layer of Arai), wherein the substrate (25, adhesive layer of Kono) is elastic (paragraph 47, lines 1-5 of Kono) and the substrate (25, adhesive layer of Kono) extends along at least one of the first extending direction (perpendicular to XY-plane) and the second extending direction (XY-plane).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the connecting sheets (100) of Arai to include an elastic adhesive layer (25) as taught by Kono. One would be motivated to make this modification to have additional adhesive to secure the target object (150 of Arai) that can work on fabric as well as smooth laminated paper (paragraph 46, lines 8-14).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Berg et al. (US 5657516 A) teaches a structured fastener with hook structures having supporting layer and covering layer.
Gorman et al. (US 6190594 B1) teaches a structured surface took with columns and rows of hook units having a supporting layer and a covering layer.
Cohen (US 4870721 A) teaches a multi prong surface connector with a supporting layer and a covering layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KARA BROOKS whose telephone number is (571)272-9484. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571) 272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/K.J.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3677
/JASON W SAN/SPE, Art Unit 3677
Prosecution Insights