DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the AIA first to file provisions. 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 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.
Application Status
This office action is in response to the claims filed 7/7/2025.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and being examined.
Information Disclosure Statement
The 2 IDS documents have been considered. See the attached PTO-1449 forms.
Claim Objections
The following claims are objected to for containing informalities:
Claim 7: “defies” should be “defines”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-5, 9-15, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wetsch et al. US 2018/0326687.
Regarding claim 1:
Wetsch teaches a device for producing dunnage, comprising: a dunnage conversion machine (100) including a drive mechanism (250) configured to deform a stock material (19) into dunnage (21); and an intake (70) configured to direct the stock material to the dunnage conversion machine, wherein the intake includes an inlet chute (71) connected to the dunnage conversion machine, and a projection (200) connected to the inlet chute, the projection configured to bend the stock material as the stock material passes over the projection ([0051]).
Regarding claim 2:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the projection is configured to bend the stock material about a first axis substantially parallel to a centerline of the stock material ([0055]).
Regarding claim 3:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 2, as discussed above, wherein the projection is configured to bend the stock material about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the stock material ([0055]).
Regarding claim 4:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the projection includes a plurality of surface portions (210/202) configured to bend the stock material as the stock material passes over the surface portions ([0051]).
Regarding claim 5:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 4, as discussed above, wherein the projection is located upstream of the inlet chute with respect to a material path of the stock material through the device (see FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 9:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the projection is centered with respect to a widthwise direction of the inlet chute (see FIG. 2B).
Regarding claim 10:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 4, as discussed above, wherein the surface portions of the projection are configured to bend a central portion of the stock material as the stock material passes over the surface portions ([0055]).
Regarding claim 11:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the projection extends downward from an upstream end of the inlet chute (see FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 12:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 5, as discussed above, wherein the projection includes a faceted surface that includes the plurality of surface portions (see 210 in FIG. 4B).
Regarding claim 13:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 12, as discussed above, wherein: the surface portions include an upper surface portion (portion 210 is touching in FIG. 4D), and an intermediate surface portion that adjoins the upper surface portion (portion just below that portion); and the upper surface portion and the intermediate surface portion are at least partially curved (shown in FIG. 4D) so that the upper surface portion and the intermediate surface portion bend the stock material as the stock material passes over the upper and intermediate surface portions.
Regarding claim 14:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 13, as discussed above, wherein the surface portions further include a substantially planar lower surface portion (shown just above “SM” in FIG. 4B) that adjoins the intermediate surface portion.
Regarding claim 15:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 14, as discussed above, wherein: the upper surface portion is angled upwardly and in a direction of travel of the stock material along the material path (shown in FIG. 4D); and the lower surface portion is angled downwardly and in the direction of travel of the stock material along the material path (envisaged in FIG. 4D).
Regarding claim 19:
Wetsch teaches the device of claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the dunnage conversion machine comprises one or more rollers configured to deform the stock material ([0027], third sentence).
Regarding claim 20:
Wetsch teaches a system for producing dunnage, comprising: the device of claim 1; and a supply of the stock material ([0025], second sentence).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 and 16-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for indicating allowable subject matter: the prior art fails to disclose the inlet chute includes a bottom panel; the bottom panel is located downstream of the projection with respect to the material path of the stock material so that the stock material is drawn over the bottom panel after passing over the surface portions of the projection; the projection and the bottom panel each have a width in a direction perpendicular to the material path of the stock material; and a maximum width of the projection is less than a width of an upstream end of the bottom panel (claim 6, and depending claims 7-8); and the upper surface portion includes a substantially planar first upper surface portion, and a substantially planar second upper surface portion that adjoins the first upper surface portion, the first and second upper surface portions being symmetrically disposed about a centerline of the projection; and the intermediate surface portion includes a substantially planar first intermediate surface portion, and a substantially planar second intermediate surface portion that adjoins the first intermediate surface portion, the first and second intermediate surface portions being symmetrically disposed about the centerline of the projection (claim 16, and depending claims 17-18). Upon examination, the art considered as a whole, alone or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious the invention as claimed. It is Examiner's opinion that it would not have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine or modify the prior art in order to arrive at Applicant's claimed invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARIUSH SEIF whose telephone number is (408)918-7542. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30 AM-6:00 PM PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ANNA KINSAUL can be reached at 571-270-1926. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DARIUSH SEIF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
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