DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Knote (US2012/0048852).
1: A container, comprising: (air cargo container 1) a frame defining a skeleton of the container (container framework/supporting structure of container 1); a top panel and a bottom panel, attached to the frame (top wall 12; bottom plate/floor 2); a plurality of side panels, each attached to the frame (side walls 16), and at least one bag attached to an interior surface of the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or one or more of the plurality of side panels; (flexible wall 4 attached to an interior side wall of the container) wherein the frame, the top panel, the bottom panel, and the plurality of side panels define a sealed interior compartment of the container; (interior cargo space 9 defined by walls 12, 16, floor 2, etc.) and wherein the at least one bag is operable to be inflated and/or deflated (flexible wall 4 transitioning between first and second operating configurations through pressure differential, air flow, and check valve 10).
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or one or more of the plurality of side panels are attached to the frame via fasteners (Figs. 1-5).
3. The fasteners of claim 2, wherein the fasteners are screws, nuts, or nails (Figs. 1-5).
4. The container of claim 1, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or the plurality of side panels are formed from carbon fiber, aramid fiber-reinforced composite, and/or basalt fiber-reinforced composite (Figs. 1-5).
5. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels is convex relative to the sealed interior compartment of the container (Figs. 1-5).
6. The container of claim 1, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and each of the plurality of side panels have approximately the same length, width, and thickness (Figs. 1-5).
7. The container of claim 1, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or one or more of the plurality of side panels includes at least one door operable to open to the sealed interior compartment (Figs. 1-5).
8. A container, comprising: a frame defining a skeleton of the container (cargo container 1 including the rigid container structure/walls 12, 16 and bottom plate 2 defining the container framework); a top panel and a bottom panel (top wall 12 and bottom plate 2); a plurality of side panels, each attached to the frame (side walls 16 of the cargo container); and at least one inflatable element attached to an interior surface of the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or one or more of the plurality of side panels (flexible wall 4 attached to an interior side wall 16 of the container; wall 4 is movable between an expanded first operating configuration and a collapsed second operating configuration); wherein the frame, the top panel, the bottom panel, and the plurality of side panels define a sealed interior compartment of the container (interior cargo space 9 bounded by top wall 12, side walls 16, and bottom plate 2); and wherein at least one of the plurality of side panels is convex relative to the sealed interior compartment of the container (side wall 4 in the first operating configuration projects into interior space 9 and forms a curved/arched wall surface extending into the cargo space, see fig 3).
9. The container of claim 8, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or the plurality of side panels are formed from carbon fiber, aramid fiber-reinforced composite, and/or basalt fiber-reinforced composite (Figs. 1-5).
10. The container of claim 8, wherein the frame is formed from aluminum, titanium, and/or an aluminum-titanium alloy (Figs. 1-5).
11. The container of claim 8, wherein the top panel, the bottom panel, and/or one or more of the plurality of side panels are interchangeable (Figs. 1-5).
12. The container of claim 8, wherein the at least one inflatable element includes an intake valve, and wherein when opened, the intake valves takes in air until the inflatable element is fully inflated (Figs. 1-5).
13. A container, comprising: a frame defining a skeleton of the container (cargo container structure including top wall 12, side walls 16, bottom plate 2, defining the overall container framework/skeleton); a plurality of panels, at least one attached to the frame via fasteners (top wall 12, side walls 16, and bottom plate 2 forming container panels; wall 4 is described as being attached to side wall 16, including embodiments using attachment structures such as rods, poles, clamps, hooks, loops, or similar holding devices); and at least one bag attached to an interior surface of at least one of the plurality of panels (flexible wall 4 attached to the interior side wall 16 of the cargo container and extending into interior space 9); wherein the frame and the plurality of panels define a sealed interior compartment of the container (interior cargo space 9 bounded by top wall 12, side walls 16, and bottom plate 2); and wherein the at least one bag is operable to be inflated and/or deflated (flexible wall 4 movable between a first operating configuration and a second operating configuration; wall 4 expands into the interior space in the first configuration and collapses/folds toward the cargo in the second configuration; air passes through check valve 10 and the disclosure repeatedly discusses air/oxygen being removed from the interior space as the wall changes configuration).
14. The container of claim 14, wherein the fasteners include screws, nuts, or nails (Figs. 1-5).
15. The container of claim 14, wherein the frame is formed from aluminum, titanium, and/or an aluminum-titanium alloy (Figs. 1-5).
16. The container of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels are formed from a fiber-reinforced composite (Figs. 1-5).
17. The container of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels have approximately the same length, width, and thickness (Figs. 1-5).
18. The container of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of panels have a ripple pattern or a wave-like pattern formed by a variation in fiber orientation of a fiber-reinforced composite constituting the at least one of the plurality of panels (Figs. 1-5).
19. The container of claim 14, wherein the plurality of panels have a different length, width, and thickness (Figs. 1-5).
20. The container of claim 14, wherein cable guides are attached to outside surfaces of the plurality of panels, wherein the cable guides secure at least one cable around an outside of the container, and wherein tightening the at least one cable secures connections between the plurality of panels (Figs. 1-5).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAREEN KAY THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)270-5611. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Orlando E. Aviles can be reached at 571-270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KAREEN K THOMAS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
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