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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, “the strings” should read “the plurality of strings”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 13 is/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.
The term “in between” in claim 13 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “in between” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The examiner respectfully requests clarification of the configuration of a first and second type of string. The strings can be configured within a pocket, wherein the second type of string is sandwiched between the first two types of string. Further, the strings can be configured to where a first type of string is overlayed by the second type of string, where between two pockets, the second type of string would be considered in between the first type of string.
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.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jewett (US20240008655A1).
Regarding claim 1,
Jewett teaches A pocket spring mattress comprising:
a plurality of strings of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0051 ] pocketed spring assembly 12), each string joined to at least one adjacent string (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0017] string is joined to at least one adjacent string), the strings including strings of a first type and strings of a second type (Jewett: FIG. 3 [0067] central springs 72 and border springs 50/51),
each of said strings comprising first and second opposed plies of fabric (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44 being on opposite sides of the springs 18)
and a plurality of pockets formed along a length of said string by transverse seams joining said first and second plies (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0027] fabric of the first and second plies is joined by transverse seams), at least some of the pockets accommodating a spring (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] each string 26 of pocketed spring assembly core 34), wherein the strings of the first type have a first linear density of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0072] “Standard” was made of non-woven polypropylene fabric having a density of one ounce per square yard. The piece of material labelled) and the strings of the second type have, at least in a section thereof and preferably over their entire length, a second linear density of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0072] “Substrate” was a dimensionally stabilizing substrate material having a density of four ounces per square yard), the second density of springs being greater than (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0072] “Substrate” having a density of four ounces per square yard) the first linear density of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0072] “Standard” having a density of one ounce per square yard), each string of the second type comprising at least one stabilizing fabric strip connected to the fabric of said string over at least a part of the extension of the string (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0058] dimensionally stabilizing substrate 38 is secured to the lower surface 70 of at least some of the strings 26), the stabilizing fabric strip(s) being arranged to extend solely along a surface of said string (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0058] the dimensionally stabilizing substrate 38 may be secured to the upper surface 68 of at least some of the strings 26).
Regarding claim 2,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein at least one spring is positioned in each of said pockets in each of the strings of the second type (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] each string 26 of pocketed spring assembly core 34 comprises a piece of fabric joined along a longitudinal seam 40 first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44 being on opposite sides of the springs 18).
Regarding claim 3,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein for each string of the second type the sum of the largest diameters for all the springs in the string exceeds a total length of the string (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0073] barrel-shaped coil spring…maximum diameter of 77 millimeters… eight inches tall).
Regarding claim 4,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein all springs in the strings of the first type and strings of the second type are substantially identical (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0054] pocketed springs 28 are typically metal coil springs 18).
Regarding claim 5,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein each stabilizing fabric strip has a length extension corresponding to the length of the string to which it is connected (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44 being on opposite sides of the springs 18).
Regarding claim 6,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein each stabilizing fabric strip is connected to all pockets in the string to which it is connected (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0004] multiple or continuous strings may be arranged in a row pattern and adjacent rows of strings may be interconnected… a unitary assembly of individually pocketed coil springs).
Regarding claim 7,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein the one or more stabilizing fabric strip is connected to the fabric of the string overlying the top and bottom of the pockets in the string (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44 being on opposite sides of the springs 18).
Regarding claim 8,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing fabric strip comprises a first part extending along a top of the string (Jewett: FIG. 4 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44), a second part extending along a bottom of the string, and an intermediate part extending along a side of the string (Jewett: FIG. 4 [0056] being on opposite sides of the springs 18, a plurality of pockets 46 being formed along a length of said string 26 by transverse seams 48 joining said first and second plies).
Regarding claim 9,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 8, comprising a pair of strings of the second type being arranged in parallel and attached to each other (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0055] the strings may extend transversely (from side-to-side)), whereby the stabilizing fabric strips on said pair of strings are arranged so that the intermediate part extending along the sides of the strings are arranged along the sides of the strings facing away from each other (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] a plurality of pockets 46 being formed along a length of said string 26 by transverse seams 48 joining said first and second plies).
Regarding claim 10,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein at least one string of the second type is arranged along one or more perimeter sections of the mattress (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0067] pocketed springs 51 of border 50 are narrower than the pocketed springs 28 of the central portion 72 of pocketed spring assembly core 34a).
Regarding claim 11,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein the strings of the first type are arranged in parallel and connected together to form a core of the mattress (Jewett: FIG. 1 [055] the strings may extend transversely (from side-to-side)), and one to three strings of the second type are arranged in parallel with and connected to the strings of the first type on opposing sides of said core (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] a plurality of pockets 46 being formed along a length of said string 26 by transverse seams 48 joining said first and second plies).
Regarding claim 12,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 11, further comprising one to three strings of the second type of strings arranged perpendicular to the strings of the first type (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0055] the strings may extend either longitudinally (from end-to-end)), located on opposing end sides of the strings of the first type (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] a plurality of pockets 46 being formed along a length of said string 26 by transverse seams 48 joining said first and second plies).
Regarding claim 13,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein strings of the second type are arranged in between strings of the first type (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44 being on opposite sides of the springs 18), thereby forming zones with different resiliency properties in the mattress (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0074] much more weight was required to make the dimensionally stabilizing substrate material buckle).
Regarding claim 14,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein at least some of the springs are barrel-shaped (Jewett: [0073] barrel-shaped coil spring).
Regarding claim 15,
Jewett teaches The pocket spring mattress of claim 1, wherein all the springs are barrel-shaped (Jewett: [0073] barrel-shaped coil spring).
Regarding claim 16,
Jewett teaches A method for producing a pocket spring mattress, comprising: providing a plurality of strings of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0054] pocketed spring assembly 12), the strings including strings of a first type and strings of a second type (Jewett: FIG. 3 [0067] central springs 72 and border springs 50/51), each of said strings comprising first and second opposed plies of fabric (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44) and a plurality of pockets formed along a length of said string by transverse seams joining said first and second plies (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0027] fabric of the first and second plies is joined by transverse seams), at least some of the pockets accommodating a spring (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0054] each string 26 of pocketed spring assembly core 34), wherein the strings of the first type have a first linear density of springs and the strings of the second type have a second linear density of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0072] “Standard” was made of non-woven polypropylene fabric having a density of one ounce per square yard. The piece of material labelled), the second density of springs being greater than the first linear density of springs (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0072] “Substrate” was a dimensionally stabilizing substrate material having a density of four ounces per square yard); stabilizing each string of the second type (Jewett: FIG. 1 [0056] being on opposite sides of the springs 18, a plurality of pockets 46 being formed along a length of said string 26 by transverse seams 48 joining said first and second plies) by connecting a least one stabilizing fabric strip to the fabric of said string over at least a part of the extension of the string (Jewett: FIG. 4 [0056] being on opposite sides of the springs 18, a plurality of pockets 46 being formed along a length of said string 26 by transverse seams 48 joining said first and second plies), the stabilizing fabric strip(s) being arranged to extend solely along a surface of said string (Jewett: FIG. 4 [0056] first and second opposed plies of fabric 42, 44 being on opposite sides of the springs 18); and connecting each string to at least one adjacent string (Jewett: FIG. 4 [0017] string is joined to at least one adjacent string).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEANE E. TEJADA whose telephone number is (571)272-3553. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-4:30 CT.
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, Justin Mikowski can be reached at (571) 272-8525. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JOSEANE E. TEJADA
Examiner
Art Unit 3673
/JOSEANE E. TEJADA/Examiner, Art Unit 3673
/DAVID R HARE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3673
9/29/2026
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