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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/28/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-2, 4-5 and 9-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Squitieri (2009/0194115).
With respect to claim 1, Squitieri discloses a pressure offloading pad (400, 503, 506 see figures 1-14) for incorporation into a garment (420, 501); said pressure offloading pad comprising a skin-facing layer (top surface of elements 400 and 500) and a bladder [paragraph 0047 and 0052 describe elements 400, 500 being bladder and flexible tubing teaches a bladder element], wherein said bladder comprises a pressure offloading material selected from air [paragraphs 0047-0053 talks about inflatable element which is inherently is air] or a fluidized medium.
With respect to claim 2, Squitieri discloses wherein said skin-facing layer comprises a spacer fabric material (405 is interpreted as spacer fabric).
With respect to claim 4, Squitieri discloses wherein said pressure offloading material is a fluidized medium [paragraph 0009 describes having fluid as medium as well and fluid does not have shape memory since it is liquid], wherein said fluidized medium has no shape memory.
With respect to claim 5, Squitieri discloses wherein said pressure offloading material is a fluidized medium comprising a viscous fluid and a plurality of microparticles [0036 and 0060].
With respect to claim 9, Squitieri discloses a garment comprising a pressure offloading pad according to claim 1 (please see rejection to claim 1 above).
With respect to claim 10, Squitieri discloses wherein said garment is an underwear garment, a sock, or an adult diaper [figure 13 and paragraph 0007, 0047-0049].
With respect to claim 11, Squitieri discloses wherein said pressure offloading pad is integrated in said garment or is detachably attached to said garment (see figures 12-13).
With respect to claim 12, Squitieri discloses wherein said garment comprises a pocket (40 as shown in figure 5) in which said pressure offloading pad is arranged.
With respect to claim 13, Squitieri discloses wherein said garment is an underwear garment or an adult diaper and wherein said pressure offloading pad is arranged in an area of said underwear garment intended to contact the sacral region of a wearer [figure 13 and paragraph 0007, 0047-0049].
With respect to claim 14, Squitieri discloses wherein said garment is a sock and wherein said pressure offloading pad is arranged in an area of said sock intended to contact the heel of a wearer (see figure 14C).
With respect to claim 15, Squitieri discloses wherein said garment is an adult diaper, and wherein said adult diaper is absorbent [0047-0049].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Squitieri in view of RODZEWICZ (WO2017/220405).
Squitieri substantially discloses the invention, please see rejection above; however, Squitieri does not discloses wherein said skin-facing layer has a lateral (x) extension and a longitudinal (y) extension and wherein said skin-facing layer is stretchable in the longitudinal (y) and lateral (x) directions of extension. However, RODZEWICZ teaches a medical dressing having material stretchable in both direction (see claims 2-3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Squitieri to use the material with both side stretchable properties as taught by RODZEWICZ to provide better fit device for multiple area uses.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claim 6, the subject matter of the independent claims could either not be found or was not suggested in the prior art of record. The subject matter not found was wherein said viscous fluid is silicone oil or mineral oil, in combination with the other elements (or steps) of the apparatus and method recited in the claims.
With respect to claim 7, the subject matter of the independent claims could either not be found or was not suggested in the prior art of record. The subject matter not found was wherein said bladder is a first bladder and wherein said pressure offloading pad further comprises a second bladder; said first bladder having a first side arranged in contact with said skin-facing layer and a second side arranged in contact with said second bladder, wherein said first bladder comprises a fluidized medium and wherein said second bladder comprises air, in combination with the other elements (or steps) of the apparatus and method recited in the claims.
With respect to claim 8, the subject matter of the independent claims could either not be found or was not suggested in the prior art of record. The subject matter not found was wherein said bladder comprises a first layer and a second layer; said first and second layers being connected along peripheral edges of said first and second layers, wherein said first and said second layer comprises a plurality of holes extending through said first and said second layer, and wherein said first and said second layers are connected along the perimeter of each hole, in combination with the other elements (or steps) of the apparatus and method recited in the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TARLA R PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-3143. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6-2:30PM.
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/TARLA R PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3786
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