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
Applicants’ election without traverse of Group II (claims 1-14) in the reply filed on 08/20/2026 is acknowledged.
Considering the amendment filed on 08/20/2026, claims 15-18 of Group III have been rejoined to Group II. Claims 1-18 have been examined as set forth below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 3-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fielder et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,250) in view of Barny et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,083).
Regarding claim 3: Fielder discloses a machine for manufacturing pressed board trays having a source of a continuous web of paperboard or fibreboard (Fig. 6; via continues web W from roller R) and means for feeding the web into the machine having a scoring and cutting cassette (Fig. 6; via scoring CS2) and a separate forming press (via FS2).
Fielder does not disclose the cutting means is separate from the scoring means. However, Barny discloses similar manufacturing machine with having both cutting and scoring as being two separate machines, see for example (Fig. 1; via creasing unit 5 and/or 18 separate from and followed by the cutting mechanism 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention, to have modified Fielder’s machine by separating the scoring and cutting mechanisms, as suggested by Barny, in order to improve the accuracy of the manufactured article (column 2, lines 18-21).
Regarding claims 4 & 15: the office takes official notice that a use of Decurl cassette in the packaging industry is old and well known, see for example (U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,943; Fig. 4; via 40), so that the web can be flattened/uncurled before entering the scoring cassette (intended use limitations).
Regarding claim 5: Barny discloses that the scoring cassette has a pair of rollers to score the web (Fig. 1; via the shown creasing rollers 17/18 of the crasing unit 5).
Regarding claim 6: Barny discloses that the cutting cassette has a pair of rollers to cut the web (Fig. 1; via the shown rollers of the cutting unit 7).
Regarding claims 7 & 13: the Office takes official notice that the use of magnetic parts to attract and precisely place elements in place is old, well known, and in use in different industries.
Regarding claim 8: Fielder discloses that the source of the web is provided by an unwinder having a roll drive wheel (Fig. 6; via the shown “Roll Stock” mechanism) capable of supporting a roll of paperboard or fibreboard and a guided pneumatic cylinder to raise and lower the roll drive wheel (intended use limitations).
Regarding claims 9 & 15-16: the roll drive wheel is driven by an electrical gearmotor acting on a large cast aluminium wheel bung (Fig. 6; inherently a motor with gear used in the loading station LS2 or other stations to pull and convey the web W out of roller R through the shown different stations).
Regarding claims 10 & 17: the Office takes an official notice that the use of sensor which generates a signal to automatically control the web feeding speed is very old and know in the packaging and web feeding arts to gain control and adjust the tension on the web and avoid web damaging.
Regarding claim 11: Barny discloses that the scoring cassette has a pair of rollers to score the web (Fig. 1; via rollers 17/18 in the creasing unit 5).
Regarding claim 12: Barny discloses the cutting cassette has a pair of rollers to cut the web (via the shown rollers of cutting unit 7).
Regarding claim 14: Fielder discloses that the forming press has a male form which can be moved hydraulically towards and away from the female form to allow the blank to be formed separately from pressing a flange around the tray, see for example (Figs. 3 & 5; via the vertical movements of 40 and/or 140).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Most of the cited arts in the PTO-892 clearly showing creasing, folding, cutting, and forming performed in separate modules, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 9126381, 7096529, 6913566, 6179763, and 6234943.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMEH TAWFIK whose telephone number is (571)272-4470. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelle Self can be reached at 571-272-4524. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMEH TAWFIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
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