`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`
`BESTWAY (USA), INC.,
`
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`INTEX MARKETING LTD.,
`
`Patent Owner
`
`
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 9,156,203
`
`Case No. IPR2017-01396
`
`
`
`
`
`Mail Stop Patent Board
`Patent Trial and Appeal Board
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`I. 
`
`Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 
`
`II.  Mandatory Notices (37 C.F.R. § 42.8) ............................................................ 1 
`
`A. 
`
`B. 
`
`C. 
`
`Real Parties-in-Interest (§ 42.8(b)(1)) ................................................... 1 
`
`Related Matters (§ 42.8(b)(2)) .............................................................. 2 
`
`Counsel Information (§ 42.8(b)(3)) ....................................................... 2 
`
`III. 
`
`Payment of Fees (37 C.F.R. § 42.15(a)) .......................................................... 3 
`
`IV.  Grounds for Standing (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a)) ................................................ 3 
`
`V. 
`
`Background of the ’203 Patent ........................................................................ 4 
`
`A. 
`
`B. 
`
`C. 
`
`Introduction ........................................................................................... 4 
`
`Claims .................................................................................................... 8 
`
`Prosecution History ............................................................................. 11 
`
`1. 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`Non-Final Office Action ........................................................... 11 
`
`Applicant’s Amendment ........................................................... 15 
`
`Series of Prior Art Documents Submitted After
`Allowance ................................................................................. 15 
`
`D. 
`
`Priority Date ........................................................................................ 16 
`
`VI.  Background of the Technology ..................................................................... 17 
`
`A. 
`
`B. 
`
`Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art ..................................................... 17 
`
`State of the Art .................................................................................... 17 
`
`VII.  Prior Art References ...................................................................................... 25 
`
`VIII.  Claim Construction (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(3)) ............................................ 26 
`
`A. 
`
`Intex’s Claim Construction in the ITC and District Court .................. 26 
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`B. 
`
`Broadest Reasonable Construction ..................................................... 28 
`
`1. 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`weld strip / weld strip materials ................................................ 28 
`
`tensile sheet / tensile sheet material .......................................... 31 
`
`Claim 15: “the welder” ............................................................. 32 
`
`IX.  Grounds of Rejection (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(1)-(2), (4)) ............................ 32 
`
`A.  Ground 1: Claims 1 and 6-29 are invalid as anticipated
`by Pennel. ............................................................................................ 33 
`
`1. 
`
`2. 
`
`3. 
`
`4. 
`
`5. 
`
`6. 
`
`7. 
`
`8. 
`
`9. 
`
`Independent claim 1 is invalid. ................................................. 33 
`
`Independent claims 12, 19, and 24 are also invalid .................. 44 
`
`Dependent claim 6 is invalid..................................................... 45 
`
`Dependent claim 7 is invalid..................................................... 46 
`
`Dependent claim 8 is invalid..................................................... 48 
`
`Dependent claim 9 is invalid..................................................... 50 
`
`Dependent claim 10 is invalid. .................................................. 52 
`
`Dependent claim 11 is invalid. .................................................. 53 
`
`Dependent claims 13-15 are invalid ......................................... 55 
`
`10.  Dependent Claim 16 is invalid .................................................. 56 
`
`11.  Dependent Claims 17 and 18 are invalid .................................. 58 
`
`12.  Dependent Claims 20-22 are invalid ........................................ 59 
`
`13.  Dependent Claim 23 is invalid .................................................. 59 
`
`14.  Dependent claims 25-28 are invalid ......................................... 61 
`
`15.  Dependent Claim 29 is invalid .................................................. 63 
`
`B. 
`
`Ground 2: Claims 1 and 6-29 are invalid as obvious over
`Pennel in view of GB’023. .................................................................. 64 
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`1. 
`
`Ground 2 is not Duplicative ...................................................... 65 
`
`2.  Motivation to Combine ............................................................. 65 
`
`3. 
`
`4. 
`
`5. 
`
`Independent Claims 1, 12, 19, and 24: ..................................... 66 
`
`Claim 6: The parallel and cross strands would have
`been obvious over Pennel in view of GB’023 .......................... 70 
`
`Remaining Dependent Claims .................................................. 72 
`
`C. 
`
`Ground 3: Claims 6, 13-18, & 20-23 are invalid as
`obvious over Pennel in view of GB’023 and Stutz. ............................ 72 
`
`1. 
`
`Ground 3 is not Duplicative ...................................................... 72 
`
`2.  Motivation to Combine ............................................................. 73 
`
`3. 
`
`4. 
`
`5. 
`
`6. 
`
`7. 
`
`8. 
`
`Claim 6 would have been obvious. ........................................... 74 
`
`Claim 13: The method of claim 12, wherein the
`“...weld strips are substantially parallel to the
`tensile sheet material during the steps of
`positioning the ... weld strips on the first and
`second sides of the tensile sheet material.” ............................... 76 
`
`Claim 14: The method of claim 12, wherein the
`“first and third weld strips are substantially
`coplanar during the steps of positioning...” .............................. 76 
`
`Claim 15: The method of claim 12, wherein the
`“tensile sheet material is substantially planar ...” ..................... 76 
`
`Claim 20: “further comprising the step of
`advancing the tensile sheet relative to the first and
`second weld strips.” .................................................................. 79 
`
`Claim 21: “wherein the tensile sheet moves
`relative to a welder and the first and second weld
`strips are stationary relative to the welder during
`the advancing step.” .................................................................. 79 
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`9. 
`
`Claim 22: “wherein a portion of the tensile sheet is
`parallel to the first and second weld strips before
`the steps of welding the first and second weld
`strips together with the tensile sheet.” ...................................... 79 
`
`10.  Claim 23: “The method of claim 22, wherein the
`air mattress is adapted to position a majority of the
`tensile sheets perpendicular to the first, second,
`third, and fourth weld strips when the air mattress
`is inflated” ................................................................................. 80 
`
`X. 
`
`Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 81 
`
`
`
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`EXHIBIT LIST
`
`Description
`Exhibit No. Short Name
`U.S. Patent No. 9,156,203
`1001
`’203 Patent
`U.S. Patent No. 3,683,431
`1002
`Pennel
`U.S. Patent No. 573,122
`1003
`Young
`U.S. Patent No. 2,549,597
`1004
`Harris
`U.S. Patent No. 7,694,372
`1005
`Boyd 372
`1006
`PCT Priority Document File History for Application No.
`PCT/US/2012-042079
`U.S. Patent No. 486,696
`G.B. Patent No. 313,023
`U.S. Patent No. 3,379,596
`U.S. Patent No. 3,030,245
`U.S. Patent No. 5,490,295
`U.S. Patent No. 2,753,573
`Chinese Patent CN2676755Y
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Ali Sadegh
`File History for Application No. 13/668,799
`File History for Application No. 14/444,337
`2017-02-16 Patent Owner Preliminary
`Response in PGR2017-00003
`2016-12-08 Intex Proposed List of Terms
`for Construction
`
`1007
`1008
`1009
`1010
`1011
`1012
`1013
`1014
`1015
`1016
`1017
`
`1018
`
`Curlin
`GB’023
`Stutz
`Greiner
`Boyd
`Barker
`Wang
`Sadegh Decl.
`’773 File History
`’203 File History
`Patent Owner
`Preliminary Response
`Plaintiff’s Proposed
`Claim Terms for
`Construction
`Plaintiff’s Infringement
`Contentions
`
`1019
`
`1020
`
`1021
`
`1022
`
`1023
`
`2016-09-30 Intex Prelim Infringement
`Contentions 16-cv-3300 and accompanying
`Exhibits A-D.
`ITC Exhibit 027 (’203 Claim Charts)
`
`ITC Exhibit 27 - ’203
`Infringement Claim
`Chart
`ITC Exhibit 069 (’203 Claim Charts)
`ITC Exhibit 69 - ’203
`Domestic Industry Claim
`Chart
`Complaint for Patent
`Infringement
`’203 Assignments
`
`Intex v. Bestway, No. 16-cv-03300 (C.D.
`Cal. filed May 13, 2016)
`All USPTO assignment records for the
`’203 Patent
`
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`Petitioner Bestway (USA), Inc. (“Bestway” or “Petitioner”) requests inter
`
`partes review of claims 1 and 6-29 (the “challenged claims”) of U.S. Patent No.
`
`9,156,203 (“the ’203 Patent”), attached as Exhibit 1001. Public records indicate
`
`that Intex Marketing Ltd. (“Intex” or “Patent Owner”) holds rights to the
`
`’203 Patent. (See Ex. 1023).
`
`For the reasons that follow, there is a reasonable likelihood that Petitioner
`
`will prevail with respect to at least one claim challenged in this petition.
`
`I. Introduction
`
`The challenged claims of the ’203 Patent are invalid as anticipated and
`
`rendered obvious by known inflatable structures, related materials, and methods of
`
`making such materials that have been used and were well known in the art since
`
`long before March 2, 2012, the earliest priority date of the ’203 Patent. Although
`
`the ’203 Patent claims improvements to the method for producing internal
`
`tensioning structures for inflatable products, the claimed methods were known or
`
`would have been obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art prior to the earliest
`
`filing date of the ’203 Patent.
`
`II. Mandatory Notices (37 C.F.R. § 42.8)
`
`A. Real Parties-in-Interest (§ 42.8(b)(1))
`
`Bestway (USA), Inc., Bestway Global Holdings, Inc., Bestway (Hong Kong)
`
`International, Ltd., Bestway Inflatables & Materials Corp., Bestway (Hong Kong)
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`Enterprise Co. Ltd., and Bestway (Nantong) Recreation Corp. are the real parties-
`
`in-interest.
`
`B. Related Matters (§ 42.8(b)(2))
`
`Although the ’203 Patent is no longer the subject of any other pending
`
`matters, Patent Owner Intex and its related entity, Intex Recreation Corp., have
`
`asserted two unrelated patents in two district court proceedings that are pending in
`
`the Central District of California: Civil Action No. 2:16-cv-03950 (U.S. Patent
`
`No. 9,254,240) and Civil Action No. 2:16-cv-03483 (U.S. Patent No. 6,568,011).
`
`Although these cases do not involve patents directly related to the ’203 Patent, the
`
`patents are owned by Intex and relate to inflatable products. (Id.). Those pending
`
`cases have been joined for discovery purposes and are stayed pending resolution of
`
`companion post-grant proceedings discussed below.
`
`Also pending is PGR2017-00003 for U.S. Patent No. 9,254,240 (the patent
`
`asserted in Civil Action No. 2:16-cv-03950 listed above) and IPR2017-00848 for
`
`U.S. Patent No. 6,568,011 (the patent asserted in Civil Action No. 2:16-cv-03483
`
`listed above).
`
`Petitioner is unaware of any other pending matters that would affect, or be
`
`affected by, a decision in this proceeding.
`
`C. Counsel Information (§ 42.8(b)(3))
`
`Lead counsel is Michael P. Chu. Back-up counsel is Brian A. Jones.
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`Powers of attorney accompany this petition. Petitioner consents to service by
`
`email. Please send all correspondence to lead and back-up counsel at the addresses
`
`provided in the signature block of this petition.
`
`Lead Counsel
`Michael P. Chu, Reg. No. 37,112
`MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY
`444 W. Lake Street
`Chicago, IL 60606
`Telephone: (312) 984-5485
`Fax: (312) 984-7700
`Email: mchu@mwe.com
`
`
`Backup Counsel
`Brian A. Jones, Reg. No. 68,770
`MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY
`444 W. Lake Street
`Chicago, IL 60606
`Telephone: (312) 984-7694
`Fax: (312) 984-7700
`Email: bajones@mwe.com
`
`III. Payment of Fees (37 C.F.R. § 42.15(a))
`
`Petitioner authorizes the Office to charge the filing fee specified by 37
`
`C.F.R. § 42.15(a), and any other necessary fee, to Deposit Account No. 50-0417.
`
`IV. Grounds for Standing (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a))
`
`Petitioner certifies that it has standing to request and is not barred from
`
`requesting a inter partes review of the ’203 Patent pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 311.
`
`Neither Petitioner nor any privy of Petitioner has filed any civil action challenging
`
`the validity of any claim of the ’203 Patent or previously requested a post grant
`
`review or inter partes review of the ’203 Patent. Petitioner also certifies that it
`
`files this petition less than one year after the date on which Petitioner (or its privies
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`or real parties in interest) was served with a complaint alleging infringement of the
`
`’203 Patent. 35 U.S.C. § 315(b).
`
`V. Background of the ’203 Patent
`
`A. Introduction
`
`The ’203 Patent is purportedly directed to an improved manufacturing
`
`method for creating internal tensioning structures that are used in inflatable
`
`mattresses. As the background section recognizes, internal structures were used in
`
`inflatable products “in order to form the product into its intended, predetermined
`
`shape upon inflation.” (Ex. 1001, ’203 Patent, at 1:27-29). “In conventional
`
`inflatable products . . . tension bands are made of PVC sheets.” (Id. at 1:52-54).
`
`These tension bands were known to have various forms, including “a wave-shaped,
`
`straight-strip or I-shaped” form or were in the form of “honeycomb-shaped or
`
`cylindrical structures within the inflatable cavity.” (Id. at 1:30-36).
`
`The ’203 Patent purportedly teaches an improved type of internal
`
`“tensioning structure.” The alleged improvement is a tensioning structure formed
`
`from “a pair of plastic strips sheets [six] via spaced-apart strands, such as strings or
`
`wires.” (Id. at 2:12-14). The patent explains the advantage of this type of
`
`tensioning structure over previously-known PVC sheets is that they “are
`
`lightweight and occupy minimal volume when the device is deflated and packed
`
`away, while also functioning as a strong and durable internal support upon
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`inflation and use of the inflatable device.” (Id. at 6:10-13).
`
`The patent describes three basic embodiments for the disclosed tensioning
`
`structures: (1) Weld Strips Joined by Spaced-Apart Strands (id. at 6:39-12:39);
`
`(2) Sheet-Backed Tensioning Structures with Affixed Strands (id. at 12:40-15:13);
`
`and (3) Weld Strips Joined by V-Shaped Strands. (Id. at 15:14-18:20).
`
`For example, Figure 2 shows an example of a tensioning structure with weld
`
`strips (31) placed across spaced apart strands (32):
`
`
`
`The exemplary embodiment of Figure 7 shows one method of manufacturing
`
`such tensioning structures, where strands from thread supply (11) are aligned by a
`
`strand guide (A) and pairs of weld strips (31) are placed above and below the
`
`aligned strands and attached thereto:
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`(Ex. 1001, ’203 Patent, at 11:7-31). The resulting bulk material may then be cut to
`
`the desired shape in order to form the resulting tensioning structures shown above
`
`in Figure 2. (Id. at 11:61-12:6).
`
`In another example, Figure 15 shows sheet-backed tensioning structure
`
`material with affixed strands, where full sheet (131) is on one side of the spaced-
`
`apart strands (32) while strips (31) are on the opposite side of strands (32):
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`(Ex. 1001, Fig. 15). This is in contrast to tensioning structure material where both
`
`sides of the strands (32) are backed with full sheets of material (131) as shown in
`
`
`
`Figure 14:
`
`In another example, Figures 25 and 26 show one of the V-shaped
`
`alternatives, where single strand 532 is arranged in a V-shaped pattern between
`
`spaced-apart pairs of strips 31 and 31’:
`
`
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`(Id. at 15:15-22 & Figs. 25-26).
`
`B. Claims
`
`All claims of the ’203 Patent are method claims. Claim 1, 12, 19, and 24 are
`
`independent claims that recite a multi-step method for producing tensioning
`
`structures and attaching them to an inflatable product. Claim 1 is representative of
`
`all of the independent claims:
`
`1. A method for producing an air mattress comprising the steps of
`providing an upper sheet made of weldable plastic,
`providing a lower sheet made of weldable plastic,
`providing a side wall made of weldable plastic,
`providing a plurality of tensioning structures, each tensioning
`structure including at least one tensile sheet having a first side, a
`second side, and plurality of holes extending through the tensile sheet
`from the first side to the second side and a plurality of weld strips
`including
`
`a first weld strip positioned on the first side of the
`tensile sheet,
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`a second weld strip positioned on the second side
`of said tensile sheet, the first and second weld strips
`welded together with said tensile sheet positioned
`between the first and second strips,
`a third weld strip positioned on the first side of
`said tensile sheet, and
`a fourth weld strip positioned on the second side of
`said tensile sheet, the third and fourth weld strips welded
`together with said tensile sheet positioned between the
`third and fourth strips,
`welding the plurality of tensioning structures to the upper sheet
`by welding at least one of the first and second weld strips to the upper
`sheet,
`
`welding the plurality of tensioning structures to the lower sheet
`by welding at least one of the third and fourth weld strips to the lower
`sheet,
`
`creating an inflatable chamber defined by the upper sheet, lower
`sheet, and side wall by the steps of coupling the side wall to the upper
`sheet, and
`coupling the side wall to the lower sheet, and providing a valve
`in communication with the inflatable chamber to facilitate inflation
`and deflation of the air mattress.
`
`(Ex. 1001, 203 Patent, at 18:53-19:21). Generally, all of the independent claims
`
`describe a method for producing an air mattress by assembling “internal tensioning
`
`structures,” welding them to upper and lower sheets made of weldable plastic, and
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`creating an inflatable chamber defined by the sheets of weldable plastic. The
`
`independent claims have nearly identical scope, with only minor differences in the
`
`wording. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 37).
`
`For example, independent claim 12 adds a limitation that the weld strips,
`
`like the mattress itself, be “made of weldable plastic” and a limitation that “a
`
`plurality of tensioning structures” be used in the mattress. (Id. at 20:1-20:39). The
`
`tensioning structures of claim 12 are broader in that they are not limited to a tensile
`
`sheet with a “plurality of holes,” as is claim 1. Aside from those minor
`
`differences, claim 12 has the same scope as claim 1. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl.,
`
`¶ 38).
`
`Independent claim 19 also has no appreciable differences to claim 12, even
`
`though claim 19 requires that the tensioning structures be assembled “after
`
`providing the at least one tensile sheet.” (Id. at 21:6-44). Because assembling the
`
`tensioning structure must necessarily occur after providing materials, this recitation
`
`does not narrow the scope as compared to claims 1 and 12. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh
`
`Decl., ¶ 39).
`
`Finally, independent claim 24 also has no significant difference to the other
`
`independent claims except that it recites a plurality of holes that extend “through
`
`the tensile sheet material from the first side to the second side.” (Id. at 22:1-39).
`
`As any “hole” in a sheet must necessarily extend through one side of the sheet to
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`the other, this additional language does not meaningfully narrow the scope as
`
`compared to the other independent claims. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 40).
`
`As discussed in more detail in the grounds below, the dependent claims add
`
`structural limitations for the positioning, shape, and orientation of the various weld
`
`strips and tensile sheet material. (See Ex. 1001, at 19:35-67, 20:40-20:67, 21:45-
`
`58, 22:40-57).
`
`C. Prosecution History
`
`The application leading to the ’203 Patent was filed on July 28, 2014 with
`
`twenty-nine method claims. (Ex. 1016, ’203 File History, at 840-915). As
`
`discussed in more detail below, the prosecution history was very short, with the
`
`first office action allowing essentially all of the claims.
`
`1. Non-Final Office Action
`
`The Examiner issued a non-final office action, rejecting claims 1-11 and 19-
`
`23 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 regards as the invention. (Id. at 505-10). The examiner did not
`
`make any rejections under § 102 or § 103. (Id.). Instead, the examiner simply
`
`allowed claims 12-18 and 24-29 and indicated that the remaining claims would
`
`also be allowed if amended to correct the “minor issues of clarity.” (Id. at 508).
`
`The examiner explained that U.S. Patent No. 7,694,372 to Boyd was the closest art
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`of record. (Id.). The examiner explained that Boyd 372 taught a “method for
`
`producing an air mattress in which tensioning structures 80 are used to connect top
`
`and bottom layers” and that Boyd’s tensioning structures “may comprise a fabric
`
`secured to vinyl welding strips 90.” (Ex. 1016, File History, at 509 (citing Ex.
`
`1005, Boyd 372, at 5:11-41, Fig. 4)).
`
`
`
`(Ex. 1005, Boyd 372, at Fig. 4).
`
`Surprisingly, the examiner determined, without discussing in detail any
`
`disclosures in the prior art, that neither Boyd 372 nor any of the other cited
`
`references disclosed the allowed subject matter: (1) two sets of opposing, spaced
`
`apart weld strips (first/second and third/fourth) with a tensile strands/sheet
`
`sandwiched between them and (2) welding the tensioning structures to the upper
`
`and lower sheets in the claimed manner. (Ex. 1016, File History, at 509). The
`
`examiner did not address, for example, Figure 5A of Boyd 372, which shows how
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`spaced apart strips of material (94) with opposing edges (98) have a plurality of
`
`threads (96) sandwiched in-between:
`
`
`
`(Ex. 1005, Boyd 372, at 5:51-65; Fig. 5A). Nor did the examiner explain why
`
`Boyd’s tensioning structures in Figure 4 did not disclose the claimed structures,
`
`even though Boyd 372 disclosed a middle section (92) “preferably composed of a
`
`stretch fabric material, such as spandex or certain polyester materials” attached to
`
`spaced-apart strips or “bases 90 [] made of a vinyl material to facilitate seaming to
`
`the layers of the mattress in a known manner.” (Id. at 14-46, Fig. 4).
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`Similarly, while the examiner listed U.S. Patent No. 573,122 to Young (Ex.
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`1003); U.S. Patent No. 2,549,597 to Harris (Ex. 1004); and Great Britain Patent
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`No. 313023A (Ex. 1008, GB’023) as pertinent, he inexplicably determined,
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`without addressing any of the teachings in the references, that these references
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`failed to disclose the allowable subject matter. (Ex. 1016, File History, at 509).
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`For example, the examiner did not substantively address Figure 7 of GB’023,
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`which disclosed a porous fabric sheet (g) sandwiched between two sets of
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`opposing, spaced apart weld strips (j) that is used as a tensioning structure in an
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`inflatable mattress:
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`(Ex. 1008, GB’023, at Fig. 6). Nor did the examiner substantively address Figure
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`3 of Young, which disclosed a tension-bearing member that is sandwiched between
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`two strips of rubber material (m) and attached to the inner surface of the mattress:
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`(Ex. 1003, Young, at p.1, ll.60-68 and Fig. 3). The examiner provided no
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`reasoning for why the claimed subject matter was nevertheless allowable over any
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`of these teachings in the prior art. (Ex. 1016, ’203 File History, at 509).
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`2. Applicant’s Amendment
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`In response to the office action, applicant amended claims 1, 2, and 19 as
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`suggested by the examiner. (Id. at 493-99). The applicant made no other
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`amendments or significant remarks, except to identify additional prior art in a
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`supplemental IDS. (Id.).
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`3.
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`Series of Prior Art Documents Submitted After Allowance
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`Since the examiner’s initial identification of allowable subject matter, the
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`applicant and a third party provided a number of submissions of prior art
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`documents. (Ex. 1016, File History, at 423-427 (identifying 21 references); id. at
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`337-417 (identifying 7 references in a third party submission and providing a
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`concise description of their relevance under 37 C.F.R. 1.290); id. at 135-137
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`(identify 8 references); id. at 87-90 (identifying 21 references)). Without
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`comment, the examiner initialed each submission and simply reissued the very
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`same notice of allowance that he originally issued on May 22, 2015, even repeating
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`the same “examiner’s amendment” that had already been entered. (Compare Ex.
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`1016, at 312 with Ex. 1016 at 72). The issue fee was paid and the patent issued on
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`October 13, 2015. (Id. at 60-61).
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`D. Priority Date
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`The ’203 Patent claims priority to PCT/US2012/042079, filed on Jun. 12,
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`2012, which claims priority to a series of foreign utility model applications filed on
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`March 2, 2012. (Ex. 1001, at 1:6-14). Thus, the earliest available priority date is
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`March 2, 2012. However, not all of the claimed subject matter of the ’203 Patent
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`finds priority to the PCT application or the foreign utility model applications.
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`(Compare Ex. 1016, ’203 File History, at 876-909, with Ex. 1006, PCT Priority
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`Document, at 70-110). In particular, the following text was added with the filing
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`of the application leading to the ’203 Patent that was not part of the original PCT
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`application: (Ex. 1001, at 2:32-4:19, 7:10-44, 11:18-31, 11:52, 11:66-12:4, &
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`15:31-38).
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`VI. Background of the Technology
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`A. Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art
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`A person of ordinary skill in the art would have at least a bachelor’s degree
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`in mechanical engineering, or an equivalent field, and two to four years of practical
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`experience in product design, manufacturing, and related materials. (Ex. 1015,
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`Sadegh Decl., ¶¶ 42-43).
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`B. State of the Art
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`Using internal tensioning structures in inflatable products has been well
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`known in the art since the late 1800s. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 62). For
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`example, S. Curlin received a patent in 1892 for a “means whereby the bed or other
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`article shall, when inflated, be maintained in proper shape, and whereby the air or
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`other fluid within it shall be securely retained against leakage or escape.” (Ex.
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`1007, Curlin, at p.1, ll.21-26). Mr. Curlin referred to his internal shape-retaining
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`structures as sectional “stay-strips” that were attached together inside the mattress,
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`as shown below by the indentations in Figure 1 and by D in the cross sectional
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`view of Fig. 3:
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`Over the years that followed, countless forms, shapes, styles, and materials
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`for tensioning structures became known, and even the ’203 Patent recognized the
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`well-known extent of such tensioning structures. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 63).
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`For example, the ’203 Patent explains that it was already known to use belt-like or
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`sheet-like plastic material, such as poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC), for the internal
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`tensioning structures of a mattress. (Ex. 1001, at 1:27-36). The disadvantage of
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`using full sheets of PVC for the tensioning structures, the ’203 Patent states, is that
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`PVC is heavy and increases the thickness and compressed volume of the resulting
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`mattress. (Id. at 1:65-2:3). To solve this alleged problem, the patent recommends
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`using strings or wires that are formed between pairs of PVC “strips.” By using
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`“strips” of PVC instead of full sheets, less material is required and allows for a
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`lighter and less bulky internal structure. (Id. at 2:7-18).
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`This type of less-bulky tensioning structure—adhesive strips separated by
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`threads in-between—was also well known in the art, long before the earliest
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`priority date of the ’203 Patent. (Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 64). For example, as
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`shown in a patent from 1928, (GB313023 to Harris), it was known to form
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`tensioning structures from paired strips of material (j) joined together with porous
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`material (g) sandwiched in-between, as shown in Figure 6 of GB’023:
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`(Ex. 1008, Fig. 6).
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`Similarly, U.S. Patent 3,683,431 to Pennel disclosed a method of creating
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`internal tensioning structures (“ties”) for inflatable products whereby threads are
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`attached to and sandwiched between spaced-apart pairs of adhesive strips
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`(“bands”). (E.g., Ex. 1002, at 2:48-62, 3:63-65, Fig. 1). Pennel shows in Figure 2
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`a detailed view of an exemplary embodiment of such a tensioning structure with
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`thread or threads (11) between spaced apart pairs of weld strips (6, 12 and 7, 13):
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`
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`(Ex. 1002, at Fig. 2). As shown above in Figure 2, both ends of each segment or
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`loop of thread (11) are sandwiched between two strips of material. (Id. at 2:48-62,
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`3:63-65, Fig. 2; Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 65).
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`Again, U.S. Patent No. 5,490,295 to Boyd discloses numerous
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`configurations of internal tensioning structures made from tension-holding material
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`(31C) sandwiched between strips of weldable material (39), where the strips of
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`weldable material are also attached to the walls of the mattress (17 and 19) as
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`shown below:
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`
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`(Ex. 1011, at Fig. 10; Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 66).
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`As was known in the art, numerous types of materials could be used for
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`internal tensioning structures. Strands of yarn, porous fabrics, PVC, reinforced
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`laminates, etc., are just some examples of useful materials—known prior to the
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`earliest filing date of the ’203 Patent—that could be used to hold the tension
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`created by an internal tensioning structure:
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`Barker (Ex. 1012)
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`(disclosing tensioning structures made
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`of aligned strands attached to the top
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`and bottom of an inflatable mattress)
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`GB’023 (Ex. 1008)
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`(disclosing tensioning structures made
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`of porous cotton or other fabric
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`sandwiched between rubberized strips
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`for attaching to the top and bottom of
`
`an inflatable mattress)
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`Boyd 372 (Ex. 1005)
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`Fig. 4; 1:19-32; 5:11-46 (disclosing
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`tensioning structures made from strips
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`of base material 90 with fabric sheets
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`92 of cotton or elastic material
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`between)
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`Wang (Ex. 1013)
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`(disclosing tensioning structures made
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`from reinforced laminate of nylon mesh
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`covered on both sides by PVC)
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`(Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶¶ 67-68).
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`Indeed, even Patent Owner has recognized that methods of making
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`numerous types of internal tensioning structures were well-known in the art. (Ex.
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`1017, at 19-28 (collecting examples of prior art tensioning structures and
`
`corresponding materials); Ex. 1014, Sadegh Decl., ¶ 69).
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`In addition to specific tensioning structures, the prior art taught methods of
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`manufacturing various types of materials suitable for use as internal tensioning
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`structures in inflatable prod