UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND

144 Pages·2010·2.6 MB·English

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD

BESTWAY (USA), INC.,

Petitioner

v.

INTEX MARKETING LTD.,

Patent Owner

DECLARATION OF ALI M. SADEGH, PH.D.

Case No.: PGR2017-00003

Bestway Exhibit 1011-0001
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.  Introduction ...................................................................................................... 7 
II.  My Background and Qualifications ................................................................. 7 
A.  Education and Licenses ................................................................................... 8 
B.  Professional Experience .................................................................................. 8 
C.  Professional Organizations and Honors ........................................................ 10 
D.  Publications and Patents ................................................................................ 10 
III.  Materials Reviewed ....................................................................................... 11 
IV.  Legal Principles ............................................................................................. 13 
V.  Challenged Claims of the 240 Patent ............................................................ 19 
VI.  Person of Ordinary Skill in the Art ................................................................ 22 
VII.  The 240 Patent ............................................................................................... 23 
A.  Overview ........................................................................................................ 23 
B.  Exemplary Embodiments in the 240 Patent .................................................. 25 
C.  The Prosecution History of the 240 Patent .................................................... 31 
D.  Claim Construction ........................................................................................ 34 
VIII.  Prior Art ......................................................................................................... 37 
A.  Inflatable Structures ....................................................................................... 37 
1.  Bestway Inflatable Pools ........................................................... 38 
2.  U.S. Patent No. 5,924,144 to Peterson ...................................... 39 
3.  Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN 2064797U .... 40 
4.  Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN 202051615U 41 
5.  Chinese Patent No. CN 202151339U ....................................... 42 
B.  Fiber Reinforced Materials ............................................................................ 42 
1.  U.S. Patent No. 6,054,178 ......................................................... 43 
2.  U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0252320 .............................. 44 
3.  U.S. Patent Publ’n No. 2006/0292945 ...................................... 45 
4.  Bestway’s Above Ground Pools Catalog .................................. 46 
5.  Chinese Patent No. CN 202151339U ....................................... 48 
2
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0002
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
6.  U.S. Patent 6,588,028 ............................................................... 48 
7.  U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/040082A1 ........................... 49 
8.  Chinese Patent Application Publication No. CN 2676755Y .... 50 
9.  2006 Publication: Air-Inflated Fabric Structures .................... 51 
10.  2011 Textbook: Composite Materials ....................................... 52 
IX.  Analogous Art ................................................................................................ 52 
X.  Ground 1: Claims 1-7 and 17 are invalid as obvious over Peterson in view of
Fireman. ................................................................................................................... 52 
A.  Independent claim 1 is invalid. ...................................................................... 53 
“An inflatable product comprising: a first wall; a
second wall;” ............................................................................. 53 
“an inflatable air chamber defined by the first wall
and the second wall;” ................................................................ 55 
“a plurality of tensioning structures located in the
air chamber and coupled to the first wall and the
second wall” .............................................................................. 55 
“each tensioning structure including: at least one
attachment sheet having an outer perimeter;”........................... 56 
“a porous sheet coupled to the at least one
attachment sheet, the porous sheet having an outer
perimeter that substantially overlaps the outer
perimeter of the at least one attachment sheet, the
porous sheet including a plurality of enclosed
pores located entirely within the outer perimeter of
the at least one attachment sheet and a plurality of
frame members that intersect to define the plurality
of enclosed pores” ..................................................................... 57 
1.  Fireman Disclosed this Limitation ............................................ 58 
2.  Motivation to Combine Peterson with Fireman ........................ 60 
B.  Dependent claim 2 is invalid. ........................................................................ 63 
“wherein the plurality of frame members of the
porous sheet cooperate to define a screen.” .............................. 63 
3
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0003
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
C.  Dependent claim 3 is invalid. ........................................................................ 64 
“wherein the plurality of frame members of the
porous sheet are arranged in a grid pattern.” ............................ 64 
D.  Dependent claim 4 is invalid. ........................................................................ 64 
“wherein the porous sheet includes a plurality of
open spaces that are partially surrounded by the
frame members.” ....................................................................... 65 
E.  Dependent claim 5 is invalid. ........................................................................ 65 
“wherein the at least one attachment sheet has a
lower melting point than the porous sheet.” ............................. 66 
F.  Dependent claim 6 is invalid. ........................................................................ 67 
“wherein the at least one attachment sheet, the first
wall, and the second wall have similar melting
points.” ...................................................................................... 67 
G.  Dependent claim 7 is invalid. ........................................................................ 68 
“wherein the product is a pool, the first wall is an
internal wall of the pool, and the second wall is an
external wall of the pool, the spa further
comprising a bottom wall that cooperates with the
internal wall to define a water cavity.” ..................................... 68 
H.  Dependent claim 17 is invalid. ...................................................................... 69 
“wherein the at least one attachment sheet is
welded to the first wall along a first seam and
welded to the second wall along a second seam
and portions of the plurality of frame members
extend diagonally relative to the first and second
seams.” ...................................................................................... 69 
XI.  Ground 2: Claims 18-22 and 30 are invalid as obvious over Peterson in view
of Fireman and in further view of Guan 797. .......................................................... 73 
A.  Dependent claim 18 is invalid. ...................................................................... 73 
“wherein the first wall comprises an inner wall of
the inflatable product and the second wall
4
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0004
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
comprises an outer wall of the inflatable product,
further comprising a top wall and a bottom wall
cooperating with the inner and outer walls to
define the inflatable air chamber, each tensioning
structure and the top and bottom walls cooperate to
define gaps therebetween.” ....................................................... 74 
“wherein each tensioning structure includes a
plurality of notches cooperating with the top and
bottom walls to define the gaps.” .............................................. 77 
B.  Dependent claim 20 is invalid. ...................................................................... 79 
“wherein the plurality of tensioning structures
include upper and lower edges having notch-
defining portions defining the notches, and a
plurality of the frame members extend from the
first and second seams to the notch-defining
portions of the upper and lower edges.” ................................... 79 
C.  Dependent claim 21 is invalid. ...................................................................... 81 
“wherein the upper edge includes upper-most
portions positioned adjacent at least one of the
notch-defining portions, the lower edge includes
lower-most portions positioned adjacent at least
one of the notch-defining portions, a plurality of
the frame members terminate at the upper-most
portions, and a plurality of the frame members
terminate at the lower-most portions.” ..................................... 81 
“wherein the porous sheet includes a plurality of
open spaces that are partially surrounded by the
frame members and positioned along the notches.” ................. 83 
D.  Dependent claim 30 is invalid. ...................................................................... 84 
“wherein the bottom wall includes an annular
perimeter rim attached to the internal wall of the
pool, an upper layer attached to the annular
perimeter rim, and a lower layer attached to the
annular perimeter rim and the upper layer, a
majority of the upper layer being spaced apart
5
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0005
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
from the lower layer to define a space
therebetween.” ........................................................................... 84 
XII.  Ground 3: Claims 19-22 are invalid over Peterson in view of Fireman and
Guan 797 and in further view of Wang 615. ........................................................... 86 
A.  Dependent claim 19 is invalid. ...................................................................... 86 
“wherein each tensioning structure includes a
plurality of notches cooperating with the top and
bottom walls to define the gaps.” .............................................. 86 
B.  Dependent claim 20 is invalid. ...................................................................... 89 
“wherein the plurality of tensioning structures
include upper and lower edges having notch-
defining portions defining the notches, and a
plurality of the frame members extend from the
first and second seams to the notch-defining
portions of the upper and lower edges.” ................................... 89 
C.  Dependent claim 21 is invalid. ...................................................................... 90 
“wherein the upper edge includes upper-most
portions positioned adjacent at least one of the
notch-defining portions, the lower edge includes
lower-most portions positioned adjacent at least
one of the notch-defining portions, a plurality of
the frame members terminate at the upper-most
portions, and a plurality of the frame members
terminate at the lower-most portions.” ..................................... 90 
D.  Dependent claim 22 is invalid. ...................................................................... 92 
“wherein the porous sheet includes a plurality of
open spaces that are partially surrounded by the
frame members and positioned along the notches.” ................. 92 
XIII.  Compensation ................................................................................................ 93 
XIV.  Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 93 

6
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0006
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
I. INTRODUCTION
1. I, Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D., P.E., CMfgE, have been retained by
McDermott, Will & Emery LLP on behalf of Bestway (USA) Inc. (“Bestway” or
“Petitioner”) as an expert in the field of inflatable products.
2. I understand Bestway is challenging claims 1-7, 17-22 & 30 (the
“challenged claims”) of U.S. Patent No. 9,254,240 (“the 240 Patent”) in a petition
for post grant review.
3. I have been asked to provide an opinion on the validity of the
challenged claims. In my opinion, for the reasons in the following sections, the
challenged claims are invalid on the following grounds:
Claims 1-7 and 17 Obvious over U.S. Patent No. 5,924,144
(“Peterson”) in view of U.S. Patent
Publ’n No. 2004/040082A1 (“Fireman”)
Claims 18-22 and 30 Obvious over Peterson in view of
Fireman and in further view of
CN 2064797U (“Guan 797”)
Claims 19-22 Obvious over Peterson in view of
Fireman and Guan 797 and in further
view of CN 202051615U (“Wang 615”)

II. MY BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
4. My qualifications are reflected in my curriculum vitae, which is
attached to this declaration as Appendix A. The following is a brief summary.
7
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0007
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
A. Education and Licenses
5. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering
from Sharif University of Technology in 1972. I received a Master of Science
degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University in 1975. I
received a Ph.D. degree in Mechanics from Michigan State University in 1978.
6. After receiving my Ph.D., I completed my postdoctoral studies in
Applied Mechanics at the University of Michigan in 1979.
7. I have been a Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of
Michigan since 1982 and State of New York. Since 1988, I have been a Certified
Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE) in Design issued by the Society of
Manufacturing Engineers.
8. As a student of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, I studied—
among many other things—fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and
material science, with specialized studies in strength of materials and composites.
B. Professional Experience
9. I am currently the Director of the Center for Advanced Engineering
Design and Development and a tenured Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the
City College of the City University of New York (“CUNY”), where I teach both
undergraduate and graduate courses including strength of material design,
manufacturing and composite materials.
8
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0008
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
10. In 1982, I began working at CUNY as Assistant Professor in the
Department of Mechanical Engineering. I was granted tenure in 1987. I served as
Chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CUNY from 1993 until
1996. In 1999, I founded the Center for Advanced Engineering Design and
Development at CUNY, and I continue to serve as Director of the Center.
11. I have taught numerous university courses, including those set forth
on Page 16 of Appendix A. These have included, for example, Manufacturing
Processes and Materials, Composite Materials, Strength of Materials, Material Test
Laboratory, and Theory of Elasticity. I also supervise the work of undergraduate,
graduate, and post-doctoral students on projects, theses, and dissertations. This has
included supervising more than 150 senior design projects by more than 900
students. Additional information about this work appears on Pages 14-15 of
Appendix A.
12. From 1998 to 2013, I served as a Distinguished Faculty Fellow at
Office of Naval Research-ASEE, in the Summer Faculty Research Program,
performing research at Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), NAVY,
Newport, Rhode Island. As a Faculty Fellow, I investigated the composite
materials for a mast of submarine and micromechanics of fabric in inflated air
beams structures, and mechanics of air/water pressurized tubes.
9
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0009
PGR2017-00003
Declaration of Ali M. Sadegh, Ph.D.
C. Professional Organizations and Honors
13. I am a member of at least eleven professional societies, as listed on
Page 3 of Appendix A. For example, I am a Life Fellow of the American Society
of Mechanical Engineers and of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and a
member of the American Academy of Mechanics.
14. I have received a number of academic and professional honors, as set
forth on Page 2 of Appendix A.
D. Publications and Patents
15. I have authored or co-authored more than 181 publications, including
journal papers, books, book chapters, or refereed engineering or technical
publications, as set forth on Pages 16-31 of Appendix A. This has included being
an author and editor of “Marks Mechanical Engineering Handbook,” and “Roark’s
Formulas for Stress and Strain,” both books were published by McGraw-Hill. I
have served as a peer reviewer for more than twenty scientific journals, as set forth
on Page 7 of Appendix A.
16. I have participated in more than 100 presentations at major
engineering or technical conferences, including, for example, annual meetings of
the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the International Mechanical
Engineering Congress and Exposition, the U.S. National Congress of Theoretical
and Applied Mechanics, and the Composite World Conference. Additional
10
Bestway Exhibit 1011-0010
PGR2017-00003