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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/30/25 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claims 4, 5, and 9-11 are objected to because they depend on claim 3 which has been cancelled. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shimizu (WO 2014020953) (claims are mapped to the English translation provided).
Claim 16. Shimizu discloses an apparatus for heating a cigarette (aerosolizable material), the apparatus comprising a heater 131 (heating arrangement) housing part 401 (heating zone) comprising an inner tube 105 for receiving a cigarette ([47]; Figures 21-23). Battery unit 49 (power zone) comprises a rechargeable battery 29 for providing power to the heating zone ([44]; Figure 21). Components of a driving circuit are mounted on a printed circuit board 137 (control circuitry) ([43]; Figure 18). Battery unit 49 (power zone) and the printed circuit board 137 (control circuitry) are arranged in sequence in a direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of the apparatus. The housing part 401 (heating zone) is arranged adjacent to and substantially parallel with the battery unit 49 (power zone) and the printed circuit board 137 (control circuitry) (Figures 21-28).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, 6-8, 12-15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art is Shimizu (WO 2014020953). Shimizu discloses an apparatus for heating a cigarette (aerosolizable material), the apparatus comprising a heater 131 (heating arrangement) housing part 401 (heating zone) comprising an inner tube 105 for receiving a cigarette ([47]; Figures 21-23). Battery unit 49 (power zone) comprises a rechargeable battery 29 for providing power to the heating zone ([44]; Figure 21). Components of a driving circuit are mounted on a printed circuit board 137 (control circuitry) ([43]; Figure 18). Battery unit 49 (power zone) and the printed circuit board 137 (control circuitry) are arranged in sequence in a direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of the apparatus. The housing part 401 (heating zone) is arranged adjacent to and substantially parallel with the battery unit 49 (power zone) and the printed circuit board 137 (control circuitry) (Figures 21-28). Shimizu does not disclose wherein the control circuitry comprises a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) that are arranged substantially in parallel in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Katherine A Will whose telephone number is (571)270-0516. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10:00AM-6:00PM(EST).
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/KATHERINE A WILL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1747