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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/13/2021, 5/27/2022, 11/29/2022 was filed. 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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 3 depends upon itself. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14-16 rejected 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 or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 14-15 each recites the limitation " the mode conversion body" in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 14-15 each recites the limitation " the connection body" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR20130003152A.
Kim et al discloses a mode conversion coupler comprising: a waveguide (i.e. an elongated hollow body) for propagating the microwaves, the waveguide extending between a receiving end for receiving the microwaves and a transmitting end mountable to a chemical reactor for propagating the microwaves therein, the receiving end having a rectangular cross-sectional shape ( the cross-sectional shape is shown as a rectangular (including square) of the waveguide 110, ) and a microwave mode conversion input device(130) having a transmitting end having a circular cross-sectional shape (figure 1) , the waveguide and the microwave mode conversion input device being designed so as configured to convert a transverse (TE) mode of propagation for the microwaves at the receiving end thereof into a linearly polarized (LP) mode of propagation for the microwaves at the transmitting end thereof ( A TE mode of input microwaves is converted into a TEM mode by the microwave mode conversion input device (abstract)) ; and a dielectric 131 (i.e. a barrier body) inserted into the mode conversion input device for isolating the receiving end of the waveguide from the transmitting end of the mode conversion input device.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4-13 and 17-20 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLY E GLENN whose telephone number is (571)272-1761. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrea Lindgren Baltzell can be reached at 571-272-5918. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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June 12, 2026
/K.E.G/Examiner, Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843
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