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 .
Claims 30-46 are pending.
Claims 41-46 are withdrawn from consideration.
Applicant’s arguments, see amendments/remarks, filed on February 27, 2026, with respect to claim rejections under 35 U.S.C §112(b) and the claim rejections under 35 U.S.C §103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 3,367,847 ("Pierson") in view of U.S. Patent No. 6,444,095 ("Evans") have been fully considered and are persuasive. The aforesaid claim rejections have been withdrawn.
The rejection of claims 30-40 stand rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over Claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. 12,134,592 is maintained for reasons of record as set forth in the office action dated October 27, 2025.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JAFAR F PARSA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1692