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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/21/26 has been entered.
Rejections Withdrawn
1. The 35 U.S.C. 102(a) rejection of claims 1-9,11 anticipated by Leedom et al. has been withdrawn due to amendment filed on 1/21/26.
Rejections Repeated
2. The 35 U.S.C. 102(a) rejection of claims 12-14 anticipated by Juneau et al. has
been repeated as previously made in office action 4/10/25.
3. The 35 U.S.C. 103(a) rejection of claim 15 unpatentable over Juneau et al. has
been repeated as previously made in office action 4/10/25.
New Rejections
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
4. Claim(s) 1-9,11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leedom et al. in view of Vos et al. (US20210100508).
As to claim 1, Leedom et al. discloses a battery arrangement (figure 18 number
24) for a hearing device, comprising a case (96) for a battery, wherein the case
comprises a case bottom and a case top configured as a lid for the case bottom,
wherein a main chamber (102) is defined within the case for receiving the battery,
wherein a pre-chamber (above 102 that includes 96,20,100,98) is defined within the
case adjacent the main chamber (102), wherein one of a wiring and printed circuit board
(98,100,104,20) is electrically connected to the battery and led through the pre-chamber
out of the case, wherein the pre-chamber is filled with a filling material (104 is in a
mold).
Leedom et al. fail to disclose wherein the prechamber is filled with glue.
Vos et al. teaches wherein the prechamber is filled with glue for the purpose of environmentally protecting the inside of the cavity (paragraph 0121).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to provide Leedom et al. with wherein the prechamber is filled with glue for the purpose of environmentally protecting the inside of the cavity (paragraph 0121).
As to claim 2, Leedom et al. discloses wherein the pre-chamber has a first slot
toward the main chamber and a second slot leading out of the case for leading the one
of the wiring and the printed circuit board through (figure 18 number 98,100,104).
As to claim 3, Leedom et al. discloses wherein the first and second slots extend
to a top side of the case bottom (figure 18 number 74,98,100,104).
As to claim 4, Leedom et al. discloses wherein the first slot is oriented in a
tangential direction with regard to the main chamber (figure 18 number 98).
As to claim 5, Leedom et al. discloses wherein the pre-chamber extends to at
least one surface of the case in an assembled state thereof (figure 18 above number
102 including 96,20,100,98).
As to claim 6, Leedom et al. discloses wherein at least one of the main chamber
(figure 18 number 102) and the pre-chamber (figure 18 above number 102 including
96,20,100,98) is cylindrical with an essentially circular cross section.
As to claim 7, Leedom et al. discloses wherein the pre-chamber(figure 18 above number 102 including 96,20,100,98) is arranged adjacent a periphery of the cylindrical
main chamber (102).
As to claim 8, Leedom et al. discloses, wherein an axis of the cylindrical pre-
chamber (figure 18 above number 102 including 96,20,100,98) is in parallel with an axis
of the cylindrical main chamber (102).
As to claim 9, Leedom et al. discloses wherein the printed circuit board is a
flexible printed circuit board (paragraph 0055).
As to claim 11, Leedom et al. discloses a hearing device, comprising a battery
arrangement according to claim 1 (paragraph 0054).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-9,11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 1/21/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that Juneau does not disclose an accumulator. Juneau discloses a battery and by definition of an accumulator, it is defined as a storage battery therefore, Juneau discloses an accumulator.
In response to applicant’s argument that Juneau fail to disclose filling the prechamber with a filling member, Juneau discloses filling the cavity 74 which comprises the electronic components with the liquid polymeric or elastomeric material.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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/JANE J RHEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724