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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on 11/19/2021. It is noted that the foreign priority box was inadvertently checked in the non-final mailed on 10/01/2025 indicating that the certified copies of the priority documents have been received. This indication is hereby retracted. To date, the applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JP2021188538 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55. The priority claim remains unperfected until such a certified copy is provided.
Allowable Subject Matter
The previous indication of allowable subject matter of claims 1, 2, 4-16 , 17, 19-22 is hereby withdrawn. Upon further review of the claims in light of the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, it has been determined that the claims are indefinite and/or fails to meet the enablement/written description requirements as set forth below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-16 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Claim 1 is not fully supported by the specification. The specification [0093] state the fiber bundle density “can be” greater , which fails to provide a clear written description of this density as a required structural feature. Furthermore, the specification lacks the necessary details on how to achieve a higher density or how it is measured.
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 1, 2, 4-16 , 17, 19-22 are 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.
Claim 1 recites “a density of the plurality of fiber bundles in the second portion is higher than a density of the plurality of fiber bundles in the first portion”. However, the term “density” is used as a term of degree without defined metrics, units, or a clear methodology for measurement, making the scope of the claim ambiguous to one of ordinary skill in the art.
With regards to claim 17: The claim recites steps that result in a structure where the groove portions are formed at locations corresponding to the one or more recesses and where the groove portions divide the metal plate. The “corresponding to” and “divide” limitations are unclear and does not clearly define the structure , therefore the method steps are rendered indefinite.
Claim 22: The limitations including ”‘first groove portion is provided so as to intersect with a line segment of shortest distance between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer is ambiguous. The “shortest distance “ is not defined, nor are the points of measurement identified such that the metes and bounds of the claim can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON whose telephone number is (571)270-3208. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven B Gauthier can be reached at (571)270-0373. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
Prosecution Insights