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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 16-31 in the reply filed on 3/27/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 16-17, 19-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Matsumoto et al. (JP20140190611A from IDS).
Regarding claim 16, Matsumoto discloses Matsumoto discloses a cooking compartment insert (top part removed/inserted in figure 4) being configured to be plate-shaped and comprising: a base plate 40; a heating element 20 arranged on an underside of the base plate 40, the heating element being arranged on a side that is remote from the underside of the base plate such that, at least in one region, the heating element 20 is exposed downward (figure 4); and a delimitation web 50a-d formed on the underside and having at least one region which borders the heating element peripherally, said delimitation web 50a-d arranged to overlap with the heating element in a direction of height of the cooking compartment insert such that a lateral protection against touching the heating element is formed, when viewed in a horizontal direction, said delimitation web having at least one region which is offset inward (the inward facing part of 50a-d) relative to a peripheral edge of the base plate 40, so that a region between the peripheral edge and an outer side of the delimitation web forms a handle zone for carrying the cooking compartment insert (figure 3-8).
Regarding claim 17, Matsumoto discloses that the peripheral edge 44 a,b 46 a,b has an overhang that projects downward so as to form a recessed handle as the handle zone between the overhang and the outer side of the delimitation web (figures 5-8).
Regarding claim 19, Matsumoto discloses that the delimitation web 50a-d is integrated into the base plate 40 (figures 3-8).
Regarding claim 20, Matsumoto discloses that the delimitation web has localized feet 55, 56 (figure 8-9).
Regarding claim 21, Matsumoto discloses that the delimitation web has integrated feet 55, 56 (figures 8-9).
Regarding claim 22, Matsumoto discloses that the feet are formed at at least two corner regions of the delimitation web (figure 9).
Regarding claim 23, the limitation “the delimitation web is a deep-drawn delimitation web” is product by process and does not further limit the cooking compartment.
Regarding claim 24, Matsumoto discloses that the heating element 20 is secured to the base plate by a detachable connection 55 (figures 8-9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18, 25-31 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. Regarding claim 18, prior art was not found that taught or suggested wherein the peripheral edge has an overhang that projects downward, said handle zone being formed between the overhang and the outer side of the delimitation web and including a first lateral recessed handle, a second lateral recessed handle, and a front-side recessed handle.
Regarding claim 25, prior art was not found that taught or suggested wherein the base plate includes a bottom plate and a top plate which are configured to delimit an intermediate space between the bottom and top plates, and further comprising a thermal insulation material and/or a metal foil arranged in the intermediate space.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN B SAAD whose telephone number is (571)270-3634. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30a-6p.
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/ERIN B SAAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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