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 .
The amendments filed 1/2/2026 have been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: improper language “plate-like”. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 3, 4, 6-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 16 recite the limitation “wherein the reinforcement part includes a reinforcement body… wherein the reinforcement body includes: a support member having an annular cross section and inscribed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer container to support the inner circumferential surface of the outer container, and a plurality of body units having a plurality of leg members extending from the support member in a direction corresponding to a direction of a central axis of the support member”. However, it is not clear how a plurality of body units (Applicant’s element 132) can be said to have a plurality of leg members extending from the same single support member as claimed which is not supported by the Applicant’s Specification, which instead states in paragraph [0057]: “In more detail, the reinforcement body 131 may include a plurality of body units 132. As illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the body units 132 may include a support member 133 and a plurality of leg members 134. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the body unit 132 of FIG. 2.” Figure 3 is shown below:
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Leg Member)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Support Member)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Body Unit)]
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Therefore, there is no way to interpret claims 1 and 16 as presented in a manner consistent with Applicant’s specification as originally filed and the claims cannot be further treated on the merits.
Further, claim 8 recites the limitation: “wherein the reinforcement body is formed in a unitary one-piece structure distinguished from the outer container”, however, claim 1 recites “the reinforcement body includes…a plurality of body units having a plurality of leg members…” and thus it is not clear from the Applicant’s specification how a one-piece reinforcement body can also include a plurality of body units, and no support is found in the Applicant’s specification as originally filed.
Further, claims 9, 10, and 11 recites: “The cryogenic container of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement body includes: a plurality of support rings inscribed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer container, and a plurality of connection strings arranged between two adjacent support rings and configured to connect two adjacent support rings”, while claim 1 is drawn instead to an embodiment including “a support member”, and “a plurality of body units having a plurality of leg members”. There is no support in Applicant’s specification as originally filed for use of a plurality of support rings and connection strings as claimed simultaneously with the support member, body units, and legs of claim 1, as the embodiments are originally disclosed as separate/alternative embodiments of the reinforcement body.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW T KIRSCH whose telephone number is (571)270-5723. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9a-5p EST.
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/ANDREW T KIRSCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3733