849DETAILED 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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 4-5 and 14-15 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 4 recites the limitation "the plasma hand torch" in lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Proper antecedent basis has been provided for the “plasma torch” in claim 1.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the plasma hand torch" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Proper antecedent basis has been provided for the “plasma torch” in claim 1.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the plasma hand torch" in lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Proper antecedent basis has been provided for the “plasma torch” in claim 11.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the plasma hand torch" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Proper antecedent basis has been provided for the “plasma torch” in claim 11.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3, 6-13, and 16-22 are allowed.
Claims 4-5 and 14-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1:
Closest prior art: Namburu (US 11,310,901) and Simek et al. (US 8,624,150)
Namburu discloses a plasma torch, comprising: a torch housing; an anode body at least partially located within the torch housing; a cathode body extending axially within the anode body; an electrode electrically connected to the cathode body at a distal portion of the cathode body; an electrical power terminal attached to the cathode body at a proximal portion of the cathode body within the torch housing; an electrical isolator at least partially surrounding the cathode body within the torch housing.
Simek teaches a cap-in-place limit switch attached within the torch handle.
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest that the electrical isolator having a slot at the proximal portion of the cathode body that receives the electrical power terminal and the cap-in-place limit switch attached to the electrical isolator within the torch housing.
Claims 2-3 depend upon claim 1 and so would be allowable.
If written to overcome the rejections under 35 USC 112(b), claims 4-5 would also be allowable, since they depend upon allowable claim 1.
Regarding claim 6:
Closest prior art: Namburu (US 11,310,901) and Simek et al. (US 8,624,150)
Namburu discloses a plasma hand torch, comprising: a torch handle; an anode body at least partially located within the torch handle; a cathode body extending axially within the anode body; an electrode electrically connected to the cathode body at a distal portion of the cathode body; an electrical power terminal attached to the cathode body at a proximal portion of the cathode body within the torch handle; an electrical isolator at least partially surrounding the cathode body within the torch handle.
Simek teaches a cap-in-place limit switch attached within the torch handle.
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest that the electrical isolator having a slot at the proximal portion of the cathode body that receives the electrical power terminal and the cap-in-place limit switch attached to the electrical isolator within the torch housing.
Claims 7-10 depend upon claim 6 and so are allowable.
Regarding claim 11:
Closest prior art: Namburu (US 11,310,901) and Simek et al. (US 8,624,150)
Namburu discloses a plasma torch, comprising: a torch housing; an anode body at least partially located within the torch housing; a cathode body extending axially within the anode body; an electrode electrically connected to the cathode body at a distal portion of the cathode body; an electrical power terminal attached to the cathode body at a proximal portion of the cathode body within the torch housing; an electrical isolator mounted atop the anode body and at least partially surrounding the cathode body within the torch housing, wherein the electrical isolator is capable of limiting axial movement of the cathode body and the electrical power terminal in a distal direction; and a cap-in-place limit switch attached to the electrical isolator within the torch housing.
Simek teaches a cap-in-place limit switch within the torch housing
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest an electrical isolator having a slot at the proximal portion of the cathode body that receives the electrical power terminal and a cap-in-place limit switch attached to the electrical isolator within the torch housing.
Claims 12-13 depend upon claim 11 and so are allowable.
If written to overcome the rejections under 35 USC 112(b), claims 14-15 would also be allowable, since they depend upon allowable claim 11.
Regarding claim 17:
Closest prior art: Namburu (US 11,310,901) and Simek et al. (US 8,624,150)
Namburu discloses a plasma hand torch, comprising: a torch handle; an anode body at least partially located within the torch handle; a cathode body extending axially within the anode body; an electrode electrically connected to the cathode body at a distal portion of the cathode body; an electrical power terminal attached to the cathode body at a proximal portion of the cathode body within the torch handle; a bias member that applies a bias force to the cathode body in a distal direction; an electrical isolator mounted atop the anode body and at least partially surrounding the cathode body within the torch handle, wherein the electrical isolator limits axial movement of the cathode body and the electrical power terminal in a distal direction; and a cap-in-place limit switch attached to the electrical isolator within the torch handle.
Simek teaches a cap-in-place limit switch within the torch handle.
The closest prior art fails to disclose or suggest the cap-in-place limit switch attached to the electrical isolator within the torch handle.
Claims 18-22 depend upon claim 17 and so are allowable.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Severance (US 6,362,450) discloses a plasma arc torch.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIELLE M CHRISTENSEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3275. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 PM.
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/Danielle M. Christensen/Examiner, Art Unit 3745 1