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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/20/2026 has been entered.
Remarks
This communication is in response to the reply filed on 01/20/2026.
Via the reply:
claims 4-5 and 15 are cancelled;
claims 1, 3, 12, 14, and 21 are amended;
claim 22-23 are new.
The drawing objection is withdrawn.
Claims 1-3, 6-14 and 16-23 are currently pending and have been examined.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 8-15, filed 01/20/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-14 and 16-21 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1-14 and 16-21 has been withdrawn.
A new rejection is provided below.
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 1-3, 6-14 and 16-23 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.
As to claims 1, 12 and 21, the claims each recite “the second welding ring is a copper-zinc welding ring” as provided by amendment. This is indefinite as it is unclear what is required by ‘copper-zinc’. It is unclear what copper-zinc includes or excludes thus the metes and bounds of the claim are unclear. Further, applicant’s specification only addresses “copper-zinc” one time at [0033] and provides “[t]he operation of high-frequency induction brazing is to place a welding ring (such as a copper-zinc welding ring, but not limited thereto) in a welding gap and then perform welding.” (Emphasis added). Thus the claims, read in light of the specification, fail to provide guidance as to what applicant considers ‘copper-zinc’, i.e. 50% copper, 50% zinc or 99% zinc 1% copper, and appears to indicate that any welding ring is suitable. Thus it is unclear what is being claimed.
Claims 2-3, 6-11, 13-14, 16-20 and 22-23 are rejected via dependency.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record on the attached PTOL-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure as each further discloses a state of the art.
For example, the prior art of CN 103506771 A discloses a solder compound which includes copper and zinc.
The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicant should consider the entire prior art as applicable as to the limitations of the claims. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or pointed out by the examiner.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to J. T. Newton, Esq. whose telephone number is (313)446-4899. The examiner can normally be reached 0700-1500 M-F.
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, Justin Mikowski can be reached on (571) 272-8525. 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.
/J. T. Newton/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3673
Mon 26-Jan-26