DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 2-3 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 2, claim 2 recites “the Sb of 0.0 to 0.1.” in line 2, it is not understood what type of quantity “0.0 to 0.1” is: whether it is weight or volume or percentage of the composition or else. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 3, claim 3 recites “(BiAg)ZrO3 (BAZ) of 0.03.” in line 2, it is not understood what type of quantity “0.03” is: whether it is weight or volume or quantity or percentage of the composition or else. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 11, claim 2 recites “Sb of 0.0 to 0.1.” in line 2, it is not understood what type of quantity “0.0 to 0.1” is: whether it is weight or volume or quantity or percentage of the composition or else. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 12, claim 12 recites “(BiAg)ZrO3 of 0.03.” in line 2, it is not understood what type of quantity “0.02” is: whether it is weight or volume or quantity or percentage of the composition or else. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites “the Sb of 0.0 to 0.1.” while claim 11 recites “Sb of 0.0 to 0.1.”
Claim 3 recites “(BiAg)ZrO3 (BAZ) of 0.03.” while claim 12 recites (BiAg)ZrO3 of 0.02.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nonoyama et al. (U. S. Pre-Grant Publication No. 20040214723) discloses crystal oriented ceramics having a basic composition demonstrating superior piezoelectric characteristics, and having a specific crystal plane oriented to a high degree of orientation.
Zhang et al. (U. S. Patent No. 8501031) discloses hard lead-free piezoelectric compounds suitable for high power applications.
Kim et al., "Remarkable Piezoelectric Performance and Good Thermal Stability of <001> -Texture 0.96(K0.5Na0.5)(Nb1-ySby)O3-0.04SrZrO3 Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics", Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 882, 2021, 160662; pages 1-14.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY P. PHAM whose telephone number is (571) 270-3046. The examiner can normally be reached on MON-FRI 8:00AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, DEDEI HAMMOND, can be reached at (571) 270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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3 September 2026
/EMILY P PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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