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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-3 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/9/2026.
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 4-10 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 lacks proper antecedent basis for “the strip conductors”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Asafi et al (US 2021/0204365).
Asafi discloses the method claimed including a metal housing (20) forming a pocket in which are arranged at least one PTC element (6), contact sheets (12) abutting the PTC element, insulating layers (18) arranged between the contact sheets and inner surfaces of the pocket wherein the contact sheets have contact projections (26) projecting in a direction of a main side surface of the PTC element (also, see Figure 3) and which are surrounded by an adhesive (36) which connects the contact sheets to the PTC element, and the method further including the metal housing with the contact projections that are plastically deformed (i.e., by punching process) on the contact sheets from a flat/strip sheet metal surface (also, see para 0012), applying the adhesive to the strip conductors (i.e., the contact sheets) without the contact projections being covered with the adhesive (i.e., the contact projection having a flat contact surface 28 that is not covered with the adhesive) while the strip conductors (contact sheets) are in abutment against the PTC element with inclusion of the adhesive and with the insulating layers abutting externally against the strip conductors.
With respect to claim 5, Asafi discloses that the adhesive is applied in an excess amount or thickness that is pressed out of the gap between the PTC element and the conductor track (i.e., the contact sheet) which discloses that the thickness of the adhesive is greater than the height of the contact projections (i.e., the gap between the PTC element and the contact sheet). Also, see para 0011.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asafi et al (US 2021/0204365) in view of Motoyoshi (US 5,233,326).
Asafi discloses the method claimed including the contact projections that are formed as convex elevations/projections on an initially flat/strip sheet metal (para 22) but does not show that the convex includes curved elevations as claimed.
Motoyoshi discloses it is known to provide a contact plate having a projection (see Figures 1 and 5) that is convexly curved that contacts with a PTC element.
In view of Motoyoshi, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt Asafi with the contact projections that are formed as convexly curved projections as an alternative shape that can also effectively make an electrical contact between the contact sheet and the PTC heating element as known in the art.
With respect to claim 8, Asafi as modified by Motoyoshi discloses for the convexly curved elevations of the contact projections having a height that is no more than 100 um (.10 mm) or no more than 130 um (.13 mm) which overlaps that of the claimed range of .09 mm to .12 mm.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asafi et al (US 2021/0204365) in view of Bohlender et al (US 2015/0215994).
Asafi discloses the method claimed including the insulating layer (18) provided on an outside or rear side of the contact sheets (12) facing away from the contact projections but does not show an adhesive pattern that has substantially rectangular base area with tip sections projecting from the base area at corners thereof.
Bohlender discloses it is known to provide an adhesive pattern (330) that is provided along a circumferential of an encircling position frame (302) within which the insulating layers (316) and the contact sheets (308) are provided therein (also, see para 0042) wherein the adhesive pattern is provided to a tight seal in the circumferential area/direction of the insulating layer and the contact sheets.
In view of Bohlender, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt Asafi with an adhesive pattern having an rectangular area formed along the circumferential of the insulating layer and the contact sheets to further provide a tight seal along its circumferential edge wherein it would have been obvious to further provide the rectangular area of the adhesive pattern with tips sections or any other suitable sections, as a matter of design choice or routine experimentation (as an obvious to try), to predictably ensure that all of the circumferential edges are adequately sealed and boned via the adhesive pattern as desired.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asafi et al (US 2021/0204365) in view of Walz et al (US 2020/0340708) and Graf et al (US 2016/0281185).
Asafi discloses the method claimed except for the metal housing that is deformed with a temperature punch wherein the adhesive is a cross-liking silicone adhesive that is cross-linked via heat introduced by way of the tempered punch.
Walz discloses it is known to deform a metal housing/casing (72) that is deformed or punched by a die (90) to form a tight and a secured PTC heating assembly, but Walz does not disclose that heat is introduced by way of the temperature punch.
Graf shows it is known to provide a tempering device for deforming a metal sheet wherein the tempering device is known to provide heat via the tempering device to the metal sheet to increased ductility for forming (or deforming) the metal sheet. Also see Abstract.
In view of Walz and Graf, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt Aafi with the tempering device such as a die for deforming or forming via punching to form the metal housing having a compact and secured PTC heating assembly wherein the tempering device/die is further provided to introduce heating so that the metal housing can have greater ductility to more effectively formed the metal casing as desired wherein the heat introduced by the tempering device/die would further provide the silicone adhesive of Asafi as a cross-linked silicone adhesive as heat is also applied to the silicone adhesive as the metal housing is punch tempered as taught by Walz and Graf.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asafi et al (US 2021/0204365) in view of Walz et al (US 2020/0340708) and De Smet (US 5,0167,458).
Asafi discloses the method claimed except the metal housing that is deformed between two tempered punches each of which is supported by springs relative to a movable retaining plate.
Walz discloses it is known to deform a metal housing/casing (72) that is deformed or punched by two tempered punches (92, 94) to form a tight and secured PTC heating assembly, and Walz further discloses that the punches are movable (para 0063) as a movable retaining plate, but Walz does not disclose a spring is provided to the movable retaining plate as claimed.
De Smet shows it is known to provide a die having a vertically movable die having its movable retaining plates (1, 11) that are each provided with its respective spring (31, 33; also, see Figures 8-10) for moving the respective movable plate to deform a metal sheet.
In view of Walz and De Smet, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adapt Aafi with the tempering device such as a die for deforming or forming via punching to form the metal housing having a compact and secured PTC heating assembly via the two tempering punches wherein the tempering punches as the movable retaining plates are provided with a spring that allows for displacing forces to the movable retaining plates to predictably exert the desired pressure force to the metal housing and deform the metal housing into the shape as desired.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Klingebiel et al (US 2021/0354530) discloses for a PTC heating assembly including a metal casing with PTC heating elements and insulating layers.
Walz et al (US 2021/0037615) discloses for a PTC heating assembly having a sheet metal strip having contact projections.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG Y PAIK whose telephone number is (571)272-4783. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:30; 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, Steven W. Crabb can be reached at 571-270-5095. 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.
/SANG Y PAIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
Prosecution Insights