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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 08/13/2026 has been entered. Support is found in instant [0043-0045, 0062-0064, 0073-0076, 0083-0088] and Figures of the instant US PG-PUB US 20230395902 A1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks pages 7-8, filed 08/13/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-12 under 35 USC 102 and 103 relying on the Jeon reference have been fully considered and are persuasive in light of the amendments to independent claim(s), which now require narrowed limitations regarding the heat absorber. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the amendments necessitating further search, and the addition of new claims also necessitating further search, which yielded the grounds of rejection below.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “to absorb heat generated by the heat manager in response to a temperature of the heat manager reaches a threshold value” appears grammatically incorrect. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 9, 11-12, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chopard et al. (US 2021/0320344 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chopard teaches a case of a battery (box 530 around battery 33; [0224-0225], Figs. 1 and 25), comprising:
a heat manager to accommodate a fluid to adjust a temperature of battery cells (structure 1 having hollows 11 defining channel wall 13 intended for the circulation of a thermal transfer fluid 15, [0130, 0133]; one or more thermal exchange element(s) 340 made of metal or polymer and through which a thermal exchange fluid suitable for thermal exchange with the cells circulates, [0235] and Fig. 25; first and second9thermal exchange fluids F1, F2 respectively in 11, 340 per [0239]);
a protector to protect the heat manager (thermal insulator 61 completing the thermal barrier that will first oppose to the external environment 360, [0238] and Fig. 25); and
a heat absorber, arranged between the heat manager and the protector (additional composite body 30 within cover 21, [0141-0144] and Fig. 11 and Fig. 25; 21 between 11 and 61 in Fig. 25), to absorb heat generated by the heat manager in response to a temperature of the heat manager reaches a threshold value (composite body 3[0] contains at least one phase change material 5 (PCM) dispersed in a rigid structuring matrix 7, [0127] and Fig. 11 and Fig. 25 showing 21 made of 5 and 7),
wherein the heat absorber includes a heat absorbing agent, the heat absorbing agent (PCM 5 e.g. paraffin in composite body 30, [0172], and in cover 21 as shown in Fig. 25) includes a phase-change material to melt to absorb the heat (PCM(s) used, in direct thermal contact with the cells, typically an PCM with a precise melting temperature, typically 35° C, as one can try to create a step on a range of temperature considered currently high of the cells, in order to avoid thermal propagation between cells (buffer effect); [0013]) or graphite to absorb the heat (graphite matrix in composite body 30, [0172]), in response to the temperature of the heat manager reaching the threshold value (temperature threshold, [0007]).
Regarding claim 2, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 1 above and the heat manager comprises a first heat conductive plate (thermal exchange elements 340, [0235, 0237] – 340 as first conductive plate) and a second heat conductive plate (a plastic or metallic, thermally conductivity, gas-tight pouch 9 can wrap the PCM, [0129-0130] and Fig. 3 – composite body 3/pouch 9 as second conductive plate, Fig. 25) connected with each other (340 against 3/9, Fig. 25 in view of Figs. 2-3), and the second heat conductive plate is arranged to be closer to the protector relative to the first heat conductive plate (3/9 outward and thus closer to 61 versus 340, Fig. 25); and the heat absorber is arranged on a surface of the second heat conductive plate facing the protector (21 made of composite 30 per Fig. 11, arranged on outer surface of 3/9 facing against 61 per Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 9, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 1 above and wherein the heat absorber comprises an encapsulation film (pocket produced from films, [0068]) and the heat absorbing agent (PCM of 21 as cited above and [0141-0144]) the encapsulation film encapsulates the heat absorbing agent (pocket 9 can hold the PCM, [0129] and Fig. 3; 21 can have additional pocket 90, [0143-0144]), and the heat absorbing agent absorbs heat generated by the heat manager when the temperature of the heat manager reaches the threshold value (PCM functionality per [0007]).
Regarding claim 11, Chopard teaches a battery (battery (i.e. the cells considered all together), [0056]), comprising: battery cells (vehicle battery cells, [0188, 0200]); and
a case of a battery (box 530 around battery 33; [0224-0225], Figs. 1 and 25), including:
a heat manager to accommodate a fluid to adjust a temperature of battery cells (structure 1 having hollows 11 defining channel wall 13 intended for the circulation of a thermal transfer fluid 15, [0130, 0133]; one or more thermal exchange element(s) 340 made of metal or polymer and through which a thermal exchange fluid suitable for thermal exchange with the cells circulates, [0235] and Fig. 25; first and second thermal exchange fluids F1, F2 respectively in 11, 340 per [0239]);
a protector to protect the heat manager (thermal insulator 61 completing the thermal barrier that will first oppose to the external environment 360, [0238] and Fig. 25); and
a heat absorber, arranged between the heat manager and the protector (additional composite body 30 within cover 21, [0141-0144] and Fig. 11 and Fig. 25; 21 between 11 and 61 in Fig. 25), to absorb heat generated by the heat manager in response to a temperature of the heat manager reaches a threshold value (composite body 3[0] contains at least one phase change material 5 (PCM) dispersed in a rigid structuring matrix 7, [0127] and Fig. 11 and Fig. 25 showing 21 made of 5 and 7),
wherein the heat absorber includes a heat absorbing agent, the heat absorbing agent (PCM 5 e.g. paraffin in composite body 30, [0172], and in cover 21 as shown in Fig. 25) includes a phase-change material to melt to absorb the heat (PCM(s) used, in direct thermal contact with the cells, typically an PCM with a precise melting temperature, typically 35° C, as one can try to create a step on a range of temperature considered currently high of the cells, in order to avoid thermal propagation between cells (buffer effect); [0013]) or graphite to absorb the heat (graphite matrix in composite body 30, [0172]), in response to the temperature of the heat manager reaching the threshold value (temperature threshold, [0007]), and
the case accommodates the battery cells (a casing surrounding the battery cells as known in the art per [0026] and applied to invention including thermal management per [0032], see also [0124] regarding housing for electric battery cells).
Regarding claim 12, Chopard teaches an electrical device (e.g. vehicle or electrical installation, [0003, 0188]), comprising: a battery (battery (i.e. the cells considered all together), [0056]), comprising: battery cells (vehicle battery cells, [0188, 0200]); and
a case of a battery (box 530 around battery 33; [0224-0225], Figs. 1 and 25), including:
a heat manager to accommodate a fluid to adjust a temperature of battery cells (structure 1 having hollows 11 defining channel wall 13 intended for the circulation of a thermal transfer fluid 15, [0130, 0133]; one or more thermal exchange element(s) 340 made of metal or polymer and through which a thermal exchange fluid suitable for thermal exchange with the cells circulates, [0235] and Fig. 25; first and second thermal exchange fluids F1, F2 respectively in 11, 340 per [0239]);
a protector to protect the heat manager (thermal insulator 61 completing the thermal barrier that will first oppose to the external environment 360, [0238] and Fig. 25); and
a heat absorber, arranged between the heat manager and the protector (additional composite body 30 within cover 21, [0141-0144] and Fig. 11 and Fig. 25; 21 between 11 and 61 in Fig. 25), to absorb heat generated by the heat manager in response to a temperature of the heat manager reaches a threshold value (composite body 3[0] contains at least one phase change material 5 (PCM) dispersed in a rigid structuring matrix 7, [0127] and Fig. 11 and Fig. 25 showing 21 made of 5 and 7),
wherein the heat absorber includes a heat absorbing agent, the heat absorbing agent (PCM 5 e.g. paraffin in composite body 30, [0172], and in cover 21 as shown in Fig. 25) includes a phase-change material to melt to absorb the heat (PCM(s) used, in direct thermal contact with the cells, typically an PCM with a precise melting temperature, typically 35° C, as one can try to create a step on a range of temperature considered currently high of the cells, in order to avoid thermal propagation between cells (buffer effect); [0013]) or graphite to absorb the heat (graphite matrix in composite body 30, [0172]), in response to the temperature of the heat manager reaching the threshold value (temperature threshold, [0007]),
the case accommodates the battery cells (a casing surrounding the battery cells as known in the art per [0026] and applied to invention including thermal management per [0032], see also [0124] regarding housing for electric battery cells), and
the battery provides electrical energy (electric storage batteries for vehicles or electrical installations, [0003, 0171, 0200]; battery cells have electrical connection terminals per [0224]).
Regarding claim 18, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 1 above and wherein: the heat absorbing agent includes the graphite (composite body matrix 7 is e.g. graphite, [0172]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 5-6, 8, 13-14, 16-17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chopard et al. (US 2021/0320344 A1) as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 5, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 1 above and wherein:
the case further comprises a heat insulation plate (the layering of these elements in layers that can combine PCM and thermal insulation, [0158]) … the heat insulation plate insulates a heat (for environmental thermal management purposes, [0126])
but fails to explicitly teach:
such heat insulation plate arranged between the heat manager and the protector such that the heat insulation plate insulates heat transferred from the heat manager to the protector; nor
the heat absorber is arranged on a surface of the heat insulation plate facing the heat manager.
However, Chopard does teach in [0126] an inventive goal related to thermal insulation implemented for environmental thermal management of battery accumulators. Also as cited above in [0126, 0158], thermal insulation is important to protect the battery cells from their environment (environment is 360 in Fig. 25 and [0238]). Chopard teaches in [0226, 0238] that around a group of cells, coupling with one said thermal insulator 61 or 29 will ensure a relevant compromise between size and efficiency in terms of thermal barrier (see also Fig. 25). Chopard [0237] also teaches that thermal insulator may be interposed between adjacent battery cell groups to break a thermal chain in the event of over-thermaling of one said group. Furthermore, Chopard also teaches in [0212] that electrical insulation sheets 91 can be added, and teaches in [0213]: the purpose of the electrical insulation sheets 91 is to avoid short circuits if the PCM of the composite bodies (3) or pockets (9) is electrically conductive, but it is not obligatory to place this component, depending on the characteristics of the PCM but also on the desired effect: desired or undesired electrical insulation. Chopard [0214] teaches toward placing flat surfaces on the two opposite sides of the electrical insulation sheets 91 and on the side of structure 1 (composite body 3 or pocket 9) facing the adjacent electrical insulation sheet 91. It is known that this undesired electrical short-circuiting can also generate heat, such that the placement of electrical insulating sheets would also provide a level of thermal insulation.
Duplication and rearrangement of parts are obvious design modifications within the ambit of a person having ordinary skill in the art per MPEP 2144.04 VI B-C, such that in view of the overall Chopard teachings, placing an additional layer of thermal insulation between the heat manager and the protector, such that the heat absorber is then arranged on a surface of the heat insulation plate facing the heat manager, to insulate heat transfer therebetween would have been obvious to support the inventive goals of Chopard in terms of providing thermal insulation at any desired location to protect the battery cells and other conductive components from over-heating.
Thereby, claim 5 is rendered obvious.
Regarding claim 6, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 5 above but fails to teach the heat insulation plate is provided with a second groove, and at least a part of the heat absorber is accommodated in the second groove.
However, Chopard does teach in Fig. 12 an example of a thermal insulator 29 having a groove shape, and that the strength of pocket 9 can be reinforced therewith ([0152]). Chopard teaches pocket 9 holding the phase-change material ([0141-0144], Fig. 18 showing “3/9”; the PCM of the composite bodies (3) or pockets (9), [0213]), which is the heat absorbing agent (PCM) forming the heat absorber per above citations.
Thus, when including the heat insulation plate per claim 5 above, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to also include a second groove shape accommodating the heat-absorbing PCM within said heat insulation plate to reinforce strength thereof as taught by Chopard.
Thereby, claim 6 is rendered obvious.
Regarding claim 8, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 6 above and wherein the heat absorber is bonded and fixed in the second groove (pocket 9 as peripheral envelope around PCM elements per [0169] which reads on bonding/fixing PCM/heat absorber, and pocket 9 as second groove per claim 6 rejection above).
Regarding claim 13 and claim 19, Chopard teaches the limitations of claims 1 and 11 above but fails to teach the heat manager and the protector define an enclosed space therebetween, and the heat absorber is disposed in the enclosed space.
However, Chopard does teach the heat absorber (as 21) being disposed between the heat manager (as 3) and the protector (as 61) in Fig. 25, and teaches that the heat absorber (PCM in matrix) can be held in an enclosed space (envelope, [0169, 0173]). Chopard [0169] teaches the use of a thermally conductive peripheral envelope on the outside of the PCM elements will allow the mechanical strength and protection of the system as a whole.
Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it further obvious to include the envelope surrounding the PCM elements (heat absorber) serving as an enclosed space between the heat manager and the protector as cited above, with the motivation of mechanically strengthening and protecting the system as taught by Chopard.
Thereby, claims 13 and 19 are rendered obvious.
Regarding claim 14 and claim 20, Chopard teaches the limitations of claims 13 and 19 above and the heat absorbing agent includes the phase-change material encapsulated by an encapsulation film (pockets/envelope on outside of PCM elements, [0169]; e.g. plastic foil, [0173]; pocket production e.g. films, [0066]).
Regarding claim 16, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 13 above and wherein: the enclosed space includes air (our layers of phase-change material (several PCMs) can be provided, between which fluid 15 (e.g. air) may be circulated; [0169]), and the heat absorber absorbs the heat from the air in the enclosed space in response to the temperature (which will allow this air to heat the PCM, said air having in passing recovered thermal energy on the cells of the battery, the air will have both warmed the PCM(s) and evacuated excess heat from the battery cells; [0171]) of the heat manager reaches the threshold value (PCM absorbs up to a certain threshold a temperature change by storing the received energy, [0007]).
Regarding claim 17, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 13 above but fails to teach further comprising: a heat insulation plate arranged in the enclosed space between the heat manager and the protector, the heat insulation plate having a groove, wherein the heat absorber fills the groove.
However, Chopard does teach in [0126] an inventive goal related to thermal insulation implemented for environmental thermal management of battery accumulators. Also as cited above in [0126, 0158], thermal insulation is important to protect the battery cells from their environment (environment is 360 in Fig. 25 and [0238]). Chopard teaches in [0226, 0238] that around a group of cells, coupling with one said thermal insulator 61 or 29 will ensure a relevant compromise between size and efficiency in terms of thermal barrier (see also Fig. 25). Chopard [0237] also teaches that thermal insulator may be interposed between adjacent battery cell groups to break a thermal chain in the event of over-thermaling of one said group. Furthermore, Chopard also teaches in [0212] that electrical insulation sheets 91 can be added, and teaches in [0213]: the purpose of the electrical insulation sheets 91 is to avoid short circuits if the PCM of the composite bodies (3) or pockets (9) is electrically conductive, but it is not obligatory to place this component, depending on the characteristics of the PCM but also on the desired effect: desired or undesired electrical insulation. Chopard [0214] teaches toward placing flat surfaces on the two opposite sides of the electrical insulation sheets 91 and on the side of structure 1 (composite body 3 or pocket 9) facing the adjacent electrical insulation sheet 91. It is known that this undesired electrical short-circuiting can also generate heat, such that the placement of electrical insulating sheets would also provide a level of thermal insulation.
Chopard also teaches in Fig. 12 an example of a thermal insulator 29 having a groove shape, and that the strength of pocket 9 can be reinforced therewith ([0152]). Chopard teaches pocket 9 holding the phase-change material ([0141-0144], Fig. 18 showing “3/9”; the PCM of the composite bodies (3) or pockets (9), [0213]), which is the heat absorbing agent (PCM) forming the heat absorber per above citations.
Duplication and rearrangement of parts are obvious design modifications within the ambit of a person having ordinary skill in the art per MPEP 2144.04 VI B-C, such that in view of the overall Chopard teachings, placing an additional layer of thermal insulation between the heat manager and the protector, such that the heat absorber is then arranged on a surface of the heat insulation plate facing the heat manager, to insulate heat transfer therebetween would have been obvious to support the inventive goals of Chopard in terms of providing thermal insulation at any desired location to protect the battery cells and other conductive components from over-heating.
Thus, when including the heat insulation plate per explanation in the above paragraph, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to also include a second groove shape accommodating the heat-absorbing PCM within said heat insulation plate to reinforce strength thereof as taught by Chopard.
Thereby, claim 17 limitations are rendered obvious.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chopard et al. (US 2021/0320344 A1) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Wang et al. (US 2020/0161602 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 2 above and teaches the second heat conductive plate is provided with a first groove forming a flow channel (channels 11 with walls 13 within 3, Figs. 11 and 25) … for accommodating the fluid (channels 11 are for circulation of fluid per abstract and F1 in [0240], Fig. 25), and the heat absorber is arranged on an outer surface of the first groove (21 made of composite body including PCM 5 heat absorber, shown in Figs. 11 and 25), but fails to teach said flow channel is also formed with the first heat conductive plate.
However, Chopard [0239] and Fig. 25 do teach that the first heat conductive plate 340 (as defined/cited above) also includes a flow channel therein for circulating a second fluid F2.
Wang is analogous in the art of battery casings and pertinent to thermal management. Wang teaches first and second heat conductive plates (21 and 22 in Fig. 5; base plates formed of metal per [0077]) and teaches cavities 20 formed as grooves 221 in the second plate 22 (Fig. 5). Wang teaches such cavities may be filled with a heat conductive material, such as but not limited to, a phase change material having a solid-liquid transition temperature or a cooling liquid, to realize the thermal management of the battery assembly 2, and that such a configuration is simple, occupies a small space, and does not need many pipe joints, which can reduce a risk of leakage (Wang [0066]).
Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to form the flow channel of Chopard between two conductive plates as taught toward by Wang to achieve desired thermal management of the battery in a simple, space-saving design.
Thereby, claim 3 is rendered obvious.
Regarding claim 4, Chopard teaches the limitations of claim 3 above and teaches the heat absorber is bonded and fixed to the outer surface of the first groove (21 against grooves 13 to close off 11 in fluid-tight manner, Chopard [0134-0136] and Fig. 11).
Claim(s) 15 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chopard et al. (US 2021/0320344 A1) as applied to claims 14 and 20 above, and further in view of Wyatt et al. (US 2015/0037616 A1).
Regarding claim 15 and claim 21, Chopard teaches the limitations of claims 13 and 19 above and the phase-change material includes an organic phase-change material including at least one of paraffin (PCM, which can be, or comprise, paraffin; [0172]) but fails to teach the encapsulation film includes polyvinyl chloride.
Wyatt is analogous in the art of Battery Module with Phase Change Material (PCM) Layer and teaches the first and second packaging layers 320 and 322, which may be referred to as the packaging of the PCM layer 124, may be manufactured from a polymer (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) or another suitable electrically non-conductive material, and that the packaging of the PCM layer 124 may include a pouch completely surrounding the PCM 324 (Wyatt [0172]).
The selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supports a prima facie obviousness determination (MPEP 2144.07), such that selecting polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the PCM encapsulation film/packaging layer to be used as the envelope of Chopard would have been an obvious modification. Similarly, the Simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results supports an obviousness conclusion (MPEP 2143 I B), such that substituting the PVC packaging of Wyatt for the e.g. plastic foil envelope of Chopard to predictably function as PCM packaging would have been an obvious modification for a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Thereby, claims 15 and 21 are rendered obvious.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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:
Claim 7 requires the limitations of claim 6, including “the heat insulation plate is provided with a second groove, and at least a part of the heat absorber is accommodated in the second groove” as addressed above, but also requires that “the heat manager comprises a non-flowing channel area that does not accommodate the fluid and is concavely formed in a direction away from the protector, and the second groove is arranged opposite to the non-flowing channel area.”
However, Chopard teaches that the channels within the heat manager (i.e., channels 11 with walls 13 formed in structure 1 as shown in Chopard Figs. 11, 25, etc.) are flowing channels (suitable for circulation of fluid, as presented in Chopard abstract).
Chopard teaches further embodiments described in [0175-0176] wherein tubes or a sheath with elongated recesses for fluid circulation can be received within channels 11, so that channels 11 still indirectly serve as flowing channels
There is no motivation for why a non-flowing channel area which does not accommodate the fluid would also be included in said heat manager as cited to Chopard.
Further, there is no obvious modification of Chopin alone or with prior art which meets the structural relationship of “non-flowing channel area … is concavely formed in a direction away from the protector, and the second groove is arranged opposite to the non-flowing channel area” as required in claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lane et al. (US 2017/0365895 A1) teaches in [0026]: the heat pipe can be extruded from metal and have at least one interior channel for the phase-change fluid; the interior channel(s) can have one or more features that aid the flow of fluid in the liquid phase and/or gas phase; a groove, powder and/or sponge can be provided inside the heat pipe. However, this teaching fails to meet the limitations of instant claim 7 in view of claims 6 and 1.
Schwarz et al. (US 2021/0119280 A1) teaches extruded plate 2 also includes at least one encapsulation cavity 33, intended to receive a Phase Change Material (PCM), which is provided in parallel to the channels 13 and 23 ([0056]) wherein 13 and 23 are intended to allow a flow of a coolant, so as to achieve thermal regulation of the extruded plate 2 ([0054]). Therefore, cavity 33 can read on a “non-flowing channel” in contrast to channels 13/23 (see also Figs. 1a and 4). However, Schwarz teaches that the extruded plate is made of metal, preferably of aluminum or aluminum alloy and more preferably of a 6xxx aluminum alloy ([0031]) for simultaneously forming the first channel, the second channel as well as each encapsulation cavity ([0032]). Thus, Schwarz fails to teach a second groove being in a heat insulation plate and accommodating heat absorber, since the plate with grooves is metal and the PCM heat absorber is within the encapsulation cavity therein.
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 Jessie Walls-Murray whose telephone number is (571)272-1664. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, typically 10-4.
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/JESSIE WALLS-MURRAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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