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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
1. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
2. With respect to applicant’s remarks filed on 02/23/26 regarding rejected claims 1, 2, 4, 5, pages 5-6, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicants argues “Office Action states that "the labyrinth portion (figures 15, 22, labyrinth 32) is located between an inner cover (figures 6, 18, element cover 46 is not different from inner cover) ... and a top plate portion (figures 1-4, front case 22 is not different from a top plate portion, mounting base 1 is not different from the installation target) of an outer cover (figures 1-4, case 2 is not different from outer cover)". Namely, the labyrinth 32 is located between the element cover 46 and the front case 22.
However, according to Fig.6 and so on in "JP6681913, the labyrinth 32 is located above (in the +Z direction) both of element cover 46 and the front case 22. Accordingly, Applicants respectfully submit that the labyrinth is not located between the element cover and the front case, as recited in independent claim 1.”
Current claim 1 discloses: “the labyrinth portion is located between an inner cover that covers and houses a detection space cover from the opposite side of the installation target and a top plate portion of an outer cover, …”
First: This limitation has been taught by Hoshino as the following: the following figure 1, labyrinth 12 is located between plate member 11 which is not different from inner cover, that covers and houses a detection space cover A, from the opposite side of the optical bench 21 which is not different from installation target, and the lid body 16 which is not different from a top plate portion of an outer cover. In the other words, labyrinth 12 is located between inner cover 11 and a top plate portion of an outer cover 16.
Second: This limitation also has been taught by JP6681913 as the following: figure 6, the labyrinth portion 32 is located between an element cover 46 which is not different from an inner cover, that covers and houses a detection space 431 cover from the opposite side of the installation target that is the side of mounting base 1, and the back case 21 which is not different from a top plate portion of an outer cover. In in the other words, labyrinth 32 is located between inner cover 46 and a top plate portion of an outer cover 21.
In conclusion, the examiner respectfully submits that both Hoshino and JP6681913 have taught the limitation “the labyrinth portion is located between an inner cover that covers and houses a detection space cover from the opposite side of the installation target and a top plate portion of an outer cover, …”.
3. With respect to applicant’s remarks filed on 02/23/26 regarding rejected claims 1, 2, 4, 5, pages 6-7, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicants argues “according to Figs. 6 and 18 and the description of "The inclined portion 42 (inclined surface) is... the portion which is sloping upward (in the +Z direction)... the raised portion 43 is ...positioned above the flange portion 41 (in the +Z direction)..." in paragraph 0084, the raised portion 43 and inclined portion 42 protrude not toward the opposite side of the installation target mounting base 1 (-Z direction in Fig.6) but toward the same side of the installation target mounting base 1 (+Z direction in Fig.6). Accordingly, the protrusion does not protrude to the opposite side as recited in claim 1”.
[AltContent: textbox (C)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image1.png
742
538
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Current claim 1 discloses: “… the protrusion of the inner cover is a portion of the inner cover protruding from a base portion of the inner cover toward the opposite side of the installation target…”
According to the above figure 6 of JP6681913’s reference discloses the installation target 1 which contains the opposite side C, and the protrusion 43 of the inner cover 46 is protruding in +Z direction from a base portion of the inner cover 46 toward the opposite side C of the installation target 1. In the other words, the protrusion 43 of the inner cover 46 is a portion of the inner cover protruding from a base portion of the inner cover 46 toward the opposite side C of the installation target 1.
4. For all of the explanation noted above, claims 1, 2, 4-7 are not in condition of allowance. Further amendment to the claims to overcome the prior art is required.
5. Grounds for the rejection of claims are provided below as necessitated by amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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 of this title, 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.
7. Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshino et al. (JP 2010238095) in view of JP6681913, (JP 6681913 B2). Hereafter “Hoshino” and “JP6681913”. (Please see the attached files for Hoshino’s reference and JP6681913’s reference in previous office action).
Regarding Claim 1, Hoshino teaches a fire detection apparatus for detecting a fire in a monitoring area (page 1, Technical-Field; Figure 1), the fire detection apparatus comprising:
a detection space into which a detection target caused by the fire flows (the following figure 1, area A is not different from a detection space);
a light emitting portion configured to emit emission light for detecting the detection target into the detection space (figure 1, a light emitting portion 22, 26; Page 2, lines 31-32);
a light receiving portion configured to receive scattered light generated by the emission light scattered by the detection target inside the detection space (figure 1, a light receiving portion 23, 27; Abstract, lines 3-5; Page 2, lines 32-34);
an ambient light processing portion configured to prevent ambient light from entering the detection space (figure 1, an ambient light processing portion 12; Page 2, lines 21-22); and
a disturbance light processing portion configured to process disturbance light other than the scattered light, the disturbance light being generated inside the detection space due to the emission light (figure 1, a disturbance light processing portion 40, light shielding member 24, 24a, 24b; page 2, lines 29-47), wherein:
the ambient light processing portion and the disturbance light processing portion are elements different from each other (figure 1, the ambient light processing portion 12, page 2 lines 21-22, the disturbance light processing portion 40, page 2, lines 29-47);
the ambient light processing portion is provided outside the detection space; the disturbance light processing portion is provided inside the detection space (the following figure 1, the ambient light processing portion 12 is outside the detection space of area A, the disturbance light processing portion 40 and light shielding member 24, 24a, 24b are inside the detection space).
the ambient light processing portion is a labyrinth portion configured to prevent ambient light from entering the detection space and introduce a fluid containing the detection target to the detection space (the following figure 1, and figure 6, wall body 12 is not different from a labyrinth portion. It is inherent that smoke inflow portion 10 must introduce a fluid containing smoke particle to the detection space A);
the fire detection apparatus is installed on an installation target, (Figure 7, it is inherent that mounting portion 20 must be installed on an installation target).
the labyrinth portion has a plurality of partition walls (figures 1, 6, wall body 12 is not different from a labyrinth portion having a plurality of partition walls).
the labyrinth portion is located between an inner cover that covers and houses a detection space cover from the opposite side of the installation target and a top plate portion of an outer cover, in which the detection space cover separates the inside and outside of the detection space (the following figure 1, labyrinth 12 is located between plate member 11 which is not different from inner cover, that covers and houses a detection space cover A, from the opposite side of the optical bench 21 which is not different from installation target, and the lid body 16 which is not different from a top plate portion of an outer cover. In the other words, labyrinth 12 is located between inner cover 11 and a top plate portion of an outer cover 16), and
the labyrinth portion has a plurality of partition walls (figure 1, labyrinth 12 has a plurality of partition walls);
However, Hoshino does not teach the inner cover, the inner cover has a protrusion; the protrusion of the inner cover is a portion of the inner cover protruding from a base portion of the inner cover toward the opposite side of the installation target; and the protrusion of the inner cover comes into contact with the labyrinth portion. JP6681913 teaches the inner cover, the inner cover has a protrusion; the protrusion of the inner cover is a portion of the inner cover protruding from a base portion of the inner cover toward the opposite side of the installation target; and the protrusion of the inner cover comes into contact with the labyrinth portion (figures 15-18, and the above figure 6, element cover 46 is not different from the inner cover, the raised portion 43 and inclined portion 42 is not different from a protrusion. The protrusion 43, 42, of the inner cover 46, comes into contact with the labyrinth portion 32 and toward the opposite side of the installation target mounting base 1. As explained in above paragraphs 2, 3, the installation target 1 which contains the opposite side C, the protrusion 43 of the inner cover 46 is protruding in +Z direction from a base portion of the inner cover 46 toward the opposite side C of the installation target 1. In the other words, the protrusion 43 of the inner cover 46 is a portion of the inner cover protruding from a base portion of the inner cover 46 toward the opposite side C of the installation target 1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Hoshino by having an inner cover, an outer cover, detection space cover, in order to improve the design of the alarm device in order to improve the aesthetic appearance of the monitoring area in which the alarm device is installed (JP6681913, page 2, lines 1-2).
(Note: JP6681913 also teaches the labyrinth portion is located between an inner cover that covers and houses a detection space cover from the opposite side of the installation target and a top plate portion of an outer cover, in which the detection space cover separates the inside and outside of the detection space, (the above figure 6, the labyrinth portion 32 is located between an element cover 46 which is not different from an inner cover, that covers and houses a detection space 431 cover from the opposite side of the installation target that is the side of mounting base 1, and the back case 21 which is not different from a top plate portion of an outer cover. In in the other words, labyrinth 32 is located between inner cover 46 and a top plate portion of an outer cover 21. Please see the explanation in above paragraph 2)).
[AltContent: textbox (A)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image2.png
872
488
media_image2.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: textbox (B)][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image3.png
898
478
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 2, Hoshino teaches a detection space cover configured to cover the detection space (figure 1, optical bench 21 is not different from a detection space cover); and an outer cover configured to cover the detection space cover (figure 1, lid body 16 is not different from an outer cover), wherein: the disturbance light processing portion is formed integrally with the detection space cover (the above figure 1, a disturbance light processing portion 40; page 2, lines 36-47, detection space A); and the ambient light processing portion is formed integrally with the outer cover (the above figure 1, an ambient light processing portion 12; Page 2, lines 21-22, detection space A).
Regarding Claim 4, Hoshino teaches the disturbance light processing portion prevents the emission light emitted toward a predetermined area in the detection space from being received by the light receiving portion (the above figure 1 and 5, a disturbance light processing portion 40, light shielding member 24, 24a, 24b, detection space A, a predetermined area B; page 2, lines 36-47).
Regarding Claim 5, Hoshino teaches the ambient light processing portion is provided on an opposite side from an attachment portion for installing the fire detection apparatus on an installation target with respect to the disturbance light processing portion (figure 1, an ambient light processing portion 12 is on an opposite side from an attachment portion on the plate member 11; Page 2, lines 21-22).
Regarding Claim 6, Hoshino teaches the inner cover has a first opening (figures 1, 6, plate member 11 is not different from the inner cover, which has a first opening 13), the detection space cover has a second opening (the above figure 1, optical bench 21 is not different from a detection space cover, light receiving holder 27 or light emitting holder is not different from the second opening), the fluid containing the detection target flows into the detection space through gaps between the plurality of partition walls of the labyrinth portion, the first opening of the inner cover, and the second opening of the detection space cover (above figure 1, it is inherent that the fluid containing the detection target flows into the detection space A through gaps between the plurality of partition walls of the labyrinth portion 12, the first opening 13 of the inner cover 11, and the second opening 26, 27 of the detection space cover 21).
Regarding Claim(s) 7, Hoshino and JP6681913 teach all the limitations of claims 1 and 6 as stated above except for insect screen provided in the first opening of the inner cover. JP6681913 teaches insect screen provided in the opening of the inner cover (figures 5, 25, the insect screen 33). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify Hoshino and JP6681913 by having insect screen in order to protect the detection device from insect.
Other references
8. The other references of Shimazu et al. (CN 112119295 A). Shimazu also discloses a fire detection apparatus (Abstract), a detection space into which a detection target caused by the fire flows (figure 7, area around detection point 31A), a light emitting portion configured to emit emission light for detecting the detection target into the detection space (figure 2, a light emitting portion 62A), a light receiving portion configured to receive scattered light generated by the emission light scattered by the detection target inside the detection space (a light receiving portion 63A), an ambient light processing portion configured to prevent ambient light from entering the detection space (page 5, lines 20-38), a disturbance light processing portion configured to process disturbance light other than the scattered light, the disturbance light being generated inside the detection space due to the emission light (page 2, lines 17-21; Page 30, lines 21-23; Page 68, lines 14-17).
Conclusion
9. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Fax/Telephone Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRI T TON whose telephone number is (571)272-9064. The examiner can normally be reached on 8am-4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michelle Iacoletti can be reached on (571)270-5789. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
April 8, 2026
/Tri T Ton/
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2877
Prosecution Insights