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 on December 11, 2025 is acknowledged. Claims 1-9 are pending. Applicant amended claims 1-8 and added new claim 9.
Response to Arguments
The amendment necessitated the new grounds of rejection set forth below. Consequently, Applicant’s arguments directed to the patentability of the claims are moot.
Claim Objections
Claims 7-9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 2 of claim 7, the limitation “at a first proximal end” should be changed to “at a first proximal end of the contact unit”. Otherwise, the limitation is grammatically ambiguous and potentially indefinite (e.g. at a first proximal end of the crucible?).
In line 4 of claim 7, the limitation “including” should be changed to “includes”.
In claims 8 and 9, the limitation “detachable” should be deleted.
Claim 9 should be amended to recite “The detachable contact unit of claim 7, wherein said profiled surface includes a chamfer”. Currently, the limitation, “further including said profiled surface” suggests that the profiled surface introduced in claim 7 is not part of the claimed invention, which contradicts the drafting language of claim 7.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 8 is 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.
Claim 8 recites, “further comprising a profiled surface at the distal end”, even though claim 7 already introduces a profiled surface at the distal end. The relationship between the two profiled surfaces is unclear.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1, 2, 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wadsö et al. (“Wadsö”) (US 4,492,480).
With respect to claim 1, Wadsö discloses a post unit for holding one end of a carbon crucible utilized in the creation of a carbon encapsulated substance*, the post unit including (see Figure):
a contact unit 1 including a first cavity 10 for engaging one end of the carbon crucible*; and
at least a first and second pedestal 5 and 6, each of the pedestals configured to detachably engage with the contact unit (see lines 15-20, col. 2);
wherein the first and second pedestals 5 and 6 are resiliently clamped together around the first contact unit 1 for engagement of the contact unit 1 in a predetermined position (see lines 15-20, col. 2).
*The limitations are directed to recitation of intended use. Because the crucible is not a part of the claimed invention, the recitation merely conveys ability. In this case, because the dimensions of the carbon crucible are unspecified, the post unit taught by Wadsö is deemed to be capable of holding/engaging a crucible having a size that is smaller than the dimensions of the first cavity 10.
With respect to claim 2, the subject matter of the claim is directed to intended use. As discussed above, because the dimensions of the carbon crucible are unspecified, the post unit taught by Wadsö is deemed to enable mechanical holding of a carbon crucible having a size smaller than the first cavity 10. As for the limitation, “said post unit is utilized in a technetium generator for the delivery of current”, the claim does not specify the nature of the utilization. Consequently, the post unit taught by Wadsö is deemed to anticipate the limitation.
With respect to claim 4, the contact unit 1 includes a profiled surface 4/11 which mates with a corresponding (inner) surface of at least one pedestal 5/6 to engage the contact unit 1 in a predetermined orientation (see Figure).
With respect to claim 5, the profiled surface 4/11 includes a ridge (i.e. an elevated structure).
Claims 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gray et al. (“Gray”) (US 2016/0107158 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Gray discloses a post unit for holding one end of a carbon crucible utilized in the creation of a carbon encapsulated substance*, the post unit including (see Figs. 17 and 19):
a contact unit 20 including a first cavity for engaging one end of the carbon crucible*; and
at least a first and second pedestal (“clamp arms” are first and second pedestals and back surface joining the arms is the third pedestal, see [0056]), each of the pedestals configured to detachably engage with the contact unit 20 (see [0056]);
wherein the first and second pedestals are resiliently clamped together around the first contact unit 20 for engagement of the contact unit 20 in a predetermined position (see Fig. 17).
*As discussed above, the limitations are directed to recitation of intended use. In this case, because the dimensions of the carbon crucible are unspecified, the post unit taught by Gray is deemed to be capable of holding/engaging a crucible having a size that is smaller than the dimensions of the first cavity.
With respect to claim 2, the subject matter of the claim is directed to intended use. As discussed above, because the dimensions of the carbon crucible are unspecified, the post unit taught by Gray is deemed to enable mechanical holding of a carbon crucible having a size smaller than the first cavity. As for the limitation, “said post is utilized in a technetium generator for the delivery of current”, the claim does not specify the nature of the utilization. Consequently, the post unit taught by Gray is deemed to anticipate the limitation.
With respect to claim 3, the post unit further comprises a lever 282 for resiliently forcing the two pedestals apart for insertion and removal of the contact unit 20 (see [0056] and compare Figs. 19 and 20).
With respect to claim 4, the contact unit 20 includes a profiled (round) surface which mates with a corresponding (inner) surface of at least one pedestal to engage the contact unit 20 in a predetermined orientation (see Fig. 17).
With respect to claim 6, the lever 282 includes a first profiled surface 280 which engages with a corresponding slotted mating surface 286 in the third pedestal (the back surface) (see Figs. 17-20).
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Carlsson et al. (“Carlsson”) (US 2012/0315691 A1).
With respect to claim 7, Carlsson discloses a contact unit 13 including a first cavity 17 for engaging one end of a carbon crucible* at a first proximal end (see Fig. 3a), and a clamping surface 20 located at a distal end (see Fig. 3b) for being detachably clamped to a conductive post*, wherein the clamping surface including a profiled (top/bottom) surface for mating with a corresponding surface of the conductive post when clamped to the conductive post*, so as to maintain the contact unit in a predetermined orientation relative to the post when clamped.
*The limitations are directed to recitation of intended use. In this case, the carbon crucible and the conductive post are not part of the claimed invention. They are merely hypothetical entities intended to be used with the claimed contact unit. Consequently, Carlsson need not teach the crucible or the conductive post to anticipate the claim. Moreover, the claim is silent regarding the specifics of the crucible and the conductive post, meaning any cavity (e.g. cavity 17) having sufficient size to accommodate an unspecified crucible, and any clamping surface (e.g. surface 20) that can be clamped are sufficient to anticipate the limitations directed to the respective claimed elements.
With respect to claim 7, Carlsson discloses an alternative embodiment of a contact unit 260 including a first cavity 330 for engaging one end of a carbon crucible* at a first proximal end (see Fig. 6a), and a clamping surface (ridged surface on the left in Fig. 6a) located at a distal end for being detachably clamped to a conductive post*, wherein the clamping surface includes a profiled surface for mating with a corresponding surface of the conductive post when clamped to the conductive post*, so as to maintain the contact unit in a predetermined orientation relative to the post when clamped.
*The limitations are directed to recitation of intended use. In this case, the carbon crucible and the conductive post are not part of the claimed invention. They are merely hypothetical entities intended to be used with the claimed contact unit. Consequently, Carlsson need not teach the crucible or the conductive post to anticipate the claim. Moreover, the claim is silent regarding the specifics of the crucible and the conductive post, meaning any cavity (e.g. cavity 330) having sufficient size to accommodate an unspecified crucible, and any clamping surface (e.g. ridged surface) that can be clamped are sufficient to anticipate the limitations directed to the respective claimed elements.
With respect to claims 8 and 9, the profiled surface at the distal end comprises a chamfered ridge (see left side of Fig. 6a illustrating two chamfered ridges).
Conclusion
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 PAUL S HYUN whose telephone number is (571)272-8559. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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/PAUL S HYUN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1796
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