Office Action Predictor
Last updated: April 17, 2026
Application No. 18/273,875

An Induction Heating Assembly for an Aerosol Generating Device

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jul 24, 2023
Examiner
SZEWCZYK, CYNTHIA
Art Unit
1741
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
jt international SA
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
74%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 0m
To Grant
84%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 74% — above average
74%
Career Allow Rate
692 granted / 939 resolved
+8.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+9.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
40 currently pending
Career history
979
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
48.3%
+8.3% vs TC avg
§102
25.3%
-14.7% vs TC avg
§112
19.2%
-20.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 939 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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) 1- 5 , 8 - 15, 17- 1 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by ABI AOUN et al. (WO 2020/182743) . Abi Aoun teaches an induction heating assembly ( page 5 lines 10-13 ) for an aerosol generating device ( 100 ), the induction heating assembly comprising a heating chamber ( 128 in figures 2 and 3 ) for receiving at least part of an aerosol generating substrate (1 10 ); an induction coil ( 124 in figure 2 ) positioned externally of the heating chamber (128 in figure 2) for generating an electromagnetic field; a holder ( 136 in figure 3 ) positioned inside the heating chamber ( 128 ); an inductively heatable susceptor ( 132 in figure 3 ) mounted on the holder ( 1 36), the inductively heatable susceptor ( 132 ) having an inner surface and an outer surface ( see figure 5B ); and a temperature sensor ( page 33 lines 1-13 ) mounted on the holder ( page 33 lines 19-22 ) in contact with the outer surface of the inductively heatable susceptor ( page 33 lines 2-3 ). Regarding claim 2 , figure 2 shows the induction coil ( 124 ) extends around the heating chamber ( 128 ). Regarding claim 3 , figure 3 shows the heating chamber ( 128 ) has a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction and the inductively heatable susceptor ( 132 ) is elongate in the longitudinal direction of the heating chamber (1 2 8). Regarding claim 4 , figure 6 shows the holder ( 1 36) includes a proximal end (212) and a distal end, and the temperature sensor ( located in channel 210 ) is mounted on the holder ( 1 36) between the proximal and distal ends . Regarding claim 5 , Abi Aoun teaches the holder ( 1 36) comprises a rim ( 212 ) at the proximal end; an elongate sensor mounting element ( 208 in figure 6 ) extending in the longitudinal direction from the rim ( 212 ), the elongate sensor mounting element ( 208 ) having a first end positioned at the rim ( 212 ) and a second end distal to the rim ( see figure 6 ); and the temperature sensor is mounted at the second end of the elongate sensor mounting element ( page 33 lines 2-7 ). Regarding claim 8 , Abi Aoun teaches the heating chamber (1 2 8) comprises a chamber wall ( 128 ) defining an interior volume of the heating chamber and the chamber wall has an inner surface ( see figures 4 and 5b ). Regarding claim 9 , Abi Aoun teaches the temperature sensor is positioned between the inner surface of the chamber wall and the outer surface of the inductively heatable susceptor ( page 2 lines 1-3 ). Regarding claim 10 , Abi Aoun teaches the inductively heatable susceptors comprises a plurality of inductively heatable susceptors ( page 27 lines 27-28 ) mounted on the holder and extending around the inner surface of the chamber wall ( page 29 lines 22-24 ). Regarding claim 11 , Abiu Aoun teaches the chamber wall ( 128 ) includes a coil support structure formed on an outer surface (see upper section of 128 in figure 3) for supporting the induction coil ( 124, 126 ). Regarding claim 12 , Abi Aoun teaches the coil support structure comprises a coil support groove ( see upper section of 128 in figure 3). Regarding claim 13 , Abi Aoun teaches the heating chamber ( 110a in figure 5B ) is substantially tubular and the inductively heatable susceptors ( 132 ) are mounted on the holder ( 1 36) so that they extend around a periphery of the substantially tubular heating chamber ( see figures 5a and 5b ) . Regarding claim 14 , Abi Aoun teaches the holder comprises a substantially non- electrically conductive and non-magnetically permeable material (page 14 lines 5-14). Regarding claim 15 , Abi Aoun teaches a n aerosol generating device (100) comprising an induction heating assembly ( see figure 2 ); and a power source ( 118 ) arranged to provide power to the induction coil ( 124, 126 ). Regarding claim 17 , figure 4 shows the coil support groove extends helically around the outer surface of the chamber wall (128) . Regarding claim 18 , figures 5A and 5B show the heating chamber (110a) is substantially cylindrical and the inductively heatable susceptors (132) are mounted on the holder (136) so that they extend around the substantially cylindrical heating chamber. Regarding claim 19 , Abi Aoun teaches the holder comprises a heat-resistant plastics material (page 14 lines 5-14) . 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) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ABI AOUN et al. (WO 2020/182743) . Abi Aoun teaches an induction heating assembly ( page 5 lines 10-13 ) for an aerosol generating device ( 100 ), the induction heating assembly comprising a heating chamber ( 128 in figures 2 and 3 ) for receiving at least part of an aerosol generating substrate (1 10 ); an induction coil ( 124 in figure 2 ) positioned externally of the heating chamber (128 in figure 2) for generating an electromagnetic field; a holder ( 136 in figure 3 ) positioned inside the heating chamber ( 128 ); an inductively heatable susceptor ( 132 in figure 3 ) mounted on the holder ( 1 36), the inductively heatable susceptor ( 132 ) having an inner surface and an outer surface ( see figure 5B ); and a temperature sensor ( page 33 lines 1-13 ) mounted on the holder ( page 33 lines 19-22 ) in contact with the outer surface of the inductively heatable susceptor ( page 33 lines 2-3 ). Figure 6 shows the holder ( 1 36) includes a proximal end (212) and a distal end, and the temperature sensor ( located in channel 210 ) is mounted on the holder ( 1 36) between the proximal and distal ends . Although figure 10 shows a temperature sensor (424) mounted on the susceptor, Abi Aoun teaches that there may be a second sensor present within the device (page 37 lines 1-4) and Abi Aoun teaches that the second temperature sensor may be arranged in proximity to the susceptor (page 33 lines 1-5); therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to mount the second temperature sensor substantially at a midpoint between the proximal and distal ends of the holder. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 6-7 are 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. Regarding claim 6 , the prior art does not teach or suggest the second end of the elongate sensor mounting element is biased towards the outer surface of the inductively heatable susceptor. Regarding claim 7 , the prior art does not teach or suggest the temperature sensor is mounted on the elongate sensor mounting element such that the temperature sensor is clamped between the elongate sensor mounting element and the outer surface of the inductively heatable susceptor. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KWON (EP 3900552). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-5130 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Mon-Fri 10 am - 6 pm . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Alison Hindenlang can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-7001 . 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. /CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741
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Prosecution Timeline

Jul 24, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 13, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103
Mar 23, 2026
Response Filed

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
74%
Grant Probability
84%
With Interview (+9.9%)
3y 0m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 939 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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