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)(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) 1-11, 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by BATISTA et al. (US 2022/0295894).
Batista teaches a heating apparatus for an aerosol generating device comprising a heating chamber for receiving an aerosol generating substrate (see figures 1 and 2); and a susceptor assembly (10) configured to be positioned within the heating chamber, the susceptor assembly comprising a first ring (46 in figure 5B and 5C) and a second ring (46 in figures 5B and 5C), and a plurality of susceptors (14) held between the first and second rings, wherein each susceptor in the plurality of susceptors extends from the first ring to the second ring (see figures 5B and 5C), and wherein the susceptor assembly is configured to allow the aerosol generating substrate to pass through the first ring (upper ring 46).
Regarding claim 2, figures 3-5 show the susceptor assembly is configured to be removable from the heating chamber.
Regarding claim 3, Batista teaches an outer surface of the first ring and an outer surface of the second ring is configured to provide a frictional force which acts against an inner surface of the heating chamber (para. 0111).
Regarding claim 4, figures 5B and 5C show the susceptor assembly is configured to prevent a received aerosol generating substrate from passing beyond the second ring (lower ring 46).
Regarding claim 5, figures 5B and 5C show the first ring (46) and the second ring (46) is configured to allow air to pass through or around the first ring and the second ring after the aerosol generating substrate is received in the heating chamber (para. 0099).
Regarding claim 6, figures 5B and 5C show each end of the plurality of susceptors is arranged at the respective first ring and the second ring.
Regarding claim 7, figures 5B and 5C show a first end of each susceptor in the plurality of susceptors is arranged at the second ring (lower ring 46), and a portion of the first end of at least one of the plurality of susceptors held in the second ring is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the susceptor assembly is configured to be removed from the heating chamber.
Regarding claim 8, Batista teaches the heating chamber comprises a substantially non- electrically conductive and non-magnetically permeable material (para. 0069).
Regarding claim 9, figure 5A shows at least one susceptor in the plurality of susceptors comprises an inwardly extending portion, positioned between the first and second rings, that extends toward a central axis of the heating chamber so as to provide a reduced cross-sectional area of the heating chamber.
Regarding claim 10, figure 5A shows each of the susceptors in the plurality of susceptors is spaced apart from an inner heating chamber wall between the first and second rings.
Regarding claim 11, figures 5B and 5C shows each of the susceptors in the plurality of susceptors is in contact with an inner heating chamber wall (bottom chamber wall 28) along at least one edge (bottom of susceptors 14).
Regarding claim 13, figures 5B and 5C show each of the susceptors in the plurality of susceptors have a convex cross-sectional shape so as to minimize contact with an inner heating chamber inner wall, and to improve structural rigidity.
Regarding claim 14, Batista teaches the heating chamber comprises a chamber wall (22) configured to support an induction heating coil (16) of an electromagnetic field generator.
Regarding claim 15, Batista teaches an aerosol generating substrate (12); an electromagnetic field generator (para. 0034); and the heating apparatus (see figures 5A-5C).
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) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BATISTA et al. (US 2022/0295894).
Batista teaches a heating apparatus for an aerosol generating device comprising a heating chamber for receiving an aerosol generating substrate (see figures 1 and 2); and a susceptor assembly (10) configured to be positioned within the heating chamber, the susceptor assembly comprising a first ring (46 in figure 5B and 5C) and a second ring (46 in figures 5B and 5C), and a plurality of susceptors (14) held between the first and second rings, wherein each susceptor in the plurality of susceptors extends from the first ring to the second ring (see figures 5B and 5C), and wherein the susceptor assembly is configured to allow the aerosol generating substrate to pass through the first ring (upper ring 46). Figures 5B and 5C shows each of the susceptors in the plurality of susceptors is in contact with an inner heating chamber wall (bottom chamber wall 28) along at least one edge (bottom of susceptors 14).
Batista teaches that each of the susceptors in the plurality of susceptors have flared downstream ends to facilitate insertion of the aerosol generating article (para. 0031). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the downstream end so that the downstream edges are in contact with the heating chamber wall 22 because it would aid in insertion of the aerosol generating article.
Conclusion
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/CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741