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 .
Applicants’ Preliminary Amendment, filed on January 24, 2024, has been made of record and entered. In this amendment, the Specification, Abstract, and Drawings have been amended to place the application in better form for examination, claims 1-6 have been canceled, and new claims 7-14 have been added.
Claims 7-14 are presently pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Applicants’ Priority Document was filed on January 24, 2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8, 9, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 is indefinite because the limitation “gel-like organic composition” is unclear. The phrase “gel-like” renders the claim indefinite because the phrase appears to include elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "like"), thereby rendering the scope of the claim unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 9 is indefinite for reciting “for example drying or calcining”. The phrase "for example" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 13, which depends from claim 9, does not cure the deficiency in claim 9, and is thus included in this rejection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 10-12, and 14 are allowed.
Claims 8, 9, and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
The prior art of record does not teach or suggest Applicants’ claimed method for producing a device for aftertreatment of exhaust gases and for coating a honeycomb body, provided in the device, with a catalytically active surface coating, comprising: forming the honeycomb body from a multiplicity of metallic, at least partially structured foils which are stacked one on another and wound so that the honeycomb body forms a multiplicity of flow channels through which fluid can flow along a main flow direction; receiving the honeycomb body in an inner casing; durably connecting the honeycomb body to the inner casing; arranging and durably connecting the inner casing in an outer casing; introducing the catalytically active surface coating into the multiplicity of flow channels formed by the honeycomb body; and filling an air gap or air gaps formed between the outer casing and at least the inner casing with a filler before the introducing the catalytically active surface coating into the multiplicity of flow channels.
Exemplary prior art includes:
Taniguchi et al. (U. S. Patent No. 6,599,857), which teaches a method of producing a catalyst, wherein a monolithic honeycomb carrier is coated with a refractory inorganic oxide and a catalytic component via insertion in an impregnating device (Figures 1-4; col. 3, lines 11 to col. 4, line 64). Taniguchi et al. do not teach or suggest the limitations of Applicants’ claims regarding the presence of an air gap or air gaps, which are formed between the outer casing and at least the inner casing, wherein said air gap or air gaps are filled with a filler prior to introducing the catalytically active surface coating; and
Ido et al. (U. S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0241003), which teaches formation of a catalyst via coating a catalyst layer on a peripheral portion of a honeycomb structure. See Figure 7 and paragraphs [0084]-[0099].
Bruck (U. S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0232830) is the English language equivalent of CN 1720093, cited by Applicants.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICIA L HAILEY whose telephone number is (571)272-1369. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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/Patricia L. Hailey/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1732 June 10, 2026
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