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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/03/2025 has been entered.
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 11-14 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 11 recites the limitation "the step region of the first electrode includes a sub-inclined region and a sub- flat region" in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7 and 9-10 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The primary reason for the allowance of claims 5-7 and 9 is the inclusion of the limitation of a piezoelectric element that includes a first electrode has a flat region and an inclined region, and the first electrode has a step region between the flat region and the inclined region; the step region of the first electrode includes a sub-inclined region, and an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the flat region is smaller than an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the inclined region. It is these limitations found in the claims, as it is claimed in the combination, that has not been found, taught, or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for the allowance of claim(s) 10 is the inclusion of the limitation of a liquid droplet dispensing head comprising a piezoelectric element that includes a first electrode has a flat region and an inclined region, and the first electrode has a step region between the flat region and the inclined region, the step region of the first electrode includes a sub-inclined region, and an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the flat region is smaller than an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the inclined region. It is these limitations found in the claims, as it is claimed in the combination, that has not been found, taught, or suggested by the prior art of record, which makes these claims allowable over the prior art.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. United States Patent Application Publication No. (2014/0368583) to Morozumi et al. (hereinafter Morozumi et al.) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. (JP 2020155575 A) to Ueda et al. (hereinafter Ueda et al.).
Regarding Claim 5, Morozumi et al. teaches a piezoelectric element (300, Figs. 1, 3, and 9A) comprising: a first electrode (60, Fig. 3) [Paragraphs 0047-0048]; an orientation control layer (72, Fig. 3) provided on the first electrode (60) [Paragraphs 0047-0049, see also Fig. 9A]; a piezoelectric body (70, Fig. 3) provided on the orientation control layer (72) and containing potassium, sodium, and niobium [Paragraphs 0047, 0063]; and a second electrode (80, Fig. 3) provided on the piezoelectric body (70) [Paragraphs 0047, 0065].
Morozumi et al. fails to teach wherein the first electrode has a flat region and an inclined region, the first electrode has a step region between the flat region and the inclined region, the step region of the first electrode includes a sub-inclined region, and an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the flat region is smaller than an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the inclined region.
Regarding Claim 5, Ueda et al. teaches a piezoelectric element (60, Fig. 5) comprising: a first electrode (22, Fig. 5) [Description of Embodiments]; an orientation control layer (23, Fig. 5) provided on the first electrode (22) [Description of Embodiments]; a piezoelectric body (30, Fig. 5) provided on the orientation control layer (23) [Description of Embodiments]; and a second electrode (40, Fig. 5) provided on the piezoelectric body (30) [Description of Embodiments].
Ueda et al. fails to teach a piezoelectric body containing potassium, sodium, and niobium, and wherein the first electrode has a flat region and an inclined region, the first electrode has a step region between the flat region and the inclined region, the step region of the first electrode includes a sub-inclined region, and an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the flat region is smaller than an angle formed by the sub-inclined region and the inclined region.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LISA SOLOMON whose telephone number is (571)272-1701. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:30am -6pm, EST.
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, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. 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.
/LISA SOLOMON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853