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 .
This office action is a response to the amendment filed on 7/30/2026.
Examiner’s Comment
Upon further consideration, examiner hereby withdraws the last office action mailed on 5/13/2026. In view of found prior art, the office action mailed on 5/13/2026 is hereby withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re. claim 4: The phrase “connecting the electrical conductor portions of two different electrical conductors to the at least one temperature sensor element” as recited in lines 3-4 appears to be --connecting two different electrical conductors of the electrical conductor portions to the at least one temperature sensor element--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-9 and 12-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weber et al. (US PAT. 7,982,580) in view of Williams et al. (US PAT. 10,822,779).
Weber et al. teach a process of making a temperature sensor, comprising steps of: providing a cable (12, Fig. 1), wherein conducting electrical conductor portions (22a-22-d, Fig. 1) are protruding from an end of the cable; connecting at least one temperature sensor element (16, Fig. 1) to the electrical conductor portions protruding from the cable; providing a sensor capsule (14, Fig. 1); connecting a proximal end surface of the sensor capsule to the end of the cable, so that the sensor capsule surrounds the at least one temperature sensor element a shown in Fig. 1; filling up a volume of the sensor capsule with a thermally conducting ceramic filler (38, Fig. 1); and connecting an end cap (32, Fig. 1) to a distal end surface of the sensor capsule (see also col. 1, line 63 to col. 2, line 34).
However, Weber et al. silent at least one drain opening in the sensor capsule near a connection area of the cable and the sensor capsule and sealing the drain opening. Williams et al. teach a process of making an end cap cover including a vent hole (2, Fig. 1, equivalent with a drain opening) for drainage of water or other fluid (col. 2, lines 41-51). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify a process of fabricating making a temperature sensor of Weber et al. by providing a vent hole as taught by Williams et al. in order to drain water or other fluid from the cap. Since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable drain opening involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.04 (il-A).
Re. claim 2: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the ceramic filler is cured before the end cap is connected to the distal end surface of the sensor capsule as shown in Fig. 1 (col. 2, lines 35-60).
Re. claims 3 and 12: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the at least one temperature sensor element is welded, in particular laser welded, to the electrical conductor portions protruding from the cable (col. 2, lines 10-11).
Re. claims 4, 13 and 14: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that connecting the at least one temperature sensor element to the electrical conductor portions protruding from the cable comprises connecting two different electrical conductors of the electrical conductor portions to the at least one temperature sensor element as shown in Fig. 1.
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Re. claims 5 and 15-17: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the thermally conducting ceramic filler is a ceramic cement potting material (col. 2, lines 28-60).
Re. claim 6: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the proximal end surface of the sensor capsule is welded to the end of the cable as shown in Fig. 1 (col. 2, lines 10-11).
Re. claims 7, 18 and 19: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the end cap is welded (a laser welding) to the distal end surface of the sensor capsule.
Re. claim 8: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the cable is a mineral insulated cable (col. 1, lines 66-67).
Re. claim 9: Weber et al., modified by Williams et al., also teach that the at least one temperature sensor element comprises platinum wires (col. 2, lines 25-26).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10 and 12-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM.
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/PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
