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 .
Response to Amendment
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The response filed on January 26, 2026 is acknowledged.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 1-8) in the reply filed on September 10, 2024 is acknowledged.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A (figure 2) in the reply filed on March 18, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 9-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on September 10, 2024.
Claims 3-8 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on March 18, 2025.
Applicant indicated that claims 1, 2 and 5 are readable on elected Species A. Claim 5 is dependent on claim 4 which is not readable on the elected species. Therefore, claim 5 cannot read on the elected species.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1, 2, 15 and 16 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 1 recites the limitation "the outer diameter" in line 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1 and 2 (as best understood) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bucknam et al. (1,947,755).
Bucknam et al. disclose a multi-nozzle device comprising:
a nozzle body 1 including a chamber 10 into which a fluid enters;
a first pipe 2 configured to define a reference nozzle provided in the nozzle body, the reference nozzle including an inflow end (upstream end) communicating to the chamber and an outflow end (downstream end) projecting outward from an end surface 7 of the nozzle body, and the reference nozzle having a predetermined first length (length of tip 2) and a predetermined first inner diameter (diameter of passage 25 of tip 2); and
a second pipe 6 configured to define a specific nozzle, the specific nozzle being disposed at a distance from the reference nozzle, the specific nozzle including an inflow end (upstream end) communicating to the chamber and an outflow end (downstream end) projecting outward from the end surface 7 of the nozzle body, and the specific nozzle having a second length (length of tip 6) and a second inner diameter (diameter of passage 25 of tip 6);
wherein:
the nozzle body includes a recess portion 15, 24 provided at a location in an inner surface (surface of branch 11) of the nozzle body which corresponds to a location of the inflow end of the specific nozzle, the inflow end of the specific nozzle being disposed and opened at a bottom surface (surface of threaded socket 24; surface of outlet 15 is the top surface and the surface of threaded socket 24 is the bottom surface) of the recess portion;
a diameter (diameter of threaded socket 24) of the recess portion is greater than the outer diameter (diameter of the threaded portion of tip 6 in threaded socket 24), and
the first inner diameter and the second inner diameter are equal to each other (each of the tips 2 and 6 have the passage 25; page 2, ll. 17-19), and the second length is less than the first length (see figure 1);
wherein the second length is less than the first length by an amount corresponding to a depth (see below) of the recess portion.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed January 26, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Bucknam et al. do not disclose (i) the inflow end of the specific nozzle is disposed and opened at a bottom surface of the recess portion and (ii) a diameter of the recess portion is greater than the outer diameter of the second pipe. Bucknam et al. disclose (i) the inflow end of the specific nozzle being disposed and opened at a bottom surface (surface of threaded socket 24; surface of outlet 15 is the top surface and the surface of threaded socket 24 is the bottom surface) of the recess portion and (ii) a diameter (diameter of threaded socket 24) of the recess portion is greater than the outer diameter (diameter of the threaded portion of tip 6 in threaded socket 24). The diameter of the threaded socket 24 must be greater than the diameter of the threaded portion of tip 6 in order for tip 6 to be inserted into the threaded socket 24.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER S KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4905. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-3:30.
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, Arthur O Hall can be reached on (571) 270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER S KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 CHRISTOPHER S. KIM
Examiner
Art Unit 3752
CK
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