The arguments and amendments submitted 02/04/2026 have been considered. In light of amendments made, all prior claim objections and USC § 112(b) rejections are hereby withdrawn, unless otherwise listed below. The merits of the claims, however, remain unpatentable as set forth below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-7, 9-12, 13-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 6, and 13 each recite the following limitations: “wherein the plurality of opening portions penetrate the heat insulating material and communicate with a space surrounded by an inner side of the heat insulating material and an outer circumferential surface of the heating cylinder, such that, when the corresponding opening-closing device opens the at least one opening portion formed at the upper part of the cover, air in the space is allowed to flow out through the at least one opening portion formed at the upper part of the cover, thereby enabling replacement of air in the space and cooling of the heating cylinder,
wherein the opening-closing device comprises: a closing member configured to open and close the at least one opening portion". However, Applicant has not pointed out where these new limitations are supported, nor does there appear to be written description of these features anywhere in the disclosure. Therefore, these limitations are unsupported new matter. Dependent claims fall herewith.
Claim 12 recites the following limitation: “wherein the opening-closing device comprises: a closing member configured to open and close the at least one opening portion". However, Applicant has not pointed out where these new limitations are supported, nor does there appear to be written description of these features anywhere in the disclosure. Therefore, these limitations are unsupported new matter.
Claims 18-20 each recite a new limitation. However, Applicant has not pointed out where this limitation is supported, nor does there appear to be written description of these features anywhere in the disclosure. Therefore, this limitation is unsupported new matter.
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.
Claims 4-5, 9-10, and 16-17 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 4-5 and 9-10 each recite "the opening portion". It is unclear whether each of these recitations references a specific opening portion, or each opening portion, or at least one of the opening portions. For the purpose of examination, each of these claims reads on "each opening portion".
Claim 16 depends from cancelled claim 15, rendering claim 16 indefinite.
Claim 17 depends from cancelled claim 8, rendering claim 17 indefinite.
Claim Interpretation
The 35 U.S.C. 112(f) invocation for the term opening-closing device in the claims is hereby withdrawn in view of the present amendments to the claims which recites structure for this device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/04/2026 have been fully considered. The present amendments to claims 1, 6, 12, and 13 overcome the previous 103 rejections over Honsho in view of Wieder. However, the claims are not presently allowable for the reasons described above.
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.
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/JRS/
Examiner
Art Unit 1745
/PHILIP C TUCKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1745
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