DETAILED ACTION
The response filed on November 5, 2025 is being acknowledged.
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.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
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 of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-3, 6-7 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Rejection of claim 1, the limitation “the first planar part and the second planar part face and be parallel to each other, and disposed to sandwich the wire members in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the wire members are arranged next to one another, and each of the wire members contacts the first planar part, the second planar part, one of the radially-inward surfaces of the first segment and the second segment, and an adjacent wire member.” contains subject matter which was not described in the specification.
See specification and figure 4 do not mention anywhere in in the specification that each of the wire members contacts same the first planar part 66A, the second planar part 66B instead there are two first planer parts 66A and two second planer parts 66B, wherein a first of wire members contacts only one of two first planer parts 66A and one of two second planer parts 66B; and a second of wire members contacts only other of two first planer parts 66A and other of two second planer parts 66B.
Therefore, claim 1 contains new matter.
Appropriate action is required.
Rejection of claims 2-3, 6-7, claims 2-3, and 6-7 are rejected by the same reason applied to above.
Rejection of claim 7, the limitation “wherein when viewed from the direction along the center axis of the holder, the radially inner contour of the holding portion of the first segment includes two first planar parts and a first concave part located between and continuous with the two first planar parts, and the radially inner contour of the holding portion of the second segment includes two second planar parts and a second concave part located between and continuous with the two second planar parts, second wire members different from the wire members are disposed in the first concave part and the second concave part, and each of the second wire members contacts one of the first concave part and the second concave part, and the wire members.” contains subject matter which was not described in the specification.
Specification and see figure 8 wherein second wire members different from the wire members are disposed in the first concave part and the second concave part, and no contacts between first planer parts and second planar parts to the wire members 20 (see figure 8); however, claim 1 mentions that contacts between first planer parts and second planar parts to the wire members 20. Therefore, claim 7 contains new matter.
Also, claim 1 discloses a first planer part and a second planer part; while claim 7 includes additional two first and two second planar parts. Therefore, total number of planar parts as mentioned in the claims are not claimed in the specification; and not also it is not mentioned in the specification and figures that how it would change structure of holder in term of planar surfaces with concave surface to accommodate wire members and second wire members in the holder. No clear indication is given.
Therefore, claim 7 contains new matter; it appears that claim 7 should be cancelled.
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 1-3 and 6-7 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.
Rejection of claim 1, the limitation “the first planar part and the second planar part face and be parallel to each other, and disposed to sandwich the wire members in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the wire members are arranged next to one another, and each of the wire members contacts the first planar part, the second planar part, one of the radially-inward surfaces of the first segment and the second segment, and an adjacent wire member.” is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter.
See specification and figure 4 do not mention anywhere in in the specification that each of the wire members contacts same the first planar part 66A, the second planar part 66B instead there are two first planer parts 66A and two second planer parts 66B, wherein a first of wire members contacts only one of two first planer parts 66A and one of two second planer parts 66B; and a second of wire members contacts only other of two first planer parts 66A and other of two second planer parts 66B.
Therefore, it is not clear how each wire members contacts the same first and second planer members.
Appropriate action is required.
Rejection of claims 2-3, 6-7, claims 2-3, and 6-7 are rejected by the same reason applied to above.
Rejection of claim 7, the limitation “wherein when viewed from the direction along the center axis of the holder, the radially inner contour of the holding portion of the first segment includes two first planar parts and a first concave part located between and continuous with the two first planar parts, and the radially inner contour of the holding portion of the second segment includes two second planar parts and a second concave part located between and continuous with the two second planar parts, second wire members different from the wire members are disposed in the first concave part and the second concave part, and each of the second wire members contacts one of the first concave part and the second concave part, and the wire members.” is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter.
Specification and see figure 8 wherein second wire members different from the wire members are disposed in the first concave part and the second concave part, and no contacts between first planer parts and second planar parts to the wire members 20 (see figure 8); it is not clear when second wire members abut against the wire members how the wire members contact the any planar parts. Therefore, claim 7 conflicts with claim 1, and can not claim together.
Also, claim 1 discloses a first planer part and a second planer part; while claim 7 includes additional two first and two second planar parts. Therefore, total number of planar parts as mentioned in the claims are not claimed in the specification; and not also it is not mentioned in the specification and figures that how it would change structure of holder in term of planar surfaces with concave surface to accommodate wire members and second wire members in the holder. No clear indication is given.
Therefore, claim 7 is indefinite.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection under USC 112 does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112 set forth in this Office action. Note that claim’s allowability only considered based on clarification provided in rejection under USC 112 wherein a first of wire members contacts only one of two first planer parts 66A and one of two second planer parts 66B; and a second of wire members contacts only other of two first planer parts 66A and other of two second planer parts 66B; and cancellation of claim 7. Any other amendment which changes scope of invention having different structure would may further prosecute under USC 102 and USC 103.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Paresh Paghadal whose telephone number is (571)272-5251. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00AM-4:00PM, Monday - Thursday.
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/PARESH PAGHADAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847