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 .
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 1-6 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 "a substrate" in line 2, 3 and 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is the recited instance in lines 3 and 7 referring back to the first instance recited in line 2? If so please clarify.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the second discharge flow path" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the flow-rate" in line 2 and “a flow-rate” in line 3. Is the second instance in line 3 referring back to first instance in line 2?
Claim 3 recites the limitation "a gas" in line 3. Is this referring back to gas introduced in claim 1? If so, please clarify. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the second discharge flow path" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 and 6 are dependent of claim 1, thus they are subjected similar rejection.
Conclusion
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/VISHAL I PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746