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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-17 in the reply filed on 7/13/26 is acknowledged. Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse.
An OA on the merits of claims 1-17 as following:
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Since a number of transition terms (e.g., “comprising “existed in the body of the claim 1 see lines 2, 15) which made scope of the claim unclear it is suggested rewritten line 2 and 15 by using of: -- having --, in an alternative the use of: -- “including” --, for clarity of the structure claim formats.
“- “(claim 1, lines 2-3, 10, 15-16, 23, 28) appears to be in improper format should be deleted. Appropriate correction is required.
The above are examples of inconsistencies and problematic issues noticed by the Examiner. Applicant is respectfully asked to review the application for any deficiency that may still be present.
Claims 22-30, 32, 33, 39 and 40 also remain rejected as indefinite, so rendered by virtue of their dependency upon the indefinite subject matter of independent claim 1.
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 1-17 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Many terms or phrases is/are vague, indefinite and confusing the following are examples:
The following phrases:
“- a first end section comprising:
- an elongated and electrically conductive frame extending from an inner end to an outer end,”(see claim 1, about lines 2-3) is unclear and confusing and should be rewritten to positive structure formats (e.g., in a single paragraph formats) such as:
--"a first end section having an elongated and electrically conductive frame extending from an inner end to an outer end,”--
Similar to the above applied to lines 15-16 of claim 1 as well.
“and including” (claim 1, line 4) should be more specific to exactly what structure elements (e.g., the first end section or the frame), please be more specific to which element prior to “including” term?
Similar to the above occurrence in line 17 of claim 1.
Claims 2-17 are also rejected as indefinite, so rendered by virtue of their dependency upon the indefinite subject matter of independent claim 1.
The above are examples of inconsistencies and problematic issues noticed by the Examiner. Applicant is respectfully asked to review the application for any deficiency that may still be present.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH N TRINH whose telephone number is (571)272-4569. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH ~5:00-3:30.
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, Thomas J Hong can be reached at 571-272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MINH N TRINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
mt
8/18/26
Prosecution Insights