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 .
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.
Claim 1, 3-7 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "wherein one or more of: particles of the filler are fusion-bonded to each other to form a conductive path, and a particle of the filler and an electrode substrate disposed on a surface of the treatment section are fusion-bonded to form a conductive path; wherein the particles have a shape with corners and the corners are bonded together by the fusion-bounding" in line 8-14. It is unclear to the examiner if the claim requires one or more of each 1) particles of the filler are fusion-bonded to each other to form a conductive path and 2) a particle of the filler and an electrode substrate disposed on a surface of the treatment section are fusion-bonded to form a conductive path or it only requires either 1) particles of the filler are fusion-bonded to each other to form a conductive path or 2) a particle of the filler and an electrode substrate disposed on a surface of the treatment section are fusion-bonded to form a conductive path. Furthermore, it is unclear to the examiner what “the particles” in line 13 is referring to. It is unclear if it is referring to the particles of the filler that are fusion bonded to each other to work conductive path or the one or more of particle of the filler and an electrode substrate disposed on a surface of the treatment section are fusion bonded to form a conductive path. Claim 3-6 depend on claim 1 and therefore are rejected.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "a proportion of filler with smaller particle sizes" in in line 17. It is unclear to the examiner if the filler is a new filler or the conductive filler that was mentioned above. The claim also recites conductive filler and filler interchangeable. The examiner suggested to use consistent terms for clarity.
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 TIGIST S DEMIE whose telephone number is (571)270-5345. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5Pm.
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/TIGIST S DEMIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3794