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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
another conductive object recited in Claim 1-3;
object recited in Claim 4;
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-32 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.
Regarding Claim 1 (similarly in Claim 2), the applicant recites –
a. “a block portion, for blocking or guiding a fluid”;
b. “an electric conductive portion for conducting electric power generated”;
c. “to power another conductive object or for storing the electric power”;
The claim recites broad functional language (refer to “a-c” above) without sufficiently clear structural boundaries, leaving unclear what specific components or arrangements are required. Therefore, it is unclear what falls in the scope of the claim. For instance, the recited “portions” & “object” – what structure of the portions and object have? Where are they located/coupled/connected/operate with each other?
Claims 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25 & 29 are rejected based on the dependency from Claim 1 & Claims 6, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26 & 30 based on the dependency from Claim 2.
Claim 3-4 is rejected similarly as in Claim 1-2 where the limitation “a block portion, for blocking or guiding a fluid” is rejected similarly as the limitations “a-c” refer above.
Claims 1-4 recites “the electric power”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Moreover, where does “the electric power” is originated from?
Claims 9-10, 13-14, 21-22 recites “the object”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding Claims 9-11, the applicant recites “wherein the fluid device is picked up by a tool”. Claims 1-4 are regarded to a fluid device. Therefore, it is unclear how a fluid device “picks a tool”.
Claims 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 & 31 are rejected based on the dependency from Claim 3 & Claims 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 & 32 based on the dependency from Claim 4.
Claims 5-31 are rejected for similar reasons as in Claims 1-4 regarding the several “portions, objects” in claims 5-31. Moreover, the claims recite several “or”. For instance, Claims 5-8 recites –
“wherein the assembly portion OR one end OR both ends of the shaft of the fluid device are provided with a stop portion, OR the stop portion stops against the block portion OR the assembly portion, OR the assembly portion OR the shaft of the fluid device is provided with a stop portion, OR the block portion is provided with a corresponding stop portion, OR the stop portion and the corresponding stop portion are correspondingly stopped, OR the assembly portion of the fluid device is provided with a stop portion, OR the object is provided with a corresponding stop portion, OR the stop portion and the corresponding stop portion are correspondingly stopped, OR the block portion is provided with a stop portion, OR the assembly portion of the fluid device is provided with a corresponding stop portion, OR the stop portion and the corresponding stop portion are correspondingly stopped.
It is unclear what is included or required, or optional or excluded of the multiple limitations in the claim, meaning the boundaries of the claim subject matter are not clearly defined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sri-Jayanatha (US 2004/0114327).
Regarding Claim 1, Sri-Jayanatha discloses a fluid device, comprising:
(a) a block portion [204], for blocking or guiding a fluid [fluid (air)] (FIG. 3-4, [0008]);
(b) wherein the fluid device further comprises an electric conductive portion [202] for conducting electric power generated by a motion of the fluid device to power another conductive object [412] OR (FIG. 3-4, ¶ [0002]; the power of integrated circuit devices such as microprocessors has increased exponentially, resulting in a significant increase in the amount of heat generated by these devices, thereby necessitating a more efficient cooling solution ¶ [0005]; processing power continues to increase, the combined mass/volume of the fan-heat sink system needs to grow in scale accordingly, thus making the fan-heat sink configuration less competitive in a size-driven market).
Regarding Claim 2, Sri-Jayanatha discloses a fluid device, comprising:
a block portion, for blocking or guiding a fluid (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “a” above); and
(c) a shaft, combined with the block portion [204] (FIG. 3-4);
wherein the fluid device further comprises an electric conductive portion for conducting electric power generated by a motion of the fluid device to power another conductive object OR (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “b” above).
Regarding Claim 3, Sri-Jayanatha discloses a fluid device, comprising:
(d) an assembly portion [300], for assembling with an object [302] (FIG. 3); and
a block portion, disposed at the assembly portion, the block portion for blocking or guiding a fluid (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “a” above);
wherein the fluid device further comprises an electric conductive portion for conducting electric power generated by a motion of the fluid device to power another conductive object OR (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “b” above).
Regarding Claim 4, Sri-Jayanatha discloses a fluid device, comprising:
an assembly portion, for assembling with an object (refer to rejected Claim 3, element “d” above);
a block portion, for blocking or guiding a fluid (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “a” above); and
a shaft, combined with the block portion (refer to rejected Claim 2, element “c” above);
wherein the fluid device further comprises an electric conductive portion for conducting electric power generated by a motion of the fluid device to power another conductive object or (refer to rejected Claim 1, element “b” above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH ORTEGA whose telephone number is (469)295-9083. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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, TULSIDAS C. PATEL can be reached at (571)272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH ORTEGA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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