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 § 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by Iwamoto et al(12076689) .
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Iwamoto et al teaches in figure 5 a canister(101) for adsorbing and desorbing evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank of a vehicle comprising an outer case (2) comprising a charge port(21) configured to take in the evaporated fuel, a purge port(22) configured to discharge the evaporated fuel, and an atmosphere port(23) open to an atmosphere, an inner case(103) arranged inside the outer case and comprising an internal space connected to the atmosphere port directly or through an another chamber , a first adsorption chamber(4) arranged in the internal space of the inner case, a second adsorption chamber(105) arranged between the first adsorption chamber and the atmosphere port in a flow path of the evaporated fuel in the internal space of the inner case, a first adsorbent(7) accommodated in the first adsorption chamber, a second adsorbent(8) accommodated in the second adsorption chamber, and a filter (filter 105A) having a plate shape and arranged between the second adsorbent and the atmosphere port in the flow path of the evaporated fuel, wherein a gas flow direction in the second adsorption chamber intersects a gas flow direction in the first adsorption chamber, wherein the filter comprises a first plate surface in contact with the second adsorbent(shown in figure 5), a second plate surface at least a part of which is in contact with the outer case(noting portion of second plate surface in figure 5 is in contact with cylindrical body (131), which is in contact with outer case 2), and a side surface connecting the first plate surface and the second plate surface to each other, and wherein at least one of the second plate surface or the side surface comprises an open portion space from both the inner case and the outer case.
With regards to claim 7, Iwamoto et al further teaches wherein the side surface comprises the open portion.
(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 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Japanese reference(JP2002-235610).
Japanese reference teaches in figure 1 a canister(1) for adsorbing and desorbing evaporated fuel generated in a fuel tank of a vehicle comprising an outer case (2) comprising a charge port(2c) configured to take in the evaporated fuel, a purge port(2d) configured to discharge the evaporated fuel, and an atmosphere port (2f) open to an atmosphere, an inner case(inner case formed by partition wall 2a) arranged inside the outer case and comprising an internal space connected to the atmosphere port directly or through an another chamber , a first adsorption chamber(chamber including adsorption layer 8b) arranged in the internal space of the inner case, a second adsorption chamber(chamber including adsorption layer 8c) arranged between the first adsorption chamber and the atmosphere port in a flow path of the evaporated fuel in the internal space of the inner case, a first adsorbent(8b) accommodated in the first adsorption chamber, a second adsorbent(8c) accommodated in the second adsorption chamber, and a filter (filter 3c) having a plate shape and arranged between the second adsorbent and the atmosphere port in the flow path of the evaporated fuel, wherein a gas flow direction in the second adsorption chamber intersects a gas flow direction in the first adsorption chamber, wherein the filter comprises a first plate surface in contact with the second adsorbent(shown in figure 1), a second plate surface at least a part of which is in contact with the outer case(noting portion of second plate surface contacting engaging portion 2g in figure 1 , which is in contact with outer case 2), and a side surface connecting the first plate surface and the second plate surface to each other, and wherein at least one of the second plate surface or the side surface comprises an open portion spaced from both the inner case and the outer case.
With regards to claim 2, Japanese reference further teaches wherein the outer case comprises a rib(engaging portion 2g) extending in a direction parallel to the second plate surface of the filter, and wherein the second plate comprises a contact portion in contact with the rib and the open portion.
With regards to claim 3, Japanese reference further teaches wherein the inner case comprises an accommodation portion covering the side surface of the filter(accommodation portion including portion connected to partition wall 2a), and wherein the accommodation portion is in contact with the rib(partition plate 12).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 8-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 4 and 8 recites “wherein the rib extends in a direction parallel to an insertion direction of the inner case into the outer case, and wherein the rib comprises a guide surface inclined to guide an insertion of the inner case into the outer case.”. Japanese reference teaches a rib, however Japanese reference does not teach or suggest wherein the rib extends in a direction parallel to an insertion direction of the inner case into the outer case, and wherein the rib comprises a guide surface inclined to guide an insertion of the inner case into the outer case.
Claims 5 and 9 recites “wherein the outer case comprises a holding portion that holds the inner case together with the rib.”. Japanese reference teaches an outer case and a rib, however Japanese reference does not teach or suggest wherein the outer case comprises a holding portion that holds the inner case together with the rib.
Claims 6 and 10 recites “wherein the outer case comprises a main body into which the inner case is inserted, wherein the rib comprises a support portion in contact with the second plate surface of the filter and a leg portion connecting the main body and the support portion to each other , and wherein a width of the support portion is larger than a width of the leg portion.”. Japanese reference teaches a rib comprises a support portion in contact with the second plate surface of the filter and a leg portion connecting the main body and the support portion to each other. However Japanese reference does not teach or suggest wherein a width of the support portion is larger than a width of the leg portion.
Claim 11 recites “wherein the side surface comprises the open portion.”. Japanese reference teaches a side surface, however Japanese reference does not teach or suggest wherein the side surface comprises the open portion.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
January 21, 2026