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 .
Response to Arguments
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, 17-19 is/are amended.
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 15-19, filed 07/01/2026, with respect to claims 1, 17-18 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 103 rejections of 04/03/2026 has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 14, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claims 14 and 15 fail to further limit at least claim 1 as the same limitations are recited in claims 14 and 15 that have been incorporated into claim 1. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13, 16-19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record discloses a heater assembly for heating a pipe comprising: a first heater sheet including: a first electric heater having no self-controllability and a first insulator electrically insulating and surrounding the first electric heater, the first heater sheet being deformable in accordance with a shape of the pipe; and
one or more second heater sheets each including: one or more second electric heaters having self-controllability and a second insulator electrically insulating and surrounding the one or more second electric heaters, the one or more second heater sheets being deformable in accordance with the shape of the pipe;
wherein, in use, the first heater sheet and the one or more second heater sheets are configured to be wound around the pipe; wherein the second electric heaters comprise N second electric heaters, each second electric heater being arranged within a corresponding region having a lengthwise length corresponding to 1/N of a lengthwise length of the first heater sheet; and wherein the N second electric heaters are electrically connected in parallel.
However the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest such that the first heater sheet and the one or more second heater sheets are disposed opposite to each other across the pipe with respective lengthwise directions extending along a lengthwise direction of the pipe, as set forth in the present claims.
The apparatus of Lewandowski in view of Kenji, Miyashita does not disclose the limitations above. Further, no other prior art was located that fairly suggested the claimed invention in whole or in part, along with the requisite motivation for combination, to anticipate or render the claimed invention obvious. This subject matter is therefore rendered allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 8901464 discloses variable thickness employed in a parallel circuit configuration of a layered heater (42, Fig. 9), rather than a series circuit configuration (c. 6, l. 53-65). US 20130062338 discloses various embodiments (Fig. 1-3) of a jacket heater (10) covering a pipe (20). US 20170107620 discloses a heating part (310, Fig. 4A-4C) heating a gas pipe (10) made of a metallic material, where the heating part (310) is installed to cover the surface of the gas pipe (10, para. [0058]).
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Charlee J. C. Bennett whose telephone number is (571)270-7972. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gordon Baldwin can be reached at 5712725166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Charlee J. C. Bennett/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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