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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: it is suggested to amend the limitation “by a compression die” in the preamble to read as: with a compression die. Appropriate correction is required.
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 is 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.
With regards to claim 1, the claim states “by a compression die” and then further recites “with a first compression die” and “with a second compression die”, it is unclear if the method requires a total of three compression dies or if the first and second compression dies are intended to further define the compression die recited in the preamble. It is noted that should the first and second compression dies intend to further define the single compression die of the preamble this renders the claim indefinite since it is unclear how a single die is to be two separate dies. Clarification and/or correction is required. For examination purposes the claim is being interpreted as reciting in the preamble “with at least one compression die” and the first and second compression dies are further defining the at least one compression die.
The claim states “a hole area of the first/second compression die”, it is unclear what is encompassed with the phrase “hole area”. Specifically is it intending to refer to a circular area of the hole or is it intending to refer to a specific dimension, i.e. diameter, of the hole. Clarification and/or correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
It is the opinion of the examiner that the art of record (considered as a whole) neither anticipates nor renders obvious “wherein the first occupancy ratio is a ratio of a cross-sectional area of the central stranded wire after compression with respect to a hole area of the first compression die” and “wherein the second occupancy ratio is a ratio of a cross-sectional area of the composite stranded wire after compression with respect to a hole area of the second compression die” in combination with the rest of the claimed limitations set forth in claim 1.
US Patent 4,471,161 to Drummond discloses a method of compressing a stranded wire where a two step compression process occurs with the use of a first compression die (40) and a second compression die (42) [see col. 45-65; figures 7 & 8]. However, Drummond is silent with regards to a ratio between the cross-sectional area of the stranded wire and the an area of either the first or second compression dies.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Debra Sullivan whose telephone number is (571)272-1904. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm EST.
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/Debra M Sullivan/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725