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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species 1 in the reply filed on 3/5/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
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 2-5 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 2, the claim limitation “wherein the end surface electrode is arranged on an end surface of one end of the porous ceramic close to the conductive end surface” is indefinite because the term “close” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “close” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For examination purposes, the limitation will be interpreted as “wherein the end surface electrode is arranged on an end surface of one end of the porous ceramic adjacent to the conductive end surface.” Therefore, claim 3 is rejected for its dependency.
Regarding claim 4, the claim limitation “wherein an end surface of one end of the second tube section close to the first tube section” is indefinite because the term “close” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “close” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For examination purposes, the limitation will be interpreted as “wherein an end surface of one end of the second tube section adjacent to the first tube section.” Therefore, claim 5 is rejected for its dependency.
Regarding claim 9, the claim limitation “arc sheet” in “a shape of arc sheet” lacks antecedent basis. For examination purposes, the limitation will be interpreted as “a shape of an arc sheet.”
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 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhou et al. (CN 113197345 A; see machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses an atomizing core (“vaporizer”) for an electronic atomizing device (abstract) comprising:
a conductive air duct (12; Fig. 10; p. 10, para. 11, 13, p. 11, para. 1; “vent tube” and “conductive end surface”);
an atomizing core (141; “vaporization core”) accommodated in the conductive air duct (Fig. 9) and comprising an upper end first electrode (1413; Fig. 12; “end surface electrode”); and
a first electrode claw (17; p. 14, para. 6, describing an elastic conductive arm; “elastic conductive member”) accommodated in the conductive air duct (Figs. 7 and 9) and arranged between and abutting the conductive end surface and the upper end first electrode (Figs. 7 and 9; p. 11, para. 3, describing that the first electrode claw 17 is fixed on the inner wall of the vent pipe and electrically connected with the vent pipe; p. 13, para. 7, describing that the first electrode electrically contacts the first electrode claw).
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Regarding claim 2, Zhou discloses the atomizing core comprises a porous body (1411; Fig. 12) that is a porous ceramic (13, para. 3) and a heating body (1412; “at least one heating track”) disposed on an inner surface of the porous body (Fig. 11; p. 13, para. 5, describing spraying the metal forming the heating body on the inner surface of the porous body; “in contact with the porous ceramic”),
wherein the upper end first electrode (1413) is arranged on the upper end of the surface of the porous body (p. 13, para. 3) adjacent to the conductive end surface (see Fig. 7) electrically connected to the heating body (p. 13, para. 3; “connected to one end of the at least one heating track”).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou discloses the porous body (1411) is cylindrical (Fig. 12), and the heating body (1412) is disposed on the inner surface of the porous body (Fig. 11; p. 13, para. 5).
Regarding claim 4, Zhou discloses the conductive air duct (12) comprises a first tube section (see annotated Fig. above) and a second tube section (see annotated Fig. above) connected to the first tube section (see annotated Fig. above),
wherein the second tube section defines an atomizing cavity (120) that accommodates the atomizing core (141) (Fig. 7 and 9), and
wherein second tube section comprises an end surface close to the second pipe section that forms the conductive end surface (see annotated Fig. above).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou discloses an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the second tube section (see red diameter in annotated Fig. above) are respectively greater than an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the first tube section (see blue diameter in annotated Fig. above).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses the first electrode claw (17) comprises a mounting portion (171; “main body portion”) in the form of a cylindrical sheet (p. 14, last para.; Fig. 10) and arranged between the conductive surface (see annotated Fig. above) and the first electrode (1413), and
wherein a top end of the mounting portion (171) directly abuts the conductive surface (see annotated Fig. above), and a bottom end of the mounting portion (171) indirectly abuts the first electrode through the extending part (172) and conductive part (173) (see annotated Fig. above; see also Instant Specification at [0056], describing that abutting can be direct or indirect; [0057] describing that the main body portion 1331 [directly] abuts against the conductive end surface 1221; and [0058] describing that the elastic arm 1332 is configured to elastically [and directly] abut against the end surface electrode 1322, meaning that the main body portion indirectly abuts against the end surface electrode through the elastic arm).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou discloses the first electrode claw (17) comprises three extending parts (172) and corresponding conductive part (173) which form the elastic conductive arm of the first electrode claw (p. 14, paras. 6-7; collectively “at least two elastic arms”), which are connected with the mounting part (171; Fig. 11; p. 14, para. 6), and
wherein the extending parts are preferably uniformly distributed on the lower side edge of the mounting part (p. 15, para. 2; see also Fig. 10; “evenly spaced along a circumferential direction of the main body portion”).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou discloses the extending parts (172) are integrally connected to the lower side edge of the mounting part (171; see Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou discloses wherein the conductive end surface (see annotated Fig. above) and an inner wall surface of the second tube section are in transition connection through an arc surface (see annotated Fig. above; the contacting surface between an outer surface of the mounting part 171 and an inner surface of the conductive air duct 12 is a ring-shaped arc),
wherein the extending parts (172) include the conductive part (173; Fig. 10; “shape of an arc sheet”), and
wherein the at least two extending parts (172) elastically and indirectly abut against the arc surface (p. 15, para. 2, describing that the conductive part 173 bends away from the mounting part 171).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou discloses wherein the first electrode claw (17) comprises a mounting portion (171; Fig. 10-11; “main body portion”) and three extending parts (172) and corresponding conductive part (173) which form the elastic conductive arm of the first electrode claw (p. 14, paras. 6-7; collectively “at least one elastic arm”) connected to the mounting portion (Fig. 10-11),
wherein the main body portion directly abuts against the conductive end surface (see annotated Fig. above), and
wherein the conductive part (173) directly abuts against the first electrode (1413; p. 15, para. 2).
Regarding claim 11, Zhou discloses a base (11), wherein a bottom end of the conductive air duct (12) is tightly matched and electrically connected with the base (p. 16, para. 5; Fig. 7 and 9; “embedded in the base and is in contact with the base”).
Regarding claim 12¸ Zhou discloses an electronic atomizing device (abstract; “electronic vaporization device”) comprising the atomizing core (see claim 1 above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Liu (US 2016/0249684) discloses an elastic conductive member similar to the instant application comprises elastic consecutive arms (122) and a conductive ring (123).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONNY V NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8294. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday; 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Philip Y Louie can be reached at (571) 270-1241. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SONNY V NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1755 /PHILIP Y LOUIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1755
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