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 .
Claims 12,24 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.
As to claim 12, this claim incorporates the term “or” on 3 occasions, but the alternatives are not defined. Applicant needs to employ the term - - either - - somewhere in this claim, so that the division between “the at least … expansions” (lines 2-3) and “of more than … bar” (lines 3-4) can be clearly defined. The term - - either - - is invaluable whenever the term “or” is employed.
As to claim 24, this claim does not end with a period. The claim is indefinite as to any meaning.
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Lee et al ‘231.
As to claim 24, Lee ‘232 teaches (Figure 1) a device for centering a borescope, the device comprising:
an elongate central body with a passage channel for a borescope line and with a spacer device 13,13, the spacer device extending variably in a radial direction over a circumference of the central body, and the spacer device being configured to support the central body in at least two support planes which are mutually spaced apart along the central body and run perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the central body
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232
672
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; and
a borescope with a borescope head 23 at one end of a borescope shaft (electrical connections to left of head 23) in which the borescope line runs
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232
672
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;
wherein the borescope shaft is routed through the passage channel of the centering aid or terminates flush with the centering aid,
wherein the cross-section of the central body perpendicular to the passage channel is smaller than or equal to the cross-section of the borescope head
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376
562
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, and
wherein the spacer device comprises at least one air cushion which is arranged on the central body and extends in the longitudinal direction of the central body and which is inflatable and deflatable via a compressed air supply.
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 ROBERT R RAEVIS whose telephone number is (571)272-2204. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon to Fri from 8am to 4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina DeHerrera, can be reached at telephone number 303-297-4237. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855