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
Claims 1-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on June 17, 2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 19-27 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 19-27 recite “The electrode pin of claim…”. This should be “The article of claim…” since the electrode pin invention of claims 1-12 was not elected in the restriction response and claim 13 to which claims 19-27 are dependent upon is drawn to an article. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 149, 149c. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 130C. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 13-22, 26, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LIU (US 2015/0053218).
Liu teaches an article (10) for use as part of a non-combustible aerosol provision system, the article comprising an aerosol generating component (230) located at least partially within an aerosol generating chamber (260) and at least one electrode pin (310a, 310b). Liu teaches the electrode pin comprises a first end (3101 in figure 4); a second end (3107); and at least one connecting region (3103) between the first end and the second end. Figures 1, 3, and 8 show the first end contains one or more orientating features configured to orientate the electrode pin in a specific rotational configuration when mated with one or more alignment features of a corresponding component.
Regarding claim 14, Liu teachers a non-combustible aerosol provision system (see figure 2) comprising an article (10) comprising an aerosol generating component (230) located at least partially within an aerosol generating chamber (260) and a least one electrode pin (310a, 310b). Liu teaches the electrode pin comprises a first end (3101 in figure 4); a second end (3107); and at least one connecting region (3103) between the first end and the second end, wherein figures 1, 3, and 8 show the first end contains one or more orientating features configured to orientate the electrode pin in a specific rotational configuration when mated with one or more alignment features of a corresponding component. Liu teaches a device (20) comprising a power source (120); and a control unit (130).
Regarding claim 15, Liu teaches a non-combustible aerosol provision system (see figure 2) comprising a device (10) having a first pair of electrodes (310a, 310b) each having a connecting face; and an article (20) having a second pair of electrodes (411a, 411b) each having a connecting face configured to mate with the corresponding connecting face of the first pair of electrodes. Liu teaches a cross-section of the connecting face of at least one of the electrodes is different from a cross-section of the connecting face of another one of the electrodes (see figures 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 16, Liu teaches at least one of the electrodes comprises an electrode pin (310a, 310b) comprising a first end (3101 in figure 4); a second end (3107); and at least one connecting region (3103) between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end contains one or more orientating features configured to orientate the electrode pin in a specific rotational configuration when mated with one or more alignment features of a corresponding component (see figures 1, 4, and 8).
Regarding claim 17, figure 8 shows the one or more orientating features is a notch (slot 3106).
Regarding claim 18, figure 8 shows the one or more orientating features is a rib (3105).
Regarding claim 19, figures 1, 4, and 8 show the at least one connecting region is aerodynamically configured.
Regarding claim 20, Liu teaches the at least one connecting region comprises one of an oval cross-section or a polygonal cross-section (para. 0027), when viewed along a longitudinal axis of the electrode pin.
Regarding claim 21, Liu teaches the first end is configured to establish a suitable electrical contact with an aerosol generating component (para. 0005).
Regarding claim 22, figure 4 shows wherein the first end (3101) also contains a collar.
Regarding claim 26, figure 7 shows the second end comprises a connecting face which is configured to mate with a corresponding connecting face of a corresponding electrode.
Regarding claim 27, Liu teaches the connecting face of the second end has a non-circular cross section (para. 0027).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 23-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU (US 2015/0053218) in view of CHEN (CN 107890142).
Liu teaches an article (10) for use as part of a non-combustible aerosol provision system, the article comprising an aerosol generating component (230) located at least partially within an aerosol generating chamber (260) and at least one electrode pin (310a, 310b). Liu teaches the electrode pin comprises a first end (3101 in figure 4); a second end (3107); and at least one connecting region (3103) between the first end and the second end. Figures 1, 3, and 8 show the first end contains one or more orientating features configured to orientate the electrode pin in a specific rotational configuration when mated with one or more alignment features of a corresponding component.
Chen teaches an article (100) for use as part of a non-combustible aerosol provision system, the article comprising an aerosol generating component (321 in figure 2) located at least partially within an aerosol generating chamber (35) and at least one electrode pin (322). Figures 9-10 show the electrode pin comprises a first end (3222 in figure 10); a second end (3223 in figure 9); and at least one connecting region between the first end and the second end. Figures 9 and 10 show the second end comprises two retaining collars. Figure 2 shows the two retaining collars are spaced apart so as to span a wall (100) of an outer housing component through which the electrode pin protrudes.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electrode pins of Liu to have two retaining collars are spaced apart so as to span a wall of an outer housing component because the Chen teaches that this attachment provides a more firm attachment and enhances electrical conduction (trans. page 5 “Further, as shown in figure 9…”).
Regarding claim 25, Chen teaches an interface between the two retaining collars and the outer housing component is provided with one or more sealing components (trans. page 3 “Alternatively, electrode terminal is provided with…”). It would have been obvious to modify the electrode pins of Liu to include the sealing components of Chen because it would improve the electrical conduction through the electrodes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK whose telephone number is (571)270-5130. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10 am - 6 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison Hindenlang can be reached at 571-270-7001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741
Prosecution Insights