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 Amendment
This action is responsive to the preliminary amendment and remarks received November 16, 2023. Claims 4 and 5 are amended. Claims 6 and 7 are added. No claims are canceled. Claims 1-7 are currently pending in the application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 16, 2023 is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on November 16, 2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Colgan et al. (US Patent 6,874,950, hereinafter referred to as Colgan). Colgan anticipates claims:
1. A fusion splicer (see figures 4-6, the illustrates device is interpreted as a fusion splicer) for fusion splicing an optical fiber (this limitation is an intended use of the claimed structure), comprising:
a base member (silicon substrate 40 is interpreted as the base member) having a V groove (the v-groove channel 42 is interpreted as the V groove) in which the optical fiber is provided (see figures 4-6), wherein a stepped portion (see figure 5c, the stepped portion is interpreted as the stepped ledge portion between the V shape and the vertical surface) is provided on an inclined surface of the V groove (see figure 5c), and the stepped portion is provided at a position making contact with the optical fiber (see figure 5c).
2. A fusion splicer (see figures 4-6, the illustrates device is interpreted as a fusion splicer) for fusion splicing an optical fiber (this limitation is an intended use of the claimed structure), comprising:
a base member (silicon substrate 40 is interpreted as the base member) having a V groove (the v-groove channel 42 is interpreted as the V groove) in which the optical fiber is provided (see figures 4-6), wherein a stepped portion (see figure 5c, the stepped portion is interpreted as the recess area just above the stepped ledge horizontal portion at the bottom of the V shape) is provided on an inclined surface of the V groove (see figure 5c), and the stepped portion is a recess provided at a bottom portion of the V groove (see figure 5c) .
3. The fusion splicer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stepped portion is a through hole penetrating the base member (see figure 5c, the stepped portion includes empty space which is interpreted as the through hole penetrating the base member).
4 and 6. The fusion splicer as claimed in claims 1 and 2,wherein the optical fiber is included in a plurality of optical fibers, the V groove is included in a plurality of V grooves in which the plurality of optical fibers are provided, and the stepped portion is provided in at least one of the plurality of V grooves (see figures 4-6).
5 and 7. A V groove cleaning jig used for cleaning the V groove in the fusion splicer according to claim 1 and 2, comprising:
a sliding surface (see figure 5c, the bottom half of the inclined surfaces forming the v-groove is interpreted as a sliding surface, as something could slide along it) that forms a part of the inclined surface (it’s the bottom half of this surface) and makes contact with a supporting surface (the top half of the inclined surface of the v-groove is interpreted as the supporting surface) supporting the optical fiber (see figures 4-6), wherein the V groove cleaning jig is slidable (something could be slid along the surfaces, so the jig is slidable) in an extending direction of the V groove in a state where the supporting surface and the sliding surface make contact with each other (see figures 4-6).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN M BEDTELYON whose telephone number is (571)270-1290. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am - 4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at 571-272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/John Bedtelyon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874