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 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 1- 4, 6, and 10 -19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu (CN 109452691A , with English machine translation). Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a vaporizer (atomizing device 1, [0025] , Figs. 1- 8 ), comprising: a housing, having a liquid storage cavity configured to store a liquid substrate ( see portion of pipe wall 111 forming liquid storage cavity 1101 , [0 026 ]); a vaporization assembly, configured to vaporize at least a part of the liquid substrate to generate an aerosol, wherein the vaporization assembly has a first side facing the liquid storage cavity and a second side opposite to the first side (see heating component 12 for vaporizing liquid ; first and second sides are shown in annotated drawing below ); a holder, having a holding space in fluid communication with the liquid storage cavity, wherein the vaporization assembly is at least partially accommodated in the holding space (see flange 112 and bottom portion of wall 111 which forms a holding space for the sealing element and heating element 12 ; [ 0036 ] , Fig. 2 ); a flexible seal element, at least partially located between the holder and the vaporization assembly, wherein the seal element has an interference fit region, and is configured to provide seal between the holder and the vaporization assembly through interference fit (see sealing element 13 with interference fit region formed on outer circumference of the sealing element ); and an air channel, formed between the seal element and an inner surface of the holding space, to provide an airflow path for air to enter the liquid storage cavity, wherein the air channel extends through the interference fit region in a direction from the second side toward the first side ( see first and second air guiding grooves 201,202 which guide air to the liquid storage chamber to avoid problem of negative air pressure in the liquid storage chamber, [0063-0067]; Figs. 6-7 ). Regarding claim 2, Wu illustrates a convex rib at least partially surrounding the seal element (see outer protrusion on sealing element 13 in Figs. 2 and 3 ). Regarding claim s 3 and 16 , Wu discloses a first channel portion facing away from the liquid storage cavity (see Fig. 7 , first air guide groove 201 which extends through the interference fit region, i.e., where the convex rib on the sealing element is present ) and a second channel portion close the liquid storage cavity (see second air guide groove 202 which avoids the interference fit region ). Regarding claim s 4 and 17 , the first channel portion and second channel portion are considered to be relatively staggered in the longitudinal direction of the housing (located at different longitudinal positions). In an alternative embodiment, Wu discloses an air channel 10 formed by ribs 1110,1120 along the pipe wall and flange (gap forming first and second channel portions) wherein the positions of the ribs/gaps are staggered ([0042]). Regarding claim s 6 and 19 , Wu discloses the first air guide groove 201 can be formed on the inner surface of the first pipe wall 111 and the second air guide groove 202 can be formed on the first of the first seal facing the flange ([0067]). The ends of the air guide grooves would necessarily overlap in order for air to flow between the two guide grooves. Regarding claim 10, Wu discloses the guide grooves can be formed on the surface of the seal 13 facing the pipe wall 111 ([0067])--thus, there would be a notch formed in the interface region and defining the first channel. Regarding claim 11, Wu discloses convex ribs (first rib 1110) may be provided on the surface of the first seal facing the pipe wall where the gap provided between the ribs form an air guide channel 10 ([0047]). Regarding claim 12, Wu disclose a liquid channel running through the vaporization assembly (see liquid guiding groove 1210) and is in fluid communication with the liquid storage cavity 1101 (see Fig. 2). The seal element has a side wall opposite to the liquid channel in the length direction and the second channel is defined between the side wall and the inner surface of the holding space (second channel 202 defined between flange 112 and side wall of seal 13). Regarding claim 13, Wu discloses a vaporization chamber at least partially defined by the vaporization assembly and configured to accommodate the aerosol generated by the vaporization assembly, the first channel portion is in communication with the vaporization chamber to allow air in the vaporization chamber to enter the liquid storage during use (space 150 connected air channel 10; [0056], Fig. 2; the first channel portion would be the portion in communication). Regarding claim 14, air guide grooves 201,202 are formed on either the holder portion or seal portions ([0067]). Regarding claim 15, Wu discloses a vaporization device comprising the vaporizer of claim 1 and a power supply (see Fig. 8 with power supply assembly 31 and atomizing device 1). 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 5 , 8 , and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu (CN 109452691A, with English machine translation). Regarding claim s 5 and 18 , Wu does not expressly disclose the first channel portion as having a larger cross-sectional area than that of the second channel portion; however, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the channels with different cross-sectional areas since Wu discloses separate width and depth ranges for the first and second air guide grooves ([0066]), said ranges encompassing dimensions where the cross-sectional area of the first air channel is greater than, equal to, or less than that of the second air channel. Regarding claim 8, Wu discloses the inner surface of the holding space is provided with a first vent groove comprising a first section defining a first channel portion (air guide groove 201) and a second section defining a second channel portion (air guide groove 202)(see Fig. 7, [0063-0065]). Wu does not expressly disclose the first section as having a larger width, depth, and cross-sectional area than that of the second channel portion; however, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the channels with different widths, depths, and cross-sectional areas since Wu discloses separate width and depth ranges for the first and second air guide grooves ([0066]), said ranges encompassing dimensions where the widths, depths, and cross-sectional area of the first air channel is greater than, equal to, or less than that of the second air channel. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 7 , 9 , and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record is represented by Wu (CN 109452691A). Wu discloses a vaporizer as detailed above. As to claims 7 and 20, Wu fails to further teach or suggest an outer surface of the holder is provided with a capillary groove at least partially extending in a circumferential direction of the holder; and the capillary groove is arranged to extend through the overlapping portion, and forms a hole at an intersection with the overlapping portion for air to enter the overlapping portion. As to claim 9, Wu fails to further teach or suggest a boss opposite to the second section is arranged on the outer surface of the seal element, and a space between the boss and the second section defines the second channel portion. Xie (CN 212590252, of record) discloses a vaporizer having housing, vaporization assembly, holder, and flexible seal element construction. However, Xie does not teach or suggest an air channel, formed between the seal element and an inner surface of the holding space, to provide an airflow path for air to enter the liquid storage cavity, wherein the air channel extends through the interference fit region in a direction from the second side toward the first side. Xie discloses external air enters into the liquid storage cavity 12 along arrow R4 in Fig. 9--this air channel does not extend through the interference fit region in a direction from the second side toward the first side of the vaporization assembly as claimed. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT ROBERT C DYE whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-7059 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST . 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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. /ROBERT C DYE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619