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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 13 recites “wherein the spiral passage is bounded laterally by the windings and above by the bottom surface of the cooking vessel” which does not further limit “a plurality of spaced-apart windings extending outwardly from a central region and configured to receive flame beneath a cooking vessel placed above the structure, the vessel cooperating with the spiral passage to form a bounded flame path.” Claim 16 recites “wherein the repositionable inlet is securable at multiple points along the spiral passage to adapt to vessels of different sizes” which does not further limit “a repositionable inlet of an exhaust system configured to be inserted into the spiral passage at a location selected based on the size or contour of the cooking vessel.” Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
None of the prior art of record teaches or suggests a stovetop heating system with all of the limitations of independent claims 11 or 12.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “a repositionable inlet of an exhaust system configured to be inserted into the spiral passage at a location selected based on the size or contour of the cooking vessel, the exhaust system being arranged to withdraw hot gases from the spiral passage and discharge them at a location away from the stovetop.” The closest prior art of record to claim 11 is the previously cited Jang and Zeng. Zeng teaches an inlet of an exhaust system configured to be inserted into the spiral passage, but does not teach that the inlet is repositionable. No art was found such that further modification of Jang and Zeng would have made the claims obvious. Therefore, these limitations, when combined with every other limitation of the claim, distinguish the claim from the prior art.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “a repositionable inlet of an exhaust system configured to be inserted into the spiral passage at a location selected based on the size or contour of the cooking vessel, the exhaust system being arranged to withdraw hot gases from the spiral passage and discharge them at a location away from the stovetop” and is allowable by the same or substantially the same rationale as articulated with regards to claim 11, above.
The other claims are allowable at least because they depend from allowable independent claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
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/LOGAN P JONES/Examiner, Art Unit 3762