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
Applicant’s Amendment filed on 03/13/2026 regarding claims 1-7 is fully considered. Of the above claims, claim 1 has been canceled; claims 2, 4-5 and 7 have been amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-4 and 6-7 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.
Regarding claim 2, the recitation of “the main body without the lid attached on the upper stage” in line 25 and the recitation of “the main body with the lid attached on the upper stage” in line 29 appear to be contradictory. It is unclear is the casing comprising the main body with or without the lid attached.
Claims 3-4 and 6-7 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 6-7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claim 5 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The primary reason for indicating allowable subject matter of claim(s) 2-4 and 6-7 is the inclusion of “the main body without the lid attached on the upper stage is positioned with respect to the main body without the lid attached on the lower stage in the horizontal direction and the height direction, through engagement between a first engaging portion and a first engaging counterpart, and the main body with the lid attached on the upper stage is positioned with respect to the main body with the lid attached on the lower stage in the horizontal direction and the height direction, through engagement between a second engaging portion and a second engaging counterpart”. These limitations, as they are claimed in the combination, have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, making claim(s) 2-4 and 6-7 allowable over the prior art.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The primary reason for allowance of claim(s) 5 is the inclusion of “wherein the first positioning mechanism and the second positioning mechanism are each formed on three or more positions that do not fall on a same straight line, wherein the main body and the lid have a rectangular shape in a plan view, and the first positioning mechanism and the second positioning mechanism are formed on four corners of the main body and the casing”. These limitations, as they are claimed in the combination, have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, making claim(s) 5 allowable over the prior art.
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
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 KENDRICK X LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-3798. The examiner can normally be reached MWFSa 10am-8pm.
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, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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15 April 2026
/KENDRICK X LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853