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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (Claims 1-7) in the reply filed on July 7, 2026, is acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
par [0048], "of 35 U.S.C.[[122(f)]] 112(f)".
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
Regarding claim 1, the phrase “for an ionizer” recited in line 1 of the preamble. The phrase is interpreted as reciting a purpose or an intended use. See MPEP § 2111.02. Under broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), the recitations in claim 1—“a first circuit board” in lines 2-3 and “a second circuit board” in line 4 are not required. Instead, prior art interpreted as teaching the claim will disclose structural features capable of housing “a first circuit board” and “a second circuit board.”
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.
Claim 6 is 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.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "a high dielectric" in line 2. This limitation fails to provide an object, i.e., a noun—a high dielectric what? What structural element has high dielectric in the claim?
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) 1-5, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lehman (US 20230065898 A1). Citations from prior art to Lehman are provided below in parentheses.
Claim 1. A modular case (first portion 14 is engaged to the second portion 16, collectively forming the housing 12; par [0022]; Fig. 1-2) for an air ionizer, comprising:
a top compartment (Figs. 6A-B portion above casing 114; Fig. 8 portion right of casing 114) having a first opening (portion of casing 114 covered with electrode cleaning apparatus 154 has a top side; par [0044]; Figs. 1-2, 5A-B, 7B-8), the top compartment configured to house a first circuit board (par [0037]);
a removable compartment (casing 114; Figs. 5A-6B, 8; par [0033]) configured to house a second circuit board (par [0037]), the removable compartment physically and electrically isolating the second circuit board from the first circuit board;
a front compartment (base portion 66; par [0033]) having a second opening (portion below cleaning apparatus 154 in Figs. 5A-6B, 8), the front compartment coupled to and disposed below the top compartment (Fig. 8), the front compartment configured to receive and house the removable compartment (Figs. 5A-6B, 8);
a top lid (second portion 16) configured to cover the first opening; and
a front lid (cleaning apparatus 154) configured to cover the second opening.
Claim 2. The modular case of claim 1, further comprising: a front wall (top portion 26; pars [0022]-[0023]); a back wall (back portion 22; pars [0022]-[0023]); a first sidewall coupled to the front wall and the back wall (one of two-opposed side portions 24; pars [0022]-[0023]); a second sidewall coupled to the front wall and the back wall (another of two-opposed side portions 24; pars [0022]-[0023]); and a divider coupled (board internal support 40; par [0024]) to the front wall, the back wall, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall, the divider separating the top compartment from the front compartment (Figs. 3-5B, 8), wherein the front wall, the back, the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the divider define the top compartment (Figs. 1-5B, 8).
Claim 3. The modular case of claim 2, further comprising: a bottom panel coupled to the back wall (base portion 20; pars [0022]-[0023]), the first sidewall, and the second sidewall, wherein the bottom panel, the back wall, the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the divider define the front compartment (Figs. 1-5B, 8).
Claim 4. The modular case of claim 1, wherein the first opening opens in a first direction (portion of casing 114 covered with electrode cleaning apparatus 154 has a top side; par [0044]; Figs. 1-2, 5A-B, 7B-8), and the second opening opens in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction (second portion 16 below cleaning apparatus 154 in Figs. 1-2).
Claim 5. The modular case of claim 1, wherein the removable compartment comprises: a bottom panel; a first sidewall coupled to a first side of the bottom panel; a second sidewall coupled to a second side of the bottom panel opposite the first side; a third sidewall coupled to a third side of the bottom panel and extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall; and a fourth sidewall coupled to a fourth side of the bottom panel and extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall, the fourth side being opposite the third side (see casing 114 in Figs. 5A-B, 8; pars [0033]-[0034])
Claim 7. The modular case of claim 1, further comprising: a communication connector coupled to the top compartment, the communication connector configured to operatively connect to the first circuit board (Preferably, the wiring supplying the power to the control module 140 from the external power source is routed through the housing 12 for connection to the external power source. The wiring is routed through a conduit 142 disposed within the conduit cavity 38 within a side portion 24 of the first portion 14. The control module 140 is electrically coupled to an ionization module 144. The ionization module 144 may contain a printed circuit board; par [0037]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lehman in view of Green (US 10,653,048).
Regarding claim 6 as interpreted, the teaching of the prior art as set forth above does not appear to disclose wherein the removable compartment includes a material having a high dielectric [material] to electrically isolate the second circuit board from the first circuit board. However, analogous art to Green discloses a common problem in the operation of electronic devices is the generation of electromagnetic radiation within the electronic circuitry of equipment that may result in electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI), which can interfere with the operation of other electronic devices within a certain proximity. Without adequate shielding, EMI/RFI interference may cause degradation or complete loss of important signals, thereby rendering the electronic equipment inefficient or inoperable. Green discloses a common solution for the effects of EMI/RFI is the use of shields. The shields are typically employed to localize EMI/RFI within its source, and to insulate other devices proximal to the EMI/RFI source (col. 1, ll. 20-40). As such, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary in the art at the effective filing date of the current invention to include a dielectric material (i.e., insulating material) in the removable compartment of Leman for electrical isolation since Green teaches doing so to insulate electrical components is common in the art for shielding.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicants are directed to consider additional pertinent prior art included on the Notice of References Cited (PTOL 892) attached herewith. Also, see the prior art examples provided below in response to this correspondence. Examples follow:
US 20230065460 A1: Figs. 4-8; pars [0084]-[0096], [0108]-[0115].
US 10234490 B1: Figs. 1-21; side portion 124 accesses a module compartment 116 within meter 101; module assembly 106; col. 4, l. 64-col. 5, l. 16.
US 20130075056 A1: Figs. 1A-4B; pars [0007], [0020]-[0054].
US 20150043173 A1: Figs. 1-5; pars [0043]-[0054], [0063]-[0072].
US 20150163946 A1: Figs. 1-6; pars [0053]-[0064].
US 20150245499 A1: Figs. 3-4, 7-8; pars [0029]-[0037].
US 20170127523 A1: pars [0035]-[0043]; Figs. 1A-F.
US 20170215292 A1: pars [0046]-[0050], [0058]-[0067]; Figs. 1-5B.
US 10305262 B2: Fig. 2; col. 10.
US 20200253075 A1: Figs. 1-5; pp. 1-4.
US 20230261331 A1: Figs. 1A-C; par [0118].
US 4203147 A: col. 6, ll. 15-19; col. 8, ll. 14-20; Fig. 1; electric shielding for mounting circuit boards.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI TURNER whose telephone number is (571)272-1203. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm (EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at (571) 270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SONJI TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 1776 September 1, 2026
/Jennifer Dieterle/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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