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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it recites a phrase which can be implied (“There is provided”). A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
¶ 12 of the as-filed specification recites “inner zone heater circuit 14a,” where “14a” should be amended to “14.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 34 (fig. 1).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1–10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 1 ends by reciting that “a percentage of a resistance value per the jumper to a resistance value of the outer zone heater circuit is from 0.5 to 1.9%.” The language is unclear because the claim earlier mentions “one pair of jumpers,” so there is no one “the jumper.” The specification makes clear, repeatedly, that the claimed resistance value is “per each jumper,” and this claim should be amended to use the same clear language to obviate the question of whether the resistance value is per one or both jumpers.
Claim 2 recites that “the inner zone heater circuit and the outer zone heater circuit include a resistance heating element.” The language renders the claim indefinite because the claim is phrased such that both the inner zone heater circuit and outer zone heater circuit, collectively, would include a (one) resistance heating element. However, the specification makes clear that the inner zone heater circuit and the outer zone heater circuit each includes a resistance heating element, and the claim should be amended recite the same language for clarity.
Claim 5 recites that “the jumpers include a resistance heating element.” The language renders the claim indefinite because the claim is phrased such that the jumpers, collectively, would include a (one) resistance heating element. However, the specification makes clear that each jumper includes a resistance heating element, and the claim should be amended to recite the same language for clarity.
Claim 6 recites “a sum of resistance values of the resistance heating element embedded in the outer subzones.” Firstly, there term “resistance heating element” lacks antecedent basis. Secondly, there would be no “sum” drawn from a single “resistance heating element,” and the specification makes clear that this term should be plural.
Claims 3, 4, and 7–10 are rejected due to dependency upon a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1–10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Jung et al. (US Pub. 2018/0254204) and Unno et al. (US Pub. 2020/0396801) seem to be the closest prior art references for disclosing some details about jumpers for outer zone heater circuits, but neither these, nor any other prior art references of record, disclose or render obvious the claimed resistance value per each jumper to a resistance value of the outer zone heater circuit.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John J. Norton whose telephone number is (571) 272-5174. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edward (Ned) F. Landrum can be reached at (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN J NORTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
