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 .
Claims 1-4 are objected to because of the following informalities:
A colon should be inserted after “comprising” (cl 1:1); and
The word “and” should be insert after “workpiece;” (cl 1:3).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 1-4 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.
The phrase “them” (cl 1:2) is indefinite because it is unclear to what is refers. If the phrase refers to the container with the fill therein, it should be clearly and explicitly recited as such, e.g. the phrase should be replaced with –the container with the fill therein--.
The phrase “the container is placed in a closed vessel” (cl 1:3-4) is indefinite because it is unclear whether the container is the same as the fired container with the fill therein. If the phrase refers to the fired container with the fill therein, it should be clearly and explicitly recited as such, e.g. the phrase should be replaced with –the fired container with the fill therein is placed in a closed vessel”.
The phrase “the workpieces are fired at heating to a temperature” (cl 4:1-2) is indefinite because it is unclear what is meant by “fired at heating”. If the phrase refers to firing by heating to a temperature, it should be clearly and explicitly recited as such.
Corrections are required.
Claims 1-4 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art of record including the closest prior art KR20130143506 neither teaches nor renders obvious every claimed limitation including the fill of the container is urea which is loaded in an amount of 5-10 wt.% of the workpieces; and the container is placed in a closed vessel with limited access of air which is filled with a carbon fill also containing urea in an amount of 5-10 wt.% of the fill.
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.”
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references teach baking/firing graphite material: WO2010082645, WO2065483; DE10124299; AND KR20130143506.
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EHL
/EDMUND H LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1744
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