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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: magnet 12 (Para 24 of Pub). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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 § 103
Claim(s) 1-5,8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Brian CN 106455862.
Brian teaches (Figure 1A) a heating device for an experimental container 110, comprising:
a housing 120;
a heating assembly 125 (“flexible material lining”) supported by the housing; and
at least one temperature sensor 130 arranged with the heating assembly;
wherein the heating assembly forms a cavity surrounding the experimental container, a first surface of the heating assembly is matched with an outer surface of the experimental container, and the heating assembly is configured to clamp or release the experimental container by deformation (of the flexible lining, as vied in Figure 1A by contacting between the lining and container).
As to claims 1,2, either the container is held in the heating assembly by compression of the lining, or the contacting surfaces of the two in the Figure indicate deflection when insertion and removal of the container from the lining). The flexible material eliminates the gap between the container 110 and housing 120.
As to claim 3, the heating assembly includes the flexible lining 125 (ring) and portion of probe that is visibly contacting the liner and supporting thermocouple electrical elements.
As to claim 4, the thermocouple electrical element pass through the ring in Figure 1A.
As to claim 5, sensor is a thermocouple, so much of the element 130 is a support shaft that presses the lining against the container.
As to claim 8, with the container is not positioned in the device, the top aperture provides a window.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 1,2,3,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,16,17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Liu et al CN 113567213 (listed 1449).
Lau teaches (Figure 1,2) a heating device for an experimental container, comprising:
a housing 11;
a heating assembly 2supported by the housing; and
wherein the heating assembly forms a cavity surrounding the experimental container, a first surface of the heating assembly is matched with an outer surface of the experimental container, and the heating assembly is configured to clamp heating device, comprising a clamp-shaped device, the inner surface is matched with the outer surface of the experiment container”). A controller maintains the container at a specified temperature. (“it is necessary to maintain the biological sample in the experimental container at a specific temperature.) Such device is employ in the system of Figure 5, which is claimed in Figure 9.
The written specification does not refer to a temperature sensor.
As to claims 1,2,9,10,11, either the Reference employ a sensor, as such is necessary for control, or in the alternative, it would have been obvious to employ a temperature sensor so that the controller can effectively control the temperature because one of ordinary skill comprehends that use of a sensor will provide a signal for comparison with a desired specific temperature for effective control.
As to claims 3,12, not the loop 2 (Figure 3)
As to claims 5,14, note the shaft:
PNG
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290
388
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Greyscale
As to claims 7,16, note the power plugs:
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media_image2.png
230
612
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Greyscale
As to claims 8,17, the housing has a window at the top surface. The device is limited to the device that hold a container.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 4,13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Liu et al CN 113567213 (listed 1449), and further in view of Brian.
As to claims 6,15, it would have been obvious to so position a temperature sensor, because Brian teaches directly contacting the sensor to the container whose temperature is controlled.
Prior Art cited/Not Applied
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takao CN 110769908 teach (Figure 5) a heating device for an experimental container 2, comprising: a housing 4,74; a heating assembly 78 supported by the housing; and at least one temperature sensor (on probe 29) arranged with the heating assembly; wherein the heating assembly forms a
Reinhold WO 2015014417 teach flexible elements with gap 10b and flexible portion 10a (Figure 1) fixing elements 12a (Figure 2) that provide a clamped heating element.
Seto WO 2021153003 teach (Figure 3) heating multiple containers 5 in a single device.
Chiba JP H1073540 teach (Figures 2,3, an apparatus, comprising:
a shell 5;
a
a
a housing 303;
a heating assembly 302 (note heater 6), supported by the housing; and
at least one temperature sensor, arranged with the heating assembly
(“a heating element provided in the housing member, such as a transistor, is used. In this case, it is preferable to include a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the container” );
wherein the heating assembly forms a cavity surrounding the experimental container, a first surface of the heating assembly is matched with an outer surface of an experimental container (visible in Figure 4), and the heating assembly is configured to
wherein the .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6,15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT R RAEVIS whose telephone number is (571)272-2204. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina DeHerrera, can be reached at telephone number 303-297-4237. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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