CTNF 18/747,089 CTNF 101326 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 with traverse of species B in the reply filed on 04/29/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the grounds that there would be no serious search and examination burden. This is not found persuasive because a complete search of the unelected species would require many additional search queries to account for the alternate features such as an inner plug, slit valve, O-ring, side wall, partition component and positioning portion. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. 08-23-02 AIA Applicant is reminded that upon the cancelation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be corrected in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(a) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. A request to correct inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48(a) must be accompanied by an application data sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.76 that identifies each inventor by his or her legal name and by the processing fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i). 08-05 Claims 1, 2, and 5-7 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 04/29/2026. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Drawings 06-22-07 The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character not mentioned in the description: element 750 in Fig. 2. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character 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. Specification 06-31 AIA The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 1 the phrase “the liquid outlet-forming portion includes a valve that is disposed in the liquid outflow path, is opened when” should read “the liquid outlet-forming portion includes a valve that is disposed in the liquid outflow path, that is opened when” for clarity . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 Claim 8 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. Regarding claim 8, the phrase “the flow path closing member is a half-slit member” is unclear because it is unknown what exact structure a half-slit member refers to, whether it means the slit divides the member in half, whether the slit is half the length of the member or some other structure. Since it is unclear what specific structure this language is referring to and what structure would read upon the claim, the claim is indefinite. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 3,4 and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1) and 102(a)(2 ) as being anticipated by Mitzutani et al. (US 20230109391 A1) . Regarding claim 3, Mitzutani et al. teaches a liquid replenishment container comprising a container body portion having an opening and configured to contain the liquid (Fig. 3 element 300 and paragraph [0039]); and a liquid outlet-forming portion (Fig. 3 element 400 and paragraph [0039]) including a cylindrical portion that defines a liquid outflow path communicating with the opening (Fig. 3 element 420 and paragraph [0040]), wherein the liquid outlet-forming portion includes a valve that is disposed in the liquid outflow path (Fig. 3 element 535 and paragraph [0040] and [0042]), that is opened when the liquid introduction needle is inserted into the liquid outflow path, and is closed when the liquid introduction needle exits from the liquid outflow path (Fig. 10 and 11 and paragraph [0046]), and a flow path closing member disposed in the liquid outflow path (Fig. 3 element 510 and paragraph [0047] and [0048]), and the flow path closing member is separably fixed to the liquid outlet-forming portion (Fig. 3 and paragraph [0043] and [0078]), is positioned downstream of the valve in a liquid outflow direction of the liquid outflow path (Fig. 3), and has a groove or recess directed downstream in the liquid outflow direction (Fig. 26 element 513 and paragraph [0089]). Regarding claim 4, Mitzutani et al teaches all the elements of claim 3 as stated above and wherein the flow path closing member is detachably attached to a downstream end portion of the liquid outlet-forming portion in the liquid outflow direction by a separate fixing member (Fig. 4 element 517A and paragraph [0078]). Regarding claim 8, to the extent the claim in clear in scope regarding the above 112(b) rejection Mitzutani et al. teaches all the elements of claim 3 as stated above and wherein the flow path closing member is a half-slit member where the groove or recess is formed (Fig. 26 element 513 and paragraph [0089]). Regarding claim 9, Mitzutani et al. teaches all the elements of claim 8 as stated above and wherein the half-slit member is broken when the liquid introduction needle is inserted into the cylindrical portion through the half-slit member (Fig. 10 and 11 and paragraphs [0048]-[0050] wherein the 510 is broken by the pushing of the ink inlet flow path member 710 forcing it to elastically return to its original state after it is removed). Regarding claim 10, Mitzutani et al. teaches all the elements of claim 4 as stated above and wherein the separate fixing member that holds the flow path closing member is fixed to an ink outflow side end of the cylindrical portion (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 element 517A) Regarding claim 11, Mitzutani et al. teaches all the elements of claim 3 as stated above and further comprising a cap portion that is detachably attached to the ink outlet-forming portion, wherein the cap portion covers the flow path closing member in a state that the cap portion is attached to the ink outlet-forming portion (Fig. 3 element 600 and paragraph [0039]) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ishizawa (US-20230173814-A1) and Seino (US-6554412-B1) are disclosed as having a structure similar to the claimed invention. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL F BOELITZ whose telephone number is (571)272-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. 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, Stephen Meier can be reached at 571-272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SAMUEL FREDERICK BOELITZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2853 /Manish S Shah/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/747,089 Page 2 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/747,089 Page 3 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/747,089 Page 4 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/747,089 Page 5 Art Unit: 2853 Application/Control Number: 18/747,089 Page 6 Art Unit: 2853
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