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 .
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.
Claims 6 and 18 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 term “sufficient” in claims 6 and 18 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “sufficient” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
How much the negative pressure has to be in order to ascertain “sufficient” pressure to grip the optical fiber?
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 7-17, and 19-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The claims 1-5, 7-17, and 19-20 are patentable over the prior art of record because the teachings of the references taken as a whole do not show or render obvious the combination set forth in claims 1 and 9, including every structural element recited in the claim, especially the concept of a fiber retention mechanism, at least one aperture passing through the fiber alignment block to the first groove, at least one chuck positioned within the at least one aperture, the at least one chuck comprising a second groove that is aligned with the first groove. The prior art of record, Nguyen ‘105 shows a separate block with a groove from a retaining element with a vacuum to engage a fiber, but lacks other elements as stated above.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest the elements of the device as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the device in the manner required by the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG K KIM whose telephone number is 571-272-6947. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 A.M. to 9 P.M or Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 A.M. to 7 P.M.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Robert Hodge, can be reached on (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SK
8/17/26
/SANG K KIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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