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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/9/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested:
“GAS SENSOR WITH BITE PREVENTION”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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 5, 6, 11 and 12 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.
Regarding claims 5, 6, 11 and 12 the recitation “virtually uniformly distributed...”, is ambiguous and overly broad. With emphasis on the term “virtually”, this is relative and does not clearly define the distribution area of the center of mass. The limitation raises the question as to whether the center of mass is uniformly distributed or not?
Suggested limitation: “..which is a center of mass when mass is uniformly distributed…”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 7-10 and 13-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Maki et al (US 20230228701 A1) discloses a gas sensor for sensing a predetermined gas component contained in a measurement gas, the gas sensor includes: a sensor element including a sensing part on one end portion thereof; a casing in which the sensor element is contained and secured; and a connector disposed in the casing to electrically connect the sensor element to an outside, wherein the casing includes: an outer tube including a main portion in which a reference gas is included and a sealing portion being an end portion having a smaller diameter than the main portion, another end portion of the sensor element protrudes to the main portion, a rubber seal member fitted into the sealing portion to seal the outer tube, and a spacer intervening between the seal member and the connector in the outer tube, and the spacer includes: a resin first spacer having contact with the seal member and having higher heat resistance than the seal member and a ceramic second spacer having contact with the connector. An object of the present invention is to provide a gas sensor including a spacer favorably achieving both suppression of increase in temperature of a seal member and ensuring of heat resistance, and capable of being shortened. (Summary of Invention)
Although Maki et al is substantially pertinent to the pending application, the prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious a ceramic housing arranged, and an opening end of a tubular body is formed; an elastic body arranged to seal the opening end; and a spacer that is arranged between the ceramic housing (EMPHASIS ADED) and the elastic body in the axial direction, is in contact with the ceramic housing at an end surface on a front end side in the axial direction, is in contact with the elastic body at an end surface on a rear end side in the axial direction, and has Young's modulus of 80 GPa or more at least at a front end portion including an end surface on the front end side.
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.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12625105 B2 Gas sensor
US 20250137963 A1 Gas sensor for detecting concentration of specific gas such as oxygen or nitrogen oxide in measured gas i.e. exhaust gas, of automobile, has hollow element provided with material with Young's modulus in specific range and arranged inside outer tube in which sensor element penetrates
US 20240280532 A1 Sensor for detecting concentration of specific gas such as nitrogen oxide in exhaust gas of automobile, has has a sensor element extending in axial direction and including detection unit on front end side and element electrode on rear end side
US 20230168220 A1 GAS SENSOR, SENSOR ELEMENT CONTAINMENT CASING, AND SEALING METHOD FOR USE IN SENSOR ELEMENT CONTAINMENT CASING
US 20240241012 A1 GAS SENSOR
US 8147667 B2 Exhaust gas sensor and method of manufacture
JP 7183335 B2 gas sensor
JP 5099786 B2 Gas sensor
US 20240241097 A1 GAS SENSOR
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE J ALLEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2174. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 9am-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina M Deherrera can be reached at (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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/ANDRE J ALLEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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