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 .
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.
Claims 12-13, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. In claim 12, line 2 and claim 13, line 2, “the at least one longitudinally shaped tearing zone” lacks antecedent basis, as “at least a first longitudinally shaped tearing zone” and a “second longitudinally shaped tearing zone” have been defined in claim 1, so there is no possibility of only one longitudinally shaped tearing zone. It is unclear whether applicant is referencing the first longitudinally shaped tearing zone or something else.
In claim 13, lines 3-4, “the longitudinally shaped tearing zone” is indefinite, as two have been antecedently defined.
In claim 16, lines 2-3, “the longitudinally shaped tearing zone” is indefinite, as two have been antecedently defined.
In claim 19, line 2, “the tearing zone” is indefinite, as two have been antecedently defined.
Claims 11, 14-15, 17-18 and 20 are allowed.
Claims 12-13, 16 and 19 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
Prior Art not relied upon: Please refer to the additional references listed on the attached PTO-892, which, while not relied upon for the claim rejection, these references are deemed relevant to the claimed invention as a whole.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYON P GEHMAN whose telephone number is (571) 272-4555. The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Orlando Aviles, can be reached on (571) 270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRYON P GEHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
Bryon P. Gehman
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3736
BPG
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