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 Status
Pending claims 1-5 are addressed below.
Drawings
The drawings (particularly figures 1-2) are objected to because of the use of grayscale and solid black shading. See 37 CFR 1.84(I) and 1.84(m). Appropriate action is required. (I) Character of lines, numbers, and letters. All drawings must be made by a process which will give them satisfactory reproduction characteristics. Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined. The weight of all lines and letters must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction. This requirement applies to all lines however fine, to shading, and to lines representing cut surfaces in sectional views. Lines and strokes of different thicknesses may be used in the same drawing where different thicknesses have a different meaning. (m) Shading. The use of shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. Shading is used to indicate the surface or shape of spherical, cylindrical, and conical elements of an object. Flat parts may also be lightly shaded. Such shading is preferred in the case of parts shown in perspective, but not for cross sections. See paragraph (h)(3) of this section. Spaced lines for shading are preferred. These lines must be thin, as few in number as practicable, and they must contrast with the rest of the drawings. As a substitute for shading, heavy lines on the shade side of objects can be used except where they superimpose on each other or obscure reference characters. Light should come from the upper left corner at an angle of 45°. Surface delineations should preferably be shown by proper shading. Solid black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 2: “module (1) comprises…” should recite “the module (1) comprises…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5 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.
In claim 1:
Limitation in lines 4-5 reciting “a contact group (10) for triggering…through the conductors” is indefinite. It is unclear whether the conductors connecting contact group 10 and igniter 7 are the same or different conductors connecting heat-sensitive device 4 to igniter 7.
Limitations in line 5-6 reciting “the supply of triggering voltage” lacks proper antecedent basis in the claim
Limitations in line 7 reciting “the triggering sensor (11)” and “the manual start button (18) lack proper antecedent basis in the claim.
In claim 2:
The term “low-temperature” in claim 2 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “low-temperature” 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. Without clear description of this feature, it is unclear which range of temperature would be reasonably encompassed by this claimed term.
Limitation reciting “a low-temperature solid fuel aerosol- forming or gas-forming composition” appears to be a double inclusion of the same composition previously defined in lines 1-2 of claim 1, rendering the claim indefinite.
In claim 3:
Limitation reciting “a triggering heat-sensitive device (4)” appears to be a double inclusion of the same heat-sensitive device (4) previously defined in line 3 of claim 1, rendering the claim indefinite.
Limitation reciting “an additional smoke sensor (13)” renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear if the term “additional” implies that there is more than one smoke sensors.
In claim 4:
It is unclear if “characterized by a provision of a DIN rail fastening” means the device further comprising a DIN rail fastening.
“the back of the device housing” lacks proper antecedent basis in the claim.
As best understood, this limitation can be amended to recite “The device according to claim 1, further comprising a DIN rail fastening, which is a slot for a DIN rail located on a back of a device housing, the slot includes a latch-mount
In claim 5:
It is unclear if “characterized by additional housing holes” means the device further comprising additional housing holes. It is unclear if “additional” implies other existing housing holes. Since claim 1 does not define any housing, it is unclear with which component the housing holes are associated.
Limitation reciting “the output” lacks proper antecedent basis in the claim.
Limitation reciting “an aerosol-forming or gas-forming composition” appears to be a double inclusion of the same composition previously defined in lines 1-2 of claim 1, rendering the claim indefinite.
As best understood, this limitation can be amended to recite “[[A]] The device according to claim 1, further comprising housing holes for the aerosol-forming or gas-forming composition”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Dedina (US 10463897) discloses a protection device with a cartridge 17 to extinguish fire in electrical installation. Powers (US 5936531) discloses a CO2 cartridge to extinguish fire in electrical cabinet.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUONGMINH NGUYEN PHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-0158. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur Hall can be reached at 571-270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUONGMINH N PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
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