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 .
Application Status
Claims 1-15 are pending and have been examined in this application
This communication is the first action on the merits
Claims 1, 2, 4-7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 are rejected herein
Information Disclosure Statement
As of the date of this action, an information disclosure statement (IDS) has been filed on 12/5/2024 and reviewed by the examiner.
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 8 and 14 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.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the indentation" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This can be amended to “an indentation.”
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the" in 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This can be amended to “a first side of the rigid part.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by "Kazen" (U.S. Pat. No. US 4253830 A).
Regarding claim 1, Kazen teaches a support unit for an intraoral scan device, wherein the support unit comprising: a rigid part(16) having a first surface(A as seen below) and a second surface opposed to the first surface(as seen below, B is a surface that opposes A), a first flexible part configured to be removably attached to the first surface of the rigid part(28 is an elastomeric flexible part and is configured to be removably attached from surface A), and wherein the first flexible part includes at least a friction surface configured to hold the intraoral scan device(Col. 3, Ln. 26-30).
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Regarding claim 2, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, comprising a second flexible part (28 within B, labeled C), and the second flexible part is configured to be removably attached to the second surface of the rigid part(C is configured to be removed from B),
Regarding claim 4, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the rigid part (16), the first flexible part (28 within A), and a second flexible part (C) of the support unit, are separable (16, 28 within A, and C are separable).
Regarding claim 5, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the rigid part comprises an indentation extending between the first surface and the second surface of the rigid part(26 between B and A are indentations that extend between the two surfaces).
Regarding claim 6, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the rigid part comprises an indentation, extending along an axis orthogonal to the first or second surface of the rigid part(.the hole between A and C is an indentation and extends from one end of the circular shape to the other, which is orthogonal to the surface of A and C)
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Regarding claim 7, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the rigid part comprises a groove, extending between the first surface and the second surface of the rigid part.(D is a groove that extends between the first and second surface of the rigid part)
Regarding claim 9, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the rigid part comprises an opening defining a hole between the first surface and the second surface of the rigid part(D is a hole between the first and second surfaces A and C).
Regarding claim 10, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the first flexible part is configured to be connected flush with the rigid part (28 is flush with the rigid part 16).
Regarding claim 13, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein all parts of the support unit are adapted to be cleansed in an autoclave(the rigid material and elastomeric material may both be autoclaved, (see lines 23-38 column 4 and lines 6-11 column 1)).
Regarding claim 14, Kazen teaches a support unit according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the rigid part comprises a groove having a geometry that corresponds to a geometry of the first flexible part, and the first flexible part is configured to be connected flush with the first side of the rigid part (A is a groove that has a geometry that corresponds to 28 and is configured for 28 to be connected flush with the first side of the rigid part).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 8, 11, 12, and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM DONALD JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-9214. The examiner can normally be reached M, T, Th, F between 7:30 AM and 5:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at 5712728227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/W.D.J./ Examiner, Art Unit 3631
/ANNA M MOMPER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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