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 .
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)(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 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Toyota Motor Corp (JP2023072331).
Regarding Claim 1, Toyota Motor Corp discloses a cartridge tank attachable to and removable from an apparatus (figure 1), the cartridge tank 100 (figure 1) comprising: a tank body 10 (figure 1); and a heat insulating material layer 40 (figure 1) provided on an outer surface of the tank body (Figure 1), wherein the heat insulating material layer comprises a sheet member S1 (Figure 2) made from a heat insulating material (paragraph 12), and is formed by forming the sheet member into a tubular shape (Figure 3), a plurality of notches N1 (Figure 2) that extend in an axial direction of the tubular shape and align in a circumferential direction are formed at ends of the tank body in the axial direction (Figure 2 and 3), and thereby, the sheet member includes a plurality of small pieces (figure 2, each section between notch N1) that align in the circumferential direction, and ends of each adjacent ones of the small pieces overlap each other (Figure 4), and thereby, openings of the tubular shape narrow (Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 2, Toyota Motor Corp discloses when three of the small pieces (Figure 4) which are adjacent to each other and align in order in one direction in the circumferential direction are defined as a first small piece, a second small piece, and a third small piece (Figure 4), the second small piece overlaps the first small piece in such a manner that the second small piece comes underneath the first small piece, and overlaps the third small piece in such a manner that the second small piece comes onto the third small piece (figure 4).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyota Motor Corp (JP2023072331) in view of McVeigh (U.S. Patent No. 4854736).
Regarding Claim 3, Toyota Motor Corp teaches all the limitations substantially as claimed except for the small pieces are provided with holes, and a plurality of the small pieces are fastened by passing a string-like fastening member through the holes of the small pieces. However, McVeigh teaches the small pieces are provided with holes 5 (Figure 1), and a plurality of the small pieces are fastened by passing a string-like fastening member through the holes of the small pieces 6 (Figure 1). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Toyota Motor Corp to include the above, as taught by McVeigh, in order to secure the pieces in place.
Applicant is duly reminded that a complete response must satisfy the requirements of 37 C.F. R. 1.111, including: “The reply must present arguments pointing out the specific distinctions believed to render the claims, including any newly presented claims, patentable over any applied references. A general allegation that the claims “define a patentable invention” without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references does not comply with the requirements of this section. Moreover, “The prompt development of a clear Issue requires that the replies of the applicant meet the objections to and rejections of the claims.” Applicant should also specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure. See MPEP 2163.06 II(A), MPEP 2163.06 and MPEP 714.02. The ''disclosure'' includes the claims, the specification and the drawings.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH J VOLZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11am-7pm est.
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/ELIZABETH J VOLZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3733
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