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 § 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.
Claim 14 is 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 14 recites “the filter arrangement”. There is a lack of antecedent basis for “the filter arrangement” in previous claim limitations.
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.
Claims 1-6,10,12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Chinese reference(CN218392829U).
Chinese reference in figures 4 and 7 teaches a filter(filter device 40), comprising: a pleated filter medium(filter section 42; noting para 0073 stating “wavy end face of the filter section 42); an edge strip(mounting plate 14); and at least one retaining element(mounting portion 18, mounting portion 18 including hook 28 and cantilever 32), wherein the edge strip is fastened on one side of the filter medium(para 0038 stating “the mounting plate 14 can be detachably connected to the filter element 10”), wherein the retaining element is assigned to the edge strip, and wherein the edge strip and the retaining element form a locking structure for fixing the filter in a filter housing(para 0050 stating “this allows the mounting portion 18 to engage with the housing 12 in a direction away from the connecting portion using the hook 28”).
With regards to claim 2, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the retaining element has a retaining structure, and wherein the retaining structure comprises a latching lug(cantilever 32) and a grip section(hook 28).
With regards to claim 3, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the latching lug is configured as a latching flap(noting protrusion 34) such that the retaining element can be form-fittingly(noting press fit in figure 13) fixed in the filter housing(12) by the latching flap.
With regards to claim 4, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the connection between the filter and the filter housing is established without tools.
With regards to claim 5, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the filter comprises a seal for sealing the filter and the filter housing, wherein the seal is formed by the edge strip.
With regards to claim 6, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the edge strip has a free end(connected part 16) protruding over the filter medium on at least each of its longitudinal sides, and wherein the free end forms the seal.
With regards to claim 10, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the retaining element and the edge strip are configured in one piece and in material uniformity.
With regards to claim 12, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the filter has two retaining elements(figure 7).
With regards to claim 13, Chinese reference further teaches wherein the filter is configured as a mobile cabin filter(para 0070 stating the housing 12 can be a mounting component or part corresponding to the filter device 40 in automotive filters”).
With regards to claim 14, Chinese reference further teaches a filter arrangement, comprising the filter housing and the filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter housing has a receiving space and a receiving opening, and wherein the filter housing has a further locking structure which is assigned to the receiving opening and is configured to be complementary to the locking structure of the filter, so that the receiving opening is configured to be locked by the locking structure of the filter.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9,11 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.
Claim 7 recites “wherein the retaining element and/or the edge strip are configured of non-woven fabric.”. Chinese reference in para 0038 states “when the mounting plate is made of plastic material, the small demand for the mounting plate 14 means a reduction in the amount of plastic used”, therefore Chinese reference does not teach or suggest wherein the retaining element and/or the edge strip are configured of non-woven fabric. Claims 8 and 9 depend on claim 7 and hence would also be allowable upon incorporation of claim 7 into claim 1.
Claim 11 recites “wherein the retaining element is configured of injection-moldable plastic and the edge strip is configured of nonwoven fabric, and wherein the retaining element is connected with the edge strip.”. Chinese reference in para 0038 states “when the mounting plate is made of plastic material, the small demand for the mounting plate 14 means a reduction in the amount of plastic used”, therefore Chinese reference does not teach or suggest wherein the retaining element is configured of injection-moldable plastic and the edge strip is configured of nonwoven fabric, and wherein the retaining element is connected with the edge strip.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at 5712707872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
September 8, 2026
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