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 Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities, and should be:
“…a wall portion between the first chamber and the second chamber, the wall portion partially delimits the first chamber and partially delimits the second chamber…”
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities, and should be:
“…a second elastic element that extends from the wall portion into the second chamber…”
Claim 19 is also objected to because it ends with an unfinished phrase. Claim 19 could be amended in two ways: 1) delete “the second opening” at the end of claim 19; or 2) add “is in fluid communication with the first chamber, and is fluidically coupled to the second channel” in order to complete the limitation (similar to the limitation of the first opening in claim 18, and similar to the final paragraph of claim 13).
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 18-20 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 18 recites the limitation “the second chamber.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Duqi et al. (U.S. Pub. 2017/0247249).
Regarding claim 18, Duqi discloses (Figs. 13-14) a pressure sensor 100 (see par. [0025]), comprising:
a first substrate 101/102/103 including a surface (inner surface thereof: see Figs. 13-14), a first chamber 110 (i.e. area defined by trench 110: see Figs. 13-14) that extends into the surface (as shown in Fig. 13), and a wall portion 106A,B [0025] that partially delimits the first chamber (as shown in Fig. 13);
a first elastic element 122 [0027] extends from the wall portion into the first chamber (as shown in Fig. 13);
a first detection structure 121 coupled to the first elastic element 122 (as shown in Fig. 13), the first detection structure 121 is suspended within the first chamber by the first elastic element 122 (as shown in Fig. 13);
a first buried cavity 109 [0028] within the first detection structure 121 (as shown in Figs. 13-14);
a first channel 123 [0029] in fluid communication with the first buried cavity 109 (as shown in Fig. 13), the first channel 123 extends through the first elastic element 122 and extends through the wall portion (at opening 225: see Figs. 13-14); and
a first opening 225 [0044] extends into the surface (the wall: see Figs. 13-14), the first opening 225 is in fluid communication with a second chamber (i.e. with the outside, which could be the room the sensor is in, or whatever housing houses the sensor) and is fluidically coupled to the first channel 123 (as shown in Figs. 13-14).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-17 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
“…a first channel extending into the body, the first channel fluidically couples the first buried cavity with the second chamber; and
“a second channel extending into the body, the second channel fluidically couples the second buried cavity with the first chamber.”
(as in claim 1)
And
“…a first channel in fluid communication with the first buried cavity, extends through the first elastic element, and extends through the wall portion;
“a first opening extends into the surface, is in fluid communication with the second chamber, and is fluidically coupled to the first channel…”
“…a second channel in fluid communication with the second buried cavity, extends through the second elastic element, and extends through the wall portion; and
“a second opening extends into the surface, is in fluid communication with the first chamber, and is fluidically coupled to the second channel.”
(as in claim 13)
Claims 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claim 19, the allowable subject matter should include “a second chamber spaced apart from the first chamber by the wall portion, and the wall portion partially delimits the second chamber, and further comprising: a second elastic element that extends form the wall portion into the second chamber” – including these limitations is sufficient to overcome the applied art, i.e. including the remaining limitations of claim 19 is not necessary for allowability.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Dehe et al. (U.S. Pub. 2013/0223023) discloses (Figs. 6a-7b) a pressure sensor that reads on the limitations of claim 18.
Parker et al. (U.S. Pub. 2020/0056934) also discloses (Fig. 8) a pressure sensor that reads on the limitations of claim 18.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Benjamin Schmitt, whose telephone number is (571) 270-7930. The examiner can normally be reached M-F | 8:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Lindsay can be reached at (571) 272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BENJAMIN R SCHMITT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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