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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamazaki (US 20220396471).
Regarding claim 1, Yamazaki teach A sensor (110), comprising:
a base (41, Fig. 1) including a first base region including a first intermediate region (region of the base 41 between wiring layer 51M and wiring layer 51AM corresponds to the first intermediate region, Fig. 1);
a first detection section; (10A, Fig. 1)
a first conductive layer (21, Fig. 1) fixed to the base, the first conductive layer including a first conductive region (Note 51M) and a first other conductive region; (51AM) and
a first conductive layer terminal electrically connected to the first conductive layer, (62, Fig. 3)
the first detection section including:
a first fixed portion fixed to the first base region,(Note combination of 31S and 31 C, Figs. 1 and 3, and pars. (0025-0026) and
a first element supported by the first fixed portion, the first element including a first resistance member (11, par. 0024) and a first conductive member (62, Fig. 3), Examiner’s position is that all elements are supported by each other to function.
a position of the first intermediate region (region of the base 41 between wiring layer 51M and wiring layer 51AM corresponds to the first intermediate region) in a second direction (X direction) crossing a first direction (Z direction) from the first base region (41) to the first fixed portion being between a position of the first conductive region (region of the base between the wiring layer 51M, Fig. 3) wiring in the second direction and a position of the first other conductive region (51 AM, Fig. 3) in the second direction, and
a first gap (G1, Fig. 1) being provided between the first intermediate region (region of the base 41 between wiring layer 51M and wiring layer 51AM corresponds to the first intermediate region, Fig. 1) and the first element (combined 11 and 62, Fig. 3) in the first direction.
Regarding claim 2, Yamazaki teach wherein a first conductive region area (51M, Fig. 3) of the first conductive region in a first plane crossing the first direction is larger than a first element area of the first element (11 and 62, Fig. 3) in the first plane.
Regarding claim 9, Yamazaki teach wherein a part of the first conductive layer (21) overlaps the first fixed portion (31 and 31C, Fig. 1) in the first direction.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki (US 20220396471) in view of Yoshitomi et al. (US 20180024023).
Yamazaki teach the instant invention except the following claim limitations.
Regarding claim 20, Yamazaki does not teach wherein the first conductive layer includes a hole.
Yoshitomi et al. teach wherein the first conductive layer includes a hole. (Note claim 1, A liquid sensor comprising a laminate comprising a first conductive layer, an insulation layer, and a second conductive layer layered in this order, wherein the laminate has through holes penetrating the first conductive layer)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yamazaki to include the teaching of wherein the first conductive layer includes a hole to improve the sensitivity of the liquid sensor. (Note par. 0028)
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki (US 20220396471) in view of Gao et al. (US 20080093695).
Yamazaki teach the instant invention except the following claim limitations.
Regarding claim 19, Yamazaki does not teach wherein the first conductive layer includes a first conductive film and a second conductive film, at least a part of the second conductive film overlaps the first conductive film in the first direction, the second conductive film is electrically connected to the first conductive film, and a part of the base is provided between the first conductive film and the second conductive film.
Gao et al. teach wherein the first conductive layer includes a first conductive film (Note 224, Fig. 2) and a second conductive film (Note 224 below highest 224, Fig. 2) , at least a part of the second conductive film overlaps the first conductive film in the first direction, (Note the two films are stacked, Fig. 2) the second conductive film is electrically connected to the first conductive film (Note the connection between the films, Fig. 2), and a part of the base is provided between the first conductive film and the second conductive film.(Note the layer between both 224, Fig. 2 is interpreted as the base)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yamazaki to include the teaching of wherein the first conductive layer includes a first conductive film and a second conductive film, at least a part of the second conductive film overlaps the first conductive film in the first direction, the second conductive film is electrically connected to the first conductive film, and a part of the base is provided between the first conductive film and the second conductive film to allow electrical energy to pass through the sensor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-8,10-18 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.
Regarding claim 3, wherein the first resistance member includes a first resistance portion and a first other resistance portion, the first conductive member includes a first conductive portion and a first other conductive portion, a potential of the first resistance portion is set to a first potential of the first conductive layer terminal, and a potential of the first conductive portion is fixed to the first potential.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the first conductive layer further includes a first fixed portion region being continuous with the first conductive region, a position of the first fixed portion in a third direction is between a position of the first fixed portion region in the third direction and a position of the first intermediate region in the third direction, and the third direction crosses a plane including the first direction and the second direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEMETRIUS R PRETLOW whose telephone number is (571)272-3441. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 5:30-1:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DEMETRIUS R PRETLOW/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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