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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the following issues:
In Paragraph 0022 of Published Application US 2025/0258428, the term “first segment” is identified with both reference number 102 and 104. Paragraph 0022 recites “… configured to be attached to first segment 102 or first segment 104.”
In Paragraph 0025 of Published Application US 2025/0258428, the term “attachment feature” is designated with reference number 212. However, in Paragraph 0030, the term “attachment interface” is used for reference number 212.
Paragraph 0036 of Published Application US 2025/0258428 identifies a “flat face” with reference number “310”. However, in Paragraph 0037, the term “engagement features” are identified with the same reference number “310”.
In Figure 3B, the reference number “312” is shown twice, designating two different elements as shown below.
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The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Claims 3 and 11 identify an “elongated post”. This term is not identified in the drawings or in the Specification in relation to the drawings. It is unclear if this “elongated post” intends to identify the support features 214 or 306.
Claim 4 identifies “inserts”. This term is not identified in the drawings or in the Specification in relation to the drawings.
Claims 7 and 12 state that the reinforcement supports include a “contact” configured to face the reticle. No “contact” is shown as part of the reinforcement support. A “corner contact 106” is shown as well as a “corner contact 202” and “flat face 308” is shown as a “contact surface” as part of the reinforcement support. However no contact (noun) is identified.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 4-6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
Claim 4 identifies additional inserts other than either the corner contacts (106, 202) or the reinforcement supports (108, 210, 300).
Paragraph 0022 of Published Application US 2025/0258428 states that one or more of the corner contacts 106 or portions thereof are provided on one or more inserts configured to be attached to first segment 102 or first segment 104. Paragraph 0023 states that “…at least some of the reinforcement supports 108 are provided as or included in one or more inserts configured to be attached to one or inserts configured to be attached to one or both of first segment 102 and second segment 104.”
Paragraph 0029 states that “Reinforcement support 210 can be an insert, for example including an attachment interface 212, or can be formed integrally with the reticle container 200.” Paragraph 0034 states that “Reinforcement support 300 is an example of a reinforcement support configured to be used as an insert in a reticle container.” Nowhere is an “insert”, per se, identified in the drawings or Specification with a reference number.
Therefore, an insert in addition to the corner contacts and reinforcement support is not enabled. It is unclear if such an insert is an (unshown) additional component, or if the reinforcement supports (210) are themselves inserts or can be used as inserts.
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 1-9, 11-13, and 17 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 1 is indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. It appears to be non-grammatical and duplicative reciting “An article…A reticle container have first container segment… (sic)” The claim recites both an article for holding a reticle and a reticle container.
The following is a PROPOSED DRAFT claim 1 which attempts to more clearly identify the subject matter of the invention.
(Examiner’s Proposed Draft) A reticle container comprising:
a first container segment and a second container segment, the first and second container segments together defining an accommodation space; and
one or more corner contacts, each corner contact including one or more arms, each arm including a contact surface configured to abut a reticle; and
one or more separately formed reinforcement supports comprising a support feature configured to apply pressure to said corner contact arms when said corner contact arms are deflected due to shock or vibration.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "at least some of the one or more reinforcement supports" in the first line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim as there cannot be some reinforcement supports if only a single reinforcement support is chosen in Claim 1. This issue is repeated in Claims 4-7.
Claims 3 and 11 identify an elongated post. It is unclear which element this refers to, as no “elongated posts” are identified in the Specification or Drawings.
Claims 4-6 identify one or more inserts. These inserts are not shown or enabled. What comprises the inserts or how they are configured are therefore indefinite.
Claims 7 and 12 recites a contact. A “contact” is indefinite as the Specification and Drawings only identify a flat face (218) as part of the reinforcement supports and reticle contact surfaces (206) as part of the corner contact (202). Therefore, these claims are indefinite.
All dependent claims are rejected as dependent on a rejected independent claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8, 11-13, and 17 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claims 9, 10, 14-16, and 18-19 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GIDEON R. WEINERTH whose telephone number is (571)270-5121. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10AM-6PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Orlando Aviles can be reached at (571) 270-5531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GIDEON R WEINERTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
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