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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/04/2026 has been entered.
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(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2013/0153680 to Thangaswamy et al.(Thangaswamy)
In Reference to Claim 1
Thangaswamy discloses:
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An exhaust gas aftertreatment device (Fig.1), comprising:
a heat-insulated interface arrangement (fig.5), wherein the heat-insulated interface arrangement (fig.5) comprises:
a first electric interface (128);
an inner sheath (136) which ensheathes the first electric interface (128); and
a heat-insulating sheath (135) which ensheathes the inner sheath (136) such that the heat-insulating sheath (135) circumferentially surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the inner sheath (136), wherein the heat-insulating sheath (7) has a ceramic material or is formed from a ceramic material, see paragraph [0043].
In Reference to Claim 2
Thangaswamy discloses
wherein the heat- insulating sheath (135) is frictionally connected to the inner sheath (136).
In Reference to Claim 3
Thangaswamy discloses
an outer sheath (137) which ensheathes the heat-insulating sheath (135).
In Reference to Claim 4
Thangaswamy discloses
wherein the outer sheath (137) is frictionally connected to the heat-insulating sheath (135).
In Reference to Claim 5
Thangaswamy discloses
wherein the inner sheath (137) and/or an outer sheath (137) which ensheathes the heat-insulating sheath (135) has a metallic material or is formed from a metallic material, see paragraph [0043] (austenitic nickel chromium based allow such as Iconnell from special metals.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 6-7, 9-14 are allowed primarily because the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
The prior art of record does not teach “a gap (23) that circumferentially surrounds an outer circumferential surface of the first electric interface (3.1) and that is disposed between the outer circumferential surface of the first electric interface (3.1) and an outer sheath (19) ensheathing the heat-insulating sheath (7); andan intermediate element (21) which is disposed on the first electric interface (3.1), wherein the intermediate element (21) is adjacent to the heat- insulating sheath (7) and is ensheathed by the outer sheath (19).” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 6;
Furthermore, the prior art of record does not teach “an exhaust gas aftertreatment housing (4) which has a wall (2), wherein an exhaust gas is flowable through the exhaust gas aftertreatment housing (4); a first electrical conduit (31.1); an electrical feedthrough (27) which passes the first electrical conduit (31.1) through the wall (2) of the exhaust gas aftertreatment housing (4); and a heat-insulated interface arrangement (1), wherein the heat-insulated interface arrangement (1) is disposed outside the exhaust gas aftertreatment housing (4) on the first electrical conduit (31.1) and is connected to the first electrical conduit (31.1) in an electrically conductive manner;” as within the context of the claimed invention as disclosed and within the context of the other limitations present in claim 9 and 10;
Therefore, the prior art of record cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention by a single reference nor render Applicant’s claimed invention obvious by the combination of more than one reference.
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.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-5 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 ANTHONY AYALA DELGADO whose telephone number is (571)270-3452. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark III Laurenzi can be reached at (571) 270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY AYALA DELGADO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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