DETAILED ACTION
(1)
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 . This is the first office action on the merits. Claim 1 is pending before the Office for review.
(2)
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 1 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 1 attempts to define a specific structural electrical connection between the first and second thermoelectric groups defined therein. The awkward claim language renders this structural electrical connection unclear. More specifically, it’s unclear how the electrically adjacent ends of each group are defined and structurally interrelated to the connection electrode. Applicant is encouraged to use more descriptive language to clarify this feature of the claimed invention.
Therefore, the claim is indefinite because its scope is unascertainable to one ordinarily skilled in the art.
(3)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Yi et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0116602) teaches a thermoelectric device for providing thermal feedback, wherein the thermoelectric device comprises the first and second thermoelectric groups, as seen in figure 18, wherein the device is deformable to a curved surface, as seen in figures 11 or 14, for example, but fails to teach or fairly suggest a structural electrical connection meeting the requirements of the last three clauses of claim 1. Applicant is cautioned that a broadening amendment to claim 1 to clarify the claimed invention will require further search and consideration and may lead to a final rejection.
Shigefuji (JP 2008-308088 A), which is cited in Applicant’s information disclosure statement, teaches a thermoelectric device used in a temperature control application, but fails to teach or fairly suggest the specific structural electrical connection meeting the requirements of the last three clauses of claim 1.
(4)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELI S MEKHLIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7597. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
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/ELI S MEKHLIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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