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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/30/2026 has been entered.
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 6-7, 11-12, 16, 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 6 recites the limitation “a to-be-compressed medium enters the compression chamber of the first scroll and the second scroll through a gap between the disc-shaped portion of the heat shield and the end plate of the scroll cover, the suction passage, a gap formed between the end plate of the scroll cover and the first end plate of the first scroll, and a gap between an inner wall of the cylindrical portion of the scroll cover and the first scroll and the second scroll” which is indefinite (Emphasis added). It cannot be ascertained what role the suction passage plays in the gaps through which the to-be-compressed medium enters the compression chamber. More specifically, it cannot be ascertained whether the suction passage is part of the gap between the disc-shaped portion of the heat shield and the end plate of the scroll cover or if it is a part of the gap formed between the end plate of the scroll cover and the first end plate of the first scroll. Clarification is required. Claims 7 and 16 also recite similar limitations and are rejected for being indefinite similarly.
Claim 11 recites “a driving member” in line 3. However, claim 1, from which claim 11 depends, also recites “a driving member” in line 18. As such, it cannot be ascertained whether they are the same driving member of if they are different. Clarification is required.
Claim 12 recites “a scroll cover” and its structure. However, claim 1, from which claim 12 ultimately depends, also has “a scroll cover” and its structure. As such, it cannot be ascertained whether they are the same scroll cover of if they are different. Clarification is required.
Claim 20 recites “a driving member” in line 2. However, claim 1, from which claim 20 depends, also recites “a driving member” in line 18. As such, it cannot be ascertained whether they are the same driving member of if they are different. Clarification is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 8-10, 13-15, 17-19 are allowed.
Regarding claim 1, the closest prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious the combination including:
“a scroll cover comprising: an end plate with a central hole; and a cylindrical portion extending downward from an outer periphery of the end plate, wherein the cylindrical portion of the scroll cover is connected to the flange portion of the driving member, and the end plate of the scroll cover is connected to the first end plate of the first scroll, and the discharge member passes through the central hole of the end plate of the scroll cover; and a heat shield disposed between the partition wall and the first end plate of the first scroll; wherein at least a part of the heat shield is disposed between the partition wall and the scroll cover.”
Claims 6-7, 11-12, 16, 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAPINDER SINGH whose telephone number is (571)270-1774. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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/DAPINDER SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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