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 submitted 2/24/2025 are acknowledged and acceptable.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS documents submitted 2/24/2025 and 8/19/2025 have been considered.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: In the last paragraph of claim 1, “portion” is used to describe multiple different elements of the invention (i.e. “portion of housing”, “first forming portion”, “second forming portion”, “portion of the side surface cover” and “portion of side surface of the holder”) and for clarity, at the second to last line of the claim, “portion” should include to which of these different elements it belongs. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Imai et al. (U.S. Patent 9,902,364) in view of Ramp et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0351863).
In regards to claim 1, Imai et al (henceforth referred to as Imai) disclose a gas generator comprising:
a housing (item 10 of Imai) having an elongated cylindrical shape and including, inside of the housing, an activation gas generation chamber (item S1) in which an activation gas is generated by combustion of a gas generating agent (item 70) and a filter chamber (item S2) in which a filter through which the activation gas generated in the activation gas generation chamber passes is accommodated. Imai teaches a filter device through which the generated gas transitions;
a gas generating agent ignition unit that encloses an ignition charge, is disposed at one end in an axial direction of the housing, and allows the gas generating agent to be ignited and combusted in the activation gas generation chamber. Imai teaches an igniter (item 40) that ignites ignition charge that ultimately causes ignition of the gas generating agent; and
a holder (item 20 of Imai) fixed to one end in the axial direction of the housing and including a first forming portion having a substantially tubular shape and having a keeper that keeps the gas generating agent ignition unit on an inner side of the housing, and a second forming portion having a substantially tubular shape, integrally provided with the first forming portion on a side of the first forming portion opposite to the activation gas generation chamber. As depicted in figure 8 of Imai, the “holder” includes at least the two portions claimed (note the portion below the swaging portion and above the swaging portion), and
having a fitting portion configured to be fitted with a connector for energizing the gas
generating agent ignition unit on an opposite side of a keeping position of the gas generating agent ignition unit. Note the end of the unit at the holder that constitutes a fitting portion at terminal pin (item 42); and
a side surface cover that is a bottomed tubular member having a tubular portion,
covers at least a portion of the gas generating agent ignition unit closer to the activation gas generation chamber and at least a part of a side surface of the first forming portion. Imai teaches a tubular cover (item 43),
Imai does not explicitly disclose that the cover is provided such that the tubular portion is sandwiched between an inner wall of the housing and the side surface of the first forming portion. However, Ramp et al (henceforth referred to as Ramp) teaches an inflater that includes an igniter cover that has a tubular portion that is sandwiched, to some degree, between the inner wall of the inflater housing and a portion of the forming portion (see “cap”, item 24 in figure 1b). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of Applicant’s invention to provide a cover situated as claimed as taught by Ramp in/on the Imai inflater, to better secure the cover between the igniter and housing;
wherein at least a portion of the housing at a position corresponding to the side
surface of the first forming portion covered with the side surface cover, a portion of the side surface cover corresponding to the portion, and a portion of a side surface of the holder corresponding to the portion are subjected to welding fixation annularly along a
circumferential direction of the housing. The modification involving Ramp incorporates the configuration of the cover designated as a “cap” and the cap “covers” at least a portion of the housing and holder and is discloses as being welded to the holder (igniter carrier).
In regards to claim 2, Imai as modified by Ramp discloses that the welding fixation is performed along a position of an end of the side surface cover closer to the holder. Note that Ramp indicates welding between the “cap” (item 24) and the “igniter carrier” (item 21) at a location consistent with that claimed.
In regards to claim 3, Imai as modified by Ramp discloses an end of the side surface cover closer to the activation gas generation chamber is provided with a bottom surface. As illustrated in figure 1b, the Ramp “cap” includes a “bottom surface” near the main gas chamber (see diaphragm, item 25 and bottom surface of the cap flange in figure 1b), and
a tapered portion that is connected to the bottom surface and reduces in diameter
toward another end in the axial direction of the housing. Note the tapered top surface of the cap of Ramp.
In regards to claim 4, Imai as modified by Ramp discloses an end of the side surface cover closer to the activation gas generation chamber is provided with a bottom surface. As illustrated in figure 1b, the Ramp “cap” includes a “bottom surface” near the main gas chamber (see diaphragm, item 25 and bottom surface of the cap flange in figure 1b), and
a tapered portion that is connected to the bottom surface and reduces in diameter
toward another end in the axial direction of the housing. Note the tapered top surface of the cap of Ramp and how it reduces in diameter towards the gas chamber (see figure 1b).
Summary/Conclusion
Claims 1-4 are rejected.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN P LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-8968. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 8:30am and 5:00pm on Monday through Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Troy Chambers can be reached on 571-272-6874. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/BENJAMIN P LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641