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 .
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.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. In claim 1, line 2, “a nozzle configured to be coupled to a valve” is rendered indefinite by the subsequent recitation in lines 14-15 of “a first area formed on an outer peripheral surface of the valve, wherein the first area is coupled to an inner peripheral surface of the liner”, as in the disclosed pressure vessel, the liner is part of the nozzle and the coupling of the liner to the valve involves actual coupling of the nozzle to the valve.
In claim 6, line 3, “the skirt part” lacks singular antecedent basis for one particular skirt part, as multiple skirt parts have been antecedently defined.
In claim 11, line 2, the Markush group is a list of equivalents and the phrasing should be --at least one of an O-ring and an adhesive--.
Claims 1-11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Prior Art not relied upon: Please refer to the additional references listed on the attached PTO-892, which, while not relied upon for the claim rejection, these references are deemed relevant to the claimed invention as a whole. Each discloses a pressure vessel including a nozzle to be associated with a valve and a liner associated with the nozzle, the pressure vessel including a composite material including a hoop layer and a helical layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYON P GEHMAN whose telephone number is (571) 272-4555. The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Orlando Aviles-Bosques, can be reached on (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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/BRYON P GEHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
Bryon P. Gehman
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3736
BPG
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