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Simple English definitions for legal terms
exhausted-combination rejection
Read a random definition: safe-berth clause
A quick definition of exhausted-combination rejection:
Exhausted-combination rejection is when someone rejects an offer or goods because they are too similar to something that has already been patented or accepted. This can happen in many different areas, like contracts, patents, or parliamentary law. It's like saying "we already have something like this, we don't need another one."A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Exhausted-combination rejection is a type of rejection in patent law. It occurs when a patent claim is rejected because all the elements of the invention perform the same function as a previously patented invention, even if one or more elements perform in a different way. This type of rejection is also known as old-combination rejection.
Example: Suppose an inventor applies for a patent on a new type of car engine. The patent examiner finds that all the elements of the engine perform the same function as a previously patented engine, even though some elements perform in a different way. The examiner may issue an exhausted-combination rejection, stating that the combination of elements is not patentable because it has already been patented.
This example illustrates how exhausted-combination rejection works in patent law. Even if an inventor comes up with a new way of doing something, if the overall function is the same as a previously patented invention, the combination may not be patentable.