When can you definitely not receive a double patenting rejection?

When applications claim different inventions, they are not subject to a double patenting rejection. Double patenting rejections occur when two or more applications claim the same or closely related inventions, suggesting that a single inventor is seeking multiple patents for the same invention or overlapping inventions. In contrast, claiming different inventions indicates that the subject matter of the applications is distinct enough to warrant individual patents, thus avoiding the risk of double patenting.

In the context of the options provided, if applications are submitted together and later split, they may still be subject to double patenting if they share the same claims or are too closely related. Therefore, the situation where different inventions are being claimed offers a clear basis for avoiding double patenting rejections. The clarity of distinct inventions ensures that the patent office recognizes them as separate contributions, thus allowing for separate patents without the issue of double patenting arising.