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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Applicant's request for continued examination filed December 19, 2025 is acknowledged. Claim 7 is amended, claims 19-24 are withdrawn from consideration, and claims 10-16 and 25-28 are canceled. Claims 7-9, 17-18, and 29-31 are further considered on the merits. In light of applicant’s response, the examiner maintains the grounds of rejection set forth in the office action filed September 24, 2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 7-9, 17-18, and 29-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian et al,. CN 108704499A (Tian, of record) in view of Shibata et al., US 2019/0176100 (Shibata, of record). For the purposes of examination, the examiner is relying on the national stage entry of CN 108704499A, hereinafter referred to/from US 2020/0038815.
Regarding claim 7, Tian discloses a bubble generator (abstract, REF 30, figs. 1-2) comprising:
A tubular body (circumferential periphery of REF 30) having an internal flow path including an inlet portion (REF 31), an orifice (REF 32), and an enlarged-diameter portion (REF 41), with the inlet portion, the orifice, and the enlarged-diameter portion being sequentially formed (figs. 1-2), wherein:
The inlet portion (REF 31) gradually reduces in diameter from an inlet of the tubular body (figs. 1-2);
The orifice (REF 32) is continuous to the inlet portion (figs. 1-2);
The enlarged-diameter portion (REF 41) is continuous to the orifice, larger in diameter than the orifice, and has a single inlet (i.e. REF 32) in communication with said orifice (figs. 1-2);
An outlet peripheral wall (REF 302, ¶ 0037) of the orifice is a radial elevation surface;
The enlarged-diameter portion (REF 41) is opened only at an outlet on an extension of a center line of the orifice (figs. 1-2);
The orifice (REF 32) is an axial opening without slits extending radially therefrom (figs. 1-2); and
All water from the inlet portion (REF 31) is funneled toward a center of the orifice (REF 32) and passes therethrough to reach the enlarged-diameter portion (figs. 1-2).
Tian does not disclose a bubble generator comprising a plurality of concave portions formed in the outlet peripheral wall and spaced apart from one another, the plurality of concave portions being fluidly unconnected to an outer circumference of the tubular body and only in direct fluid communication with the enlarged-diameter portion.
However, Shibata discloses a fine bubble generating device (abstract, figs. 1-4) having an orifice (REF 1300), an outlet peripheral wall surrounding the orifice (REF 1211), and a plurality of concave portions (REF 1220, ¶ 0065) formed in the outlet peripheral wall and spaced apart from one another (figs. 1-2), the plurality of concave portions being fluidly unconnected to an outer circumference of the tubular body and only in direct fluid communication with an enlarged-diameter portion (fig. 4).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to modify the outlet peripheral wall of Tian to provide the plurality of concave portions as described in Shibata in order to create vacuum forces which promote micro-bubble generation (Shibata, ¶ 0007-0009).
Regarding claim 8, Tian (in view of Shibata) discloses a bubble generator having a second concave portion (concave portion accommodating REF 403) continuous or intermittent in a circumferential direction formed in an inner peripheral surface of the enlarged-diameter portion (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 9, Tian (in view of Shibata) discloses a bubble generator wherein the outlet peripheral wall (REF 302) is formed in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the orifice (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 17, Shibata further discloses the concave portions (REF 1220) are evenly distributed in a circumferential direction and a radial direction about a center of an orifice in the outlet peripheral wall of the orifice (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 18, Tian (in view of Shibata) discloses a bubble generator where a diameter of the enlarged-diameter portion (REF 41) is 3-10 times a diameter of the orifice (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 29, Shibata further discloses the concave portions (REF 1220) have openings in an outlet peripheral wall in the shape of rectangles with rounded corners (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 30, Shibata further discloses the concave portions (REF 1220) reduce in diameter in a depth direction extending into the outlet peripheral wall (fig. 2).
Regarding claim 31, Shibata further discloses the concave portions are provided as four concave portions (see “the number of slits is preferably 4-10”, ¶ 0025 and “the recesses are evenly distributed in an imaginary cross section of the main body that defines the downstream-side surfaces of the columns”, ¶ 0018) evenly distributed in a circumferential direction at intervals of 90° about the center of the orifice (see “the slits are evenly formed so as to radially extend from the center of the main body”, ¶ 0025).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 7-8, 17-18, and 29-31 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are not found persuasive.
Applicant argues Tian does not disclose the feature drawn to an enlarged diameter portion continuous to the orifice has “a single inlet which is only in fluid communication with the orifice”. In response, the examiner directs applicant’s attention to the previous office actions and rejections set forth above. The examiner notes REF 30 of Tian is relied upon as the tubular body comprising the fine bubble generator, and REF 41 is referred to as the enlarged diameter portion residing within the outer periphery of REF 30. This interpretation aligns with applicant’s language reciting both material components (i.e. tubular body) and regions of space (i.e. orifice, enlarged diameter portion) of the bubble generator. Accordingly, the enlarged diameter portion recited in Tian has a single opening at the orifice as recited in the claim where the orifice opening is interpreted as an inlet to the enlarged diameter portion. The examiner maintains that the interpretation of prior art is proper in light of the currently recited claim language.
Applicant’s argument regarding the combination of Tian and Shibata is not found persuasive. Applicant’s assertion that the columns/slits are necessary in generating vacuum forces within the concave portions is correct, but only with respect to the geometry of said columns/slits reducing in size to increase a velocity of water in a region of the concave portions. This feature is common in the art as seen in REF 31 of Tian (abstract, ¶ 0032). Therefore, the incorporation of concave portions around the region of increased velocity serves the known purpose of generating microbubbles described in Shibata.
Applicant’s argument regarding “nano-order” bubbles is not found persuasive since the claim does not define an appropriate range in size for “fine” bubbles, and it appears such bubbles would be an intended use resulting from manipulative steps encompassing at least flow velocity within the bubble generator.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIRK R BASS whose telephone number is (571)270-7370. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30 EST Monday-Friday.
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DIRK R. BASS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779
/DIRK R BASS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1779