DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 71, 73-75, and 85 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Delano et al. (U.S. 11,389,747 B2), hereinafter “Delano” (which is also published as WO2014/197783).
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As for Claim 85, Delano teaches a gasket (e.g. 720) comprising;
a central axial bore (along axis L of figure 2C or 7E) that includes a first portion of a substantially constant diameter (e.g. 724 indicated in figure 7E) and a conical enlarged second portion extending from an end of the first portion (e.g. that shown between 724 and 740 in figure 7E);
wherein the gasket includes a beveled surface that extends from the second conical portion of the central axial bore and is disposed away from a filter (e.g. the portion passed through by the leader of reference no. 730 that is disposed away from740); and
the beveled portion includes an end tip (e.g. at 703) that is to contact the filter1 (e.g. at 703, the end of the beveled portion contacts filter 702—the column which includes a porous, packed media).
As for the additional limitations of claims 71, 73-75 as shown in e.g. figures 7C and 7D, there is a fitting 704, 706 on both sides of the filter (740, 702) having respective gaskets disposed therein (as shown in figure 7D). Also, both gaskets include a complementary geometry to form a seal against the stop shoulder of the fittings (e.g. at 705, 722), and as shown, the stop shoulders are perpendicular to a central axis of the filter cartridge. In addition, the gaskets and fittings are radially symmetric—as shown.
Claims 79 and 81-84 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DeLine (U.S. 2019/0030457 A1), hereinafter “DeLine”.
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As for claim 79, DeLine teaches a filter cartridge 20 comprising: a first filter fitting 40 on one side of a filter; a second filter fitting 44 on a second opposite side of the filter; a first gasket 50 disposed in the first filter fitting; and a second gasket 54 disposed in the second filter fitting, wherein the filter cartridge includes a central axis and wherein a first gasket and second gasket include a complementary geometry that includes a larger diameter inner opening 76 adjacent to the filter 108 which is disposed outside of the first gasket and the second gasket and a smaller inner diameter channel 74 axially away from the filter; wherein the first and second gasket respectively form a seal against a stop shoulder to respectively form a seal against a stop shoulder 92 of the first filter fitting and a stop shoulder 78 of the second filter fitting. He also teaches the gaskets to include steps (at 82) formed by a larger and smaller diameter portion of each gasket that engages the respective should 92/78 of the fittings (see figure 4).
As for claim 81, the stop shoulder 92 is perpendicular to the central axis of the cartridge.
As for claim 82, DeLine also teaches that the fittings and gaskets are symmetrical.
As for claims 83-84, the gaskets also include a beveled surface adjacent the filters (116, 120) that is angled from about 70° to about 89° (easily deduced from figure 4).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 factual inquiries that are applied 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 78 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Delano. Delano doesn’t specify a taper angle of the beveled surface to be as shown. However, such would have been obvious since Delano teaches selecting a taper angle to substantially match the taper angle of the compression element 300 (of the filter)—such would have been obvious depending upon the filter used with the gasket (col. 6, lines 39-41).
Claims 72 and 80 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over either of Delano or DeLine, each in further view of SU 842574 A1, hereinafter SU '574.
Neither Delano nor DeLine specify his first and second fittings to include external threads but such is taught by SU '574. As shown in his figure, SU '574 teaches his fittings 10 to include external threads as part of a sample introduction unit having a cap and hole 18. It is considered that it would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have the external threads of SU '574 in the inventions of either Delano or DeLine, since SU '574 teaches the benefit of introducing samples into a chromatographic column (the treated sample is removed at the opposite end.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 11/18/2025 have been considered but are not convincing for the following reasons:
The examiner does not agree with Applicant’s summary of the interview of 10/24/2025 (see the Interview summary prepared by the Examiner mailed 10/28/2025) that the added limitations are not taught by the applied art of Delano.
As shown above, figure 7 of Delano teaches Applicant’s amendments to claims 71 and 85.
Applicant has amended claim 79 such that the larger and smaller diameter portions are instead and opening and a channel. However, such is taught by DeLine as shown above: “a first gasket and second gasket include a complementary geometry that includes a larger diameter inner opening 76 adjacent to the filter 108 which is disposed outside of the first gasket and the second gasket and a smaller inner diameter channel 74 axially away from the filter.” In addition, filter 108 is outside both gaskets—as shown in figure 4.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mr. TERRY K CECIL whose telephone number is (571)272-1138. The examiner can normally be reached Normally 7:30-4:00p M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If repeated attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful (including leaving a voice message), the examiner’s supervisor, Bobby Ramdhanie can be reached on (571) 270-3240. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TERRY K CECIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1779
1 “that is to contact a filter”—this phrase indicates that the filter is not required by the gasket of claim 85 but is an intended use only.