DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
In light of the amendments filed on 29 July 2025, the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection has been withdrawn. It is acknowledged that claims 1, 8, and 11 have been amended and claim 4 has been cancelled by Applicant. Claims 1-3 and 5-12 are currently pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, Nakamura provides motivation, as pointed out in the non-final office action, because Nakamura discloses that their invention provides uniform distribution and prevention of accumulation. In response to applicant's argument that Nakamura’s technique may not be directly applicable to Soo’s liquid distribution problem because it may cause unexpected problems, the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
Regarding Applicant’s argument that Soo does not disclose an oblique connection between the connecting pipe and central pipe, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). This specific limitation was disclosed by Nakamura, as written in the non-final office action.
Regarding Applicant’s argument that Soo does not disclose a pair of branch pipes because Soo discloses a plurality of branched pipes, this is not found persuasive. Soo discloses four branched pipes. Because a “pair” merely requires two, the four disclosed pipes naturally form multiple pairs of branched pipes. For example, any two of the four branched pipes constitute a “pair of branched pipes” under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim.
Regarding Applicant’s argument that Nakamura does not define the same oblique connection as the claimed oblique connection, Examiner points out that the original claim did not necessitate any specific orientation or direction in space of the connection, but only required an oblique connection. Figure 3 of Nakamura clearly shows a connection between parts 11 and 40 that is at an angle that is not 0o and is not 90o, and is therefore oblique. Further, although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Specifically, the structural and function differences pointed out by Applicant on pages 10 and 11 of Applicant’s remarks filed on 29 July 2025 are not claimed limitations.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Soo (KR-20150133142-A) in view of Nakamura (JP-2017141675-A).
Regarding Claim 1, Soo discloses a polymerization reactor for production of a super absorbent polymer (see Soo [0001]), the reactor comprising: a composition supply part configured to supply a monomer composition solution (composition supply unit for supplying a monomer composition; see Soo [0018]); a central pipe connected to the composition supply part (see e.g. Soo, Figs. 1-3, Part 60) and has a tubular shape that is long in a direction of gravity (see e.g. Soo, Figs. 1-3, Part 60); a composition distribution part (composition distribution unit; see Soo [0024]) including a first connecting pipe that is connected to the central pipe at a first angle with respect to the central pipe (see e.g. Soo, Fig. 3, annotated below), and a pair of first branch pipes that are obliquely branched at a second angle with respect to the first connecting pipe (see e.g. Soo, Fig. 3, annotated below); a conveyor belt located under a discharge port of the first branch pipe and on which the composition solution is deposited (supplying the monomer composition onto a conveyor belt; see Soo [0009]); and an energy supply part (energy supply unit; see [0020]) configured to supply polymerization energy to the composition solution on the conveyor belt (conveyor belt in which the polymerization reaction occurs… energy supply unit for supplying light energy or thermal energy required for monomer polymerization; see Soo [0020]).
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Soo fails to teach the connecting pipe being obliquely connected to the central pipe or the branch pipes being symmetrical with respect to the connecting pipe. However, Nakamura discloses a first connecting pipe that is obliquely connected to the central pipe (see e.g. Nakamura [0053]) and first branch pipes being symmetrical with each other with respect to the first connecting pipe (see Figs. 3-4, parts 40-42), wherein a first angle is an angle between the conveyor belt and the connecting pipe, which is 30 to 60 degrees, and a second angle is an angle between the connecting pipe and each branch pipe, which is 30 to 45 degrees. Fig. 11 of Nakamura implicitly shows a range of angles that would include the claimed ranges. Part 140, when compared to the horizontal direction as shown below in the annotated figure, clearly makes an acute angle with the horizontal. This is analogous to the claimed first angle, and inherently falls within a range of 0 to 90 degrees, which overlaps with the claimed range of 30 to 60 degrees. Further, claim 8 defines the second angle as “between the connecting pipe and each first branch pipe”, and clarification drawn from Fig. 2 of the instant application shows that the second angle is between the center line drawn from the connecting point between each branch pipe and the connecting pipe. The analogous angle 2 is shown in annotated Fig. 11 below. This angle is clearly acute, therefore falling within a range of 0 to 90 degrees, which overlaps with the claimed range of 30 to 45 degrees. MPEP 2144.05.I states that in the case where the claimed ranges overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists. Further, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect the pipes in such a way because doing so manipulates the order of the intake process (see e.g. Nakamura [0034]).
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Soo and Nakamura are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because Soo and the instant application are in the same field of polymerization reactors, which employ a fluid distributor as disclosed by Nakamura. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Soo by incorporating the teachings of Nakamura and obliquely connecting the connecting tube to the central tube and making the branch pipes symmetrical. Doing so would prevent condensed water from accumulating in the chamber (see e.g. Nakamura [0053]) and allow for even distribution (see e.g. Nakamura [0037]), respectively.
Regarding Claim 2, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 1. Soo further discloses the first branch pipe being inclined with respect to the central pipe at a first angle (see e.g. Soo, Fig. 3, annotated above).
Regarding Claim 3, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 1. Nakamura further discloses a diameter of a first connection pipe injection port relatively adjacent to the central pipe is larger than a diameter of a first connection pipe discharge port relatively adjacent to the first branch pipe (opening portion 52 formed in the connecting portion 51 with the EGR introduction port 33 in the EGR chamber 32 is larger than the passage cross sectional area Sa of the EGR introduction port 33; see Nakamura [0049]). This modification would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because it makes it difficult for accumulation to occur (see e.g. Nakamura [0050]).
Regarding Claim 5, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 1. Soo further discloses the composition supply part further comprising a raw material supply part (Raw material supply part 40; see Soo [0091]), a solvent supply part (solvent supply part 50; see Soo [0091]), and a monomer composition mixing part (monomer composition mixing part 60; see Soo [0091]).
Regarding Claim 6, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 1. Soo further discloses the energy supply part being configured to supply light energy (see Soo [0020]).
Regarding Claim 7, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 1. Nakamura further discloses the composition distribution part further comprising: a second connecting pipe connected to the first branch pipe (see e.g Nakamura [0032] and annotated Fig. 11 below); and a pair of second branch pipes branched from the second connecting pipe (see e.g Nakamura [0032] and Fig. 11). This modification would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art because it allows the passage to be divided into a group of two blocks (see e.g. Nakamura [0033]).
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Regarding Claim 8, Soo discloses a polymerization reactor for production of a super absorbent polymer (see e.g. Soo [0001]), the reactor comprising: a composition supply part configured to supply a monomer composition solution (see e.g. Soo [0019]); a central pipe connected to the composition supply part (see e.g. Soo, Figs. 1-3, Part 60) and has a tubular shape that is long in a direction of gravity (see Figs. 1-3, Part 60); a composition distribution part (see e.g. Soo [0024]) connected to the central pipe (see e.g. Soo, Fig. 3, annotated previously), and a pair of first branch pipes that are obliquely branched at an angle with respect to the first connecting pipe (see e.g. Soo, Fig. 3, annotated previously); a conveyor belt configured to receive the composition solution deposited from the composition distribution part (see e.g. Soo [0009]); and an energy supply part configured to supply energy for polymerization to the composition solution on the conveyor belt (see e.g. Soo [0020]).
Soo does not explicitly teach a pipe connected in a plurality of stages. However, Nakamura discloses a pipe connected in a plurality of stages, wherein each of the stages comprises a connecting pipe and a pair of branch pipes branched to both sides based on the connecting pipe (see e.g. Nakamura [0032] and Fig. 11), wherein the connecting pipe is obliquely connected with a first angle between the conveyor belt and the connecting pipe (see Fig. 11, which shows the first connecting pipe (part 140) disposed at an oblique angle to both the vertical and horizontal axes, and therefore would be at an oblique angle to the conveyor when modifying Soo), and the pair of first branch pipes are obliquely branched at a second angle between the connecting pipe and each first branch pipe (see Fig. 11 which shows parts the first branch pipes 141 and 142 connected obliquely to the connecting pipe 140). This modification would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because doing so manipulates the order of the intake process (see e.g. Nakamura [0034]). Regarding the limitations claiming “wherein the first angle is within a range of 30 to 60 degrees” and “the second angle is within a range of 30 to 45 degrees”, Fig. 11 of Nakamura implicitly shows a range of angles that would include the claimed ranges. Part 140, when compared to the horizontal direction as shown below in the annotated figure, clearly makes an acute angle with the horizontal. This is analogous to the claimed first angle, and inherently falls within a range of 0 to 90 degrees, which overlaps with the claimed range of 30 to 60 degrees. Further, claim 8 defines the second angle as “between the connecting pipe and each first branch pipe”, and clarification drawn from Fig. 2 of the instant application shows that the second angle is between the center line drawn from the connecting point between each branch pipe and the connecting pipe. The analogous angle 2 is shown in annotated Fig. 11 below. This angle is clearly acute, therefore falling within a range of 0 to 90 degrees, which overlaps with the claimed range of 30 to 45 degrees. MPEP 2144.05.I states that in the case where the claimed ranges overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness exists.
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Regarding Claim 9, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 8. Nakamura further discloses in the connecting pipe, a diameter of an injection port through which the composition solution is injected is larger than a diameter of a discharge port through which the composition solution is discharged (the entrance portion of each EGR introduction port 33 is formed in a funnel shape; see [0049]). This modification would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because it makes it difficult for accumulation to occur (see e.g. Nakamura [0050]).
Regarding Claim 10, the claimed limitations do not exceed those of claims 1 and 7. Please refer to the rejections of claims 1 and 7 for the associated rationale.
Regarding Claim 11, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 9. Nakamura further discloses the first connecting pipe diameter being larger than the second connecting pipe diameter, while the first set of branch pipe diameters is larger than the second set of branch pipe diameters (see e.g. Nakamura, Fig. 11 annotated below).
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Regarding Claim 12, Soo and Nakamura together disclose the polymerization reactor according to claim 8. Soo further discloses the connecting pipe and the branch pipes being connected symmetrically with respect to the central pipe (see e.g. Soo, Fig. 3).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ALYSSA LEE KUYKENDALL whose telephone number is (571)270-3806. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Claire Wang can be reached at 571-270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.L.K./Examiner, Art Unit 1774 /DUANE SMITH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1759