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 .
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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oishibashi (U.S. Patent No. 10,349,471) in view of Ishizuka (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0190105).
Regarding claim 1. A microwave processing apparatus comprising:
Oishibashi disclose (Figs. 1 and 2):
a cavity (13)comprising a cylinder-like shape(13 having a cylinder like shape, including a cavity therein), and includes an internal space(See Figs. 1 and 2, internal space at ) accommodating a microwave irradiation object, the cavity being provided with a microwave passage area in a partial region in an axial direction(12);
a microwave generator(12) configured to generate microwaves(12 irradiating microwaves see abstract);
a rotary member (13)that is provided on an outer circumferential side of the cavity(13 being on bounds of cavity radially) so as to be rotatable(see col. 3, lines 34-line 39), and includes, on an outer circumferential side of the microwave passage area, a cylinder-like member having a plurality of areas through which microwaves can pass(13a, col. 3, line 4-20); and
a cover member(11) that is provided while covering the entire cylinder-like member in a circumferential direction(11 covering the entirety of 13), and forms, on an outer circumferential side of the cylinder-like member(11 forming outter circumferential side of 13),
Oishibashi fails to disclose:
a wave guidepath for the microwaves introduced from the microwave generator.
In relate art, Ishizuka discloses:
a wave guidepath(2a, ) for the microwaves introduced from the microwave generator. (See abstract). Ishizuka discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing a microwave source to be remote from a desired microwave target. As such, it would have been obvious to incorporate the waveguide of Ishizuka into the device of Oishibashi for the obvious benefit of allowing the source to be remote from the target. Thus, the features would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior the effective filing date of this application.
Regarding claim 2.
Oishibashi discloses:
The microwave processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the areas of the cylinder-like member through which microwaves can pass are slit-shaped areas.(See fig. 1, microwaves may pass through 13a)
Regarding claim 3.
Oishibashi discloses:
The microwave processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave passage area is constituted by a member made of a microwave transmitting material.(14 and 14a which transmits at least a portion of the microwaves)
Regarding claim 4.
Oishibashi discloses:
The microwave processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave passage area is provided over the entire portion of the cavity in a circumferential direction.(See Fig. 1, passage inside 13 along the entire portion of the cavity in the circumferential direction. )
Regarding claim 5. A microwave processing method comprising the steps of:
Oishibashi discloses:
rotating, on an outer circumferential (13)side of a microwave passage area provided in a partial region of a cavity in an axial direction(inside of 13), a cylinder-like member(13) having a plurality of areas(13a) through which microwaves can pass, the cavity having a cylinder-like shape(See Fig. 1, 13 being cylinder) and including an internal space for accommodating a microwave irradiation object(inside of 13, shown in figs 1 and 2.); and
irradiating the microwave irradiation object located in the cavity with the microwaves, the wave guidepath for microwaves being formed on an outer circumferential side of the cylinder-like member by a cover member provided while covering the entire cylinder-like member in a circumferential direction. (See Col. 4, lines 48-line 58, abstract and col. 2, lines 45-col. 3, line 45.)
introducing microwaves into a wave guidepath for microwaves, and
Oishibashi fails to disclose:
introducing microwaves into a wave guidepath for microwaves, and
Oishibashi discloses that cover 11 has microwave permeability, and may be made of ceramic, zirconia, alumina, quartz, sapphire, or a combination of heat resistant materials of these materials, with a metal plate wrapped around, and that 12 is formed adjacent to 11.
In relate art, Ishizuka discloses:
Introducing microwaves into a wave guidepath(2a, ) for microwaves. (See abstract). Ishizuka discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing a microwave source to be remote from a desired microwave target. As such, it would have been obvious to incorporate the waveguide of Ishizuka into the device of Oishibashi for the obvious benefit of allowing the source to be remote from the target. Thus, the features would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior the effective filing date of this application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT G BACHNER whose telephone number is (571)270-3888. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 10-6 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ajay Ojha can be reached at (571)273-8936. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT G BACHNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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