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 Status
Claims 1-15 are rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 9-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “an annular seal which seals the filter unit to the main body of the filter unit” in lines 2-3. This limitation is confusing because it is not clear what applicant intends to claim. The Examiner suggests that the limitation may be replaced with -- an annular seal which seals the screen to the main body of the filter unit--.
Claim 9 recites the limitation “wherein is convexly curved and dome shaped” in line 1. The claim appears to be incomplete and therefore is not clear what applicant intends to claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the end fluid connections" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the system tubing or piping" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the main slurry chamber" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawaguchi et al. (WO 2019/058865) [hereinafter Kawaguchi] [citations are based on English Machine Translation].
With respect to claim 1, Kawaguchi discloses a filtration device 1A (filter unit), as shown in Fig. 3, having: a first flow passage member 10 (elongated main body) defining a longitudinal axis, as shown in Fig. 3; a first flow passage 11 (slurry inlet) and a second flow passage 12 (slurry outlet) in fluid communication with a third flow path 13 (slurry chamber) extending between opposing ends of the body 10, as shown in Fig. 3; a plurality of second flow path members 20 (plurality of filtrate outlets) in fluid communication with the slurry chamber 13, as shown in Fig. 12; a plurality of filtration filters 30 (plurality of individual filter screen units) fluidly interposed between the slurry chamber 13 and each of the filtrate outlets 20, as shown in Fig. 12; the screen units 30 each comprising a screen 30 removably received in a corresponding portion 15a (receptacle) in the body 10, as shown in Fig. 12, the screen units 30 configured to remove particles greater than a predetermined size from the slurry to produce a filtrate (see page 4, lines 3-28).
With respect to claim 2, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the screen units 30 are assemblies each comprising a screen 30 having predetermined mesh size openings, as shown in Fig. 12, and a holding portion 32 (annular seal) which seals the filter unit to the main body of the filter unit, as shown in Figs.6-7.
With respect to claim 3, Kawaguchi discloses wherein each screen unit 30 is removably retained in the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A by a corresponding holder 40 (retainer) detachably coupled to the main body 10 and received at least partially in each receptacle 15a, as shown in Figs. 3 and 12.
With respect to claim 4, Kawaguchi discloses wherein each of the retainers 40 defines one of the filtrate outlets 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 12.
With respect to claim 5, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the screen units 30 and filtrate outlets 20 are arranged to extract a portion of the slurry when flowing through the slurry chamber 13 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, as shown in Fig.12.
With respect to claim 6, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the filler unit 1A is oriented horizontally when in use such that the slurry flows through the slurry chamber 13 in a horizontal direction and the filtrate is extracted from the slurry chamber 13 in a vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 12.
With respect to claim 7, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the slurry inlet 11 and slurry outlet 12 are arranged at the opposing ends of the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A, as shown in Figs. 3 and 12.
With respect to claim 8, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the retainers 40 are each coupled to the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A by threaded fasteners, as shown in Fig. 2A (see page 4, lines 36-38).
With respect to claim 9, Kawaguchi discloses wherein element 40 is convexly curved and dome shaped, as shown in Fig. 3.
With respect to claim 10, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the filter screen units 30 are configured to be removed and replaced without breaking the end fluid connections of the slurry inlet 11 and slurry outlet 12 to the system tubing or piping, as shown in Fig. 2B.
With respect to claim 11, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the screen units 30 are arranged in a single linear row in the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A and spaced axially apart from each other along the longitudinal axis, as shown in Fig. 12.
With respect to claim 12, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the receptacles 15a in the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A are complementary configured to the screen units 30 and upwardly open, as shown in Fig. 12, each receptacle 15a fluidly communicating with the main slurry chamber 13 of the filter unit 1A, as shown in Fig. 12.
With respect to claim 13, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the retainers 40 are configured to trap the screen units 30 in the receptacles 15a of the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A, as shown in Fig. 12.
With respect to claim 14, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the main body 10 of the filter unit 1A is block-shaped, as shown in Figs. 2A and 12.
With respect to claim 15, Kawaguchi discloses wherein the retainers 40 have a stepped-shape cylindrical configuration, as shown in Figs. 3 and 12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5502. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lebron can be reached at 571-272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MADELINE GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773