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
This Office action is based on the 18/029921 application originally filed April 03, 2023.
Amended claims 1-16, filed February 18, 2025, are pending and have been fully considered. Claims 5-11 are withdrawn from consideration due to being drawn to a nonelected invention.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 5-11 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on September 24, 2024.
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I claims 1-4 in the reply filed on September 24, 2024 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Ugarte in its entirety does not disclose the cleaning process through cavitation. Further, Ugarte fails to disclose cleaning fiber without adding any chemicals. Accordingly, Applicant respectfully disagrees with the Examiner that the claimed technical features are not special technical features, and respectfully asserts that they do make a contribution over the prior art of Ugarte. This is not found persuasive because while the issue of burden is present in U.S. restriction practice, it does not play a part in restrictions of national stage entry cases. Those cases are restricted based on the claims not sharing a special technical feature as described in PCT Rule 13.2. Additionally, the technical feature of a solid fuel comprising ligno-cellulose based on biological material from cattle manure, wherein this biological material is fed to a washing system, which is taught by Ugarte.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 1-4 and 12-16 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 1 recites the limitation "the organic material" in line 4 and “the material” in line 6 and 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the powder-like organic material" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the washing and humidification tank (e)" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the first filtration” in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the second filtration” in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the consumption” in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the cavitator pump” in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the first hammer mill” and “the hammer mill” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the slurry pit” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the wet solid” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the content” in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the quantities of fibre” in lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the attached ozone preparation tank” in lines 8-9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the jets” in lines 9-10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the same solid” in lines 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the final drying steps” in lines 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the first injection” in lines 7-8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the effect of the previously mentioned centripetal movement” in lines 8-9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the contents” in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the centre by paddles” in lines 10-11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the respective washing water” in lines 11-12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the first inlet” in lines 11-12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the excess liquid” in lines 12-13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the level transfer outlet” in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the upper part” in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the function of homogenizing and degassing the excess ozone” in lines 14-15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites numerous limitations of insufficient antecedent basis. Claim 15 should be reviewed by applicants on correcting antecedent basis. The limitation(s) "the cavitation and impingement ducts”, “the cavitation and laminar flow duct”, “the impingement duct”, “ the inlet duct”; “the first nozzle section”, “the internal diameter”, “the production of micro bubbles”, “the fluid”, “the direction of the flow”,” the first section maintains the same internal diameter”, “the waste component elements to separate”, “the outlet reduction section”, “the inlet diameter”, “the reduction diameter”, “the flow load section”, “the angle of reduction”, “the outlet jets”, “the direction of impingement”, ”the solid by product outlet” and “the elimination of these volatile containments” found throughout claim 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites numerous limitations of insufficient antecedent basis. Claim 15 should be reviewed by applicants on correcting antecedent basis. The limitation(s) “the tightening system”, “the screw shaft”, “the extruder screw element”, “the inlet hopper”, “the clamping system”, “the screen casings”, “the removal of the device cover”, “the upper”, “the upper side”, “the lower side”, “the blades”, “the blade holder”, “the spring”, “the lever holder”, “the lever”, “the sieve device”, “the grinding assembly”, “the grinding shaft”, “the tube outside the housing”, “the pinion”, “the main support”, “the top cover”, “the side covers”, “the large and small pinion set”, “the gear motor”, “the motor base” and “the motor support” found throughout claim 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 15, the phrase “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding Claim 15, the phrase “maintains a constant internal diameter in relation to the tapering of the internal diameter of the previous section” is unclear making the claim indefinite. It is unclear what is the “previous section” and what numerical interpretation defines “internal diameter”. Further clarification and/or amending of the claim is required.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rawls et al. (US 2011/0281298) discloses in the abstract, a method to wash and remove dissolved solids from biomass including: discharging a biomass slurry from a pretreatment vessel to a biomass slurry retention device; adding recovered wash liquid to dilute the biomass slurry in the retention device, wherein the recovered wash liquid is extracted from a drainer device upstream of the first retention device; discharging the diluted biomass slurry from the retention device to the drainer device; separating wash liquid with dissolved solids from the diluted biomass slurry in the drainer device and discharging a concentrated biomass slurry from the drainer device, and recovering the wash liquid from the diluted biomass slurry in the drainer device and transferring the recovered wash liquid to the retention device.
Bowers et al. (WO 2011/156662 A1) discloses a process of reducing the ash content of a biomass feedstock or a biomass fraction. Embodiments include a process of reducing the ash content of a biomass feedstock or of a biomass fraction comprising: providing a biomass or biomass fraction; adding alcohol and acid to the biomass to yield a reaction mixture; separating the reaction mixture into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction by centrifugation; and distilling the liquid and collecting the solid to recover reaction reagents. The biomass can comprise aquatic species such as lemma.
Seckler et al. (US 4,018,899) discloses in the abstract, a process and apparatus for recovering feed products from animal manure are disclosed wherein the manure is fractionated into a silage component, a high-protein feed supplement, and a third component consisting essentially of insoluble minerals and indigestible cellulosic particles. A slurry of the incoming manure is formed and allowed to ferment to encourage the bacterial conversion of nitrogenous compounds into true protein and to lower the pH of the slurry. Special separators are used to separate the fermented slurry into solid and liquid fractions. The solid fraction which consists of undigested fibers and grains is washed to provide the silage type component. Insoluble minerals and indigestible cellulosic particles of the manure which appear in the liquid fraction as fine solids are removed from the liquid fraction (by centrifuging) to provide the third component. The viscous liquid fraction may be used as a high-protein feed supplement or the water in it can be evaporated to provide a dry product.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATOSHA D HINES whose telephone number is (571)270-5551. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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 attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Prem Singh can be reached at 571-272-6381. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Latosha Hines/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1771
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