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 .
Election/Restrictions
Due to the applicant’s amendment to claims 1-25 (e.g., amended to a method from previously claimed apparatus), all the inventions in three groups are directed to a method of producing carbon dioxide conversion product. Therefore, the restriction requirement between the apparatus and the process has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s election of Species A1-3 of Species A1, Species B2-1 of Species B, Species C1, and Species D1, encompassing claims 1-6, 9,16-17, 19, 21-22, 24-27, 29-30, and 32-36, in the reply filed on 5/14/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the species election, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
NOTE: claims 11-12, and 15 are further withdrawn due to the dependency to the withdrawn claim 10 (species A2) and claim 14 (species A1-4).
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 9,16-17, 19, 21-22, 24-27, 29-30, and 32-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al (“CO2 Reforming of CH4 by Atmospheric pressure ac Discharge plasmas”, Journal of Catalysis, 189, 249-359, (2000)).
Regarding claim 1, 26, and 35, Huang et al disclose a meth of reforming carbon dioxide (ABSTRACT). The method comprises steps of
(1) delivering carbon dioxide to a plasma reactor at one arm of a Y-type quartz reactor from a carbon dioxide source, wherein the carbon dioxide is activated in the plasma reactor (i.e., providing carbon dioxide …, delivering the carbon dioxide into a plasma reactor, wherein … activated carbon dioxide species …, Figure 1, page 350, & page 352);
(2) supplying methane through another arm of the Y-type quartz reactor from a methane source, wherein the methane reacts with the activated carbon dioxide in the Y-type quartz reactor to form various products (i.e., providing a secondary reactant… is separated from the carbon dioxide …, wherein … in a reaction zone …, … produce a reaction that yield … product, Figure 1, page 350, & page 352).
Huang teaches that the carbon dioxide and the methane are supplied separately the respective plasma reactor through different sections/arms of the Y-type quartz reactor and can be activated/exited separately or simultaneously, wherein the activated and/or inactivated reactants react in the Y-type quartz reactor to form various products (i.e., shielding … in a differentially activated state …, page 350, page 351, page 352, & page 355).
Regarding claim 2, Huang teaches a dielectric barrier discharge reactor (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claim 3, Huang teaches a dielectric barrier discharge reactor (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claim 4, Huang teaches that the plasma reactor comprises an inner electrode rode and an outer electrode wrapped around a quartz tube, wherein one end of the outer tube is for receiving the carbon dioxide and the other end is coupled to the Y-type quartz reactor (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claim 6, Huang teaches a methane stream (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claim 9, Huang teaches a methane stream (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claim 16, Huang teaches that the methane stream is supplied to the outer quartz tube from the other arm of the Y-type quartz reactor (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claim 17, Huang teaches that the other arm receiving the methane stream is coupled to the arm for receiving carbon dioxide (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 19, Huang teaches the reaction of CO2 + CH4 -[Wingdings font/0xE0] CO + H2 (page 350).
Regarding claims 21 and 29, Huang teaches that the reaction products from the Y-type reactor is directed to a gas chromatograph system (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claims 22 and 30, Huang teaches the reaction of CO2 + CH4 -[Wingdings font/0xE0] CO + H2 (page 350).
Regarding claims 24 and 32, Huang teaches that the reaction products is directed to a gas chromatograph system for separation (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claims 25 and 33, Huang teaches that the reaction products is directed to a gas chromatograph system for separation (Figure 1, page 350).
Regarding claims 27 and 36, Huang teaches that the carbon dioxide and the methane are supplied separately to different sections/arms of the Y-type quartz reactor and can be activated/exited separately or simultaneously (i.e., shielding … in a differentially activated state …, page 350, page 351, page 352, & page 355).
Regarding claim 34, Huang teaches that the reaction products exits from the Y-type reactor and is directed to a gas chromatograph system thereafter (Figure 1, page 350).
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 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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (“CO2 Reforming of CH4 by Atmospheric pressure ac Discharge plasmas”, Journal of Catalysis, 189, 249-359, (2000)) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen et al (PG-PUB US 2012/0167464).
Regarding claim 5, Huang teaches to use a reforming apparatus, but does not teach the reforming apparatus having pores for the carbon dioxide passing therethrough to the reaction zone in. However, Chen et al disclose a reforming apparatus (ABSTRACT). Chen teaches that the reforming apparatus comprises a porous plate 124 at the inlet side of the reforming apparatus in order to ensure even distribution of gas within the reforming apparatus (Figure 1, paragraph [0046]). Therefore, it would be obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art to include a porous plate at the inlet of the reaction zone as suggested by Chen in order to ensure even distribution of gas within the reforming apparatus while using the method of Huang with a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
Claims 1-6, 9,16-17, 19, 21-22, 24-27, 29-30, and 32-36 are rejected. Claims 7-8, 10-15, 18, 20, 23, 28, and 31 are withdrawn.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIUYU TAI whose telephone number is (571)270-1855. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 9:00-5:00.
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/XIUYU TAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795
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