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
Applicant’s amendment filed 10 June 2026 have been considered. It is acknowledged that claims 1-2 have been amended by Applicant, and claims 3-9 have been added by Applicant. No new matter has been introduced. Accordingly, claims 1-9 are under full consideration.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 10 June 2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 1, specifically regarding the salt extraction device, under U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Snydacker et al. (US-20190256987-A1).
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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US-10071955-B1), hereinafter “Chen” in view of Snydacker et al. (US-20190256987-A1), hereinafter “Snydacker”.
Regarding Claim 1, Chen discloses a system for preparing high-purity taurine (production method of taurine; see Abstract) and salt (obtain taurine and an inorganic salt; see Col. 1 Line 61) for use in producing the taurine by an ethylene oxide synthesis method (ethylene oxide reacts; see Col. 2 Line 62), the system comprising:
(a) an addition reaction (ethylene oxide reacts with sodium bisulfite solution to generate sodium hydroxyethyl sulfonate; see Col. 2 Lines 62-63; this is an addition reaction) device (the presence of the reaction directly indicates a device that enables said reaction);
(b) an ammonolysis reaction (ammonolysis reaction is implemented; see Col. 2 Line 66) device (the presence of the reaction directly indicates a device that enables said reaction) having inlets adapted for receiving a metal salt (the mother liquid after centrifugation is recycled as a solvent of ammonolysis reaction; see Fig. 1 and Col. 4 Lines 47-48; and “sodium sulphate always exists in the mother liquid”; see Col. 2 Lines 10-11; the introduction of a metal salt reasonably requires some inlet to allow for said introduction), ammonia (see Fig. 1 where ammonia is introduced to the ammonolysis device), and material discharged by the addition reaction device (see Fig. 1 where material from the addition reaction device is introduced to the ammonolysis device);
(c) an evaporation (discharged from the reaction solution through flash evaporation; see Col. 2 Line 67 – Col. 3 Line 1) device (the presence of the reaction directly indicates a device that enables said reaction) adapted for concentrating a taurine salt solution received from the ammonolysis reaction device (ammonia is removed through flash evaporation to obtain the solution, namely sodium taurate solution; see Col. 8 Lines 34-35; removing ammonia reasonably concentrates the solution); and
(d) a taurine salt concentrated solution collection (the liquid discharged is collected; see Col. 3 Lines 7-8) device (the presence of the reaction directly indicates a device that enables said reaction);
(e) an ion exchange system (cation exchange resin column; see Col. 3 Lines 4-5), the ion exchange system for performing ion exchange adsorption (this is the known and designed function of cation exchange resin columns) on the concentrated taurine salt solution and converting the taurine salt into taurine (the solution obtained after flash evaporation is sent to pass through an acidic cation exchange resin column; see Col. 3 Lines 3-5 and “ammonia is removed through flash evaporation to obtain the solution, namely sodium taurate solution”; see Col. 8 Lines 34-35);
(f) a taurine extraction device connected with the ion exchange system (the material liquid collected in S3 is subjected to concentration and crystallization, separation and purification and drying to acquire solid taurine; see Col. 3 Lines 17-19) device (the presence of taurine extraction directly indicates a device that enables said extraction),
wherein
-the ion exchange system has an acid (acidic cation resin is subjected to regeneration with sulfur dioxide… sulfur dioxide aqueous solution also includes… sulfurous acid; see Col. 3 Lines 12-22) inlet (the introduction of an acid directly necessitates some inlet to allow for said introduction), an adsorption solution outlet (liquid discharged from a collecting opening at lower end of the acidic cation exchange resin column; see Col. 3 Lines 5-7; it is understood that the reaction solution being fed to the cation exchange resin column is an adsorption solution because the resin is adsorbing ions during contact, therefore the liquid discharged is adsorption solution after contact the resin column), an eluate (eluent acquired during regeneration can be recycled; see Col. 3 Lines 14-15 and Fig. 1) outlet (the output of a solution reasonably requires some outlet to allow for said output), a purified water (acidic cation resin column is washed with de-ionized water; see Col. 4 Lines 32-33) inlet (the introduction of water reasonably requires some inlet to allow for said introduction), an adsorption cleaning water outlet (water in the resin layer discharged at the outlet primarily; see Col. 7 Lines 15-16), and an elution cleaning water outlet (washing water can be mixed with the regenerated eluent; see Col. 7 Lines 36-37),
-the adsorption solution outlet of the ion exchange system is connected with the taurine extraction (the material liquid collected in S3 is subjected to concentration and crystallization, separation and purification and drying to acquire solid taurine; see Col. 3 Lines 17-19) device (the presence of taurine extraction directly indicates a device that enables said extraction), and
Regarding the limitations claiming that the ion exchange has an adsorption cleaning water outlet and an elution cleaning water outlet, it is clear that the prior art discloses two outlets suitable to discharge liquid. Therefore, these two outlets are structurally suitable to also discharge water. As pointed out above, the prior art indicates that water exits through both outlets. Therefore, the “adsorption solution outlet” and the “adsorption unit cleaning water outlet” are considered the same structural outlet, while the “eluate outlet” and “elution unit cleaning water outlet” are considered the same structural outlet.
While Chen does teach a taurine salt concentrated solution collection device, Chen does not explicitly teach the claimed collection device placement, wherein the taurine salt concentrated solution collection device for receiving the concentrated taurine salt solution from the evaporation device, and wherein the ion exchange system is connected with the taurine salt concentrated solution collection device, or the salt extraction device connected with the eluate outlet of the ion exchange system. However, Snydacker discloses a collection device upstream of an ion exchange column (contacting said ion exchange material in said ion exchange unit with said liquid resource; see [0139]. A person of ordinary skill in the art understands that the liquid resource must be stored somewhere/in some type of collection device. Snydacker later offers such a device directly upstream of the ion exchange column: mixing tank 302, first ion exchange column 303; see [0444] and Fig. 3) and a salt extraction device connected to the eluate outlet of the ion exchange system (passing said eluate to said crystallizer; see [0139]).
Chen and Snydacker are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of ion exchange processes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chen by incorporating the teachings of Snydacker by including a collection device and salt extraction device. Further, when incorporating the collection device of Snydacker directly upstream of the ion exchange system, it would naturally follow that it would be disposed to receive the concentrated taurine salt solution from the evaporation device of Chen because the evaporation device is directly upstream of the ion exchange system of Chen. Snydacker offers the motivation of mixing prior to introducing into the column (see [0444]) and producing a lithium salt (see [0139]), respectively.
Regarding Claim 2, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system according to claim 1, wherein the adsorption cleaning water outlet is connected with the taurine salt concentrated solution collection device, and the elution cleaning water outlet is connected with the salt extraction device. As explained in the claim 1 rejection above, the “adsorption solution outlet” and the “adsorption cleaning water outlet” are considered the same structural outlet, while the “eluate outlet” and “elution cleaning water outlet” are considered the same structural outlet. Therefore, the claimed relative connections of the adsorption solution outlet and eluate outlet, which were disclosed by Chen as described in the claim 1 rejection, mirror the claimed relative connections of the adsorption unit cleaning water outlet and elution unit cleaning water outlet. Chen discloses the relative connections of one set of outlets, as previously explained, and because the second set of outlets are the same as the first outlets, Chen naturally discloses the claimed connections of the second set of outlets as well. Further, as explained in the claim 1 rejection, by modifying Chen to incorporate the salt extraction device of Snydacker, the salt extraction device is connected with the eluate outlet of the ion exchange column.
Regarding Claim 3, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system of claim 2. Snydacker further discloses wherein the collection device is located upstream of the ion exchange system. The motivation for this modification is explained in the claim 1 rejection. When modifying Chen to include the collection device of Snydacker, it would naturally follow that it is downstream of the evaporation device of Chen because Snydacker describes it as being directly upstream of the ion exchange column (see [0444] and Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 4, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system of claim 1. Chen further discloses a cation exchange resin column (cation exchange resin column; see Col. 3 Lines 4-5). Snydacker further discloses wherein the ion exchange system comprises a plurality of ion adsorption resin columns (ion exchange columns; see [0300]). 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 Snydacker offers the motivation of interchanging the columns between different operational circuits (see [0300]).
Regarding Claim 5, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system of claim 4. Snydacker further discloses wherein each of the adsorption resin columns is connected with, and downstream of, the collection device (see [0444] and Fig. 3). Chen further discloses the cation adsorption resin column being adapted to operate in an adsorbing state for adsorbing metal cations from the concentrated taurine salt solution and provide the adsorption solution leaving the column to the taurine extraction device (the reaction solution obtained after flash evaporation is sent to pass through an acidic cation exchange resin… the liquid discharged is collected from the moment when the pH increases until the pH is more than 10, wherein the discharged liquid collected is the material liquid containing taurine… the material liquid collected is subjected to concentration and crystallization; see Col. 3 Lines 3-19), adapted to operate in an elution state wherein acid is used to elute the adsorbed metal cations and provide eluate comprising salt to the downstream salt processing device (acidic cation resin is subjected to regeneration with sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide aqueous solution and a regenerative eluent acquired during regeneration can be recycled after treated by sulfur dioxide; see Col. 3 Lines 11-15 and Fig. 2), and adapted to operate in an elution water cleaning state wherein elution cleaning water leaving the column is provided to the downstream salt processing device (acidic cation resin column is washed with de-ionized water; see Col. 4 Lines 32-33). Snydacker further discloses the columns as being adapted to operate in and adsorption water cleaning state (two water washing circuits are used to wash the columns after both the brine circuit and the acid circuit; see [0300]). 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 Snydacker offers the motivation of removing brine from the void space, pore space, or head space of the column (see [0300]). Regarding the limitation requiring wherein the adsorption cleaning water leaving the column is provided to the taurine salt concentrated solution collection device, it was established in the claim 1 rejection that the claimed outlets and downstream connections are disclosed by the prior art. Therefore, the outlet to which the adsorption cleaning water is routed is an operational/functional limitation, but does not require or add further structure to the system.
Regarding Claim 6, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system of claim 4. Snydacker further discloses wherein the ion exchange system comprises four cation adsorption columns (six ion exchange columns; see [0444]). 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 Snydacker offers the motivation of interchanging the columns between different operational circuits (see [0300]). The remaining limitations of this claim do not exceed those of claim 1. Please refer to the claim 1 rejection as the rejection of these limitations in claim 6 follow the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 7, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system of claim 5. The remaining limitations of this claim do not exceed those of claim 6. Please refer to the claim 6 rejection as the rejection of these limitations in claim 7 follow the same rationale.
Regarding Claim 8, Chen and Snydacker together discloses the system of claim 1. Chen further discloses wherein the ion exchange system includes a resin that adsorbs cations, said resin chosen from the group consisting of cation exchange resins having a carboxylic group, cation exchange resins having a sulfonic group, cation exchange resins having a phosphate group, and cation exchange resins having a phenolic group (the acidic cation exchange resin is carboxylic acid type cation exchange resin or sulfonic acid type cation exchange resin; see Col. 4 Lines 34-36).
Regarding Claim 9, Chen and Snydacker together disclose the system of claim 6. The remaining limitations of this claim do not exceed those of claim 8. Please refer to the claim 8 rejection as the rejection of these limitations in claim 9 follow the same rationale.
Conclusion
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.
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, 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/A.L.K./Examiner, Art Unit 1774
/JELITZA M PEREZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
Prosecution Insights