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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-8 in the reply filed on January 27, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 9-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on January 27, 2026.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancelation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be corrected in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(a) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. A request to correct inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48(a) must be accompanied by an application data sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.76 that identifies each inventor by his or her legal name and by the processing fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
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 4-6 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 4 is vague and indefinite, since it is unclear as to whether the parenthetical expression, i.e., “(to attain a critical Weber number)”, after the period at the apparent end of claim 4, forms a limitation within the claims, or is simply informational in nature. For the purposes of the application of prior art, the expression has been ignored, since it does not fall within the body of the claim.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huffman ‘885 taken together with Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317.
Huffman ‘885 (Fig. 1; col. 1, lines 10-13; col. 2, lines 42-63; col. 3, lines 36-51) teaches a method of using a device to form 3 gas-liquid plume (col. 1, Iines 10-13: “This invention relates generally to a nozzle for atomizing and spraying liquid and, more particularly, to a nozzle of the type in which the liquid is atomized by pressurized air which is mixed with the liquid internally of the nozzle”), the method comprising: causing a gas to flow through [helical] conduits within 3 main component of the device (main component 11, passages 25, Fig. 1; col. 2, lines 61-63: “Several (e.g., twelve) angularly spaced air passages 25 are formed through the body and preferably are Inclined so as to converge in a downstream direction”), and thereby causing the gas to swirl within a funnel-shaped volume of a connection component of the device (gas is taught entering funnel shaped volume at 35 within connection component defined by 30 in Fig. 1), the main component being connected to the connection component (Fig. 1, channels 25 of main component are connected to the opening of the connection component); causing a stream of liquid to flow into the funnel-shaped volume (passage 19 causes liquid to flow into the funnel volume, col. 2. lines 42-43: "More specifically, the body 11 of the nozzle 10 is formed with a central and axially extending liquid passage 19") such that most of the liquid is broken up into first droplets and ligaments by the gas within the funnel-shaped volume, and such that a remainder of the liquid impinges on a pedestal, wherein the pedestal is located within a nozzle component of the device, wherein the pedestal defines an annular flow volume within the nozzle component (pedestal 21 located in nozzle component 15, annular flow volume at 23, Fig. 1), and wherein the nozzle component is connected to the connection component (see shoulder at 31, Fig. 1, where nozzle and connection component are connected), and wherein the method further includes causing the droplets and the ligaments, the remainder of the liquid, and the gas to accelerate from the funnel-shaped volume and into the annular flow volume, and thereby form smaller droplets (col. 3, Iines 36-41: “When the high velocity air emerges from the opening 33, it strikes the liquid particles previously atomized by the pin 21 and thus further atomizes those particles. Accordingly, the particles are subjected to a second stage of atomization which is affected pneumatically by the high velocity air”), and causing a mixture of the gas and the smaller droplets to accelerate from the annular flow volume and into nozzle openings within the nozzle component, and thereby form the gas-liquid plume downstream from the nozzle openings (col. 3, lines 47-51: “A third stage of atomization occurs as the resulting air/liquid mixture is sprayed from the chamber 23 through the orifices 18. As the mixture is discharged to atmosphere, the liquid particles are atomized even more finely as a result of being released from the pressure in the chamber”).
However, Huffman ‘885 does not teach the conduits being helical, the conduits causing the gas to swirl within the funnel-shaped volume of the connection component, and causing a stream of liquid to flow into the funnel-shaped volume such that most of the liquid is broken up into first droplets and ligaments by the gas within the funnel-shaped volume.
Amaya et al ‘085 (Fig. 22; paragraphs [0009] and [0071]) discloses that gas conduits delivering a gas to a chamber in a nozzle assembly can comprise channels oriented in a helical manner such that gas entering a downstream chamber is caused to swirl (channel 48 in Fig. 22; paragraph [0071]: “the air channels 48 may also be arranged at an angle relative to a tangent at an outer surface of the atomizer 16. That is to say, the air channels 48 may comprise an angle from tangent greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, wherein 90 degrees is aligned radial or centered. This additional angled relationship of the air channels 48 may provide a compound angle for the air channels 48 and may assist in providing a helical rotation to the exiting air, thereby generating swirling or vortex effect within the mixing chamber 60”). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the application, to have provided the gas conduits of Huffman ‘885 in a helical manner as taught by Amaya et al ‘085, in order to provide better mixing of the air and liquid.
Huffman ‘317 (Fig. 1; paragraph [0009]) further discloses that a liquid exiting a channel into a funnel can be provided with openings causing the liquid to mix with air in the funnel (see liquid entering at 16 entering funnel 25 in Fig. 1; paragraph [0009]: “A liquid stream introduced into the liquid passageway 12 is accelerated through the reduced diameter passageway 12, striking an end wall 16 of a chamber formed by the intersecting cross holes 15. As the accelerating liquid impinges the end wall 16, it is directed outwardly in a semicircular fan or sheet of atomized liquid particles"). Accordingly, it would have been obvious for an artisan at the time of the filing of the application, to have provided a liquid inlet as taught by Huffman ‘317 on the system of Huffman ‘885 in order to allow for more efficient atomization of the liquid.
Regarding claim 2, Huffman ‘885 in view of Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclose the method of claim 1, and Huffman ‘885 further discloses wherein the step of causing the gas to swirl within the funnel-shaped volume is performed during the step of causing the stream of liquid to flow into the funnel-shaped volume (Fig 1. the liquid and air are taught being provided into the funnel shaped volume simultaneously; col. 3, Iines 8-11: “An air guide 30 is located within the tip 15 below the body 11 and contracts the jets of air from the outlets 26 into a tubular curtain which surrounds the liquid stream as the latter impinges against the pin 21’).
Regarding claim 3, Huffman ‘885 in view of Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclose the method of claim 2, and Amaya et al ‘085 further teaches wherein the smaller droplets are formed by causing the first droplets, the ligaments, the remainder of the liquid, and the gas to enter the annular flow volume and swirl around the pedestal within the annular flow volume (Amaya et al ‘085 discloses the swirling motion to continue in the annular volume, 50 in Fig. 22; paragraph [0071]: “This additional angled relationship of the air channels 48 may provide a compound angle for the air channels 48 and may assist in providing a helical rotation to the exiting air, thereby generating swirling or vortex effect within the mixing chamber 60”).
Regarding claim 4, Huffman ‘885 in view of Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclose the method of claim 3, and Huffman ‘885 further discloses wherein a flow direction of the mixture of the gas and the smaller droplets changes, from a swirling direction to directions aligned with the nozzle openings. during the step of causing the mixture of the gas and the smaller droplets to accelerate into the nozzle openings (Fig. 1, see arrows representing flow, the flow direction aligns with the nozzles as seen at 18; col. 3, lines 47-51: “A third stage of atomization occurs as the resulting air/liquid mixture is sprayed from the chamber 23 through the orifices 18. As the mixture is discharged to atmosphere, the liquid particles are atomized even more finely as a result of being released from the pressure in the chamber."). Regarding the phrase “(to attain a critical Weber number)” after the end of claim 4, (see col. 3, lines 47-51, the droplets are taught accelerating at a speed causing them to atomize which corresponds to a critical Weber number).
Regarding claim 5, Huffman ‘885 in view of Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclose the method of claim 4, and Huffman ‘317 further discloses wherein the funnel-shaped volume has a cross-sectional area perpendicular to a flow axis (Fig. 1, cross section of 25 defined as extending from left to right, flow direction seen to extend from up to down), wherein the annular flow volume has a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow axis (flow cross sectional area defined by area within 25 where flow is flowing, Fig. 1), and wherein the cross- sectional area of the annular flow volume is less than the cross-sectional area of the funnel-shaped volume (as modified, Fig. 1; the area taken by the flow is less than the entire cross sectional area of the funnel as Huffman ‘317 teaches flow being directed away from a center portion of the cross sectional area by member 16).
Regarding claim 6, Huffman ‘885 in view of Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclose the method of claim 5, and Huffman ‘885 further discloses wherein the nozzle openings have a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow axis, and wherein the cross-sectional area of the nozzle openings is less than the cross-sectional area of the annular flow volume (Fig. 1, cross sectional area of 23 defined as extending from left to right, perpendicularly defined cross sectional area defined in 18, the area of the nozzle opening cross section is smaller than the area of the annular flow volume cross section).
Regarding claim 8, Huffman ‘885 in view of Amaya et al, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclose the method of claim 1, but do not specify wherein the pedestal has a conical surface facing the stream of liquid. Amaya et al ‘085 discloses that an impingement pedestal can have a conical surface facing the liquid stream (46 in Fig. 22; paragraph [0065]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious for an artisan, at the time of the filing of the application, to have provided a conical pedestal in order to better direct fluid to the annular volume.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the reference combination as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of CN 114216129 A.
Regarding claim 7, Huffman ‘885 taken together with Amaya et al ‘085, and further in view of Huffman ‘317 disclsoe the method of claim 1, but do not teach wherein the helical conduits have quadrilateral cross sections to permit more of the gas to flow through the main component of the device.
CN 114216129 A (Figs. 5a, 5b; paragraph [0035]) discloses that helical annular flow can be provided by defining generally quadrilateral conduits defined by vanes (221 in Figs 5a-5b; paragraph [0035]: “a swirl groove 221 is arranged on the channel wall of the atomizing medium flow channel 223”). Accordingly, it would have been obvious for an artisan at the time of the filing of the application, to have constructed the channels as suggested by the reference combination as applied to claim 1 above, to include vanes providing generally quadrilateral channels as taught by CN ‘129, in order to simplify construction of the assembly.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/C.S.B/4-3-26
/CHARLES S BUSHEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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