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 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.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hatta, WO 2012/172945 A1, in view of Ichikawa, US 2009/0092525.
Regarding Claim 16
Hatta discloses an exhaust gas rectifier device comprising: an exhaust gas deflector, wherein the exhaust gas deflector (31, mixer containing dispersing members (21-23)) (Hatta, Figure 2) is located in an exhaust pipe (2, exhaust pipe) (Hatta, Figure 2) connecting a oxidation catalyst system (3, oxidation catalyst) (Hatta, Figure 2) and a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system (4, SCR catalyst) (Hatta, Figure 2), wherein the exhaust pipe (2) comprises a first exhaust pipe (2), the first exhaust pipe (2) comprising a first bending part (2a, curved portion) (Hatta, Figure 2) that connects to the exhaust gas deflector (31) (Hatta, Figure 2), and, wherein the first bending part (2a) and the first exhaust gas pipe (2) are both disposed upstream of the exhaust gas deflector (31) relative to a direction of exhaust gas flow (Hatta, Figure 2).
However, Hatta does not explicitly disclose that the exhaust pipe connects a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) system and the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system. Ichikawa teaches an exhaust pipe (11, 12, bent pipe) that connects a DPF system (20, DPF) and a SCR system (30, SCR catalyst) (Ichikawa, Figure 1). Ichikawa further teaches that the DPF system (20) supports an oxidation catalyst to remove SOF, HC, and CO (Ichikawa, [0040]).
One having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to modify Hatta such that the oxidation catalyst system includes a DPF as is taught by Ichikawa in order to remove particulate from the exhaust gas.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
In the exhaust gas rectifier of claim 1, the inclusion of:
“an exhaust gas deflector disposed at an upstream side with respect to a urea water injection device” and “ a first exhaust gas pipe comprising a first bending part that connects to the exhaust gas deflector, wherein the first exhaust gas pipe and the first bending part are both disposed upstream of the exhaust gas deflector in the direction of the exhaust gas flows” was not found.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 16 under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, Applicant’s amendments to the claims have initiated a new ground(s) of rejection of claim 16 under 35 U.S.C. 103.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection of claims 1 and 3-15 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1 and 3-15 under 35 U.S.C. 103 has been withdrawn.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/K.L.S/Examiner, Art Unit 3746 1/26/2026
/MARK A LAURENZI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3746 1/28/2026