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 Election/Restrictions Claims 15-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12-8-2025. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Examiner respectfully submits the current specification does not provide support for a first tray including a maximum transverse dimension that is substantially equal to a maximum transverse dimension of a mixing vessel . Examiner notes figure 3 includes a dimension D8 which is stated as a maximum transverse dimension of a vessel, however the maximum transverse dimension of a vessel is not equivalent to a maximum transverse dimension of a first tray. Examiner also notes figure 1F shows a maximum transverse dimension of inlet 66 and outlet 54, however the specification and figures do not provide support for a maximum transverse dimension of a mixing vessel. Therefore the current specification does not provide support for a first tray including a maximum transverse dimension that is substantially equal to a maximum transverse dimension of a mixing vessel. 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. 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. Claim s 1- 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese reference(104888486A) taken together with French reference(FR2933310A1) . Chinese reference in figure 2 teaches a mixing device for use in a contact tower (tower body 12) , the mixing device comprising: a first tray (tray 11) configured to hold a volume of fluid and defining a plurality of first openings; a plurality of mixers (mass transfer column 9) coupled to the first tray, each mixer having: a first portion extending from the first tray (noting connection to first tray in figure 2) , the first portion having a first sidewall that defines: an inlet in communication with a respective one of the first openings (gas inlet 3) ; an outlet (outlet located at any location downstream of injection port ( liquid flow distributor 8, noting unnumbered openings in figure 2 for passage of liquid into mass transfer column 9 )) ; a channel extending between the inlet and the outlet of the first sidewall; and an injection port (liquid flow distributor 8, noting unnumbered openings in figure 2 for passage of liquid into mass transfer column 9 ; translation stating “after the liquid phase in the liquid distributor 8 enters the mass transfer column 9, a liquid film is formed on the inner surface of the mass transfer column 9” ) extending through the first sidewall and positioned between the inlet and outlet of the first sidewall; a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion having a second sidewall that defines: an inlet in communication with the outlet of the first sidewall; an outlet (outlet connected to ejecting centrifugal separator 10) ; and a channel extending between the inlet and the outlet of the second sidewall. Chinese reference is silent as to a convergent channel extending between the inlet and the outlet of the first sidewall, and a divergent channel extending between the inlet and the outlet of the second sidewall. French reference in figure 8 teaches a mixing device for use in a contact tower, wherein the mixing device includes a first tray (first tray receiving liquid from downcomer, noting arrows in figure 8) configured to hold a volume of fluid(liquid chamber 13b) and defining a plurality of first openings, and a plurality of mixers coupled to the first tray, each mixer including an inlet(inlet in connection with dashed gas flow arrows) in connection to a first sidewall, an outlet, a convergent channel extending between the inlet and the outlet(noting convergent tapering of sidewall in figure 8), and an inlet in connection with an outlet of the first sidewall, an outlet, and a divergent channel extending between the inlet and the outlet of the second sidewall( noting divergent tapering of sidewall in figure 8 ) , and liquid added to the mixer along a specified sidewall location . It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the mixers (mass transfer column) of Chinese reference with a convergent channel downstream of the gas inlet to the mass transfer column (9), and a divergent channel from an outlet of the convergent channel to a location of an upper tray of the two tray structure (11), in order to provide a gas feed which undergoes a significant acceleration due to a restriction of its passage surface(noting translation of French reference). With regards to claim 2, Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches a second tray (noting Chinese reference stating “double layer tray 11) configured to hold a volume of fluid, the second tray coupled to the second portion of the plurality of mixers. With regards to claim 3 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the first tray is positioned vertically below the injection ports of the plurality of mixers and the second tray is positioned vertically above the injection ports of the plurality of mixers. With regards to claim 4 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches a first conduit (downcomer tube 7 in Chinese reference) in communication with the second tray and configured to transfer fluid from the second tray to a downstream location. With regards to claim 5 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the downstream location is a third tray of another mixing device . With regards to claim 6 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches a second conduit ( downcomer tube 7 in Chinese reference ) in communication with the first tray and configured to transfer fluid from an upstream location to the first tray. With regards to claim 7 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the convergent channel is a convergent frustoconical channel. With regards to claim 8 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the divergent channel is a divergent frustoconical channel. With regards to claim 9 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the convergent channel is in fluid communication with the first tray via the injection ports of the plurality of mixers. With regards to claim 10 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the first tray includes a maximum transverse dimension that is substantially equal to a maximum transverse dimension of a mixing vessel of the contact tower. With regards to claim 1 1 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein, while positioned in a mixing chamber of the contact tower, the mixer defines a gas flow path from a gas inlet, through the plurality of first openings, through the convergent channel, through the divergent channel to a gas outlet; and a liquid flow path from a liquid inlet, to the first tray, through the injection port, to the convergent channel, through the divergent channel, to the second tray. With regards to claim 1 2 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference further teaches wherein the plurality of mixers includes at least 2 mixers. With regards to claim 1 3 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference teaches all of the limitations of claim 13 but is silent as to wherein the injection ports of the plurality of mixers include at least two elongated apertures extending circumferentially though the first sidewall. Chinese reference teaches a circumferential injection port for the sidewall of the mass transfer column (9), and the current specification does not provide criticality of a specified number of injection ports, with para 0027 stating “one or multiple apertures”. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art, through routine experimentation, to provide at least two elongated apertures in place of a single elongated aperture to provide for an optimal number of injection locations for liquid into the mixer. With regards to claim 1 4 , Chinese reference taken together with French reference teaches all of the limitations of claim 13 but is silent as to wherein a ratio of a maximum transverse dimension of the outlet of the first portion to a maximum transverse dimension of the inlet of the first portion is between 0.4 and 0.7 . Examiner notes French reference teaches an outlet of a first portion including a smaller dimension than an inlet of a first portion ,resulting in a ratio that is smaller than 1. Examiner also notes that the current specification does not provide criticality to a ratio between 0.4 and 0.7, stating in para (0030) “can be 0.4 and 0.7 ,(e.g., 0.45 to 0.65 or any other values therebetween)”. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art , through routine experimen tation , to provide a ratio of a maximum transverse dimension of the outlet of the first portion to a maximum transverse dimension of the inlet of the first portion is between 0.4 and 0.7 , in order to provide an optimal acceleration of inlet gas flow within the first portion of the mixer of Chinese reference taken together with French reference. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-1159 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 5712707872 . 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. /ROBERT A HOPKINS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776 December 17, 2025