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
The Amendment filed 8/11/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-6 are pending in the application and are being examined herein.
Status of Rejections
The objection to the Drawings has been withdrawn in view of the correction.
The rejection under 35 U.S.C 112(b) is maintained.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 2 are objected to because of the following informalities:
claim 1, line 10, “a plurality of output port” should read “ a plurality of output ports”;
claim 2, lines 3-4, “two layers of channel structure disposed on two outer surfaces …” should read “the two layers of channel structure disposed on two outer surfaces …”;
claim 2, line 6, “two of the three input liquid phases” should read “two of the at least three input liquid phases ..”
claim 2, line 7, “input ports (1) of two layers of channel structure …” should read “input ports of the two layers of channel structure ...”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-6 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 1 recites “each liquid phase input channel comprises at least one liquid phase input port (1) connected to at least one resistance control unit (2), and each resistance control unit corresponds to one of a plurality of output port (3)” in lines 8-10 (emphasis added). It is indefinite in light of the Drawings. While Fig. 1 shows that each resistance control unit in layers A and C correspond to an output port (3), the resistance control units (2) in the layer “B” layer does not each correspond to a output port (3). Since layer “B” is the only layer that comprises drop-maker units, layer “B” is one of the “at least two layers of channel structure” (lns. 1-2) as required by the limitation “wherein one of the at least two layers channel structure is provided with the at least two drop-maker units ...” in lines 4-5. Therefore, it is unclear whether the claim intends to encompass what is disclosed or, whether it intends to recite a separate structure. Clarification is requested. Appropriate correction is required.
It is suggested that the limitation to be amended to “each liquid phase input channel comprises at least one liquid phase input port (1) connected to at least one resistance control unit (2), and each resistance control unit in the layer of channel structure without drop-maker units corresponds to one of a plurality of output port (3)”.
Claim 1 recites “output channels (7) of all the drop-maker units” in line 20. It is unclear whether the output channels (7) are referring to the output channels (7) in line 12 because “the” is absent. For the purpose of examination, they are being interpreted as the same output channels (7) in line 12. Clarification is requested. Appropriate correction is required.
It is suggested that the limitation to be amended to “the output channels (7) of all the drop-maker units” if the output channels (7) in line 20 are referring to the output channels (7) of line 12.
Claim 1 recites “a washing phase input port (10)” in lines 18 and 22, and “a product output port (11)” in lines 19 and 23. Since “a” are used, it is unclear if they are referring to the same “washing phase input port (10)” lines 18 and 22, and the same “product output port (11)” in lines 19 and 23. For the purpose of examination, they are being interpreted as the same ones because the same reference numbers are used. Clarification is requested. Appropriate correction is required.
It is suggested the “a washing phase input port (10)” in line 22, and “a product output port (11)” in line 23 to be amended to “the washing phase input port (10)” and “the product out port (11)” if the Applicant intended for elements with the same reference numbers to be the same elements.
Claims 2-6 are indefinite because of their dependence on claim 1.
Prior Art
Claims 1-6 are free of prior art.
Claim 1 is amended to incorporate the limitations of claim 7, which was free of prior art as discussed in the OA of 05/14/2026. Therefore, claim 1 is free of prior art. Claims 2-6 are free of prior art because of their dependence on claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remark, see p. 8, filed 08/11/2026, under “Status and Disposition of the Claims” indicates that claim 2 is cancelled; however, claim 2 is still included in the current claim set (8/11/2026). Clarification and appropriate correction is required. For purpose of examination, claim 2 is still considered to be pending in the Application.
Applicant’s argument, see p. 8, filed 08/11/2026, with respect to the Drawings have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection to the Drawings of 05/14/2026 has been withdrawn. The examiner acknowledges no new matters has been added to the amended Drawings and Specifications of 08/11/2026.
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 9, filed 08/11/2026, with respect to claim objections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The claim objection of 05/14/20256 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments, see p. 9, filed 8/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With the incorporation of claim 7, the amended claim 1 is free of prior art. However, claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as discussed above, and thus not allowable.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/M.L.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1758
/MATTHEW D KRCHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1796
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