CTNF 18/257,364 CTNF 83829 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-8) in the reply filed on 11 May 2026 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 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 1-8 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. The claims are rejected for the following reasons. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the diameter of the upper end of the lower riser" in lines 13-14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is also unclear from the claim language whether the claim is referring to an inner or an outer diameter of the upper end of the lower riser by the claim language “the diameter of the upper end of the lower riser.” For examination purpose, the claim is interpreted as referring to an outer diameter of the upper end of the lower riser. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Dirkse et al. (US 2006/0130443) . Regarding claim 1, the reference Dirkse et al. teaches a riser (10) designed to accommodate thermal expansion, the riser (10) comprising: a lower riser portion (12) comprising a non-vertical riser segment (11) and a vertical riser segment (4), wherein the non-vertical riser segment (11) is positioned below the vertical riser segment (4), and where the lower riser portion terminates at an upper end (5) of the vertical riser segment (4) (see paras. [0017]; [0021]-[0023]; Fig. 1); an upper riser portion (7) comprising a lower end, wherein the upper riser portion (7) is vertical, and wherein the lower end of the upper riser portion is positioned around the upper end (5) of the vertical riser segment (4) of the lower riser portion (see paras. [0017]; [0021]-[0023]; Figs. 1, 2); and a first guide (9) and a second guide (9) each positioned on opposite sides of the interior of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7), wherein each of the first guide and the second guide comprise an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the first guide and the outer surface of the second guide are substantially parallel, wherein the outer surface of the first guide and the outer surface of the second guide face one another, and wherein a distance between the outer surface of the first guide and the outer surface of the second guide is no more than 3% greater than the diameter of the upper end of the lower riser portion such that the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion (4) moves in a direction substantially parallel with the outer surface of the first guide (9) and the outer surface of the second guide (9) when the lower riser portion (4) expands or contracts due to changes in temperature (see paras. [0025]-[0031]; Figs. 1-5). Regarding claim 6, the reference Dirkse et al. teaches the riser, wherein the outer surface of the first guide (9) and the outer surface of the second guide (9) are substantially planar (see para. [0030]; Fig. 3). Regarding claim 7, the reference Dirkse et al. teaches the riser, wherein the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) is positioned concentrically around the upper end of the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion (4) (see para. [0022]; Figs. 1-5). Regarding claim 8, the reference Dirkse et al. teaches the riser, wherein the riser comprises a substantially circular cross sectional shape (see para. [0022]; Figs. 1-5) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-22-aia AIA Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dirkse et al . as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Terry et al. (US 5,368,721) . Regarding claim 2, the reference Dirkse et al. is silent with respect to the lower riser portion further comprises a non-linear riser segment, and wherein the non-linear riser segment is positioned between the non-vertical riser segment and the vertical riser segment. However, as evidenced by the reference Terry et al. (see col. 2, lines 57-64; Fig. 1), it is conventional in the art to design a riser reactor (50) to include a non-linear riser segment to facilitate entry of the riser reactor (50) through a side wall of a vertically oriented reaction vessel (5). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the riser (10) of Dirkse et al. to include a non-linear riser segment as suggested by Terry et al., and claimed by applicant, so as to facilitate entry of the riser (10) through a side wall of the vertically oriented reaction vessel (20) of Dirkse et al. without undue experimentation and optimization, since it has been held that a change in configuration or shape of a device is obvious, absent persuasive evidence that a particular configuration is significant. In re Dailey , 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dirkse et al .. Regarding claim 3, the claim depends from claim 1 such that the reasoning applied to claim 1 above is applied herein for the dependent portion of the claim. The reference Dirkse et al. is silent with respect to having a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) from 100% to 150% of the width of the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion (4). However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion from 100% to 150% of the width of the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion, since the reference Dirkse et al. teaches that a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) should be sufficiently larger than the width of the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion (4) to facilitate free movement of the lower riser portion (4) in the axial direction into the upper riser portion (7) (see para. [0025]; Figs. 1-4). Regarding claim 4, the claim depends from claim 1 such that the reasoning applied to claim 1 above is applied herein for the dependent portion of the claim. The reference Dirkse et al. teaches that the upper riser portion (7) includes an upper segment (as best shown in Fig. 1). Figure 1 of the reference Dirkse et al. further illustrates that a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) can be made larger than a width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion (7). The reference Dirkse et al. is, however, silent with respect to having a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion from 100% to 150% of the width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion from 100% to 150% of the width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion, since the reference Dirkse et al. teaches that the width of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) can be made larger than a width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion (7) (see Fig. 1). Regarding claim 5, the claim depends from claim 1 such that the reasoning applied to claim 1 above is applied herein for the dependent portion of the claim. The reference Dirkse et al. teaches that the upper riser portion (7) includes an upper segment (as best shown in Fig. 1). Figure 1 of the reference Dirkse et al. further illustrates that a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) can be made larger than a width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion (7). The reference Dirkse et al. is, however, silent with respect to a width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion being substantially the same as the width of the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have made a width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion to be substantially the same as the width of the vertical riser segment of the lower riser portion, since the reference Dirkse et al. suggests that the width of the upper segment of the upper riser portion can be made smaller than a width of the lower end of the upper riser portion (7) (see Fig. 1). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lessanework T Seifu whose telephone number is (571)270-3153. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9:00 am - 6:30 pm; F 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. 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. /LESSANEWORK SEIFU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 2 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 3 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 4 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 5 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 6 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 7 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 8 Art Unit: 1774 Application/Control Number: 18/257,364 Page 9 Art Unit: 1774
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