DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 7-11, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Yamanobe (JP 2006110426 A).
Regarding claim 1, Yamanobe discloses an industrial drying apparatus for drying board precursor to form gypsum board, wherein said industrial drying apparatus comprises at least one electric heater (16) (see top of pg. 7 disclosing a power supply for the heaters); wherein said industrial drying apparatus comprises an air recovery unit, and wherein said air recovery unit comprises a supplementary electric heater (Fig. 1 shows at least five heaters 16 and one of them can be the at least one electric heater and another one of them can be the supplementary electric heater).
Regarding claim 2, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said industrial drying apparatus comprises a heating control system (26) configured to control an output of the at least one electric heater.
Regarding claim 4, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1 wherein said industrial drying apparatus further comprises at least one humidity modifier (fan 24).
Regarding claim 7, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one electric heater is arranged to, in use, dry the board precursor via radiative heat transfer (Fig. 1, 22).
Regarding claim 8, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one electric heater is arranged to, in use, dry the board precursor via convective heat transfer (heater 16 works with the fan 24 to blow hot air over the gypsum).
Regarding claim 9, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1, wherein said industrial drying apparatus comprises a plurality of electric heaters (16).
Regarding claim 10, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 9, wherein each electric heater within said plurality of electric heaters is configured to be independently controlled (bottom of pg 6- top of pg. 7).
Regarding claim 11, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 9, wherein electric heaters (16) are located at a plurality of discrete positions within said industrial drying apparatus (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 15, Yamanobe discloses a method of drying board precursor to form gypsum board, the method comprising the steps of: providing the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1; providing board precursor (gypsum slurry 5); placing the board precursor into said drying apparatus (Fig. 1, 15); exposing the board precursor to heat from the at least one electric heater; and drying the board precursor to form gypsum board.
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamanobe (JP 2006110426 A).
Regarding claim 5, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 4, except wherein said industrial drying apparatus comprises a humidity control system for controlling the output of the at least one humidity modifier.
However, Official Notice is taken that a controller for controlling a humidity modifier (fan) is well-known and common knowledge, and it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art at the time of effective filing of the application to modify Yamanobe to include a humidity control system for controlling the output of the at least one humidity modifier, so that the fan speed can be controlled, resulting in an optimal heating and evaporation rate. Note: Applicant did not traverse the Official Notice; therefore, it is taken to be admitted prior art.
Claim(s) 3, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamanobe (JP 2006110426 A) in view of Li (CN 106813485 A).
Regarding claim 3, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 2, except wherein said heating control system comprises at least one temperature sensor located within said industrial drying apparatus.
However, Li teaches a drying apparatus (Fig. 1), wherein the heating control system comprises at least one temperature sensor (5) located within the industrial drying apparatus.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art at the time of effective filing of the application to modify Yamanobe wherein said heating control system comprises at least one temperature sensor located within said industrial drying apparatus. The motivation to combine is so that the drying conditions can be precisely monitored and controlled.
Regarding claim 6, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 5, except wherein said humidity control system comprises at least one humidity sensor located within said industrial drying apparatus.
However, Li teaches a drying apparatus (Fig. 1), wherein the humidity control system comprises at least one humidity sensor (11) located within said industrial drying apparatus.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art at the time of effective filing of the application to modify Yamanobe wherein said humidity control system comprises at least one humidity sensor located within said industrial drying apparatus. The motivation to combine is so that the drying conditions can be precisely monitored and controlled.
Claim(s) 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamanobe (JP 2006110426 A) in view of Lange (FR 2526139 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Yamanobe discloses the method of claim 15, except further comprising: heating, using the supplementary electric heater, air recovered from drying the board precursor.
However, Lange teaches a gypsum board dryer comprising: heating, using the supplementary heater (6, 10), air recovered from drying the board precursor. Although the supplementary heater is not electric, Yamanobe discloses using electric heaters for heating the air and the particular choice of heater is an obvious engineering design choice.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art at the time of effective filing of the application to modify Yamanobe further comprising: heating, using the supplementary electric heater, air recovered from drying the board precursor. The motivation to combine is to improve thermal efficiency by recycling the heat to dry the boards.
Regarding claim 17, Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 1, except further comprising at least one discrete air input, and wherein the supplementary electric heater is configured to heat recovered air from the at least one discrete air input.
However, Lange teaches a gypsum board dryer further comprising at least one discrete air input (input into the blowers 5, 9, 15), and wherein the supplementary heater (6, 10) is configured to heat recovered air from the at least one discrete air input. Although the supplementary heater is not electric, Yamanobe discloses using electric heaters for heating the air and the particular choice of heater is an obvious engineering design choice.
It would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art at the time of effective filing of the application to modify Yamanobe further comprising at least one discrete air input, and wherein the supplementary electric heater is configured to heat recovered air from the at least one discrete air input. The motivation to combine is to improve thermal efficiency by recycling the heat to dry the boards.
Regarding claim 18, modified Yamanobe discloses the industrial drying apparatus of claim 16, wherein each electric heater within said plurality of electric heaters and the supplementary electric heater are configured to be independently controlled. Yamanobe discloses a controller 26 for independently controlling the electric heaters (bottom of pg. 6 – top of pg. 7). In the combination, it would have been obvious to also independently control the supplementary electric heater so that the drying temperature can be controlled for optimal drying of the boards.
Response to Arguments
Applicant asserts the following on page(s) 6-7 of the Remarks:
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Examiner’s response:
The amendment to claim 1 requires an air recovery unit, i.e., a supplementary electric heater. Yamanobe discloses a supplementary electric heater as stated in the rejection.
Applicant asserts the following on page(s) 8-10 of the Remarks:
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Examiner’s response:
Only new claims 16-18 requires recirculation of heated air. This is taught by Lange.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON LAU whose telephone number is (571)270-7644. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/JASON LAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
