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 § 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-6, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nelles et al. (US 2022/0112089).
Regarding claim 1, the reference Nelles et al. discloses an industrial calciner for particulate material (see para. [0025]; Figure), wherein the industrial calciner comprises:
a calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0045]; Figure); and
a gas supply system (6) in fluid communication with the calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0045]; Figure),
the gas supply system (6) configured to supply a flow of calcination gas to the calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0045]), wherein
the industrial calciner further comprises at least one electric heater (54) configured to heat the calcination gas (see para. [0047]; Figure), wherein
the industrial calciner further comprises at least one humidity modifier (12) and a humidity control system (14) for controlling the output of the at least one humidity modifier (see paras. [0045]; [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 2, the reference Nelles et al. discloses the industrial calciner, wherein the at least one electric heater (54) is located within the gas supply system (see para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 4, the reference Nelles et al. discloses the industrial calciner, wherein the gas supply system (6) comprises a heat exchanger and/or heat pump (40) configured to extract heat energy from the calcination gas leaving the calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 5, the reference Nelles et al. discloses the industrial calciner, wherein the heat exchanger and/or heat pump is configured to heat at least a portion of the calcination gas before it enters the calcination vessel (see para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 6, the reference Nelles et al. discloses the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner comprises a heating control system (52) configured to the output of the at least one electric heater (54) (see para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 12, the reference Nelles et al. discloses the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner comprises a plurality of electric heaters (see para. [0047]; Figure).
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.
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.
Claims 1-12 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goecke et al. (US 2011/0150750) in view of Nelles et al. (US 2022/0112089).
Regarding claim 1, the reference Goecke et al. discloses an industrial calciner for particulate material (see para. [0036]; Fig. 1), wherein the industrial calciner comprises:
a calcination vessel (3, 6) (see paras. [0037]-[0039]; Fig. 1); and a gas supply system (31) in fluid communication with the calcination vessel (3, 6) (see para. [0037]; Fig. 1),
the gas supply system (31) configured to supply a flow of calcination gas to the calcination vessel (3, 6) (see para. [0037])), wherein the industrial calciner further comprises at least one humidity modifier (4) and a humidity control system (9) for controlling the output of the at least one humidity modifier (see paras. [0045]; Fig. 1).
The reference Goecke et al. is, however, silent with respect to the industrial calciner further comprises at least one electric heater configured to heat the calcination gas.
The reference Nelles et al. discloses an industrial calciner for particulate material (see para. [0025]; Figure), wherein the industrial calciner comprises: a calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0045]; Figure); and a gas supply system (6) in fluid communication with the calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0045]; Figure), the gas supply system (6) configured to supply a flow of calcination gas to the calcination vessel (3) (see para. [0045]), wherein the industrial calciner further comprises at least one electric heater (54) configured to heat the calcination gas (see para. [0047]; Figure), wherein the industrial calciner further comprises at least one humidity modifier (12) and a humidity control system (14) for controlling the output of the at least one humidity modifier (see paras. [0045]; [0047]; Figure).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Goecke et al. and Nelles et al., and modified the calciner of Goecke et al. to include at least one electric heater (54) configured to heat the calcination gas, since the reference Nelles et al. teaches that such a modification advantageous reduces the need to rely on fossil fuels to heat the calcination gas, and thereby, contribute to a reduction in CO2 emission into the atmosphere (see paras. [0004]; [0039]).
Regarding claim 2, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the at least one electric heater is located within the gas supply system (see Nelles et al. para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 3, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the calcination vessel comprises a grinder for reducing the size of the particulate material (see Goecke et al.: para. [0037]).
Regarding claim 4, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the gas supply system comprises a heat exchanger and/or heat pump configured to extract heat energy from the calcination gas leaving the calcination vessel (see Nelles et al.: para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 5, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the heat exchanger and/or heat pump is configured to heat at least a portion of the calcination gas before it enters the calcination vessel (see Nelles et al.: para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 6, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner comprises a heating control system configured to the output of the at least one electric heater (see Goecke et al.: para. [0045]; Nelles et al.: para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 7, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the humidity control system comprises at least one humidity sensor (see Goecke et al.: para. [0045]).
Regarding claim 8, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner comprises a pressure control system configured to control the pressure within the industrial calciner (see Goecke et al.: para. [0030]; Nelles et al.: para. [0047]).
Regarding claim 9, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner comprises an airflow control system (9) for controlling the airflow through the industrial calciner (see Goecke et al.: para. [0045]).
Regarding claim 10, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner further comprises a filter unit (5), wherein the filter unit is configured to remove calcined particulate matter from the calcination gas (see Goecke et al.: para. [0038]; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner is configured to recirculate at least a portion of the calcination gas (see Goecke et al.: para. [0039]; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the industrial calciner comprises a plurality of electric heaters (see Nelles et al. para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 14, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose a method of calcining particulate material, the method comprising the steps of: providing the industrial calciner as taught by Goecke et al. and Nelles et al., and claim in claim 1; providing gypsum; placing the gypsum into the calcination vessel; exposing the particulate material to heat from the at least one electric heater; and calcining the particulate material (see Goecke et al.: paras. [0037]-[0039]; Nelles et al. para. [0045]-[0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 15, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the heating control system comprises at least one temperature sensor (see Goecke et al.: para. [0045]; Nelles et al.: para. [0047]; Figure).
Regarding claim 16, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. disclose the industrial calciner, wherein the pressure control system comprises at least one pressure sensor (see Goecke et al.: para. [0030]; Nelles et al.: para. [0047]).
Regarding claim 17, the references Goecke et al. and Nelles et al. do not specifically specify wherein the airflow control system comprises at least one airflow sensor. However, it would having been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide at least one airflow sensor to the airflow control system of Goecke et al. and Nelles et al., since the reference Goecke et al. suggests the need to measure the supply amount of wet gas into the industrial calciner (see para. [0031]). Further, the reference Goecke et al. suggests for the provision of measuring sensors and computing units to ensure a consistently high product quality production under a supervision of a computer control (see para. [0030]).
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.
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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.
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/LESSANEWORK SEIFU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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