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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I to claims 1-3 in the reply filed on 3/19/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 4-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/19/2026.
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 1-3 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 “an absorption element.” It is not clear from the specification what the metes and bounds of this limitation is. Absorption has a meaning, to absorb something. Thus an absorption element is something like a sponge which absorbs water, for instance.
Applicant’s specification states that the absorption element is a caustic container, see [0011].
A container does not absorb something, unless the container is porous. As the specification does not specify that the container is porous, it is not clear how the container can absorb the water.
Appropriate correction is required. Claims 2-3 are rejected as being dependent on claim 1.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2013/0193001 of Field et al.
As to claims 1 and 2, Field teaches of a system, comprising:
a water absorption element (Field, [0055], [0056], [0101] and Figs. 1 and 8); and
an electrochemical cell comprising an anode in an anode chamber, a cathode in a cathode chamber and an ion exchange membrane disposed between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber (Field, [0021] – [0033] and Fig. 1).
Field states that a salt solution or solution containing a detergent (i.e. a conductivity transmitter-containing medium) is fed into the electrochemical cell (Field, [0095] – [0097] and Fig. 8).
Field additionally teaches that the system can be selectively operated with DC voltage or AC voltage. The voltage application generates an alkaline solution in the cathode chamber and an acidic solution in the anode chamber. The voltage application also heats the fluid in the anode and cathode chambers (Field, [0033] – [0034], [0043] and [0053] – [0054]).
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As seen in Fig. 1, there is a liquid source that supplies water (containing salt or other additives) into an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell includes an anode chamber (38) containing an anode (44) and cathode chamber (40) containing a cathode (46) which are separated by a membrane (42). Field states that the DC voltage can be applied to generate the desired solutions (alkaline and acidic) and that AC voltage can also be applied. It is noted that the application of any electrical current generates heat in the solution.
As to the absorption element, Field teaches a dispenser that includes a pad scrubber (i.e. a sponge) or a caustic container (Fig. 8, element 196) which holds the alkaline solution.
As to claim 3, Field also teaches a chamber to store the acidic solution (Field, [0100] – [0101] and Fig. 8) as per reservoir 196 connected to the anode chamber or recovery/storage tank (108).
Conclusion
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BRIAN W. COHEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1759
/BRIAN W COHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
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