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 Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments, see page 11, line 16, filed 15 June 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1-4, 6, 13-17, and 19 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al. (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2015-032757 A), hereinafter Kobayashi; have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of Claims 1-4, 6, 13-17, and 19 has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Mededovic et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2016/0228844 A1), hereinafter Mededovic.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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:
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-4, 6, 13-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al. (Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2015-032757 A), hereinafter Kobayashi, in view of Mededovic et al. (United States Patent Publication No. US 2016/0228844 A1), hereinafter Mededovic.
5. Regarding Claims 1-4, 6, 13-17, and 19, Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) a gas generator that generates a mixed gas in which a raw material gas containing an organic compound having at least one of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms is mixed with a carrier gas at a desired mixing ratio. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) a chamber for allowing ventilation so as to enable the mixed gas to be supplied thereinside and that is capable of placing a workpiece thereinside. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraph [0055]) a light source for irradiating the flow of mixed gas with ultraviolet light having intensity in a wavelength band of 172 nm. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0029-0030, 0033, and 0070]) a surface of the workpiece is modified with the raw material gas that has been irradiated with the ultraviolet light. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the gas generator includes a container that stores an organic solvent containing the organic compound having oxygen atoms, a carrier gas supply pipe that supplies the carrier gas to the organic solvent stored in the container, and a mixed gas supply pipe that feeds the mixed gas into the chamber. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the mixed gas is generated by supplying the carrier gas to the organic solvent. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the gas generator includes a heater that heats at least one of the container and the carrier gas. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the gas generator includes a vaporizer that introduces an organic solvent containing the organic compound into a vaporization compartment to vaporize it, a carrier gas supply pipe connected to the vaporizer and that supplies the carrier gas, and a mixed gas supply pipe that delivers the mixed gas to the chamber. Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the mixed gas is generated by supplying the carrier gas to the organic solvent. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) a cooler disposed between the gas generator and the chamber and that cools the mixed gas. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) a chamber having side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall to which a mixed gas including a raw material gas containing an organic compound having at least one of oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms and a carrier gas is supplied and that is capable of placing a workpiece thereinside. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraph [0055]) a light source that irradiates the raw material gas with ultraviolet light having intensity in a wavelength band of at least 172 nm or less. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0029-0030, 0033, and 0070]) wherein a surface of the workpiece is modified with the raw material gas that has been irradiated with the ultraviolet light. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the raw material gas concentration detector is disposed to detect the mixed gas before the mixed gas enters the chamber. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the chamber includes a temperature regulator that regulates a temperature of the workpiece. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraph [0055]) the light source is located outside the chamber, and the ultraviolet light is transmitted through an enclosure of the chamber and an atmospheric gas that are located between the light source and the chamber. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraph [0055]) the light source is housed in a cylinder body, at least a part of the cylinder body allows the ultraviolet light to transmit, and the space between the light source and the cylinder body has an inert gas atmosphere. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) the chamber includes at least one gas supply port through which the mixed gas is supplied thereinside and at least one gas discharge port through which the gas inside the chamber is discharged, and a caliber of the at least one gas discharge port among the at least one gas discharge port is larger than a caliber of the at least one gas supply port among the at least one gas supply port.
6. Furthermore, Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) at least a gas supply port connected to the gas generator. Furthermore, Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0034, 0046, 0067, and 0071]) at least a gas discharge port connected to the chamber. However, Kobayashi fails to explicitly teach the gas supply port located at one end of the chamber to cause a flow of the mixed gas into the chamber and towards the other end of the chamber. Furthermore, Kobayashi fails to explicitly teach the gas discharge port at the other end of the chamber to exhaust the flow of the mixed gas to an outside of the chamber. Furthermore, Kobayashi fails to explicitly teach the configuration of the gas supply port and the gas discharge port so as to flow the mixed gas into the chamber and towards the gas discharge port to exhaust a flow of the mixed gas to an outside of the chamber, wherein at least one of the gas supply port and the gas discharge port is located on one of the side walls of the chamber.
7. Kobayashi teaches (Paragraphs [0010-0017]) is classified in the B01J19 CPC subclass wherein gas is injected into a chamber wherein a reaction occurs with an object disposed within the chamber and the gas is them exhausted. Mededovic teaches (Paragraphs [0007-0024]) is classified in the B01J19 CPC subclass wherein gas is injected into a chamber wherein a reaction occurs with an object disposed within the chamber and the gas is them exhausted. Mededovic teaches (Paragraph [0054], Fig. 3) the gas supply port located at one end of the chamber to cause a flow of the mixed gas into the chamber and towards the other end of the chamber. Mededovic teaches (Paragraph [0054], Fig. 3) the gas discharge port at the other end of the chamber to exhaust the flow of the mixed gas to an outside of the chamber. Mededovic teaches (Paragraph [0054], Fig. 3) the configuration of the gas supply port and the gas discharge port so as to flow the mixed gas into the chamber and towards the gas discharge port to exhaust a flow of the mixed gas to an outside of the chamber, wherein at least one of the gas supply port and the gas discharge port is located on one of the side walls of the chamber. Mededovic teaches (Paragraph [0054], Fig. 3) the object which is to have the inlet gas react with is disposed in the path of the inlet gas before it is exhausted, i.e. a flow-through reactor.
8. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to have modified Kobayashi in view of Mededovic wherein the gas supply port located at one end of the chamber to cause a flow of the mixed gas into the chamber and towards the other end of the chamber; wherein the gas discharge port at the other end of the chamber to exhaust the flow of the mixed gas to an outside of the chamber; and wherein the configuration of the gas supply port and the gas discharge port so as to flow the mixed gas into the chamber and towards the gas discharge port to exhaust a flow of the mixed gas to an outside of the chamber, wherein at least one of the gas supply port and the gas discharge port is located on one of the side walls of the chamber. Doing so would result in the object which is to have the inlet gas react with is disposed in the path of the inlet gas before it is exhausted, as understood by Mededovic.
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 5, 7-12, 18, 20-23 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art fails to teach or suggest a device further comprising a dilution gas supply pipe. Furthermore, the prior art fails to teach or suggest a device further comprising a supplementary fluid supply gas supply pipe. Furthermore, the prior art fails to teach or suggest an auxiliary raw material. Furthermore, the prior art fails to teach or suggest a device further comprising an oxygen concentration detector. Furthermore, the prior art fails to teach or suggest that the workpiece can be raised or lowered. Furthermore, the prior art fails to teach or suggest a device further comprising an auxiliary plate having a surface having a height with substantially no level difference.
Conclusion
10. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
11. 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.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to RICHARD D CHAMPION at telephone number (571) 272-0750. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon-Fri EST.
13. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KEITH D HENDRICKS can be reached at (571) 272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Keith D. Hendricks/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1733
/R.D.C./Examiner, Art Unit 1737
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