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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 56-57,63-67,69-79,81 are allowed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 58-62, 68 and 80 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.
As to claims 59, 68 and 80, it is not apparent what structure allows for “circulating”? Nothing is apparent in either specification or drawings that provides for such. A bit of clarity in a manner consistent with page 8 of REMARKS filed 7/20/26.
No Art Rejection Applied
As to claim 56, note was made of the combination of lines 7-9, with remaining claim limitations. The step of “injecting” (line 7) when the sample loop is at “sub-atmospheric pressure” has the benefit provided on Para 125 (Publication). Also, Figure 2c (Kim) does not indicate what structure is outlet of the valve.
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As to claim 69, note was made of the combination of “sample loop being at a sub-atmospheric pressure”, lines 14-15), with remaining claim limitations. Kim does not indicated that the sample loop is ever at sub-atmospheric pressure.
As to claim 80, note was made of the combination of lines 11-12, with remaining claim limitations. (Kim does not suggest heating the sample leaving line connected to the output of Kim’s tube because all of the moisture in the sample had earlier been entirely removed by dryer 21) Additional note was made of the combination of lines 15-17 (i.e. “when the equilibrium … the sample line”), with remaining claim limitations. (Reference KR 100487896 teaches heating of trap 20 (to desorb) and heating pump 43 (to “uniformize before pressurizing” the sample, and dispensing sample to the sample loop 50, but such do not take place at the same time.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
