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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The reference to specific claims on page 2 should be removed because the final claims can be renumbered, amended or canceled.
A brief description of the drawings is missing.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 31 and 33. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 33-52 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 33 recites the limitation "the attachment points" in lines 41 and 43. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The first instance may be changed to “attachment points.”
Claim 42 recites the limitation "the pipe conduit" in lines 9 and 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This can be changed to “a pipe conduit” in the first instance.
Claims 34-41 and 43-52 are rejected for depending from an indefinite parent claim.
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) 33-36, 43-45 and 48-52 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (5,919,285).
Li et al. ‘285 teach a gas separation device comprising first and second feed conduits (74,75) that transport gases having different compositions, a membrane separation stage comprising a block of three membrane separation units (M1, MS, MN) connected in parallel, and a gas distributor comprising valved connection conduits that each connect gas inlets of two adjacent membrane separation units to one another, wherein the first and second feed gas conduits are connected as spatially separate sites to a distributor conduit such that two branches are disposed between the attachment points and the feed streams flow towards each other within the block. Each membrane separation unit has a gas inlet connected to the feed conduits, a separation membrane, a retentate outlet connected to retentate conduits (79, 80, 81) and a main retentate conduit, and a permeate outlet connected to permeate conduits (76, 78) and a mixed permeate vent conduit (78).
Regarding claim 43, the method limitations do not structurally limit the claim in a way that distinguishes over the prior device, which can be considered to already have extended or reduced conduit sections.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 37-42, 46 and 47 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references listed on the attached PTO-892 form disclose membrane gas separation arrangements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANK LAWRENCE whose telephone number is (571)272-1161. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at 571-270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FRANK M LAWRENCE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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