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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, top gas collection channel (1), the water seal observation port (2), feeding port(4), furnace cover carbon insulation layer (5), furnace cover steel structure (6), exhaust observation port (8), exhaust port (9), temperature measuring hole (12), graphite block (13), charcoal block (14), refractory brick (15), refractory concrete base (16), cooling water pipe groove (17), cooling water jacket (18), graphite sleeve (19), water collection tank (20), and furnace body of claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
While the examiner acknowledges that the above listed claim elements are present on Figure 1, the drawings as depicted are unclear as to which claimed feature is being referenced, as multiple reference numbers refer to the same part on the drawings.
The drawings are also objected to for failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(m) because the use of shading in Figure 1 and Figure 2 only obscures the claimed elements. Specifically, the shading in Figure 1 and Figure 2 utilizes incorrect symbols to represent the claimed materials of the invention. See MPEP § 608.02, subsection IX; Additionally, Figure 1 and Figure 2 impermissibly include the use of solid black shading in a manner not used to represent a bar graph or color.
Furthermore, the drawings also fail to comply with 37 1.84(q) because Figure 1 and Figure 2 improperly use lead lines to underline reference characters that are not used to indicate a surface or cross section.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it references the purported merits by stating the advantages of the invention, specifically “advantages of uniform …”. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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 and 2 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 the limitation "a furnace body" (Page 2, Column 2, line 4) in the second paragraph of Claim 1, and “a top gas collection channel, a water seal observation port, an electrode positive pole, a feeding port, a furnace cover carbon insulation later, a furnace cover steel structure, a main flue, an exhaust observation port, an exhaust port, a graphite powder filling, a graphite electrode negative pole, a temperature measuring hole, a graphite block, a low-ash charcoal block, a refractory brick, a refractory concrete base, a cooling water pipe groove, a cooling water jacket, a graphite sleeve, and a water collection tank” (Page 2, Column 1, line 12 to Column 2, line 2) in the first paragraph of Claim 1. The claims as written claim several individual pieces in part, never linking how the individual elements are connected to the furnace body. For example, as written, “a furnace body” is introduced in such a way that it may not be an actual part of the graphitization furnace itself. Further, “a heating chamber” does not appear to be a required part of the furnace or furnace body. As identified by the examples provided, the claims are replete with issues that result in issues with clarity as to how the claimed elements fit together within the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "several graphite electrode negative poles" (Page 2, Column 2, lines 4-5) in the second paragraph of Claim 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because the claim improperly tries to claim multiple poles of the graphite electrode negative pole element, where only a single graphite electrode negative pole (Page 2, Column 1, line 13) has been introduced in claim 1. Therefore, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "electrode positive pole at a center of a furnace body" (Page 2, Column 2, lines 3-4) as well as "the electrode positive poles at the center of a heating chamber" (Page 2, Column 2, lines 6-7) in the second paragraph of Claim 1. The electrode positive pole as claimed is located at both the center of a furnace body and a heating chamber. The claim fails to establish a relationship between the heating chamber and the furnace body, where the drawings fail to include reference to a furnace body.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the arc-shaped inner wall of the inner wall of the heating chamber" in the third paragraph of Claim 1. The inner wall of the heating chamber is never properly introduced as having an arc shape to the inner wall. Therefore, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 is also rejected by virtue of its dependency 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by the prior art reference Li (Chinese publication no. CN-212425454-U). Li was published on Jan 29, 2021; and available for more than two years before the earliest effective filing date of the present application. Any reference to the specification will be made using the provided translation.
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches a furnace comprising a top gas collecting channel (1), water seal observation port (2), positive electrode (3), feeding port (4),carbon insulation layer for the furnace cover (5), steel structure for the furnace cover (6), main flue (7), exhaust observation port (8), exhaust port (9), graphite powder filler (10), graphite negative electrode (11), temperature measuring hole (12), graphite blocks (13), low-ash carbon blocks (14), refractory bricks (15), refractory concrete base (16), cooling water pipe trough (17), cooling water jacket (18), graphite jacket (19), water collecting trough (20), where an electrode is in the center of a furnace body or heating chamber (21), and the graphite negative electrodes are spread out symmetrically around the heat chamber. (Li, Page 2, line 1-6).
Regarding Claim 2, Li teaches four graphite negative electrodes (11). (Li, Page 2, Lines 7-8).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hunter Hemmings whose telephone number is (571)467-0070. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ned Landrum can be reached at 571-272-5567. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HUNTER G HEMMINGS/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
3/12/2026 /EDWARD F LANDRUM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761