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 Species I in the reply filed on November 11, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 18 and 19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on November 11, 2025.
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:
the “each of the first flow rate controlling channels is disposed coaxially with one of the first splitting channels” as recited in claim 5;
the “size of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first flow rate controlling channels increases in proportion to a distance from the first inlet” as recited in claim 6; and
“the continuous-phase fluid to flow in a direction parallel to a first direction; a spraying nozzle configured to be connected to the second splitter and spray the dispersed-phase fluid in a second direction, crossing the first direction, toward an inside of the first droplet generating channel” as recited in claim 10, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Elected Fig. 3 fails to show the first flow rate controlling channels 431 disposed coaxially with one of the first splitting channels 420. Similar objection applies to claim 9. Clarification is respectfully requested.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 5, 6 and 9-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The disclosure, as originally filed, does not disclose that “the first flow rate controlling channels is disposed coaxially with one of the first splitting channels” as recited in claim 5. Elected Fig. 3 fails to show the first flow rate controlling channels 431 disposed coaxially with one of the first splitting channels 420. Clarification is respectfully requested.
The disclosure, as originally filed, does not disclose that the “size of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first flow rate controlling channels increases in proportion to a distance from the first inlet” as recited in claim 6. Elected Fig. 3 fails to show the plurality of first flow rate controlling channels 431 may be formed so that a size of cross-sectional areas thereof increases in proportion to a distance from the first inlet 200. Similar rejection applies to claim 9. Clarification is respectfully requested.
The disclosure, as originally filed, does not disclose that the “the continuous-phase fluid to flow in a direction parallel to a first direction; a spraying nozzle configured to be connected to the second splitter and spray the dispersed-phase fluid in a second direction, crossing the first direction, toward an inside of the first droplet generating channel” as recited in claim 10. Elected Figures fail to show a first direction and a second direction, crossing the first direction, toward an inside of the first droplet generating channel. Clarification is respectfully requested.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 余子夷 Yu et al. (CN 113304790. Yu hereinafter. IDS provided by the Applicant. See attached English translation by Google Patents).
With respect to claim 1, Yu discloses a parallelized droplet generating apparatus (Figs. 1-5) comprising: a first inlet (100 to 601) configured to (capable of) introduce a continuous-phase fluid; a second inlet (200 to 602) configured to (capable of) introduce a dispersed-phase fluid; a first (dome-shaped) splitter (Fig. 2a and enlarged Fig. 4a with additional annotations below) configured to split the continuous-phase fluid introduced through the first inlet; a second (rectangle-shaped) splitter (downstream of 602) configured to split the dispersed-phase fluid introduced through the second inlet; and a droplet generator (601 and 608. “…the micro droplet unit generation layer includes five groups of micro droplet generation units…” Page 4 under “Detailed Description.”) configured to combine the continuous-phase fluid split by the first splitter and the dispersed-phase fluid split by the second splitter to generate droplets.
With respect to claim 2, Yu discloses wherein the first splitter includes: a first splitting (dome-shaped) body (including elements forming the upstream passage from 100, 601 to 603) configured to receive the continuous-phase fluid from the first inlet; a plurality of first splitting channels (from 602 to the left and right 603) disposed to be spaced apart from the first splitting body; and a first flow rate controller (See Fig. 1 with additional annotations below. Same configuration as the Applicant’s invention) configured to control a flow rate of the continuous-phase fluid introduced from the first splitting body into the first splitting channels.
With respect to claim 3, Yu discloses wherein the first flow rate controller introduces the continuous-phase fluid with the same flow rate into each of the first splitting channels (by having the same sizes/diameters first splitting channels).
With respect to claim 4, Yu discloses wherein the first flow rate controller includes a plurality of first flow rate controlling channels (See Fig. 1 with additional annotations below. Same configuration as the Applicant’s invention) provided between the first splitting body and the first splitting channels and having different cross-sectional areas (one circular at 100, one short elongated downstream of 100, one elongated and five smaller circular cross-sectional areas parallel to the plane of 700) from one another.
With respect to claim 5, Yu discloses wherein each of the first flow rate controlling channels is disposed coaxially with one of the first splitting channels (at 602).
With respect to claim 6, as best understood by the Examiner, Yu discloses wherein a size of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of first flow rate controlling channels increases in proportion to a distance from the first inlet (cross-sectional areas increases from a circular at 100, one short elongated downstream of 100, one longer elongated cross-sectional area parallel to the plane of 700).
With respect to claim 7, Yu discloses wherein the second splitter includes: a second splitting (rectangle-shaped) body (including elements forming the upstream passage from 200, 602 to 604) configured to receive the dispersed-phase fluid from the second inlet; a plurality of second splitting channels (from 602 to the left and right 604) disposed to be spaced apart from the second splitting body; and a second flow rate controller (See Fig. 1 with additional annotations below. Same configuration as the Applicant’s invention) configured to control a flow rate of the dispersed-phase fluid introduced from the second splitting body into the second splitting channels.
With respect to claim 8, Yu discloses wherein the second flow rate controller includes a plurality of second flow rate controlling channels (See Fig. 1 with additional annotations below. Same configuration as the Applicant’s invention) provided between the second splitting body and the second splitting channels and having different cross-sectional areas (one circular at 200, one elongated downstream of 200 and five smaller circular cross-sectional areas parallel to the plane of 700) from one another.
With respect to claim 9, Yu discloses wherein a size of the cross-sectional areas of the plurality of second flow rate controlling channels increases in proportion to a distance from the second inlet (cross-sectional areas increases from a circular at 200 to the elongated cross-sectional area downstream of 200 parallel to the plane of 700).
With respect to claim 10, Yu discloses wherein the droplet generator includes: a first droplet generating channel (See enlarged Fig. 4a with additional annotations below) configured to be connected to the first splitter and allow the continuous-phase fluid to flow in a direction parallel to a first (rightward) direction; a spraying nozzle configured to be connected to the second splitter and spray the dispersed-phase fluid in a second (downward) direction, crossing the first direction, toward an inside of the first droplet generating channel; and a second droplet generating channel disposed to be spaced apart from the spraying nozzle and connected to the first droplet generating channel.
With respect to claim 11, Yu discloses wherein the spraying nozzle is provided as a plurality of spraying nozzles (two shown in the enlarged Fig. 4a with additional annotations below), each of which is individually connected to one (side) of the second splitting channels, and the second droplet generating channel is provided as a plurality of second droplet generating channels, each of which is disposed to individually (directly and indirectly connect) face one of the spraying nozzles.
With respect to claim 12, Yu discloses wherein the second droplet generating channel extends in a direction parallel to the second (downward) direction.
With respect to claim 13, Yu discloses wherein the spraying nozzle includes: a nozzle body (element defining the spraying nozzle) disposed between the second splitting channels and the second droplet generating channel; and a spraying channel (of the spraying nozzle. Enlarged Fig. 4a with additional annotations below) configured to be connected to the second splitting channels and guide a flow of the dispersed-phase fluid inside the nozzle body.
With respect to claim 14, Yu discloses wherein the nozzle body is formed to have a width that progressively decreases toward an end (at the merging point of the two spraying channels).
With respect to claim 15, Yu discloses wherein the second inlet includes: a second-first inlet (200 to the left most 602. Fig. 2a) configured to introduce a first dispersed-phase fluid; and a second-second inlet (200 to the left middle 602) configured to introduce a second dispersed-phase fluid, wherein the second splitter is provided as a pair of second splitters (of the left most 602 and the left middle 602) and connected to each of the second-first inlet and the second-second inlet.
With respect to claim 16, Yu discloses wherein the spraying channel includes: a first spraying channel (in the left most 602. Fig. 2a) configured to be connected to the second splitting channel provided in any one of the pair of second splitters and guide a flow of the first dispersed-phase fluid; and a second spraying channel (in the left middle 602) configured to be connected to the second splitting channel provided in the other of the pair of second splitters and guide a flow of the second dispersed-phase fluid.
With respect to claim 17, Yu discloses wherein the first spraying channel and the second spraying channel induce (bring about) the first dispersed-phase fluid and the second dispersed-phase fluid to be sprayed symmetrically toward the inside of the first droplet generating channel (See enlarged Fig. 4a with additional annotations below).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following patents are cited to show the art with respect to a droplet generating apparatus: Matsumoto, Duthaler, Morita, Stone, Hwang, Lee, Clarke ‘026 and Clarke ‘911.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHEE-CHONG LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-1916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am -5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur O. Hall can be reached at (571)270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHEE-CHONG LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 December 23, 2025