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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see reply filed 04 June 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 3-8, and 10 under 35 USC §§ 102 & 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made as indicated below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2005/0043196 to Wright et al. (“Wright”) in view of US 2005/0257812 to Wright et al. (“Wright ‘812”).
Regarding claim 1, Wright (in Figs. 1-3 and 13-14) discloses an apparatus comprising:
a storage tank (12,17) configured to store liquid carbon dioxide (see ¶¶ [0093] and [0123]; note also the cabinet in Fig. 13 uses the condenser, distillation apparatus, filter, storage tank, and disposal means of Figs. 2-3);
a cabinet (shown in Fig. 1, not numbered; also in Fig. 13 as cabinet 201) configured to seal an interior space; and
a nozzle (43) configured to spray the liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank into the sealed interior space of the cabinet such that the liquid carbon dioxide leaving the nozzle changes into a two-state flow (note the nozzle of Wright is configured to spray working fluids such as carbon dioxide, thus, has a configuration capable of the intended use of spraying carbon dioxide in a two-state flow of both liquid and gas state, such being conventional application of working fluids like carbon dioxide as liquid carbon dioxide converts to gaseous form).
Wright discloses the claimed invention including adding liquid carbon dioxide and detergent to the drum. Wright does not expressly disclose “a detergent adder configured to add a detergent to the liquid carbon dioxide coming from the storage tank” as recited in amended claim 1. However, such configurations are known in the art. For instance, Wright ‘812 teaches an art-related liquid carbon dioxide washing system with a storage tank (902) configured to store a non-aqueous source such as carbon dioxide, a detergent adder (dispensing chamber 904) configured to add additives such as detergent to the liquid carbon dioxide coming from the storage tank to a subsequent treating chamber for the purpose of cleaning laundry (see Wright ‘812 at Fig. 12 and associated text).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the detergent adder of Wright with the detergent adder configured to add a detergent to the liquid carbon dioxide coming from a storage tank, such as that taught in Wright ‘812, to yield the same and predictable results of adding detergent to the treatment chamber in order to treat/wash laundry.
Regarding claim 3, Wright further discloses a carbon dioxide recovery system configured to: draw gaseous carbon dioxide from the sealed interior space of the cabinet (pathway from chamber 16 to reclamation condenser 34 in Fig. 3); convert the gaseous carbon dioxide into a liquid state (via reclamation condenser 34); and return the carbon dioxide in the liquid state to the storage tank (see IWF storage 17 and pathway from reclamation condenser 34 in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Wright further discloses wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system comprises a filter configured to remove gaseous or solid contaminants (see filters 35,21).
Regarding claim 6, Wright further discloses wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system comprises at least one compressor configured to pressurize the gaseous carbon dioxide (implicitly taught in reclamation system 34; note also use of compressor/condenser in ¶ [0088]).
Regarding claims 7-8, Wright further discloses wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system further comprises at least one condenser configured to cool the pressurized carbon dioxide from the at least one compressor (implicitly taught in reclamation system 34; note also use of compressor/condenser in ¶ [0088]), wherein the at least one condenser comprises a first condenser positioned within the cabinet and configured to transfer heat released from cooling the pressurized carbon dioxide into the cabinet (see Figs. 2-3).
Wright, supra, discloses the claimed invention including use of a compressor and condenser. Wright does not disclose plural compressors and condensers as recited in claim 10. However, providing duplicating such working parts would have been prima facie obvious absent an adequate showing of secondary considerations. It has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP § 2144.04(VI)(B) regarding Obviousness and Duplication of Parts.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wright in view of US 2007/0163093 to Wright et al. (“Wright ‘093”).
Wright, supra, discloses the claimed invention including a carbon dioxide recovery/removal system. Wright does not expressly disclose wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system comprises a desiccant dryer configured to remove water from the gaseous carbon dioxide drawn from the sealed interior space of the cabinet. Wright ‘093 discloses an art-related clothes treatment system using non-aqueous fluids, and that it is known to provide various fluid removal components including desiccants (see Wright ‘093 at ¶ [0103]).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious at the time of effective filing to provide the fluid recovery system of Wright with a desiccant, as taught in Wright ‘093, to yield the same and predictable results of drying a non-aqueous working fluid.
Conclusion
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).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L PERRIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1305. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael E. Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Joseph L. Perrin, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/Joseph L. Perrin/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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