DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
2. 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.
3. Claims 13-15 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.
Regarding claim 13, the phrase “and/or” in line 3 renders the claim indefinite as the “or” portion of the phrase would only include a second photocatalytic net without a first photocatalytic net. Therefore, the scope of the claim is unclear if there is only a required second photocatalytic net. Claims 14-15 are rejected for the reasons above due to claim dependency.
Suggested claim language would be to replace the “and/or” with “and optionally”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-2, 9, 12, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (CN 115200143 A – English translation).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses an air purification device (see figure 1), wherein the air purification device comprises a housing (shell (1) - see figure 2) and a purification dust collection structure (filter screen (8)); the housing (1) is provided with an air inlet (101) and an air outlet (102), wherein an air supply channel is defined between the air inlet and the air outlet (air flow path thru the device), and the purification dust collection structure is located in the air supply channel (see figure 2 – filter (8) is located in the supply channel near air inlet (101); the air supply channel is provided with an ultraviolet lamp (41) and a harmful substance removal structure (photocatalyst catalytic member (4), wherein the ultraviolet lamp (41) is used to at least oxidize and decompose volatile compounds in air entering the air supply channel, and the harmful substance removal structure (4) is used to at least remove harmful substances generated during operation of the ultraviolet lamp (see claim 1; see English translation).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang discloses a support member (3, 31) provided in the air supply channel (see figure 2), wherein the UV lamp (41) is mounted at the support member (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 9, Zhang implicitly discloses a controller, wherein the UV lamps (41) are electrically connected to the controller and the controller is configured to control the working state of the UV lamps (see English translation, specifically passage entitled “Working principle”).
Regarding claim 12, Zhang discloses a photocatalytic structure (4) provided in the air supply channel (see figure 2); wherein the photocatalytic structure (4) is located within an irradiation range of the UV lamps (41) (see figure 2) and is configured to at least oxidize and decompose VOC’s in the air supply channel.
Regarding claim 17, Zhang discloses wherein: the harmful substance removal structure (4) includes an ozone catalytic structure (titanium dioxide photocatalyst – See English translation)) capable of being used for catalytic oxidation of ozone; and the harmful substance removal structure (4) is located between the ultraviolet lamp (41) and the air outlet (102) (see figure 2).
6. Claim(s) 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu (CN 207221696 U – English translation).
Regarding claim 1, Zhu teaches an air purification device (see figure 1) comprising: a housing (4) provided with an air inlet and an air outlet (10), an air supply channel (path from the inlet to outlet) being formed between the air inlet and the air outlet; a purification dust collection structure (filter 2,3) located in the air supply channel; an ultraviolet lamp (14) arranged in the air supply channel and configured to at least oxidize and decompose volatile compounds in air entering the air supply channel; and a harmful substance removal structure (photocatalyst filter plate (7)) arranged in the air supply channel and configured to at least remove harmful substances generated during operation of the ultraviolet lamp (14).
Regarding claim 2, Zhu discloses a support member (13) provided in the air supply channel; wherein the ultraviolet lamp (14) is mounted at the support member (13) (see figure 1; English translation).
Regarding claim 3, Zhu discloses wherein the support member includes a support cylinder (13) having two open ends (see figure 1), an inner cavity of the support cylinder is in communication (fluid communication) with the air inlet and the air outlet, and the ultraviolet lamp (14) is located inside the support cylinder (13) (see figure 1; English translation).
Regarding claim 4, Zhu discloses wherein: the ultraviolet lamp (14) is detachably connected to the support cylinder (13); the support cylinder (13) is located between the purification dust collection (2,3) structure and the air outlet (10), and the purification dust collection structure (2,3) is connected to the housing; and/or the support cylinder (13) is located between the purification dust collection (2,3) structure and the air outlet (10), the purification dust collection structure includes an end cover (1) at a top of the purification dust collection structure, and the support cylinder (13) is connected to the end cover (indirectly connected) (see figure 1; see English translation).
7. Claim(s) 1 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yuan (CN 2798949 Y – English translation).
Regarding claim 1, Yuan discloses an air purification device (see figure 2) comprising: a housing (shell having front (400) and back (500)) provided with an air inlet (502) and an air outlet (604), an air supply channel (path from the inlet to outlet) being formed between the air inlet and the air outlet; a purification dust collection structure (105) located in the air supply channel; an ultraviolet lamp (802) arranged in the air supply channel and configured to at least oxidize and decompose volatile compounds in air entering the air supply channel; and a harmful substance removal structure (200) arranged in the air supply channel and configured to at least remove harmful substances generated during operation of the ultraviolet lamp (802) (see English translation; figure 2).
Regarding claim 20, Yuan discloses wherein the housing (shell having front (400) and back (500)) includes a lower housing (space beneath 602) and an upper housing (112) located above the lower housing; the fan member (601) is provided in the upper housing; the purification dust collection (105) structure, the ultraviolet lamp (802), and the harmful substance removal structure (200) are located in the lower housing; at least part of the air inlet (502) is opened in a side wall of the lower housing; and at least part of the air outlet (604) is opened in the top of the upper housing (see figure 2; see English translation).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 5-8, 10-11, 16, and 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5, Zhang and Zhu fails to teach or suggest “wherein: a cylinder wall of the support cylinder is provided with an avoidance hole; the ultraviolet lamp extends into the support cylinder through the avoidance hole, and one end of the ultraviolet lamp passes through the avoidance hole and is connected to the support cylinder by a fastening structure; and the fastening structure includes a fixation base connected to the support cylinder, and the fixation base is connected to the one end of the ultraviolet lamp.”. Claims 6-77 are indicated as allowable by virtue of their dependency on claim 5.
Regarding claim 8, Zhang and Zhu do not teach or suggest “wherein: the support cylinder is connected to the end cover, a bottom of the support cylinder includes a first clamping member and the end cover includes a second clamping member, and the first clamping member and the second clamping member are in matched clamp-connection; and the first clamping member includes a fastening hook and a top edge of the end cover includes a flange, and the fastening hook clamps a bottom surface of the flange”, in the claimed environment.
Regarding claim 10, Zhang and Zhu fails to teach or suggest “a support cylinder provided in the air supply channel and having two open ends; wherein: an inner cavity of the support cylinder is in communication with the air inlet and the air outlet; the ultraviolet lamp is located inside the support cylinder, and the controller is located outside the support cylinder; and an outer wall of the support cylinder is provided with a containing groove, and the controller is located in the containing groove”. Claim 11 is indicated as allowable by virtue of being dependent from claim 10.
Regarding claim 16, Zhang and Zhu fails to teach or suggest “a support cylinder provided in the air supply channel and having two open ends, an inner cavity of the support cylinder being in communication with the air inlet and the air outlet; wherein: the ultraviolet lamp and at least part of the harmful substance removal structure are located in the support cylinder; and the support cylinder is provided with a support structure configured to support the harmful substance removal structure, the support structure including a support flange set along a circumference of an inner wall of the support cylinder; and/or an outer edge of the harmful substance removal structure is provided with a resilient sealing member for sealing a space between the harmful substance removal structure and the inner wall of the support cylinder.
Regarding claim 18, Zhang fails to teach or suggest wherein: the ozone catalytic structure includes a net-body and an ozone catalyst loaded on the net-body, the ozone catalyst being used for catalytic oxidation reaction with the ozone for removing the ozone; and the ozone catalyst at least includes manganese sulfate.
Regarding claim 19, Zhang fails to teach or suggest wherein: the purification dust collection structure includes at least a first filter and a second filter surrounding the first filter, the first filter and the second filter corresponding to different types of pollutants to be purified; and the types of pollutants include at least formaldehyde and dust.
9. Claims 13-15 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
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN E CONLEY whose telephone number is (571)272-8414. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 8:30am-4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mike Marcheschi can be reached on 571-272-1374. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEAN E CONLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799
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