DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the filter arrangement” is believed to be in error for --the at least one filter arrangement--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 9 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities: “the turbulence member” is believed to be in error for --the at least one turbulence member--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-14 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 “the turbulence channel tangentially opens into the turbulence chamber”. It is unclear from the claim whether one of the at least one turbulence channels opens into one of the at least one turbulence chambers, or whether multiple channels open into a single chamber, or some other combination of the one or more turbulence channels open into the one or more turbulence chambers, rendering the claim vague and indefinite.
Claims 2-14 are rejected based upon their dependence upon 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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rentsch 2020/0330704.
In regards to Independent Claim 1, Rentsch teaches a hollow-cone nozzle body (figure 2a) comprising: at least one nozzle geometry (17); at least one turbulence chamber (15); and at least one turbulence channel (16), wherein the turbulence channel tangentially opens into the turbulence chamber (as shown in figure 2b, and described as a tangential fluid inlet in the abstract), and wherein the at least one turbulence channel comprises at least one filter arrangement (filter 18 and 20 with holes 20).
Regarding Dependent Claim 2, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter arrangement is integrated into the hollow-cone nozzle body (18 and 20 are integral in component of figure 2a).
Regarding Dependent Claim 3, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter arrangement comprises at least one filter channel (filter channels 20).
Regarding Dependent Claim 4, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter channel has a first cross-sectional area (cross-sectional area of 20 shown in figure 2b) which is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the nozzle geometry (cross sectional area of 17 shown in figure 2b is significantly greater than the cross sectional area of 20).
Regarding Dependent Claim 5, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter arrangement comprises a third cross-sectional area which is arranged perpendicularly to a direction of flow (cross-sectional area of 18 along line a in figure 2a, where it is not claimed that the flow direction through the third cross-sectional area is perpendicular to the direction of flow), and wherein a width of the third cross-sectional area is a multiple of a height of the third cross-sectional area (18 comprises both a width and height, where the ratio is not claimed), where the width is arranged perpendicularly to the height (width along axis A is perpendicular to height along axis a for 18 in figure 2a).
Regarding Dependent Claim 6, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter arrangement (18 and 20) terminates with an upper boundary of the at least one turbulence channel (18 terminates going inwards at both an upper and lower outward boundary of 16 as shown in figure 2a).
Regarding Dependent Claim 8, Rentsch teaches that the at least one filter arrangement is produced using an injection molding method and/or a laser processing (laser etching, paragraph [0050]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 9, Rentsch teaches the at least one nozzle geometry, the at least one turbulence chamber, and the at least one turbulence channel are arranged so that fluid is directed through the at least one filter arrangement into the least one turbulence channel to be tangentially guided into the turbulence chamber (flow path through 16 shown tangential in figure 2b, where flow passes from 21 to 17, paragraph [0054]), whereby the fluid is set in rotation (flow through channels 16 is at an angle as shown in figure 2b in order to induce rotation of the flow in 15, described in paragraph [0050]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 10, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter channel comprises a plurality of filter channels (plurality of channels 20 shown in figures 2a and 2b) and the at least one nozzle geometry, the at least one turbulence chamber, and the at least one turbulence channel are arranged so that fluid is directed through the plurality of filter channels into the least one turbulence channel to be tangentially guided into the turbulence chamber (flow passes from 21 to 17, paragraph [0054]), whereby the fluid is set in rotation (flow through channels 16 is at an angle as shown in figure 2b in order to induce rotation of the flow in 15, described in paragraph [0050]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 11, Rentsch teaches the at least one turbulence channel is arranged so that the fluid directed through the plurality of filter channels converge into the at least one turbulence channel (flow through 20 converges into 16, paragraph [0054]).
Regarding Dependent Claim 12, Rentsch teaches that each of the plurality of filter channels has a first cross-sectional area (cross-sectional area of 20) that is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the nozzle geometry (area of 20 shown significantly smaller than area of 17 in figure 2b).
Regarding Dependent Claim 13, Rentsch teaches the at least one filter channel comprises a plurality of filter channels (20) and each of the plurality of filter channels has a smallest first cross-sectional area which is smaller than a smallest second cross-sectional area of the nozzle geometry (area of 20 shown significantly smaller than area of 17 in figure 2b).
Regarding Dependent Claim 14, Rentsch teaches that each of the plurality of filter channels (20) has a smallest first cross-sectional area that is smaller than a smallest second cross-sectional area of the nozzle geometry (area of 20 shown significantly smaller than area of 17 in figure 2b).
In regards to Independent Claim 1 and Dependent Claim 7, Rentsch teaches a hollow-cone nozzle body (figure 2a) comprising: at least one nozzle geometry (17); at least one turbulence chamber (15); and at least one turbulence channel (16 and 18), wherein the turbulence channel tangentially opens into the turbulence chamber (as shown in figure 2b and described as a tangential inlet in abstract), and wherein the at least one turbulence channel comprises at least one filter arrangement (filter holes 20), and wherein the at least one turbulence channel is wider in a region of the filter arrangement than in remaining regions of the at least one turbulence channel (18 adjacent to holes 20 is wider than 16 along the a axis shown in figure 2a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN M SUTHERLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-1902. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/STEVEN M SUTHERLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752