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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 1-10, 12-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0192040 A1 by Johansson, hereinafter “Johansson”.
Regarding claim 1, Johansson discloses a refiner plate (refiner plate 42 in Fig. 2; ¶[0026]), comprising:
at least one refining zone (see “Refining Zone” annotation to the lower half of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced below) including a first plurality of refining bars (refining bar ridges 62 in Fig. 2) and a plurality of grooves (refining bar grooves 60 in Fig. 2);
at least one groove of the plurality of grooves having a first width between adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars at an inlet of the at least one refining zone (see “First Width” annotation below) narrower than a second width along a remaining portion of the at least one groove (See “Second Width” annotation below. The First Width as annotated below is narrower than the Second Width.); and
at least one of the adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars having a widened portion in a circumferential direction of the refiner plate at an inlet portion of the at least one refining zone (see “Widened Portion” annotation below).
PNG
media_image1.png
544
1347
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 1 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the at least one of the adjacent refining bars has a third width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone (see “Third Width” annotation to the right-adjacent refining bar in the lower half of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced below) wider than a fourth width of a remaining portion of the at least one of the adjacent refining bars (see “Fourth Width” annotation below).
PNG
media_image2.png
544
1188
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 3, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 2 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a transition portion (see “Transition Portion” annotation to the lower half of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced below) configured to transition a width of the at least one adjacent refining bar between the third width of the at least one adjacent refining bar and the fourth width of the remaining portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar.
PNG
media_image3.png
497
1188
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 4, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 3 as explained above. Johansson further discloses at least one side of the at least one adjacent refiner bar has a transition portion comprising one of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. Both sides of the Transition Portion as annotated above are chamfered in the transition between the Third Width and Fourth Width.
Regarding claim 5, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 3 as explained above. Johansson further discloses both sides of the at least one adjacent refiner bar have a transition portion comprising one or a combination of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. Both sides of the Transition Portion as annotated above are chamfered in the transition between the Third Width and Fourth Width.
Regarding claim 6, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 3 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the transition portion comprises an extended widened portion in a radial direction and a chamfer on both sides of the at least one refining bar. The Transition Portion as annotated above has an extended widened portion in the radial direction and is chamfered on both sides.
Regarding claim 7, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 1 as explained above. Johansson further discloses at least part of the widened portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a ramp rising at an angle from a substrate towards a top of the at least one refining bar. See “Ramp” annotation to the lower portion of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced below.
PNG
media_image4.png
497
1141
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 8, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 1 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the at least one refining zone comprises a second plurality of refining bars (see “Second Plurality” annotation below), each refining bar of the second plurality of refining bars having a third width of the widened portion at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone (see “Third Width” annotation below) greater than a fourth width of the remaining portion of each of the second plurality of refining bars (see “Fourth Width” annotation below),
wherein the widened portion has a first width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone greater than a second width in the circumferential direction of the refiner plate of a remaining portion of the at least one refining bar (the annotated Third Width is a first width at the inlet portion of the Refining Zone which is greater than the annotated Fourth Width, as a second width, in the circumferential direction of refiner plate 54).
PNG
media_image5.png
519
1347
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 9, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 1 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone comprises a distributed refining zone inlet transition. The Refining Zone as annotated above has a Z-transition distributed refining zone as represented by the Z-shaped line annotation below.
PNG
media_image6.png
544
1188
media_image6.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 10, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 1 as explained above. Johansson further discloses widened portions of the first plurality of refining bars are staggered in a radial direction at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone such that adjacent refiner bars have different radial distances from an inner circumference of the refiner plate to inner ends of the adjacent refiner bars. The first three refining bars at the left of the Refining Zone are staggered in the radial direction from the remaining refining bars in the Refining Zone.
Regarding claim 12, Johansson discloses a refiner plate (¶[0025] discloses refiner 10 in Fig. 1 includes a number of refiner plates segments 42 arranged circumferentially around mounting surfaces 32 and 34 to form the refiner plates of the refiner), comprising:
a plurality of refiner plate segments, each refiner plate segment (42 in Figs. 1 and 2) having:
at least one refining zone including (see “Refining Zone” annotation to the lower half of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced in the rejection of claim 1 above) a first plurality of refining bars refining bar ridges 62 in Fig. 2) and a plurality of grooves (refining bar grooves 60 in Fig. 2);
at least one groove of the plurality of grooves having a first width between adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars at an inlet of the at least one refining zone (see “First Width” annotation above) narrower than a second width along a remaining portion of the at least one groove (See “Second Width” annotation above. The First Width as annotated below is narrower than the Second Width.); and
at least one of the adjacent refining bars of the first plurality of refining bars having a widened portion in a circumferential direction of the refiner plate at an inlet portion of the at least one refining zone (see “Widened Portion” annotation above).
Regarding claim 13, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 12 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the at least one of the adjacent refining bars has a third width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone (see “Third Width” annotation to the right-adjacent refining bar in the lower half of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced in the rejection of claim 2 above) wider than a fourth width of a remaining portion of the at least one of the adjacent refining bars (see “Fourth Width” annotation above).
Regarding claim 14, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 13 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a transition portion (see “Transition Portion” annotation to the lower half of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced in the rejection of claim 3 above) configured to transition a width of the at least one adjacent refining bar between the third width of the at least one adjacent refining bar and the fourth width of the remaining portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar.
Regarding claim 15, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 14 as explained above. Johansson further discloses at least one side of the at least one adjacent refiner bar has a transition portion comprising one of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. Both sides of the Transition Portion as annotated above are chamfered in the transition between the Third Width and Fourth Width.
Regarding claim 16, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 14 as explained above. Johansson further discloses both sides of the at least one adjacent refiner bar have a transition portion comprising one or a combination of a chamfer, a radius, or a step. Both sides of the Transition Portion as annotated above are chamfered in the transition between the Third Width and Fourth Width.
Regarding claim 17, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 14 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the transition portion comprises an extended widened portion in a radial direction and a chamfer on both sides of the at least one refining bar. The Transition Portion as annotated above has an extended widened portion in the radial direction and is chamfered on both sides.
Regarding claim 18, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 12 as explained above. Johansson further discloses at least part of the widened portion of the at least one adjacent refining bar comprises a ramp rising at an angle from a substrate towards a top of the at least one refining bar. See “Ramp” annotation to the lower portion of Fig. 2 of Johansson reproduced in the rejection of claim 7 above.
Regarding claim 19, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 12 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the at least one refining zone comprises a second plurality of refining bars (see “Second Plurality” annotation in the rejection of claim 8 above), each refining bar of the second plurality of refining bars having a third width of the widened portion at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone (see “Third Width” annotation above) greater than a fourth width of the remaining portion of each of the second plurality of refining bars (see “Fourth Width” annotation above),
wherein the widened portion has a first width at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone greater than a second width in the circumferential direction of the refiner plate of a remaining portion of the at least one refining bar (the annotated Third Width is a first width at the inlet portion of the Refining Zone which is greater than the annotated Fourth Width, as a second width, in the circumferential direction of refiner plate 54).
Regarding claim 20, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 19 as explained above. Johansson further discloses widened portions of the first plurality of refining bars are staggered in a radial direction at the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone such that adjacent refiner bars have different radial distances from an inner circumference of the refiner plate to inner ends of the adjacent refiner bars. The first three refining bars at the left of the Refining Zone are staggered in the radial direction from the remaining refining bars in the Refining Zone.
Regarding claim 21, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 12 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the inlet portion of the at least one refining zone comprises a distributed refining zone inlet transition. The Refining Zone as annotated above has a Z-transition distributed refining zone as represented by the Z-shaped line annotation in the rejection of claim 9 above.
Regarding claim 22, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 12 as explained above. Johansson further discloses the plurality of refiner plate segments form a ring or a cone. A plurality of refiner plate segment 42 in Fig. 2 are circumferentially arranged as shown in Fig. 1 to form a ring.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Johansson.
Regarding claim 11, Johansson anticipates the refiner plate of claim 1 as explained above. But Johansson discloses the refiner plate of refiner 10 shown in Fig. 1 is made up of several refiner plate segments 42 as shown in Fig. 2 and thus does not disclose a one-piece ring. However, constructing the ring as a one-piece ring instead of a multi-piece ring is merely a matter of obvious engineering design choice. See M.P.E.P. 2144.04,V,B.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0151648 A1 by Vuorio et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL DEREK PRESSLEY whose telephone number is (313)446-6658. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am to 3:30pm Eastern.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Templeton can be reached at (571) 270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/P.D.P./ Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/Christopher L Templeton/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3725
Prosecution Insights