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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1-11 and 13-20 are rejected.
Claim 12 has been withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species A, as shown in Fig. 1, in the reply filed on April 22, 2026, is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that all the species are related that a search for one species would encompass all the species. This is not found persuasive because there is a serious search and/or examination burden for the patentably distinct species as set forth above because at least the following reason(s) apply: the species require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search queries); and/or the prior art applicable to one species would not likely be applicable to another species. Applicant indicated that claims 1-20 are readable on the elected species; however, claim 12 is directed to Species B, as shown in Fig. 3, which was non-elected. Therefore, claim 12 has been withdrawn from further consideration because it is drawn to a non-elected species.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim 3 is 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 3 recites the limitation "the LED light source" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dhiman et al. (US 2019/0225509) [hereinafter Dhiman].
With respect to claim 1, Dhiman discloses a water treatment cartridge (apparatus), as shown in Fig. 5, having: a first exterior end 14 (head portion) including: a fluid inlet 22 (inlet conduit) that is configured to receive fluid entering the apparatus at an inlet and convey the fluid away from the inlet along an inlet direction of the inlet conduit 22, as shown in Fig. 6; and a fluid outlet 24 (outlet conduit) that is configured to convey the fluid along an outlet direction of the outlet conduit 24 toward an outlet, as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the inlet direction and the outlet direction are co-linear, as shown in Fig. 6; a housing 12 (reactor vessel) coupled to the head portion 14, as shown in Fig. 6, the reactor vessel 12 including: a sidewall 20 (outer vessel), as shown in Fig. 6; an interior housing 28 (inner vessel) housed within the outer vessel 20, as shown in Fig. 6; and a space 44 (outer volume) formed between the inner vessel 28 and the outer vessel 20 and defining a flow path which receives the fluid at a position downstream of the inlet conduit 22 and upstream of the outlet conduit 24, as shown in Fig. 6, and is configured to convey the fluid along a first direction toward an inlet of the inner vessel 28, as shown in Fig. 7 (see paragraph 0041), wherein the fluid then flows within the inner vessel 28 along a second direction that is transverse to the inlet direction and the outlet direction, as shown in Fig. 7 (see paragraph 0041); an UVLED housing 58 (LED light source unit) configured to emit UV radiation into the inner vessel 28, as shown in Fig. 8, wherein the LED light source unit 58 is arranged so at least a portion of the LED light source unit 58 is immersed in fluid flowing in the apparatus so that the fluid cools the LED light source unit 58 (see paragraph 0040); and an adapter unit 30, 58, that (i) is positioned between the reactor vessel 12 and the head portion 14; (ii) is configured to removably attach to the head portion 14, as shown in Fig. 6; and (iii) is configured to removably attach to the reactor vessel 12, as shown in Fig. 6.
With respect to claim 2, Dhiman discloses wherein the LED light source unit 58 is configured to emit UV radiation into the inner vessel in a direction aligned with the second direction, as shown in Fig. 7.
With respect to claim 3, Dhiman discloses wherein the LED light source unit 58 is positioned such that the fluid contacts a front side of the LED light source 38, through which the UV radiation is emitted, and a back side of the LED light source, opposite of the front side (see paragraph 0043).
With respect to claim 4, Dhiman discloses a flow diffuser 74 in the reactor vessel 12 that is configured to receive fluid from the outer volume 44 and distribute the fluid in the second direction, across a cross-section of the inner vessel 28, as shown in Fig. 8 (see paragraph 0041).
With respect to claim 5, Dhiman discloses wherein the flow diffuser 74 is arranged so that UV radiation emitted from the LED light source unit impinges on the flow diffuser 74, and the flow diffuser 74 is configured to prevent substantially all of impinging UV radiation from escaping the inner vessel 28, as shown in Fig. 7.
With respect to claim 6, Dhiman discloses wherein the flow diffuser 74 has a thickness dimension in the second direction, and is configured so that fluid cannot flow in a straight line through the flow diffuser 74 in the second direction, as shown in Fig. 8.
With respect to claim 7, Dhiman discloses wherein the flow diffuser 74 is configured so that the fluid flows within the flow diffuser 74 along tortuous flow paths (see paragraph 0041).
With respect to claim 8, Dhiman discloses wherein the outer vessel 20 is composed of plastic (see paragraph 0027).
With respect to claim 9, Dhiman discloses wherein the inner vessel 28 is configured to reflect the UV radiation emitted by the LED light source unit (see paragraphs 0023- 0024).
With respect to claim 10, Dhiman discloses wherein the inner vessel 28 is composed of a UV transparent material and includes a reflective layer between the inner vessel 28 and the outer volume 44 (see paragraphs 0025, 0032-0033).
With respect to claim 11, Dhiman discloses wherein the inlet of the inner vessel 28 is positioned at a distal side of the inner vessel 28 with respect to the head portion 14, as shown in Figs. 6-7, and the LED light source unit 58 is positioned at a proximal side of the reactor vessel 12 with respect to the head portion 14 and is configured to emit the UV radiation in a direction that is opposite to the second direction, as shown in Fig. 7.
With respect to claim 13, Dhiman discloses wherein the adapter unit 30, 58, includes electrical wiring 72 for powering the LED light source unit, as shown in Fig. 6 and 11 (see paragraph 0040).
With respect to claim 14, Dhiman discloses wherein the head portion 14 is configured to be coupled in-line to a straight pipe such that the inlet conduit 22 can be coupled to a first portion of the straight pipe and the outlet conduit 24 can be coupled to a second portion of the straight pipe (see paragraphs 0053-0054).
With respect to claim 15, Dhiman discloses a water treatment cartridge (apparatus), as shown in Fig. 5, having: a reactor vessel 12 through which a fluid flows and is treated with a UV radiation, as shown in Fig. 6; (ii) an LED light source unit 38 configured to emit the UV radiation into the reactor vessel 12, as shown in Figs. 7-8; and (iii) an adapter unit 30, 58, having (i) a first connection portion 30 by which the adapter unit 30, 58, can be removably attached to a head portion 14 that has an inlet conduit 22 and an outlet conduit 24 that extend in the same lengthwise direction, as shown in Fig. 6, the inlet conduit 22 and outlet conduit 24 being attachable to piping that conveys the fluid (see paragraphs 0053-0054), and (ii) a second connection portion 58 by which the adapter unit 30, 58, can be removably attached to the reactor vessel 12, wherein the adapter unit 30, 58, is configured to form a continuous fluid conduit with the head portion 14 and reactor vessel 12 when attached thereto so that a flow path of the fluid enters the head portion 14 at the inlet conduit 22 of the head portion 14, is then directed to flow into the adapter unit 30, 58, is then directed to flow through the reactor vessel 12 in a direction that is transverse to the lengthwise direction of the inlet conduit 22 and the outlet conduit 24 of the head portion 14, and is then directed to flow through the outlet conduit 24 of the head portion 14, as shown in Figs. 6-7 (see paragraph 0040-0041).
With respect to claim 16, Dhiman discloses wherein the LED light source unit 38 is mounted on the adapter unit 30, 58, as shown in Fig. 6.
With respect to claim 17, Dhiman discloses wherein the adapter 30, 58, includes wiring 72 to supply power to the LED light source unit 38, as shown in Fig. 7 (see paragraph 0040).
With respect to claim 18, Dhiman discloses wherein the LED light source unit 38 is positioned such that the fluid contacts a front side of the LED light source 38, through which the UV radiation is emitted, and a back side of the LED light source 38, opposite of the front side (see paragraph 0043).
With respect to claim 20, Dhiman discloses wherein the reactor vessel 12 includes: an outer vessel 20, as shown in Fig. 6; an inner vessel 28 housed within the outer vessel 20, as shown in Fig. 6; and an outer volume 44 formed between the inner vessel 28 and the outer vessel 20 and defining a flow path which receives the fluid at a position downstream of the inlet conduit 22 and upstream of the outlet conduit 24, as shown in Fig. 6, and is configured to convey the fluid along a first direction toward an inlet of the inner vessel 28, as shown in Fig. 7, wherein the fluid then flows within the inner vessel 28 along a second direction that is transverse to the inlet direction and the outlet direction, as shown in Fig, 7; and wherein the LED light source unit 38 is configured to emit UV radiation into the inner vessel 28, as shown in Fig. 7, and the LED light source unit 38 is arranged so (i) at least a portion of the LED light source unit 38 is immersed in fluid flowing in the apparatus so that the fluid cools the LED light source unit (see paragraph 0040) and (ii) UV radiation is primarily emitted into the inner vessel 28 in a direction aligned with the second direction, as shown in Fig. 7.
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.
Claim(s) 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dhiman (US 2019/0225509) in view of Sasges et al. (US 2024/0308880) [hereinafter Sasges].
With respect to claim 19, Dhiman lacks wherein the adapter unit includes a flow sensor.
Sasges discloses a fluid treatment system 1, as shown in Fig. 1, having a controller 133, as shown in Fig. 1C, receiving sensor data, including flow rate, to calculate or determine values of relevant input/output parameters (see paragraphs 0075- 0076). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the apparatus disclosed by Dhiman with a flow sensor, as taught by Sasges, in order to monitor flow data to calculate or determine values of relevant input/output parameters (see paragraphs 0075- 0076).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5502. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lebron can be reached at 571-272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MADELINE GONZALEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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