DETAILED ACTION
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 1-15 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 1, “main component” is unclear and indefinite. It is unclear what it means for something to be the “main component”. It is unclear if it means it is the most important component, the component there is the most of, or something else.
Claims 2-15 are rejected for depending from an indefinite 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.
Claims 1-3, 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Berner USPN 5,230,719.
Regarding claim 1, Berner discloses a split reducible dehumidifier (Title; column 4, lines 4-15; figure 1; since the dehumidifier is made up of multiple parts, it is deemed to be split and reducible), comprising a hygroscopic ingot (figure 1: 38; desiccant matrix; column 3, lines 57 – column 4, line 15) and a hot air supply unit arranged thereon respectively (figures: heater 26), wherein the hygroscopic ingot comprises a hygroscopic ingot body, which is an ingot-shaped structure made of porous hygroscopic materials as the main component (column 2, lines 18-24: silicone gel is porous and hygroscopic and can be considered the main component since it is the component that captures the moisture), thus forming the hygroscopic ingot that does not require a shell to accommodate hygroscopic materials (the matrix could operate without a shell; therefore, this limitation is met), wherein the hygroscopic ingot body has a plurality of channels distributed inside the hygroscopic ingot body that are formed integrally by the porous hygroscopic material (column 4, lines 4-15), to form multiple ventilation paths without air ducts (column 4, lines 4-15: the ventilation paths through the corrugated material exist regardless of the existence of air ducts), wherein the hot air supply unit has an air outlet disposed thereon and corresponding to the channels of the hygroscopic ingot (see figure 1), wherein the hygroscopic ingot is correspondingly installed at the air outlet of the hot air supply unit in a detachable movable coupling manner (column 4, lines 4-15), wherein a hot airflow generated by the hot air supply unit enters the channels of the hygroscopic ingot body through the air outlet (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 2, since “rough” is a relative term, the hygroscopic ingot body of Berner can be considered rough as compared to some other hypothetical body.
Regarding claims 3 and 7, Berner discloses that the hygroscopic ingot comprises an upper base combined with an upper end of the hygroscopic ingot body, wherein the upper base has at least one exhaust hole arranged thereon (figure 1: right side with exhaust 22).
Regarding claim 15, the hygroscopic ingot body is deemed to be capable of being covered with a breathable fabric material (see figure 1); therefore, the limitation is met.
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.
Claims 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Berner USPN 5,230,719.
Berner is relied upon as above.
Regarding claims 11-14, Berner discloses that the hygroscopic ingot comprises a lower base combined with a lower end of the hygroscopic ingot body (figure 1: left side of dehumidifier), wherein the lower base has at least one air inlet arranged thereon (inlet 20), wherein the lower base has an air chamber, and the air chamber is communicated with the air inlet (figure 1: cavity at 8).
Berner does not disclose that the air chamber is formed by a concave cavity structure. Nevertheless, absent persuasive evidence that the particular shape is significant, it is deemed to be an obvious matter of design choice. MPEP 2144.04 (IV-B).
Claims 4-6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Berner USPN 5,230,719 in view of Rhodes USPN 4,654,057.
Berner is relied upon as above.
Regarding claims 4, 5, 8 and 9, Berner does not disclose that the hygroscopic ingot comprises a humidity sensing component arranged on the upper base, wherein the humidity sensing component is a moisture-absorbing color-changing component. Rhodes discloses the inclusion of a moisture-absorbing color-changing component within a dehumidifier (see Rhodes column 3, lines 30-43). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify Berner to include a humidity sensing component, wherein the humidity sensing component is a moisture-absorbing color-changing component, as disclosed by Rhodes, for the purpose of indicating when the desiccant is saturated. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have the indicator arranged on the upper base, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.04 (VI-C).
Regarding claims 6 and 10, Berner discloses that the hygroscopic ingot comprises a lower base combined with a lower end of the hygroscopic ingot body, wherein the lower base has at least one air inlet arranged thereon (figure 1: left side of dehumidifier with inlet 20).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER P JONES whose telephone number is (571)270-7383. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM EST M-F.
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, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at (571)270-7872. 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.
/CHRISTOPHER P JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776