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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/17/2025 has been entered.
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 83 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 83 recites “a plurality of axially oriented bars”. Claim 81, from which Claim 83 depends, recites “cylindrical framework comprising bars”. It is unclear if the two recitations of “bars” are referring to the same bars, or two different sets of bars.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment to Claims 49 and 81 is supported by at least Figure 7A.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 10/17/2025, with respect to the rejection of Claims 49 and 81 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of Claims 49, 81 and their dependents has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendment to further define the structure of the “cage” in Claims 49 and 81 is sufficient to overcome the disclosure of Wooding.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 49-55,68-69,81-82, 84-89 and 127-128 are allowed.
Claim 83 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art does not teach or obviate the limitations of Claims 49 or 81.
Claims 49 and 81 require at least a wheel for making mineral wool or metal wool with specific structures including a cylindrical shell; the inner surface of the shell having a helical groove; a cavity within the shell in fluid communication with an inlet and outlet; a cylindrical cage mage from a cylindrical framework comprising bars and apertures between the bars.
The prior art teaches wheels for making mineral wool having a cylindrical shell (US6128929 (Figure 1-2); US4668267 (Figure 2a); US4468931 (Figure 1); US3331668 (Figure 1)); helical grooves within a shell (US1406991 (Figure 1); US1258055 (Figure 1); US1116196 (Figure 1); US666477 (Figure 1)); and cages made from bars within a cylindrical shell (US4538360 (Figure 1); US4155177 (Figure 1)). The prior art fails to teach or, in combination, obviate all of these features in a single device along with the other mutually exclusive structural requirements of Claims 49 or 81.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael W Hotchkiss whose telephone number is (571)272-3854. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 0800-1600.
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, Sunil K Singh can be reached at 571-272-3460. 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.
/MICHAEL W HOTCHKISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726