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 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) 24-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Muraoka (US 20050227071 A1) as submitted on Applicant's Information Disclosure Statement filed 17 June 2024.
In regards to claim(s) 24, the instant claim is drawn to an electrochemical system; the claim comprises a list of structures and therefore is an apparatus-type claim. Muraoka discloses an electrochemical system (Fig. 2), comprising: a first electrode comprising a first conductive substrate (C electrode #1; Fig. 2) and a redox species immobilized (Fc/Fc+) to the first conductive substrate; and a second electrode comprising a second conductive substrate (C electrode #2; Fig. 2). Muraoka discloses the specific chemical interaction is activated by a Faradaic/redox reaction (Fig. 2; electrodes charge, immobilized Fc+ interacts with anion). In regards to functional language or intended use limitations (“wherein the redox species is selective toward a target functional group of a biomolecule based on a specific chemical interaction between the redox species and the target functional group”), such language only limits the claim by the structures or arrangements of structures that are necessary to perform the functional language or intended use. See MPEP 2112.01 I & 2114. In the instant case, Muraoka discloses immobilized ferricenium interacts with carboxylates ([0144]), a target functional group of a biomolecule.
In regards to claim(s) 25, the instant claim is drawn to an electrochemical system; the claim comprises a list of structures and therefore is an apparatus-type claim. Muraoka discloses an electrochemical system (Fig. 2), comprising: a first electrode comprising a first conductive substrate (C electrode #2; Fig. 2) and a redox species immobilized (Fc+/Fc) to the first conductive substrate; and a second electrode comprising a second conductive substrate (C electrode #1; Fig. 2). Muraoka discloses the specific chemical interaction is activated by a Faradaic/redox reaction (Fig. 2; electrodes charge, immobilized Fc interacts with cation). In regards to functional language or intended use limitations (“wherein the redox species is selective toward a target species based on a specific chemical interaction between the redox species and the target species, and wherein the target species comprises a transition metal and/or a heavy metal”), such language only limits the claim by the structures or arrangements of structures that are necessary to perform the functional language or intended use. See MPEP 2112.01 I & 2114. In the instant case, Muraoka discloses removal of metal ions or metal-containing cations from aqueous solution is a preferred application ([0032]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 23 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: In regards to claim(s) 23, prior art does not disclose, teach or suggest an electrochemical system, comprising: a first electrode comprising a first conductive substrate and a first redox species immobilized to the first conductive substrate; and a second electrode comprising a second conductive substrate and a second redox species immobilized to the second conductive substrate, wherein the first redox species is selective toward a target functional group of a target molecule based on a specific chemical interaction between the first redox species and the target functional group, wherein the specific chemical interaction is activated by a Faradaic/redox reaction, and wherein the first redox species and the second redox species have different charges and different chemical identities. The closest prior art is Muraoka (see Fig. 2), which discloses an electrochemical system with first and second redox species immobilized on each electrode. However, there is no suggestion in the prior art to make the first and second redox species having different chemical identities.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS A SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-8760. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30am-3:30pm.
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/NICHOLAS A SMITH/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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