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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which they depend. The recitations in claim 17-19 with respect to the characteristics of the liquid phase product do not impart any particular structural limitation to the system (apparatus) defined in claim 13. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Humphreys et al. (US 2018/0245001).
Regarding claims 13 and 17-19, the reference Humphreys et al. discloses a system for depolymerizing a polyethylene-based plastic (see Abstract; paras. [0206]; [0317]), the system comprising:
a solvent (see para. [0148]; [0177]; [0185]) and
a reactor configured to receive the polyethylene-based plastic and the solvent and convert the polyethylene-based plastic into a gas phase product, a solid phase product, and a liquid phase product (see para. [0151]; [0225]; [0254]);
wherein the reactor is configured to operate at a temperature greater than 275 °C and at a pressure greater than 2 megapascals (see para. [0233]).
Regarding claim 14, the reference Humphreys et al. discloses that the system further comprises a catalyst including HCl and H2SO4 (see paras. [0082]; [0205]).
Regarding claim 15, as no structural distinction is seen between the instantly claimed apparatus and the apparatus of Humphreys et al., the apparatus of Humphreys et al. is considered capable of performing the function recited in claim 15.
Regarding claim 16, as no structural distinction is seen between the instantly claimed apparatus and the apparatus of Humphreys et al., the apparatus of Humphreys et al. is considered capable of performing the function recited in claim 16.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lessanework T Seifu whose telephone number is (571)270-3153. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9:00 am - 6:30 pm; F 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Claire Wang can be reached at 571-270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LESSANEWORK SEIFU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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