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.
Claims 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pellegrin et al US 2017/0136406 (hereafter Pellegrin).
Regarding claim 21, Pellegrin teaches a pulsed absorption contactor (Figs 1, 10-20, and 22-25) system comprising:
a vessel (1320 in Fig 10A; vessels shown in Figs 1, 10-20, and 22-25) having an inlet end (top end) and an outlet end (bottom end), the vessel comprising:
at least one gas inlet (1331 in Fig 10; where Figs 1, 11-20, and 22-25 have a similar gas inlet) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input gas stream (1330) into the vessel (¶86);
at least one gas outlet (32 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output gas stream (30) and direct the output gas stream out of the vessel (¶32; where Figs 10-20 and 22-25 have a similar gas outlet);
at least one liquid inlet (1351) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input liquid stream (1350) into the vessel (¶89; where Figs 1, 11-20, and 22-25 have a similar liquid inlet); and
at least one liquid outlet (57 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output liquid stream (55) and direct the output liquid stream out of the vessel (¶71; where Figs 10-20 and 22-25 have a similar gas outlet); and
a pulse generator system configured to induce a fluctuation in at least one of the input gas stream and the input liquid stream (¶93; where Figs 11-20 and 22-25 have similar pulse generator systems),
wherein the pulse generator system comprises at least one passive pulser arranged at an upstream position relative to a respective inlet of the at least one liquid inlet and the at least one gas inlet and configured to induce the fluctuation, and wherein the at least one passive pulser comprises a controlled volume (¶93, certain flow rates).
Regarding claim 22, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 21. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the at least one pulser comprises a first passive pulser (liquid flow rate, ¶93, 105-117) arranged at an upstream position relative to the at least one liquid inlet and a second passive pulser (gas flow rate, ¶93) arranged at an upstream position relative to the at least one gas inlet.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kovachki et al. WO2015127518 published 3 Sep. 2025 (hereafter Kovachki) in further view of Lipkens et al. US 2019/0191252 (hereafter Lipkens).
Regarding claim 24, Kovachki teaches a pulsed absorption contactor (Fig 1) system comprising:
a vessel (8) having an inlet end (left end) and an outlet end (right end), the vessel comprising:
at least one gas inlet (inlet to plates 2) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input gas stream (1) into the vessel;
at least one gas outlet (upper section of 10 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output gas stream (1) and direct the output gas stream out of the vessel;
at least one liquid inlet (4) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input liquid stream (5) into the vessel; and
at least one liquid outlet (slurry outlet; lower section of 10 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output liquid stream (9) and direct the output liquid stream out of the vessel; and
a pulse generator system configured to induce a fluctuation in at least one of the input gas stream, the input liquid stream, or a combination of the input gas stream and the input liquid stream (page 4, acoustic emission).
Kovachki does not teach wherein the pulse generator system comprises: a pulse generator; and at least one pulser arranged in communication with the pulse generator and configured to receive a signal therefrom, the at least one pulser arranged within the interior of the vessel and configured to generate a pressure wave within the interior of the vessel based on the received signal.
Lipkens teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises: a pulse generator; and at least one pulser arranged in communication with the pulse generator and configured to receive a signal therefrom, the at least one pulser arranged within the interior of the vessel and configured to generate a pressure wave within the interior of the vessel based on the received signal in order to control the fluctuation (¶9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pulse generator system (page 4) of Kovachki by in corporation of a pulse generator; and at least one pulser arranged in communication with the pulse generator and configured to receive a signal therefrom, the at least one pulser arranged within the interior of the vessel and configured to generate a pressure wave within the interior of the vessel based on the received signal in order to control the fluctuation (¶9).
Regarding claim 25, Kovachki in view of Lipkens teaches all the limitations of claim 24. Kovachki further teaches wherein the pulse generator system further comprises at least one additional pulser arranged on an exterior of the vessel (page 7, Example 1, pulsator before entry into absorber).
Regarding claim 26, Kovachki in view of Lipkens teaches all the limitations of claim 24. Kovachki further teaches wherein the at least one pulser is an acoustic wave generator or a vibration generator (page 4).
Regarding claim 27, Kovachki in view of Lipkens teaches all the limitations of claim 24. Kovachki further teaches a set of packing elements arranged within the vessel, wherein the set of packing elements are arranged as at least one of screens and meshes arranged within the vessel (10 in Fig 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 are allowed.
Regarding claim 1, the closest prior art is Pellegrin US 2017/0136406 and Kovachki WO2015127518.
Pellegrin teaches a pulsed absorption contactor system comprising a vessel, at least one gas inlet, at least one gas outlet, at least one liquid inlet, at least one liquid outlet, and a pulse generator system.
Kovachki teaches a pulsed absorption contactor system comprising a vessel, at least one gas inlet, at least one gas outlet, at least one liquid inlet, at least one liquid outlet, and a pulse generator system.
The prior art does not teach the pulse generator system as claimed including the wherein the pulse generator system comprises: an electronic controller; and at least one electronically controlled pulser configured to induce the fluctuation based on an electronic signal received from the electronic controller, wherein the at least one electronically controlled pulser comprises an electromagnetic solenoid.
Claims 2-13 depend upon claim 1.
Claim 23 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 23, the closest prior art is Pellegrin US 2017/0136406 which teaches a pulsed absorption contactor system comprising a vessel comprising at least one gas inlet, at least one gas outlet, at least one liquid inlet, at least one liquid outlet, and a pulse generator system wherein the pulse generator system comprises at least one passive pulser arranged at an upstream position relative to a respective inlet of the at least one liquid inlet and the at least one gas inlet and configured to induce the fluctuation, and wherein the at least one passive pulser comprises a controlled volume. The prior art does not teach wherein the pulse generator system further comprises: an electronic controller; and at least one electronically controlled pulser configured to induce a fluctuation in at least one of the input gas stream, the input liquid stream, or a combination of the input gas stream and the input liquid stream based on an electronic signal received from the electronic controller.
Response to Arguments
The following is a response to Applicant’s arguments filed 7 Apr. 2026:
Applicant argues that the claim amendments to claim 1 overcome the prior art rejections.
Examiner agrees and the rejections are withdrawn.
Applicant argues that new independent claims 21 and 24 are allowable.
Examiner disagrees, as detailed in the rejection above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/STEPHEN HOBSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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