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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because of undue length. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brooks et al. (GB 1228495 A).
Regarding claim 1, Brooks et al. discloses a high impact polystyrene reactor system, comprising: a first continuously stirred tank reactor (C) including: an inlet configured to receive (i) at least one vinyl aromatic monomer, (ii) an elastomer, and (iii) a free radical initiator; and an outlet configured to convey a first reactor effluent; a second continuously stirred tank reactor (F) including: an inlet in fluid communication with the first continuously stirred tank reactor outlet (E) and configured to receive (i) a portion of the first reactor effluent from the first continuously stirred tank reactor (C), (ii) at least one vinyl aromatic monomer, (iii) an elastomer, and (iv) a free radical initiator; and an outlet (G) configured to convey a portion of a second reactor effluent comprising high impact polystyrene; and a conduit (H) for establishing a recirculation stream between the second reactor and the first reactor, wherein the recirculation stream comprises another portion of the second reactor effluent (see figure 1 and page 3, lines 63-120), since the use of the apparatus isn't limiting or the material the apparatus acts upon isn't limiting.
Regarding claims 3 and 5-9, Brooks et al. discloses a reactor system wherein the first continuously stirred tank reactor (C) is arranged vertically with the inlet at the top and the outlet at the bottom; wherein the recirculation stream (H) from the second continuously stirred tank reactor (F) is conveyed to the first continuously stirred tank reactor (C) at a rate ranging from about 0.1% of a volume of the second continuously stirred tank reactor (F) per minute to about 20% of a volume of the second continuously stirred tank reactor (F) per minute; wherein the high impact polystyrene has a rubber particle size of from about 1 micron to about 10 microns; wherein the high impact polystyrene has a rubber particle size distribution of less than about 1.5; wherein the high impact polystyrene has occlusions ranging in size from about 0.1 microns to about 2 microns; and further comprising one or more additional linear flow reactors (L, N) for receiving at least a portion of the second reactor effluent (see figure 1 and page 3, lines 63-120), since the use of the apparatus isn't limiting or the material the apparatus acts upon isn't limiting.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 are 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 3-4, Brooks et al. fails to disclose or suggest a reactor system wherein the vinyl aromatic monomer is a styrene, a substituted styrene, an unsubstituted styrene or any combination thereof; and wherein the elastomer is a polymer of butadiene.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA E YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-3163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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NATASHA E. YOUNG
Examiner
Art Unit 1774
/NATASHA E YOUNG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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