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 .
It appears the inventor(s) filed the current application pro se (i.e., without the benefit of representation by a registered patent practitioner). While inventors named as applicants in a patent application may prosecute the application pro se, lack of familiarity with patent examination practice and procedure may result in missed opportunities in obtaining optimal protection for the invention disclosed. The inventor(s) may wish to secure the services of a registered patent practitioner to prosecute the application, because the value of a patent is largely dependent upon skilled preparation and prosecution. The Office cannot aid in selecting a patent practitioner.
A listing of registered patent practitioners is available at https://oedci.uspto.gov/OEDCI/. Applicants may also obtain a list of registered patent practitioners located in their area by writing to Mail Stop OED, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Claim Interpretation
The term “w/ c.o.d.” is interpreted as meaning “with compressed oxygen diffusion.” Applicant should amend claim 1 such that it first recites the non-abbreviated form (i.e., “with compressed oxygen diffusion”) in order to ensure clarity of the subject matter applicant wishes to protect.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-9 are objected to for the following reasons:
Claims 1-9 do not end with terminal punctuation (i.e., a period). Applicant should remove the semi-colon at the end of the final line of each claim and replace it with a period.
Claim 1 recites “box filter w/ c.o.d. injection” without first clearly reciting what the abbreviated terms mean. For examination purposes, the line 1 of claim 1 will be considered to recite “box filter with compressed oxygen diffusion (w/ c.o.d.) injection.” Appropriate action required.
Claims 2-9 objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 2-9 each recite in line 1 of the respective claims “The apparatus of claim 1.” Applicant does not explicitly recite an apparatus in claim 1. For examination purposes, lines 1-3 of claim 1 will be considered to recite “An apparatus configured with a[[A]] cycleless biological trapping box filter with compressed oxygen diffusion (w/ c.o.d.) injection and cyclonic high flow bioskimmer that provides purification and circulation to [[the]] water within any aquarium, pond, stream, tank, sump, or main tank/habitat chamber containment area and comprised of:….” If amended as indicated above, the objections to claims 2-9 described in this paragraph will be overcome and rendered moot.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-10 are 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.
Note: All line numbers recited in this office action refer to the actual line number of the claim, not the line number of the page.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the water" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]] water.”
Claim 1 is considered vague and indefinite as it recites that the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection is “available” to install and hang on, or free stand in, or hang onto and stand in simultaneously. It is unclear what is meant by this term. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite that the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection is “configured” to install and hang on, or free stand in, or hang onto and stand in simultaneously.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the unit’s inner workings" in line 7 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “ of the filter box w/ c.o.d. injection.”
Throughout claim 1 starting with line 8, applicant recites “said box filter w/ c.o.d.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “said box filter with c.o.d. injection” in each instance to be consistent with line 1 of the claim and avoid ambiguity.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the tank wall separator” in line 8 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a tank wall separator.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the inner side” in line 9 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]an inner side.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "a rear mounting and bracketed section that straddles just the opposite” in line 12 of the claim. It is unclear what is being opposed? Just the opposite of what? For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite ”a rear mounting and bracketed section that straddles an opposite side of any tank rim, edge or lip.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the main pump head pipe connection” in lines 19-20 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a main pump head pipe connection.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the pump head mounting port” in line 20 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a pump head mounting port.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the box filter w/ c.o.d. box bottom” in lines 20-22 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “a box bottom of the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection[[box bottom]].”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the main out flow port” in lines 20-22 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a main out flow port.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "that same main pipe run” in line 24. It is unclear to which pipe run applicant is referring since no main pipe run has been recited in claim 1. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite ”a main pipe run.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the internal cyclonic soak feeder chamber” in line 24 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]an internal cyclonic soak feeder chamber.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the wet/dry trickle filter system” in line 27 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a wet/dry trickle filter system.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the second pump head” in line 27 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a second pump head of the dual head pump.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the front supply-in port” in lines 27-28 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a front supply-in port.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the front face of the cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter” in lines 28-29 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a front fact of [[the]]a cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the wet/dry trickle filter” in line 29 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the wet/dry trickle filter system.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the venturi side” in line 30 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a venturi side.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the dual head system pump” in line 30 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the dual head
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the protein bioskimmer with cup” in line 31 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a protein bioskimmer with a cup.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the system water” in line 32 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a flow of
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the lower c.o.d. diffuser compression cups” in line 33 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]] lower chemical oxygen diffusion (c.o.d.) diffuser compression cups.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the main habitat containment chamber water column” in line 34 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a main habitat containment chamber water column.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the c.o.d.” in line 35 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]] chemical oxygen diffusion (c.o.d.).”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the main tank/habitat chamber containment area side” in line 35 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]a main tank/habitat chamber containment area side.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the internal dual head system pump with venturi” in line 38 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the internal filter system dual head [[system]] pump with venturi valve.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the array of top surface skimming slots” in line 40 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the sequence of top surface skimming slots.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the sponge media pre-filter topped off with a second carbon media pre-filter” in line 41 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a sponge media pre-filter topped off with a second carbon media pre-filter to form a pair of pre-filters.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the front top surface skimming slots” in line 42 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the extension deep pull pipe’s inflow slots” in line 43 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]inflow slots of an extension deep pull pipe
Claim 1 is considered vague and indefinite because in line 43 it recites “where it joins up with any in-coming flow.” It is unclear to what “it” refers. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “where [[it]]the water joins up with any in-coming flow.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the extension deep pull pipe strainer” in lines 43-44 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]an extension deep pull pipe strainer.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the supply-in of the dual head system pump with venturi” in lines 44-45 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a water supply-in of the internal filter system dual head system pump with venturi valve.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the non-venturi pump head outlet side” in line 46 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a non-venturi pump head outlet side.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the unprocessed water flow” in lines 46-47 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]an unprocessed water flow.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the biomedia substrate containment drip tray” in line 47 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a biomedia substrate containment drip tray.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the wet/dry carbon media pre-filter” in line 49 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a wet/dry carbon media pre-filter.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the wet/dry trickle drip tray” in lines 49-50 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a wet/dry trickle drip tray.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the wet/dry water trickle drip tray” in line 50 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the wet/dry [[water]] trickle drip tray.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the chosen biotower” in line 51 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]]a chosen biotower.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the rear box bottom floor drains” in line 52 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “[[the]] rear box bottom floor drains.”
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the system flow” in line 55 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite “the water
Claims 2-10 each recite in line 1 "the layout” in line 1 of the respective claims. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claims will be considered to recite “[[the]]a layout.”
Similar to claim 1, claims 2-10 are replete with limitations which lack proper antecedent basis, contain juxtaposed element recitations and/or vague and indefinite terms, have subject matter cited in parentheses which renders the scope of the claims unclear and in some instances contain limitations which are narrative in form.
Since claim 1 would be allowable if amended as interpreted by the examiner and in view of applicant’s status as a pro se applicant, the examiner has provided below a set of suggested claims which the examiner believes are patentable over the prior art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following claims, drafted by the examiner and considered to distinguish patentably over the art of record in this application, are presented to applicant for consideration:
1. An apparatus configured with a [[A]] cycleless biological trapping box filter with compressed oxygen diffusion (w/ c.o.d.) injection and cyclonic high flow bioskimmer that provides purification and circulation to [[the]] water within any aquarium, pond, stream, tank, sump, or main tank/habitat chamber containment area and comprised of:
A box filter w/ c.o.d. injection that is [[available]]configured to install and hang on, or free stand in, or hang onto and stand in simultaneously, in/on any existing tank, tank rim, pond bottom, pond edge, or sump bottom and/or lip;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a window or clear port to allow for viewing of of the filter box w/ c.o.d. injection;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a front lower portion that hangs freely over [[the]]a tank wall separator and straddles [[the]]an inner side of any tank rim, edge or lip, and while submerged within the main tank/habitat chamber containment area, faces forward and outward and into the main tank/habitat chamber containment area;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a rear mounting and bracketed section that straddles an opposite side of any tank rim, edge or lip, and is located outside of the main tank/habitat chamber containment area with the [[unit]]box filter hanging freely over [[the]]a tank wall separator and facing away from any supporting tank rim, edge or lip;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having an organizational harness section for mounting power cables, dosing lines and air lines;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a lighting system with remote control;
wherein supply water is transferred from an internal filter system dual head pump with venturi valve, and into four different internal box bottom supply-in connections simultaneously; [[the]]a main pump head pipe connection feeds [[the]]a pump head mounting port which is located on the inside of a box bottom of the box filter w/ c.o.d. [[box bottom]] injection and is piped internally into [[the]]a main out flow port which is located on the front of the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection and designed to hold an assortment of power head assemblies; additionally [[that same]]said pipe connection feeds an offshoot pipe run which is located internally and positioned less than midway up on the inside of [[that same]]a main pipe run and feeds [[the]]an internal cyclonic soak feeder chamber that resides inside the box filter w/ c.o.d. box bottom, additionally [[that same]]said connection also feeds an offshoot pipe run which is located internally and positioned midway up on the inside of [[that same]]said main pipe run and feeds [[the]]a wet/dry trickle filter system; [[the]]a second pump head independently feeds [[the]]a front supply-in port which is located on [[the]]a front face of [[the]]a cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter which is located opposite of the wet/dry trickle filter system;
wherein processed supply water that passes from [[the]]a venturi side of the dual head a protein bioskimmer with a cup, conners bridge, lid, and float level indicator and which removes all detrimental proteins from [[the]]a flow of a main habitat containment chamber water column, thereby adding mechanical filtration to the system, and when combined with the c.o.d. injection, renders any aquatic system cycleless;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having on [[the]]a main tank/habitat chamber containment area side, a sequence of top surface skimming slots which allow for a continuous intake of the main tank/habitat chamber containment area water at [[the]]a same rate that the internal dual head thereby ensuring that the main tank/habitat chamber containment area never stops filtering;
flow taken into the front of the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection by the [[array]]sequence of top surface skimming slots is drawn through [[the]]a sponge media pre-filter topped off with a second carbon media pre-filter, the [[pair]]pre-filters located inside the box bottom and just below the [[front]] top surface skimming slots, before the water then travels through to [[the]]an extension deep pull pipe’s inflow slots where it joins up with any in-coming flow from [[the]]an extension deep pull pipe strainer with sponge media pre-filter and into the supply-in of the dual head valve; after leaving [[the]]a non-venturi pump head outlet side of the water supply-in, [[the]] unprocessed water flow is forwarded to [[the]]a bio media substrate containment drip tray; and
wherein processed supply water from the main pipe connection flows past a wet/dry bio media splash guard before traveling through [[the]]a wet/dry carbon media pre-filter located in [[the]]a wet/dry trickle drip tray and past the wet/dry [[water]] trickle drip tray itself which allows for optimal oxygen introduction into the water flow before the water passes through [[the]]a chosen biotower or bacteria biomass substrate material selected and in to [[the]] rear box bottom floor drains where the flow reaches the lower c.o.d. diffuser compression cups and final c.o.d. release back into the main habitat containment chamber area; said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a dosing system for introduction of chemical additives and water treatments into the [[system]]water flow[[;]].
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a series of sub-section elevation stands which provide c.o.d. injection, food [[dispersement]]dispersal, lighting and elevation control;
said layout comprising:
a c.o.d. sub-section elevation stand which generates and distributes
a c.o.d. sub-section elevation stand being clipped on and positioned at the bottom of the box filter where it releases all processed water from the c.o.d. diffuser compression cups after initial pre-filter processing of the water by the cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter, wet/dry trickle filter system, and bio media storage drip tray substrate, or biotower bio media storage generators and back into the water column for recirculation;
a lighted sub-section elevation stand with remote, wherein the stand clips onto [[the]]a c.o.d. sub-section [[(]]or other elevation sub-sections in any sequence[[)]], the layout comprising a clip on elevation frame/stand which allows the box filter with c.o.d. diffuser to be free standing on its own, hung on the lip, rim or edge, or hung and standing simultaneously in/on any bottom, lip, rim or edge and at varied depths in on [[on]] any tank, sump or pond and provide light as well as play/hiding spots to the habitat chamber containment area; and
a sub-section elevation stand/(s), wherein the [[stands]]stand/(s) clip onto the c.o.d. sub-section [[(]]or other elevation sub-sections in any sequence[[)]], the layout comprising a clip on elevation frame/stand which allows the box filter with c.o.d. to be free standing on its own, hung on the lip, rim or edge, or hung and standing simultaneously in/on any bottom, lip, rim or edge and at varied depths in/on any tank, sump or pond and provide elevation as well as play/hiding spots to the habitat chamber containment area[[;]].
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a method for the combined use of top water pre-filtering and top surface skimming with lower water column pre-filtering, and lower water column pull skim filtering either separately or simultaneously; said layout comprising:
an extension deep pull pipe bypass plug which redirects all water entering the box filter w/ c.o.d. to the box bottom’s
an optional keyed extension pull pipe which can replace the extension deep pull pipe bypass plug;
extension deep pull pipe bypass plug and provide sub-surface water pull skimming at varied depths;
an optional extension pull pipe strainer which can be added to the extension pull a pumping system;
an optional extension deep pull pipe strainer sponge media pre-filter which can be added to the deep pull s from entering the pumping system, [[this adds]]thereby adding mechanical filtration to the system;
an optional extension deep pull pipe conversion vac pipe and skimbob assembly which can replace or be included with the
an optional extension deep pull pipe conversion [[vac]] [[(]]vacuum or vacation[[)]] pipe having a tube nipple which connects to a section of tubing which is alternately connected to the opposing end of a top surface skimmer or skimbob;
an optional vacuum/vacation pipe extension with tube and skimbob assembly being positioned so that the skimbob floats freely in the habitat chamber area where it will skim the habitat chamber top surface water column continuously and pipe it into the optional vacuum/vacation pipe extension for its introduction into the filter system; and
an optional vacuum/vacation pipe extension with tube and skimbob assembly allowing for the bypass of the box bottom a system pump to run dry[[;]].
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a method for [[the]] removal of detritus and protein based waste particles from the habitat containment water column through [[the]] incorporation of a high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter which adds mechanical filtration to the [[system]]apparatus;
said layout comprising:
a cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter being plugged onto [[the]]a supply-in, venturi pump head port side, of the dual head system pump w/ venturi valve and includes a foam catch cup, conners bridge foam disbursement cap, and float with float level indicator; and
said cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter being positioned behind the incoming water flow of the apparatus at a front internal side of the box filter w/ c.o.d.[[;]]
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a method for use of a wet/dry trickle drip tray system with optional bio media storage drip tray or optional interchangeable biotower biologic storage generators;
said layout comprising:
biotower biologic storage generators containing a specific mesh or weave that is designed specifically for [[the]] cultivation and storage of biologic wet and dry bacteria biomass collections which adds biological filtration to the system[[;]].
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a method for [[the]] combined use of a doser which adds chemicals and treatments to the [[system]]water flow, a sponge media pre-filter which adds mechanical filtration to the filter system, and a carbon media pre-filter which adds chemical filtration to the filter system;
said
a doser additive tube, doser additive tube seal, and doser additive tube cap/stand being located readily accessible;
the sponge media pre-filter being positioned in one or both [[the]] incoming water flows of the apparatus at an internal side of the box filter w/ c.o.d. where it [[can]] adds additional mechanical filtration to the filter system; and
the carbon media pre-filter being positioned in the internal side of the box filter w/ c.o.d. where it adds additional chemical filtration to the system[[;]].
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a top-off, water fill, additive, and feeding port and/or manual or electronic feeding apparatus;
said layout comprising:
the top-off, water fill, additive, and feeding port being used for adding top-off water to the main tank/habitat chamber containment area after evaporation has taken place and/or for [[the]] introduction of introduced water treatments, additives or food into the main tank/habitat chamber containment area for submerged food release and/or submerged feeding;
the top-off, water fill, additive, and feeding port also provides a location to mount the apparatus and alternate clip-on electronic soak feeder assembly versions;
said versions both being readily attachable to [[the]]a an internal cyclonic transfer chamber which is actively fed by a submerged internal main supply pipe, and which leads directly down to a submerged top-off, water fill, additive, and food release port which is located submerged underwater on the injection; and
a clip-on manual feeder assembly, in addition to an alternate clip-on electronic feeder assembly version, which can be mounted separately and on their own to a sliding soak feeder tank wall clip, while performing their same feeding functionalities separately from .
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises [[the]] combined use of a tidal flow control system with an out-flow mounting port which [[can]] house the apparatus
a level of air being introduced into the [[system]]apparatus at any given time, as well as [[the]]a backpressure required to increase or decrease the water pressure and flow being released from [[the]] said apparatusand an assortment of bi-directional and adjustable flow control manifolds; and
aftermarket powerheads can be mounted to said injection to provide directional flow control for water released into the habitat containment chamber area[[;]].
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises a thermostatic controller interface which works in conjunction with a control interface digital display readout for [[the]] various water conditions comprising temperature, salinity conductivity, redox-orp, and nitrite/nitrate levels, which may be present in the overall habitat chamber containment area water column at any given time[[;]].
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein [[the]]a layout comprises injection during operation.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: US 2011/0162585 to Tominaga et al. is considered by the examiner to be the closest prior art.
Tominaga et al. disclose an apparatus a biological trapping box filter (3) and high flow bioskimmer (7) that provides purification and circulation to water with an aquarium or tank, sump or main tank/habitat chamber area (1), the box filter has a box shaped casing (Fig. , wherein the casing is transparent to facilitate viewing inner workings of the box filter. In view of the disclosure, it would have been obvious to add a transparent window. Tominaga et al. further disclose wherein the box filter may be mounted to the tank ([0059] The filtration unit 3 is equipped with a box-shaped casing 4 sized to be accommodated in the filtering zone 12 in a fitted manner. The casing 4 is constituted by a transparent or semitransparent plastic product, so that the internal structure can be visually observed from the outside. In this embodiment, the casing 4 constitutes a mounting frame.), a harness (84) for mounting at least air lines (88) and cables ([0088] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, in this embodiment, wiring/tubing accommodation grooves 84 and 84 extending in the up-and-down direction corresponding to the water passage merging chamber 6 are formed on the rear wall of the casing 4. In the wiring/tubing accommodation grooves 84 and 84,), the box filter includes a lighting system ([0134] In addition, in this embodiment, the permeation type filtration device 50 and the protein skimmer 70 are used as a purification device, but in the present invention, an ultraviolet irradiation device that eliminates bacteria such as various germs in water by irradiating ultraviolet light to the water for sterilization can be used.), water is transferred from a pump (81, 85), the box filter includes a wet/dry trickle filter comprising trays (55, 57; [0077] In this embodiment, a filtration device 50 is constituted by the upper and lower filtering material chambers 51 and 52, the outlet chamber 53, the water scattering plates 55 to 57, etc.), the filtration materials may include sponge ([0120] Furthermore, by letting the water pass through the sponge, physical filtering can be conducted, which results in a further improved filtering function.) and carbon ([0075] In this embodiment, a physical filtering materials (not illustrated), such as, e.g., wool and active carbon, are accommodated in the upper filtering material chamber 51 to capture impurities in water by making the water pass through the filtering material.), upper slots (21) to guide water ([0056] As shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, an inlet opening 21 is formed at the side upper edge portion of the partition wall 2. The inlet opening 21 is constituted by a plurality of slits arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction and extended in the up-and-down direction). Further it is known to provide compressed oxygen diffusion injection to a box filter and hang the box filter on a tank (see, for example, US 4,913,811 to Huang et al.; abstract, A cleaner for an aquarium including a filter, a water pump, a waste-pipe with one end connecting to the water pump, an air compressor, a hose with one end connecting to the air compressor, and a base assembly.; Fig. 2).
In the examiner’s opinion, the prior art fails to teach or render obvious the apparatus further comprising said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a front lower portion that hangs freely over [[the]]a tank wall separator and straddles [[the]]an inner side of any tank rim, edge or lip, and while submerged within the main tank/habitat chamber containment area, faces forward and outward and into the main tank/habitat chamber containment area;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a rear mounting and bracketed section that straddles an opposite side of any tank rim, edge or lip, and is located outside of the main tank/habitat chamber containment area with the [[unit]]box filter hanging freely over [[the]]a tank wall separator and facing away from any supporting tank rim, edge or lip;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having an organizational harness section for mounting power cables, dosing lines and air lines;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a lighting system with remote control;
wherein supply water is transferred from an internal filter system dual head pump with venturi valve, and into four different internal box bottom supply-in connections simultaneously; [[the]]a main pump head pipe connection feeds [[the]]a pump head mounting port which is located on the inside of a box bottom of the box filter w/ c.o.d. [[box bottom]] injection and is piped internally into [[the]]a main out flow port which is located on the front of the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection and designed to hold an assortment of power head assemblies; additionally [[that same]]said pipe connection feeds an offshoot pipe run which is located internally and positioned less than midway up on the inside of [[that same]]a main pipe run and feeds [[the]]an internal cyclonic soak feeder chamber that resides inside the box filter w/ c.o.d. box bottom, additionally [[that same]]said connection also feeds an offshoot pipe run which is located internally and positioned midway up on the inside of [[that same]]said main pipe run and feeds [[the]]a wet/dry trickle filter system; [[the]]a second pump head independently feeds [[the]]a front supply-in port which is located on [[the]]a front face of [[the]]a cyclonic high flow evaporative protein bioskimmer filter which is located opposite of the wet/dry trickle filter system;
wherein processed supply water that passes from [[the]]a venturi side of the dual head a protein bioskimmer with a cup, conners bridge, lid, and float level indicator and which removes all detrimental proteins from [[the]]a flow of a main habitat containment chamber water column, thereby adding mechanical filtration to the wet/dry trickle filter system, and when combined with the c.o.d. injection, renders any aquatic system cycleless;
said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having on [[the]]a main tank/habitat chamber containment area side, a sequence of top surface skimming slots which allow for a continuous intake of the main tank/habitat chamber containment area water at [[the]]a same rate that the internal dual head ensuring that the main tank/habitat chamber containment area never stops filtering;
flow taken into the front of the box filter w/ c.o.d. injection by the [[array]]sequence of top surface skimming slots is drawn through [[the]]a sponge media pre-filter topped off with a second carbon media pre-filter, the [[pair]]pre-filters located inside the box bottom and just below the [[front]] top surface skimming slots, before the water then travels through to [[the]]an extension deep pull pipe’s inflow slots where it joins up with any in-coming flow from [[the]]an extension deep pull pipe strainer with sponge media pre-filter and into the supply-in of the dual head valve; after leaving [[the]]a non-venturi pump head outlet side of the water supply-in, [[the]] unprocessed water flow is forwarded to [[the]]a bio media substrate containment drip tray; and
wherein processed supply water from the main pipe connection flows past a wet/dry bio media splash guard before traveling through [[the]]a wet/dry carbon media pre-filter located in [[the]]a wet/dry trickle drip tray and past the wet/dry [[water]] trickle drip tray itself which allows for optimal oxygen introduction into the water flow before the water passes through [[the]]a chosen biotower or bacteria biomass substrate material selected and in to [[the]] rear box bottom floor drains where the flow reaches the lower c.o.d. diffuser compression cups and final c.o.d. release back into the main habitat containment chamber area; said box filter w/ c.o.d. injection having a dosing system for introduction of chemical additives and water treatments into the water flow[[;]].
Conclusion
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/FRED PRINCE/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779