DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “a first top surface”, “a first bottom surface”, “second top surface”, “second bottom surface”, “a third top surface and a third bottom surface” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
“first top surface”, “first bottom surface”, “second top surface”, “second bottom surface”, “the second top surface being positioned below the first bottom surface”, “crushing component is disposed at the first bottom surface”, “the third box body having a third top surface and a third bottom surface; and the classification wheel is disposed at the third bottom surface” is not disclosed in the application as filed. There is no figure or description that describes that the is a top or a bottom surface of the boxes. And that the elements are disposed at the surfaces. For example, the crushing component is not disposed at any surface but disposed on a shaft. Therefore, the description of a surface that has the crushing component at it or any component at it is lacking.
“a size of the at least one grinding block is greater than a size of the body in the direction of gravity.” In claim 18 is also lacking in support.
“the plurality of crushing columns each having a bottom surface, the bottom surfaces of each of the plurality of crushing columns being arranged in a parallel plane.” In claim 19 is also lacking in support.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-13, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Tomoyuki (WO 2014057851).
Regarding claim 1, Tomoyuki discloses a crushing and drying device (Fig. 1-6), comprising: a classifier (40), a first box body (shown below) and a second box body (shown below) connected in sequence along the direction of gravity;
the first box body to accommodate and crush materials (crushed by 50), the first box body having a first top surface and a first bottom surface (shown below);
; the second box body to convey airflow to the first box body to dry the materials (20 supplies air to dry), the second box body having a second top surface and a second bottom surface (shown below), and the second top surface being positioned below the first bottom surface;
and the classifier to screen out and discharge crushed and dried target materials, the target materials being materials with particle sizes less than a preset threshold. (“The classification rotor 43 generates a swirling airflow at the upper part of the housing 10 by the classification blade 46 rotated by the classification motor 41. Centrifugal force due to the swirling airflow and force directed toward the center by the blower connected to the exhaust duct 11 are applied to the granular material that has moved up in the housing 10 and has reached the vicinity of the classification rotor 43. The granular material having a large mass aggregated due to insufficient drying has a larger centrifugal force, and after being blown to the outside of the classification rotor 43, it is circulated to the lower crushing section 50. On the other hand, the sufficiently dispersed and dried powder particles having a small mass have a larger force toward the center and flow into the classification rotor 43 through the gap between the classification blades 46 and are discharged from the exhaust duct 11. Thereby, the dry granular material of a uniform magnitude | size is collect | recovered.” See translation)
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Regarding claim 2, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 1, wherein the second box body comprises a heat insulating component (24b and the element that contacts the second bottom surface – prevents hot air from diffusing down) at the second bottom surface prevent heat of the airflow from diffusing downward.
Regarding claim 3, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 1, wherein an air inlet (20a) is formed in the side wall of the second box body; and the airflow enters the second box body through the air inlet.
Regarding claim 4, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 1, wherein the airflow is hot airflow (“hot air”).
Regarding claim 5, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 1, wherein the crushing and drying device further comprises a first rotation shaft (52); a crushing component (50) is disposed at the first bottom surface (see annotated figure above) of the first box body, and the crushing component is fixed to the first rotation shaft to crush the materials when the first rotation shaft rotates.
Regarding claim 6, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 5, wherein the crushing component comprises a body (55), a rotor (53), and at least one grinding block (62); the rotor is disposed at a center of the body and fixed to the first rotation shaft ; and the at least one grinding block is disposed at an end of the body along a horizontal direction.
Regarding claim 7, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 6, wherein the body is disc-shaped. (see Fig. 4-5)
Regarding claim 8, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 6, wherein a stator (32) is disposed on a side wall of the first box body; and along the horizontal direction, the stator and the grinding block are disposed opposite to each other and have a gap therewith. (see Fig. 4)
Regarding claim 9, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 8, wherein along the extending direction of the first box body, the size of the grinding block is less than that of the stator. (see Fig. 4)
Regarding claim 10, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 6, wherein the grinding block comprises an alloy material. (“stainless steel”)
Regarding claim 11, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 1, wherein the classifier comprises: a second rotation shaft (42), a third box body (10, 11, 15), and a classification wheel (43); a discharge port (11) is formed in the side wall of the third box body; the third box body having a third top surface (shown below) and a third bottom surface (shown below);
and the classification wheel is disposed at the third bottom surface of the third box body and fixed to the second rotation shaft, for screening the target materials out to the discharge port.
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Regarding claim 12, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 11, wherein the classifier further comprises a scraper (shown below- it is connected to the shaft 42 so it rotates, as it rotates, it will scrap off any particles that are stuck on the side wall); the scraper is parallel to the direction of gravity, and one end of the scraper is fixed to a position on the second rotation shaft opposite to the discharge port.
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Regarding claim 13, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 1, wherein the crushing and drying device further comprises: a feeder (“screw feeder”), connected to a side wall of the first box body, and configured to pre-crush the materials, and convey the materials to the first box body.
Regarding claim 18, Tomoyuki discloses a crushing and drying device (Fig. 1-6), comprising: a classifier (40), a first box body (shown above in claim 1 rejection), and a second box body (shown above) connected in sequence along the direction of gravity;
the first box body to accommodate and crush materials, the first box body having a first top surface and a first bottom surface (shown above);
the second box body to convey airflow to the first box body to dry the materials, the second box body having a second top surface and a second bottom surface (shown above), the second top surface positioned below the first bottom surface; and
the classifier to screen out and discharge crushed and dried target materials, the target materials being materials with particle sizes less than a preset threshold (“The classification rotor 43 generates a swirling airflow at the upper part of the housing 10 by the classification blade 46 rotated by the classification motor 41. Centrifugal force due to the swirling airflow and force directed toward the center by the blower connected to the exhaust duct 11 are applied to the granular material that has moved up in the housing 10 and has reached the vicinity of the classification rotor 43. The granular material having a large mass aggregated due to insufficient drying has a larger centrifugal force, and after being blown to the outside of the classification rotor 43, it is circulated to the lower crushing section 50. On the other hand, the sufficiently dispersed and dried powder particles having a small mass have a larger force toward the center and flow into the classification rotor 43 through the gap between the classification blades 46 and are discharged from the exhaust duct 11. Thereby, the dry granular material of a uniform magnitude | size is collect | recovered.” See translation), wherein
a crushing component (50) is disposed at the first bottom surface of the first box body, the crushing component comprises a body (shown below), a rotor (shown below), and at least one grinding block (62), and
a size of the at least one grinding block is greater than a size of the body in the direction of gravity.
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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.
Claim 14-17, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomoyuki in view of Ju (CN 2323333).
Regarding claim 14, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 13.
Tomoyuki fails to disclose wherein the feeder comprises: a second feed port, a break-up component, and a screw conveying component connected in sequence along the direction of gravity; the break-up component to pre-crush the materials; and the screw conveying component to convey the pre-crushed materials to the first box body.
Ju teaches a similar crushing drying device (Fig. 1-2) comprising a feeder (105, 106) connected to the side wall of a first box (112, 115), comprising a second feed port (106), a break-up component (201) and a screw conveying component (207, 208) connected in sequence along the direction of gravity; the break-up component is configured to pre-crush the materials; and the screw conveying component is configured to convey the pre-crushed materials to the first box body.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to replace the feeder of Tomoyuki with the feeder of Ju in order to prevent material blockage and better material flow. (“stirrer is set in the feed inlet 106, 201 for bulk material and prevent material blockage. the left screw 202 of the right end is provided with a small section of right spiral 207, right screw rod 203 of the right end is provided with a small section of left spiral 208, function thereof help to push the material entering port 104 and prevent the material from the right bearing 206.”, Ju)
Regarding claim 15, modified Tomoyuki teaches the crushing and drying device according to claim 14, wherein the break-up component comprises a third rotation shaft (shaft of 201, see Fig. 2, Ju) and a plurality of crushing columns (plurality of 201) disposed on the third rotation shaft.
Regarding claim 16, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 15, wherein the third rotation shaft is horizontally disposed. (see Fig. 2, Ju)
Regarding claim 17, Tomoyuki discloses the crushing and drying device according to claim 14, wherein the screw conveying component comprises at least two spirals disposed opposite to each other along a horizontal direction. (see Fig. 2, Ju)
Regarding claim 19, Tomoyuki discloses a crushing and drying device, comprising:
a classifier (40), a first box body, and a second box body (see annotated figure in claim 1 rejection) connected in sequence along the direction of gravity;
the first box body to accommodate and crush materials, the first box body having a first top surface and a first bottom surface (shown above in claim 1 rejection);
the second box body to convey airflow to the first box body to dry the materials, the second box body having a second top surface and a second bottom surface (shown above in claim 1 rejection), the second top surface positioned below the first bottom surface;
the classifier to screen out and discharge crushed and dried target materials, the target materials being materials with particle sizes less than a preset threshold (“The classification rotor 43 generates a swirling airflow at the upper part of the housing 10 by the classification blade 46 rotated by the classification motor 41. Centrifugal force due to the swirling airflow and force directed toward the center by the blower connected to the exhaust duct 11 are applied to the granular material that has moved up in the housing 10 and has reached the vicinity of the classification rotor 43. The granular material having a large mass aggregated due to insufficient drying has a larger centrifugal force, and after being blown to the outside of the classification rotor 43, it is circulated to the lower crushing section 50. On the other hand, the sufficiently dispersed and dried powder particles having a small mass have a larger force toward the center and flow into the classification rotor 43 through the gap between the classification blades 46 and are discharged from the exhaust duct 11. Thereby, the dry granular material of a uniform magnitude | size is collect | recovered.” See translation); and
a feeder (“screw feeder”), connected to a side wall of the first box body, to pre-crush the materials, and convey the materials to the first box body.
Tomoyuki fails to disclose wherein the feeder comprises: a second feed port, a break-up component, and a screw conveying component connected in sequence along the direction of gravity; the break-up component includes a third rotation shaft and a plurality of crushing columns disposed on the third rotation shaft to pre-crush the materials, and the plurality of crushing columns each having a bottom surface, the bottom surfaces of each of the plurality of crushing columns being arranged in a parallel plane.
Ju teaches a similar crushing drying device (Fig. 1-2) comprising a feeder (105, 106) connected to the side wall of a first box (112, 115), comprising a second feed port (106), a break-up component (201) and a screw conveying component (207, 208) connected in sequence along the direction of gravity; the break-up component includes a third rotation shaft (shaft of 201, see Fig. 2, Ju) and a plurality of crushing columns (plurality of 201) disposed on the third rotation shaft to pre-crush the materials and
the plurality of crushing columns each having a bottom surface (shown below), the bottom surfaces of each of the plurality of crushing columns being arranged in a parallel plane.
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to replace the feeder of Tomoyuki with the feeder of Ju in order to prevent material blockage and better material flow. (“stirrer is set in the feed inlet 106, 201 for bulk material and prevent material blockage. the left screw 202 of the right end is provided with a small section of right spiral 207, right screw rod 203 of the right end is provided with a small section of left spiral 208, function thereof help to push the material entering port 104 and prevent the material from the right bearing 206.”, Ju)
Regarding claim 15, modified Tomoyuki teaches the crushing and drying device according to claim 14, wherein the break-up component comprises a third rotation shaft (shaft of 201, see Fig. 2, Ju) and a plurality of crushing columns (plurality of 201) disposed on the third rotation shaft.
Regarding claim 20, modified Tomoyuki teaches the crushing and drying device according to claim 19.
Modified Tomoyuki fails to disclose wherein the plurality of crushing columns includes at least three crushing columns.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to construct modified Tomoyuki having at least three crushing columns as determining such would result from routine experiments and engineering practice. Since adding more crushing columns would provide effective crushing in trade off with the power consumption. Further, the applicant has not positively recited any criticality to the selection/determination of specific number of crushing columns such solve any stated problem. Accordingly, such determination is not non-obvious and does not in itself render the claimed limitation patentable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP 2015231621 teach a similar prior art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As described above, the newly amended claim limitations do not seem to have support in the description as filed. Also, the claims are broadly written to be disclosed/ taught by the prior art as cited. Therefore, the claims are rejected.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP 2015231621 teach a similar prior art.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BOBBY YEONJIN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1866. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Templeton can be reached on (571) 270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BOBBY YEONJIN KIM/ Examiner, Art Unit 3725