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 .
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.
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 means that allow rotation of the “an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module that is rotated by the compressed air flowing in the compressed air inlet module [See 112(a) below]” 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.
Claim 1 is 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.
Claim 1 recites “an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module that is rotated by the compressed air flowing in the compressed air inlet module.” Applicant’s disclosure does not describe the structure in writing or in the figures that enables the flow guide vane module to rotate. Applicant’s figure 4 shows the vanes (730) attached to the inner filter module (740) as well as attached to the outer housing (710) without any intervening structure that would allow the blades to rotate due to the force of air, while also suspending the vanes so that the blades could fulfill their function of imparting a whirl on the air. A person of ordinary skill in the art would expect bearings or slip rings of some sort that would allow those vanes to rotate, but none are visible or described. Since applicant has described no structure that would enable the guide vane module to be rotated by air while still rigidly supporting the vanes in place in the casing, applicant has not reasonably shown that they have possession of the claimed element.
Furthermore, the direction of rotation of the vanes is not apparent from the drawings or the description. For instance, do the vanes rotate around the housing module (740) or do they rotate on a shaft/spindle attached to the housing module (740) or do the vanes rotate around their individual axis. There is no indication in the specification of the direction or axis of rotation, nor the structure which enables said rotation.
Furthermore, person of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that the description that the vane module is rotated by the compressed air may simply be a consistent transcription error in the specification, where the object and subject of the sentence are mistakenly switched. This is reasonable, because applicant discloses repeatedly that the compressed air is whirled by the same guide vanes.
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.
Claim 1 is 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.
The terms “primary removal," “secondary removal,” “tertiary removal,” and “quaternary removal” in claim 1 are relative terms which renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether applicant is claiming that relative amounts of moisture removed by each system, or whether applicant is simply listing an unordered four ways of removing moisture. For the limited purpose of examination, the terms will be interpreted as an unordered list of four ways of removing liquid, and not as a ranked order of liquid removal.
Claim 1 recites “an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module that is rotated by the compressed air flowing in the compressed air inlet module.” Applicant does not have an adequate written description of the guide vane module being rotated in the specification. However, it is unclear whether applicant intended to claim that the vanes were rotated or that the vanes caused rotation of the air.
Furthermore, person of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that the description that the vane module is rotated by the compressed air may simply be a consistent transcription error in the specification, where the object and subject of the sentence are mistakenly switched. This is reasonable, because applicant discloses repeatedly that the compressed air is whirled by the same guide vanes. For the limited purpose of examination, the limitation will be interpreted as the vanes cause the air to rotate/swirl, as disclosed throughout the specification.
The term "optimum compressed air" in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term "optimum" is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
The limitation “and discharge, to the outside, the compressed air from which the condensed moisture has been removed,” in claim 1. It is unclear whether “outside” is meant to refer to the outside of the filtering housing, or the separation chamber housing, or does the limitation refer to the outside of the compressor system, which are listed prior in the claims.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lagerstedt et al (US 455906; hereinafter Lagerstedt).
As regarding claim 1, Lagerstedt discloses the claimed invention for a compressed air-moisture separating unit (figure) for a multistage turbo compressor system, the compressed air-moisture separating unit comprising: a cylindrical compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (1) that enables condensed moisture to be separated from compressed air when the compressed air compressed by a turbo air compression unit flows in; a compressed air inlet module (2) that is formed by penetrating one side of an upper part of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (1) and is separated from a central axis of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module on purpose such that the compressed air discharged from the turbo air compression unit flows in and whirls inside the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module; an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (8) that is rotated by the compressed air flowing in the compressed air inlet module (2), facilitates whirling of the compressed air flowing in the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module, induces the compressed air to flow to an intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (5), and induces friction with the compressed air to remove condensed moisture from the compressed air; the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (5) that is positioned coaxially inside the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and is formed in a specific shape to remove condensed moisture from the compressed air flowing in the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and discharge, to the outside, the compressed air from which the condensed moisture has been removed; and a condensed moisture discharging mesh module (13) that enables the condensed moisture removed from the compressed air and condensed moisture droplets floating inside the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (1) to be formed and discharged as moisture to the outside, wherein the compressed air flowing in through the compressed air inlet module (2) flows through a moisture-removed compressed air discharge route (figure) that is formed from the compressed air inlet module through an inner upper end portion of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and then the intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (8) to an inside of the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (5) such that the compressed air from which the condensed moisture has been removed is discharged to the outside, primary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction of the compressed air flowing in the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module through the compressed air inlet module against the inner upper end portion of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module, secondary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction against the intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (8), tertiary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction of the compressed air against an inner wall of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and an outer wall of the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (5), quaternary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction of the compressed air against an inner wall of a lower end portion of the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (5), and as a result, moisture is removed from the compressed air compressed by the turbo air compression unit, and optimum compressed air is reliably obtained.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peterson et al (US 20140377675; hereinafter Peterson) in view of Fisher (US 1565318).
As regarding claim 1, Peterson discloses the claimed invention for a compressed air-moisture separating unit (figs. 2-3) for a multistage turbo compressor system, the compressed air-moisture separating unit comprising: a cylindrical compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (118) that enables condensed moisture to be separated from compressed air when the compressed air compressed by a turbo air compression unit flows in; a compressed air inlet module (122) that is formed by penetrating one side of an upper part of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (118) and is separated from a central axis of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module on purpose such that the compressed air discharged from the turbo air compression unit flows in and whirls inside the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module;
Peterson does not disclose an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module. Fisher teaches an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (7 of figs. 1 and 3). Both Peterson and Fisher are directed to cyclonic separator having tangential inlet. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to provide an intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module as taught by Fisher in order to stabilize the inner vortex and prevent short-circuit flow, thereby increasing residence time and improving separation efficiency while reducing re-entrainment.
Peterson as modified discloses intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (Fisher – 7 of figs. 1 and 3) that is rotated by the compressed air flowing in the compressed air inlet module (122), facilitates whirling of the compressed air flowing in the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module, induces the compressed air to flow to an intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (130), and induces friction with the compressed air to remove condensed moisture from the compressed air; the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (130) that is positioned coaxially inside the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (118) and is formed in a specific shape to remove condensed moisture from the compressed air flowing in the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and discharge, to the outside, the compressed air from which the condensed moisture has been removed; and a condensed moisture discharging mesh module (108 of fig. 3) that enables the condensed moisture removed from the compressed air and condensed moisture droplets floating inside the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (118) to be formed and discharged as moisture to the outside, wherein the compressed air flowing in through the compressed air inlet module (122) flows through a moisture-removed compressed air discharge route (fig. 3) that is formed from the compressed air inlet module through an inner upper end portion of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and then the intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (Fisher – 7 of figs. 1 and 3) to an inside of the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (130) such that the compressed air from which the condensed moisture has been removed is discharged to the outside, primary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction of the compressed air flowing in the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module (118) through the compressed air inlet module (122) against the inner upper end portion of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module, secondary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction against the intra-compressed air moisture-removal flow guide vane module (Fisher – 7 of figs. 1 and 3), tertiary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction of the compressed air against an inner wall of the compressed air-moisture separation chamber housing module and an outer wall of the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (130), quaternary removal of the condensed moisture is performed due to friction of the compressed air against an inner wall of a lower end portion of the intra-compressed air moisture-removal filtering housing module (130), and as a result, moisture is removed from the compressed air compressed by the turbo air compression unit, and optimum compressed air is reliably obtained.
Conclusion
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/DUNG H BUI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773