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 1,5,6,9,16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Beckenhauer(6235219).
Beckenhauer teaches a system comprising an atmospheric water harvesting composite(column 2 lines 66-67 stating “method for removing moisture from an enclosed and moisture-containing atmosphere”) comprising a foam comprising an organic polymer(column 6 lines 24-25 stating “a deliquescent material dispersed in an organic polymer”; column 7 lines 19-20 stating “preferred organic polymers are … , polyurethane”, wherein polyurethane is known to include a foam formulation), the foam having pore size of at least 1 micrometer; and a plurality of deliquescent particles disposed on internal surfaces of the foam, wherein the plurality of deliquescent materials is formed of one or more hydroscopic materials(column 6 lines 24-25 stating “a deliquescent material dispersed in an organic polymer”; column 3 lines 3-7 stating “steps of admixing components comprising a hygroscopic material and an organic polymer in a solvent to form a solution, and drying the solution to remove solvent and provide a moisture-deficient hygroscopic material dispersed in the organic polymer” ; column 3 lines 45-46 stating “the deliquescent material may comprise calcium chloride”). Examiner notes that the deliquescent material of Beckenhauer is dispersed in the organic polymer, and Beckenhauer states in column 6 lines 51-52 “the organic polymer is preferably a solid at room temperature”, therefore the organic polymer is a consequently a foam, with a plurality of deliquescent particles disposed on internal surfaces of the foam, as claimed.
With regards to claim 5, Beckenhauer further teaches wherein the pore size of the foam is in a range of 25-500 micrometers, inclusive.
With regards to claim 6, Beckenhauer further teaches wherein the AWH composite further comprises a plurality of water-soluble polymer particles disposed on the internal surfaces of the foam(column 8 lines 15-16 stating “the composition of the present invention may further include additional components”; column 8 lines 34-38 stating “compositions of the present invention may also include other materials … (but are not limited to): paper product, wood products “, wherein examiner notes that cellulose as a wood product is a well known water soluble polymer”) .
With regards to claim 9, Beckenhauer further teaches wherein the AWH composite further comprises a plurality of carbon-based particles disposed on the internal surfaces of the foam( column 8 lines 15-16 stating “the composition of the present invention may further include additional components”; column 8 lines 34-38 stating “compositions of the present invention may also include other materials … (but are not limited to) … charcoal”, wherein examiner notes charcoal is a carbon based material.
With regards to claim 16, Beckenhauer further teaches a water bottle, wherein the AWH composite is configured to be inserted into the water bottle(column 8 lines 59-62 stating “the novel composition may be formulated into disk shapes and adapted to fit inside the lid of a container(e.g. within the interior space of a bottle”).
Claims 32,33,35,36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Beckenhauer(6235219).
Beckenhauer teaches a method comprising providing an atmospheric water harvesting composite having a relative humidity (column 2 lines 66-67 stating “method for removing moisture from an enclosed and moisture-containing atmosphere”) , such that water in the atmosphere is captured by the AWH composite, and after the providing, releasing the captured water from the AWH composite by heating the AHW composite(column 9 lines 7-8 stating “determination of whether or not the composition useful as desiccant needs replacement and/or recharging”, wherein recharging including heating is common, and wherein an organic polymer of Beckenhauer would be heated to released the captured water), wherein the AWH composite comprises a foam and a plurality of deliquescent particles(column 6 lines 24-25 stating “a deliquescent material dispersed in an organic polymer”; column 3 lines 3-7 stating “steps of admixing components comprising a hygroscopic material and an organic polymer in a solvent to form a solution, and drying the solution to remove solvent and provide a moisture-deficient hygroscopic material dispersed in the organic polymer” ; column 3 lines 45-46 stating “the deliquescent material may comprise calcium chloride), the foam comprises an organic polymer (column 6 lines 24-25 stating “a deliquescent material dispersed in an organic polymer”; column 7 lines 19-20 stating “preferred organic polymers are … , polyurethane”, wherein polyurethane is known to include a foam formulation), the foam having pore size of at least 1 micrometer, and plurality of deliquescent particles disposed on internal surfaces of the foam, wherein the plurality of deliquescent materials is formed of one or more hydroscopic materials.
Examiner notes that the deliquescent material of Beckenhauer is dispersed in the organic polymer, and Beckenhauer states in column 6 lines 51-52 “the organic polymer is preferably a solid at room temperature”, therefore the organic polymer is a consequently a foam, with a plurality of deliquescent particles disposed on internal surfaces of the foam, as claimed.
With regards to claim 33, Beckenhauer further teaches wherein the heating comprises directing solar radiation onto the AWH composite; the heating comprises heating by a fire; or the heating comprises using a heating system thermally coupled to the AWH composite to increase a temperature of the AWH composite.
With regards to claim 35, Beckenhauer further teaches after the providing and prior to the releasing, inserting the AWH composite into a portable water bottle or other fluid container(column 8 lines 59-62 stating “the novel composition may be formulated into disk shapes and adapted to fit inside the lid of a container(e.g. within the interior space of a bottle”).
With regards to claim 36, Beckenhauer further teaches wherein the providing and the releasing are such that the AWH composite adsorbs at least 100% of its weight in water at 90% relative humidity; provides a water uptake capacity at saturation of at least 0.9 g/g at 30% relative humidity; provides a water uptake speed of at least 0.2 g/g per hour at 30% relative humidity ; or any combination of the foregoing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4,13,16,17,34 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.
Claim 4 recites “wherein some of the deliquescent particles are nanoparticles having a size less than or equal to 500 nm, and others of the deliquescent particles form a dendritic structure having a size greater than or equal to 1 micrometer”. Beckenhauer teaches a plurality of deliquescent particles, however Beckenhauer does not teach or suggest wherein some of the deliquescent particles are nanoparticles having a size less than or equal to 500 nm, and others of the deliquescent particles form a dendritic structure having a size greater than or equal to 1 micrometer.
Claim 13 recites “wherein the foam has been carbonized”. Beckenhauer teaches a foam comprising an organic polymer”, however Beckenhauer does not teach or suggest wherein the foam has been carbonized.
Claim 17 recites “wherein the water bottle comprises: a heating system configured to heat the AWH composite within the water bottle or a refrigeration system configured to cool at least part of the water bottle; and an electrical power source operatively coupled to the heating or refrigeration system.”. Beckenhauer teaches a water bottle for retaining the AWH composite , however Beckenhauer does not teach or suggest wherein the water bottle comprises: a heating system configured to heat the AWH composite within the water bottle or a refrigeration system configured to cool at least part of the water bottle; and an electrical power source operatively coupled to the heating or refrigeration system.
Claim 34 recites “further comprising cooling at least a portion of a container in which AWH composite is disposed using a refrigeration system thermally coupled to the container so as to condense the released water”. Beckenhauer teaches providing a AWH composite into a container, however Beckenhauer does not teach or suggest cooling at least a portion of a container in which AWH composite is disposed using a refrigeration system thermally coupled to the container so as to condense the released water.
Claims 18, 21-23,26,29,31 are allowed.
Claim 18 recites “a method comprising immersing at least part of a foam in a solution comprising a plurality of deliquescent particles, the plurality of deliquescent particles being formed of one or more hygroscopic materials, the foam comprising an organic polymer and having a pore size of at least 1 micrometer; and after the immersing , drying the foam to form an to form an atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) composite; wherein , after the drying, the plurality of deliquescent particles are disposed on internal surfaces of the foam.”. Beckenhauer teaches admixing a hygroscopic material(deliquescent particles) and an organic polymer in a solvent to form a solution, and drying the solution to remove solvent and provide a foam including deliquescent materials disposed on internal surfaces of a foam including the organic polymer. However Beckenhauer does not teach or suggest a method comprising immersing at least part of a foam in a solution comprising a plurality of deliquescent particles, the plurality of deliquescent particles being formed of one or more hygroscopic materials, the foam comprising an organic polymer and having a pore size of at least 1 micrometer; and after the immersing , drying the foam to form an to form an atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) composite; wherein , after the drying, the plurality of deliquescent particles are disposed on internal surfaces of the foam. Claims 21-23,26,29,31 depend on claim 18 and hence are also allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
January 8, 2026