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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 10 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Niwa et al. (WO 2019/026494 A1, machine translation provided).
Regarding claim 10, Niwa et al. discloses a chemical solution synthesis device, comprising: a chemical solution holding unit (1) configured to hold a chemical solution; a reaction vessel (2) in which the chemical solution and carriers are reacted, the chemical solution being transferable from the chemical solution holding unit (1) to the reaction vessel (2) without coming into contact with atmosphere; a chemical solution feed (supply port, 21) and discharge unit (discharge port, 22) that is connected to the reaction vessel (2) and a configured to feed the chemical solution; a first chemical solution feed unit (liquid feed pipe, 44) connected to the reaction vessel and configured to feed the chemical solution; and a discharge unit (first waste liquid pipe, 45a) configured to discharge fluid in the reaction vessel (2) (see Abstract; figures 1-4; and description of embodiments).
Regarding claim 16, Niwa et al. disclose a device further comprising a holding vessel (7) configured to hold fluid and provided downstream of the reaction vessel (2), wherein the discharge unit (22) is connected to the holding vessel (7), and the fluid discharged from the discharge unit is discharged to the holding vessel (7) without coming into contact with the atmosphere (see Abstract; figures 1-4; and description of embodiments).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claims 1-9 are allowed.
Ther closet prior art references are Niwa et al. (WO 2019/026494 A1, machine translation provided) in view of Iyer et al. (US 20060014176 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Niwa et al. discloses a chemical solution synthesis device, comprising: a chemical solution holding unit (1) configured to hold a chemical solution; a reaction vessel (2) in which the chemical solution and carriers are reacted, the chemical solution being transferable from the chemical solution holding unit (1) to the reaction vessel without coming into contact with atmosphere (see Abstract; figures 1-4; and description of embodiments).
Iyer et al. discloses a reaction chamber (1, 72, 74), its components can be derived from a variety of materials such as glass, polypropylene, Teflon, and glass lined stainless steel, recycle line (46, 84) resulting in a reactor with a chemical solution feed unit (recycle line) configured to suppress adhesion of the carriers to the reaction vessel.
The prior art references fail to disclose a first chemical solution feed unit connected to the reaction vessel and configured to supply the chemical solution to the reaction vessel; a chemical solution feed and discharge unit provided vertically above the first chemical solution feed unit; and a second chemical solution feed unit; and a second chemical solution feed unit configured to suppress adhesion of the carriers to the reaction vessel, since the suppression of adhension of the carriers to the reaction wall.
Claims 3-9 depend on claim 1
Regarding claim 2, Niwa et al. discloses a chemical solution synthesis device, comprising: a chemical solution holding unit (1) configured to hold a chemical solution; a reaction vessel (2) in which the chemical solution and carriers are reacted, the chemical solution being transferable from the chemical solution holding unit (1) to the reaction vessel (2) without coming into contact with atmosphere (see Abstract; figures 1-4; and description of embodiments).
Iyer et al. discloses a reaction chamber (1, 72, 74), its components can be derived from a variety of materials such as glass, polypropylene, Teflon, and glass lined stainless steel, recycle line (46, 84) resulting in a reactor with a chemical solution feed unit (recycle line) configured to drop carriers adhering to an inner wall of the reaction vessel after the chemical solution has been discharged from the chemical solution feed and discharge unit.
The prior art references fail to disclose or suggest a first chemical solution feed unit connected to the reaction vessel and configured to supply the chemical solution to the reaction vessel; a chemical solution feed and discharge unit provided vertically above the first chemical solution feed unit; and a second chemical solution feed unit configured to drop carriers adhering to an inner wall of the reaction vessel after the chemical solution has been discharged from the chemical solution feed and discharge unit.
Claims 11-15 and 17-21 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 11-12, 17-18, and 21, Niwa et al. fails to disclose a device wherein the first chemical solution feed unit is disposed vertically below the chemical solution feed and discharge unit, and the discharge unit is disposed at a height equal to or greater than a height of the chemical solution feed and discharge unit; wherein the chemical solution synthesis device is switchable between a forward supply state in which the chemical solution is supplied from the first chemical solution feed unit to the reaction vessel, and a reverse supply state in which the chemical solution is supplied from the chemical solution feed and discharge unit to the reaction vessel, and the reverse supply state includes an open state of the discharge unit in which the fluid in the reaction vessel is discharged; wherein the reaction vessel is equipped with a filter that is configured to suppress discharge of the carriers; wherein the reaction vessel is provided with a guide member that is configured to guide the chemical solution fed from the chemical solution feed and discharge unit to a side wall of the reaction vessel; and wherein the discharge unit is equipped with a filter that is configured to suppress discharge of the carriers.
Claims 13-15 depend on claim 12.
Claim 19 depends on claim 18.
Claim 20 depends on claim 17.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA E YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-3163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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NATASHA E. YOUNG
Examiner
Art Unit 1774
/NATASHA E YOUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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