Detailed Office Action
The communication dated 9/8/2023 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1, 2, 4-6, 8-16, and 18-23 are pending.
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 Objections
Claim 23 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim does not refer back to the two claims in the alternative. See MPEP § 608.01(n).
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 screw with an interior cavity with perforations (claim 13) which vary along the length (claim 14) 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 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 5 and 13-15 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.
In claim 5 the applicant refers to “both screws”. It is not clear which screws the applicant is referring to. The Examiner suggests “both the first and second screws”.
In claim 13 the applicant refers to “a screw” and “the screw”. Claim 13 is dependent from claim 2 which discloses “a first screw” and “a second screw”. It is not clear to the Examiner if “a screw” refers to the first or second screw of claim 2 or a different screw. For the purpose of examination the examiner interprets the claims as “wherein one of the first screw or the second screw with the transporter comprises a interior cavity”.
Claim 14 depends from claim 13 and is similarly rejected.
In claim 15 the applicant refers to “the screw or screws”. Claim 13 is dependent from claim 2 which discloses “a first screw” and “a second screw”. It is not clear to the Examiner if “the screw or screws” refers to the first or second screw of claim 2 or a different screw. For the purpose of examination the examiner interprets the claims as referring to “one of the first or second screws”
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 1,2, 6, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 22, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GB 2,265918 A CHOUDHURI, CHOUDHURI.
As for claims 1, 2, 10, 18, 22, and 23, CHOUDHURI discloses an inclined chemical reactor with an elongate cavity (1) with an input section (3) at the first end configured to feed fibrous material and an output section (9) at the second end configured to discharge fibrous material [Figure 2; pg. 3 par.6]. CHOUDHURI discloses parallel first and second screws extending along the elongate cavity from the input section (3) to the output section (9) [Figure 2]. The second end is higher than the first end [Figure 2].
As for claim 6, CHOUDHURI discloses the vessel is run at 130 degrees C [pg. 4 par. 4] keeping it above atmospheric pressure. The input section (3) has a rotary valve (2A) for maintaining pressure [pg. 4 par. 4, pg. 6 par. 6, Figure 2]. The output section pressure is maintained by screw press (10) at the outlet (9) [Figure 2].
As for claim 11, CHOUDHURI discloses an inlet port (8) or (9) to supply chemical to the elongate cavity [Figure 2].
As for claims 15 and 16, CHOUDHURI discloses plural regions with reverse and forward pitches [pg. 4 par. 5]. CHOUDHURI discloses that part of the elongated reactor has is steam jacked (14) to control the temperature [Figure 2, pg. 6 par. 3].
Claims 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 15, and 18- 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. 4,363,697 MARKHAM et al., MARKHAM.
As for claims 1, 18, 22, and 23, MARKHAM discloses chemical reactor with an elongate cavity with a screw (22) with an input section at the first end configured to feed fibrous material and an output section at the second end configured to discharge fibrous material [Figure 1].
As for claim 2, MARKHAM states that instead of a single screw a twin screw can be used [col. 4 lines 25-30].
As for claims 6, the reaction chambers are maintained under pressure. The pressure is maintained at the inlet to the first reactor by a pump (12) [col. 4 lines 37-40, Figure 1].
As for claim 10, the reactors may be inclined [pg. 4 lines 15-20].
As for claim 11, MARKHAM discloses multiple reagent ports [Figure 1, (18), (46), (20)].
As for claim 15, MARKHAM discloses multiple sections with different screw pitches [col. 5 lines 28-43].
As for claim 19-21, MARKHAM discloses a plurality of reaction chambers [Figure 1]. The reaction chambers are configured differently from each other [Figure 1]. The chemical reactor with an elongate cavity with a screw (23) has feeding for oxygen than alkali, and then steam. The second chemical reactor with an elongate cavity with a screw (22) has feeding for steam and then oxygen. The first reactor chamber output feeds into the input of the second reaction chamber. The chambers are configured differently based on their different feed chemicals.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 18-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. 2014/0120596 WANG et al., hereinafter WANG.
As for claims 1, 2, 4, 18, 22, and 23, WANG discloses a shear mixer elongate cavity (102) with an outlet end (108) and an inlet end (104) 0051, [0054, Figure 1] for treating lignocellulosic material. WANG discloses that the shear mixer is a twin-screw extruder with parallel screws (112a/112b) that rotate in the same direction [0051].
As for claim 6, the reactor mixers are kept at pressures above atmospheric [0056].
As for claim 12, WANG discloses fluid ports for removing unused chemical reagents including liquid outlets (110 a/b/c) [0051 and Figure 1] and waster water outlet (209) [091 and Figure 2].
As for claims 19-21, WANG discloses that there can be multiple shear mixing reactor chambers (206) and (212). The first reactor outlet (208) feeds into the second reactor mixer (212) [0091 Figure 2]. WANG discloses they are configured differently as the first reactor has an inlet for water (204) and an outlet for waste water (209). The second reactor mixer only has a second aqueous solution (210) [Figure 2, 0091].
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 18, 22, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. 2010/0024808 BURKE et al., hereinafter BURKE.
As for claims 1, 2, 18, 22, and 23, BURKE discloses a reaction chamber with an elongate cavity (209) [Figure 1, 0072]. The cavity has a first end with an inlet for lignocellulose and a second end with an outlet for lignocellulose [Figure 4]. BURKE discloses a first (224) and second (226) screw along the elongate cavity from the input to output as a transporter [Figure 1].
As for claim 4, BURKE discloses that in some embodiments the shafts rotate in opposite directions [0045]. That means in the other embodiments (they can only counter rotate or co-rotate) the shafts rotate in the same direction.
As for claim 5, BURKE discloses a single motor (278) to drive the conveyance members (222) via a gear assembly (280) [0076].
As for claims 6, 8, and 9, BURKE drives the material into the reaction chamber with elongate cavity using a plug impregnator feeder (262) [0072] that feeds the material as a plug of material [0072] thereby maintaining the pressure when heated up to over 100 degrees C.
As for claims 11, 13, and 14, BURKE discloses reagent ports (252) which are located in the first 1/3 of the length of the elongate chamber [Figure 4, 0096]. The fluid injection ports on art the shafts of the screws which transport liquid through the interior cavity [Figure 8A]
Claims 1, 2, 4-6, 8, 9, 11,12, 15, 16, 18, 22, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DK 148944B BERGER et al., hereinafter BERGER.
*The Examiner refers to the attached machine translation
As for claims 1, 2, 18, 22, and 23, BERGER discloses a reaction chamber with an elongate cavity for cellulosic material [Figure 1, 0017]. The cavity has a first end with an inlet (51) for lignocellulose and a second end with an outlet (52) for lignocellulose [Figure 3]. BURKE discloses a first (10) and second (20) screw along the elongate cavity from the input to output as a transporter [Figure 1].
As for claim 4, BERGER discloses that the shafts rotate in the same direction [0023]
As for claim 5, BERGER discloses a single motor (6) to drive the shafts (10)/(20) via a gear assembly (61)/(62) [0022].
As for claims 6, 8, and 9, BERGER states the device is run under pressure [0056] by means of differing screw profiles.
As for claim 11, BERGER discloses a reagent input port (54) [Figure 3, 0065].
As for claim 12, BERGER discloses a port for removing liquid (55) [Figure 3, 0065].
As for claim 15, BERGER discloses multiple regions with multiple screw pitches [Figure 3]
As for claim 16, BERGER discloses controlling the temperature of one section of the screw by heating element (72) [0029, Figure 3, 0065]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY J CALANDRA whose telephone number is (571)270-5124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:45 AM -4:15 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abbas Rashid can be reached at (571)270-7457. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ANTHONY J. CALANDRA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1748
/Anthony Calandra/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1748