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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 3/27/2026. These drawings are accepted.
Status of Claims
Claim 1 is currently amended, Claims 2, 3, and 8 are canceled, Claim 4 is currently withdrawn and amended, Claims 5 and 9-20 are withdrawn and amended, and Claims 6 and 7 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by AT 287236 B, based on the machine translation.
AT 287236 B (AT ‘236) teaches producing sponge iron as represented below in the annotated drawing:
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Processed raw material, e.g. iron ore concentrate, is distributed evenly on the belt [0115]. The starting material is moistened and heated [0116]. The material is made lumpy in the magnetic field [0118], which reads on agglomerating. The material is pushed to the reduction zone with reducing gas [0121]. The gaseous reductant can be hydrogen [0082]. The countercurrent operation and the combination of oxidation and reduction zones in the same unit with the chamber for combustion of the spent reduction gas allow the heat of the oxidized material to be used during its reduction, and the heat of the spent converted gas to be used during the oxidation and heating of the iron ore concentrate [0111]. Additionally, the unit reads on the claimed “the reducing furnace is directly connected to the agglomerate production section.” AT ‘236 anticipates the claimed invention.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Barde et al in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy teaches the kinetics for the reduction of iron oxide using hydrogen as a reducing agent (abstract). Spreitzer et al in Steel Research International teaches a review on the reduction of iron oxides using hydrogen as a reducing agent (abstract).
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 Tima M. McGuthry-Banks whose telephone number is (571)272-2744. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 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, Keith D. Hendricks can be reached at (571) 272-1401. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Tima M. McGuthry-Banks
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1733
/TIMA M. MCGUTHRY-BANKS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1733
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