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 .
Objection to Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The “3” (line 3, Para 110 of Publication) should be - - 43 - -; the “43” (line 4, Para 110 of Publication) should be - - 44 - - ).
Appropriate correction is required.
Rejection under 35 USC 112(b)
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9, 11-18, 20-23, 25, 27 are 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.
As to claim 1, lines 7-9 are confusing, as it’s not clear what comprises (“comprising”) the boiling point and sulfur columns. Is it the “system” (line 7) or is it “the chromatographic column” (lines 7-8)? The first comma on line 8 may be part (but not all) of the difficulty.
As to claim 1, it not clear how many columns are in this claim. It seems to call for 3 “chromatographic column” (line 8), “boiling point column” (line 8) and “sulfur column” (line 8). The specification and drawings may very well have a total of 2 columns; as such, the claim is inconsistent with the specification and drawings.
As to claim 1, the commas (line 8) add breaks, which make the entire “wherein” (line 7) clause uncertain. What “is provided in the chromatographic column system” (lines 8-9)? Is it the “a chromatographic column”, boiling point column or sulfur column, or some combination thereof?
As to claim 1, lines 13 to last refer to many pipelines, but is seems that the same structure is potentially claimed twice as some of those many connecting pipelines may overlap with others, especially in regard to the “a switchable pipeline” which certainly drags in the single 10 port valve on several occasions. Remember, the claim is overlapping pipelines. Maybe (only maybe) those pipelines should be passages, as passages might potentially could potentially overlap other passages.
As to claim 1, what is the meaning of a pipeline? Is such truly a pipe section? Do the claimed pipelines include any portion of the 10 way multi valve? Such would result in the same structure being claim twice. Are each of the many individually claimed “a switchable connecting pipeline’s identifiably as individual components? Do any 2 of the “switchable connecting pipeline’s include the same single switching valve (even, the chromatographic column system in its entirety)? After all, they are claimed as such. If so, the same structure is being claimed twice, which is problematic.
As to claim 1, lines 12-13 are not consistent with the figures. Consider that only sample exits the depressurization system, and that same sample is never directly input into boiling point column 41 as shown in Figure 4B. The output port of the depressurization system is only in communication with the “sample input” and “sample output” (in each of Figures 4A and 4B), and as such never connected to column 40.
As to claim 1, lines 16-17 are not consistent with each of lines 12-13 and 14-15. Consider lines 12-13 and 14-15 are only directed to Figure 4A valve position, while lines 18-19 are only directed to Figure 4B valve position, suggestive of different times; yet each of those wherein clauses (“are each connected”, line 15; “is in communication”, line 16; “is in communication”, line 18) “suggests that is an existing fluid passage at the same time. This claim is not consistent with the drawings.
As to claim 1, the last 2 lines are not consistent with the drawings. Consider that those last 3 lines suggests that the outputs of both columns 40 and 41 ae fluidly connected to the detector 14 when they never are in the drawings.
As to claim 1, the system is confusing because it suggests all of lines 12-last occur at the same time, when they do not. The disclosure/figures describe an apparatus where different components may be configured to do something or other, maybe even connectable; but the claim suggests that all is occurring through “a switchable connecting pipeline”
Prior art cited, but not Applied
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Guo et al CN 103471877 (listed 1449) teaches a system including a sampling line 2 that samples from a natural gas line 1, and passes the sample to a processing device 2 and preprocessing device 29 (decompression adjustor valve 14), and then finally on to a chromatograph 36 and detector. Carrier gas source 35 is employed to operate the chromatograph. However, the system does not suggest employing separate boiling and sulfur columns in combination with particularly claimed piping limitations of Applicant’s claim 1.
Zhou et al CN 10407075 (listed 1449) teaches a system including a line that passes sample containing sulfur to a 10 port sample valve, which valve passes fluid to 2 chromatograph columns and detectors 7,8. However, such does not suggest separate boiling and sulfur columns with the particularly claimed fluid connections as called for in Applicant’s claim 1.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855