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 § 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, 9, 15, 17 and 22 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.
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c).
In the present instance, claim 5 recites the broad recitation enhancement region (38) has an opening ratio of 1.5-10%, and the claim also recites preferably 2-5% which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation.
In the present instance, claim 9 recites the broad recitation opening ratio of the raw material second distributor (11) is 0.05-5%, and the claim also recites preferably 3-5% which is the narrower statement of the range/limitation.
The claim(s) are considered indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the feature introduced by such narrower language is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
Regarding claims 5, 9, 15, 17 and 22-24, the phrase "preferably" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-14, 16, 18-21 and 25-30 allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With respect to claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-14, 16, 18-20, the closest prior art Qian et al (CN 102513037, see English translation) a fluidized bed reactor, including:
a raw material first distributor (3), a raw material second distributor (4) (see paragraph 0034) and a catalyst distributor (7) in the reaction zone of the fluidized bed reactor (see paragraph 0035), which are used to distribute gaseous raw material(s), wherein the raw material first distributor (3) is below the raw material second distributor (4) (see figure 1) (see paragraph 0034-0035);
a raw material first feeding inlet(s) (2) at the bottom of the fluidized bed reactor, which allows at least a part of the raw material(s) to be distributed twice sequentially through the raw material first distributor (3) and the raw material second distributor (4) (see paragraph 0034 and figure 1).
Qian fails to teach or suggest to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date to modify the fluidized bed reactor with the claimed catalyst distributor including a catalyst distributor main guide pipe , which is coaxially (concentric) distributed with the raw material first distributor and the raw material second distributor , wherein the catalyst distributor main guide pipe passes through the raw material first distributor and the raw material second distributor from bottom to top, as claimed.
With respect to claim 21 and 25, the device for preparing low-carbon olefin, characterized in that the device includes a fluidized bed reactor, a settler (9), at least one catalyst first feeding inlet(s) (7) (see figure 1-3 and paragraph 0034-0037).
Qian fails to teach or suggest to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date to modify the fluidized bed reactor wherein the first feeding of catalyst into the region between the raw material first distributor (8) and the raw material second distributor (11) is provided on the side wall of the reactor, and a catalyst second feeding inlet(s) (27) for the second feeding of catalyst into the distributor main guide pipe (47) is provided at the bottom of the reactor ; wherein: the settler (9) is connected to the upper part of the reaction zone of the fluidized bed reactor (7), and the lower part of the settler (9) is connected to the catalyst first feeding inlet(s) (24) and the regenerator (10) respectively, and the regenerated catalyst outlet of the regenerator (10) is connected to the catalyst second feeding inlet(s) (27).
With respect to claim 26-30, the closest prior art Qi et al (CN 102875297A, see provided translation) discloses a method for preparing light olefin by methanol and naphtha, comprising the following steps: (1) raw material comprises naphtha into lift pipe I, contact with the regenerated catalyst, the product stream and catalyst enter into settler, after gas-solid separation, the product stream enters the separating section, C4 more hydrocarbon separated out in the lifting pipe II, a contact with the regenerated catalyst, the product stream and catalyst enter into settler, (2) catalyst in the precipitator after stripping is at least divided into two parts, one part entering the regenerator regeneration, a part enter into lift pipe III, contacting the raw material comprises methanol and generating entering product stream and catalyst settling vessel, wherein the settling vessel is at the upper regenerator part, lifting inlet end of pipe I and II are located in the regenerator (see abstract and figure 1).
Qian fails to teach or suggest to one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date to modify the method wherein a part of the catalyst obtained by separation is directly supplied into the dense-phase zone formed between the raw material first distributor (8) and the raw material second distributors (11) through the catalyst first feeding inlet, and another part is fed into the catalyst distribution zone through the catalyst second feeding inlet(s) after being regenerated by the regenerator as claimed.
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 JUAN C VALENCIA whose telephone number is (571)270-7709. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Prem C Singh can be reached at 571 272-6381. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUAN C VALENCIA/Examiner, Art Unit 1771
/PREM C SINGH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1771
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