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 .
Election Acknowledged
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-6, in the reply filed on 05/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 7-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-12 are pending. Of the pending claims, claims 1-6 are presented for examination on the merits, and claims 7-12 are withdrawn from consideration.
Claims 1-3 and 6 are currently amended. Claims 7-12 are (withdrawn)-currently amended.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Four (4) information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) were submitted on 12/08/2023, 08/13/2025, 02/25/2026, and 05/08/2026. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS are being considered by the examiner.
For the IDS dated 08/13/2025, Cite Nos. 45 and 99 contain typographical errors, and the corrections are annotated on the considered copy. Cite Nos. 148 and 151 contain incomplete publication information. Cite No. 108 is lined through because a copy could not be located in the filed wrapper. See MPEP § 609.04(a)(II).
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WO 2009/030809 (A1) to Ollila et al. (“Ollila”).
Regarding claim 1, Ollila discloses sintering equipment for continuous sintering and pre-reduction of pelletized mineral material, the sintering resulting in the agglomeration of pellets of powder mineral material (metal agglomerate production configuration). Title; abstract; p. 1 – lines 12-14. The mineral material refers to those of the oxide group, mainly compounds of metal and oxygen. Page 1 – lines 14-18.
The equipment comprises the following components (Fig. 2): (i) a drying zone (I), a heating zone (II), and a sintering zone (III) (collectively an induration apparatus) (p. 7 – lines 16-19); (ii) control device (23) (control circuitry) (p. 8 – lines 11-19); and (iii) a first cooling zone (V), a second cooling zone (VI), and a third cooling zone (VII) (collectively a cooler device) (p. 7 – lines 19-22).
The limitation “configured to provide a metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process (MTE) comprising indurating a metal ore material into a metal oxide material” is interpreted as material worked upon and intended use/manner of operating the apparatus and therefore will not be accorded patentable weight. See MPEP §§ 2114(II), 2115. In any case, Ollila discloses that the equipment is used to act upon mineral material. Page 2 – lines 25-32. The mineral material refers to those of the oxide group, mainly compounds of metal and oxygen. Page 1 – lines 14-18. The equipment dries, heats, sinters, and pre-reduces the mineral material (induration apparatus configured to provide a metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process comprising indurating a metal ore material into a metal oxide material). Page 3 – lines 25-36.
A conveyor belt (2) conveys pellets through the drying, heating, and sintering zones and transports the pellets to the cooling zones (induration apparatus configured to discharge metal oxide material holding thermal energy from a thermal process to a cooler device of the configuration; cooler device configured for cooling metal oxide material discharged from the induration apparatus). Page 7 – lines 8-22; Fig. 2.
The control device (23) performs a number of functions, including monitoring the gas composition to control combustion (control circuitry configured to control metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process). Page 9 – lines 6-33.
The equipment further comprises overhead circulation gas ducts (5, 6) through which gas is conducted from the cooling zones (V, VI) and circulated to the heating/sintering zones (II, III) (cooler device comprising a first heat transferring arrangement configured for transferring a first heat energy content to the induration apparatus, which first heat energy content is recovered from the metal oxide material holding said thermal energy). Fig. 2; p. 3 – lines 13-16; p. 7 – lines 25-28; p. 14 – lines 6-10.
The equipment further comprises lower exhaust gas ducts (9, 10) and inlet gas ducts (13, 14) for conducting at least part of the gas that has traveled from the heating/sintering zones (II, III) is conducted to the cooling zone (second heat transferring arrangement configured for transferring a second heat energy content from the induration apparatus to the cooler device for cooling of the metal oxide material, which second heat energy content is recovered from the metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process). Page 3 – lines 17-20; p. 7 – lines 29-37; p. 8 – lines 1-4; p. 14 – lines 14-18, 22-23.
Regarding claim 2, the limitation pertaining to the second heat energy being low-grade heat energy recovered from the induration apparatus is interpreted as material worked upon and intended use/manner of operating the apparatus and therefore will not be accorded patentable weight. See MPEP §§ 2114(II), 2115. In any case, Ollila discloses that the gas flowing from the heating/sintering zone is exhaust gas that is recycled to the cooling zone (second heat energy comprising low-grade heat energy recovered from the induration apparatus). Fig. 2 – flow lines from (II, III, 9, 10) to (V, VI, 13, 14); p. 9 – lines 15-32.
Regarding claim 3, the limitation pertaining to the second heat energy being completely or partially added to the first heat energy is interpreted as material worked upon and intended use/manner of operating the apparatus and therefore will not be accorded patentable weight. See MPEP §§ 2114(II), 2115. In any case, the process is a continuous process. Title; abstract; claim 1. The loop of flow of heating/sintering zone exhaust gas to cooling zones and cooling zone circulation gas back to the heating/sintering zone would result in second heat energy and first heat energy being completely or partially mixed. See Fig. 2.
Regarding claim 4, Ollila discloses that the cooling zone may be a first cooling zone and a second cooling zone in series and separated from each other by walls (second heat transferring arrangement comprising a first air cooling chamber configured for cooling the metal oxide material in a first step; second air cooling chamber configured for cooling the metal oxide material in a second step). Page 6 – lines 15-19; p. 15 – lines 33-37; Fig. 2.
Regarding claim 6, the limitation pertaining to the control circuitry being configured to control the thermal process by taking into account the first heat energy and/or the second heat energy is interpreted as material worked upon and intended use/manner of operating the apparatus and therefore will not be accorded patentable weight. See MPEP §§ 2114(II), 2115. In any case, Ollila discloses that the control device monitors the gas composition to adjust the oxygen content of the gas and/or to adjust the combustion air coefficient of burners for adjusting the carbon monoxide content of the gas. Abstract; p. 9 – lines 6-14. Adjusting the composition effects adjustment in the burner (7, 8), which in turn affects the temperature of the gas flowing to the heating/sintering zone (control circuitry configured to control said metal oxide material manufacturing thermal process by taking into account the first heat energy content and/or the second heat energy content). Page 9 – lines 9-32.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ollila, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2015/0115508 (A1) to Son et al. (“Son”).
Regarding claim 5, Ollila does not disclose the presence of a heat exchanger coupled between the induration apparatus and the cooler device.
Son is drawn to a burning apparatus and method for manufacturing reduced iron from a briquette. Abstract. The apparatus is capable of circulating exhaust gas generated in a process of partially reducing reduced iron to improved energy efficiency. Para. [0015]. In one aspect, air supplied to a first cooling region (D1) is discharged to a second reduction region (C2). Para. [0082]; Figs. 2 and 4. Exhaust gas generated in a first reduction region (C1) may be supplied to the first cooling region (D1). Para. [0068]; Figs. 2 and 4.
A heat exchanger may be placed between the reduction region and the cooling region (heat exchanger coupled between induration apparatus and cooler device). Para. [0019], [0068], [0069]. The heat exchanger reduces the temperature of the gas coming from the reduction region in order to make the gas suitable for drying the briquette. Para. [0068], [0069].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have incorporated a heat exchanger to the apparatus of Ollila because a heat exchanger would permit the precise control of the temperature of the exhaust gas, ensuring that the gas is sufficiently cold to initiate cooling in the cooling zone.
Pertinent Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
CN 110684898 (A) to Gan et al. (computer-generated translation is attached) is directed to a method for exhaust gas recycling in the production of pellets. Exhaust gas of the middle section of the chain grate is recycled to the circulating cooling section of the cooler. Abstract; Fig. 1.
AU 701166 (B2) to Maisel et al. discloses a pelletising plant with continuous flow kiln in which a traveling grate has a layer of green pellets deposited thereupon. Abstract. Part of the cooling gas immediately after the baking operation is supplied to the baking zone. Page 2 – lines 2-5. Gas in the heating zone is guided to the cooling zone. Page 3 – lines 3-7. Fig. 4 shows gas from zone (16) flowing to the heating zone (9) via line (21) and gas from zone (9) flowing to zone (15) of the cooling zone (11).
US 3,333,951 (A) to Ban discloses a process for producing a metallized layered iron ore pellets that have been indurated. Col. 1, lines 10-20. Heat is recovered from exhaust gases. Col. 3, lines 20-24. Cooled gases exiting from the drying zone are forced upward and then preheated. Col. 4, lines 59-64. The sole figure shows heat from the drying zone flowing to the cool zone, and gas from the cool zone is flowed back to the drying zone.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VANESSA T. LUK whose telephone number is (571)270-3587. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/VANESSA T. LUK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1733
August 8, 2026
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