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 Objections
Claims 1 - 16 are objected to because the claims fail to separate each claim element and/or step by a line indentation as per CFR 1.75(i); MPEP 608.01(i). Appropriate correction is required.
As such, claim 1 has been interpreted as follows:
Claim 1: A flexible wall device for measuring gas permeability coefficient and gas diffusion coefficient of unsaturated soil, comprising:
a gas washing device;
a confining pressure-volume change system;
a drying-wetting cycle control system; and
a gas measuring device,
wherein the gas washing device comprises a high-purity nitrogen cylinder, a pressure reducing valve, a pressure regulating valve and a steady-flow valve,
wherein the confining pressure-volume change system comprises an air compressor, a first pressure regulating valve, a second pressure regulating valve and a volume change measuring tube,
wherein the drying-wetting cycle control system comprises a humidity controller, a first humidity controller valve and a second humidity controller valve,
wherein the gas measuring device comprises a top lid, a cylindrical wall, a base, an upper chamber and a lower chamber, wherein the top lid, the cylindrical wall and the base are connected by bolts and nuts, and the base has four passages, wherein the four passages are respectively connected to the gas washing device, the confining pressure volume change system, the drying-wetting cycle control system and the gas measuring device, and
wherein between the base and the top lid are sequentially arranged from bottom to top as the lower chamber, a lower perforated plate, a lower permeable stone, a sample, an upper permeable stone, an upper perforated plate, the upper chamber, and a control rod.
Dependent claims 2-16 should be amended in similar fashion.
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 1 - 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01.
Independent claim 1; There is no recitation of how the gas washing device, a confining pressure-volume change system, a drying-wetting cycle control system and a gas measuring device and their respective components are structurally connected to each other or perform together during operational use.
Dependent claims 2 - 16; these claims are also set forth various elements with no relationship therebetween.
Allowable Subject Matter
As best understood, claims 1 - 16 appear to be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. A final determination can be made once the claims are in compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112.
Pugia et al US20050041525 (hereinafter “Pugia”) discloses mixing of liquids in a microfluidic device is accomplished by dispensing the liquids into a first chamber to produce combined liquid. The liquids are thereafter discharged through at least one capillary from the first chamber into a second chamber for complete mixing. (Fig 1-3, Paragraph 0029-0071)
Fuzhou University CN111458274 (hereinafter “Fuzhou“) discloses a soil column device for measuring non-saturated soil gas permeation and diffusion coefficient and method thereof, the soil column device comprises a gas supply device, a measuring device, a tail gas processing device and a data collecting device; The measuring device comprises a cylindrical container; multiple soil samples are loaded in the inner cavity of the cylindrical container in a layered manner; the interface between each layer of soil sample is provided with a sensor assembly connected with the data collecting device; the bottom of the cylindrical container is connected with the air supply device by an air inlet valve; The technical solution of the invention only needs to obtain the gas pressure and tracer gas concentration of the measuring point and the adjacent point, substituting the calculation formula of the gas permeation and diffusion coefficient, namely obtaining the gas permeation and diffusion coefficient of soil sample under different water content and suction. The invention has simple operation, convenient calculation, which can obtain the gas permeation and diffusion coefficient of soil sample under different water content and suction, with wide application prospect. (Paragraph 0004-0038)
Independent claim 1 appears to be allowable because the prior art fails to teach, or fairly suggest, a high-purity nitrogen cylinder, a pressure reducing valve, a pressure regulating valve and a steady-flow valve; the confining pressure-volume change system comprises an air compressor, a first pressure regulating valve, a second pressure regulating valve and a volume change measuring tube; the drying-wetting cycle control system comprises a humidity controller, a first humidity controller valve and a second humidity controller valve; the gas measuring device comprises a top lid, a cylindrical wall, a base, an upper chamber and a lower chamber, wherein the top lid, the cylindrical wall and the base are connected by bolts and nuts, and the base has four passages, wherein the four passages are respectively connected to the gas washing device, the confining pressure- volume change system, the drying-wetting cycle control system and the gas measuring device; between the base and the top lid are sequentially arranged from bottom to top as the lower chamber, a lower perforated plate, a lower permeable stone, a sample, an upper permeable stone, an upper perforated plate, the upper chamber, and a control rod.
Claims 2 - 16 depend from claim 1 and appear to be allowable for, at least, that reason.
Conclusion
The prior art as cited on the PTO-892 is made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIGEL H PLUMB whose telephone number is (571)272-8886. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7am-5pm.
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, John Breene can be reached at 571-272-4107. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (USA or CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NIGEL H PLUMB/ /Eric S. McCall/Examiner, Art Unit 2855 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855