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 § 103
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.
Claims 1-4,7,8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A).
Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) in figure 6 teaches a rotary sorption system, comprising a rotor(rotor 301) formed of a rotating sorbent mass of a regenerable sorbent material, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passing through first, second, third, fourth zones, before returning to the first zone; a supply fluid stream(OA stream) directed through the first zone(adsorption zone 304); a regeneration fluid stream(RA stream) directed through the third zone(regeneration zone 302); and an isolation fluid stream(stream including circulation fan 311 passing through heat recovery zone 303 and preheating zone 305) that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream through the second and fourth zones. Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) is silent as to a portion of the supply fluid stream passes through the fifth zone before joining the regeneration fluid stream and passing through the third zone, and no seal or barrier is disposed at a face of the rotor between the first zone and the fifth zone.
Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) in figure 2 teaches a rotary sorption system including a rotor(rotor 7) of rotating sorbent mass, a supply fluid stream(10) directed through an adsorption zone 8, a regeneration fluid stream(12) directed through a regeneration zone(9), wherein a portion of the supply fluid stream(purge air 25) passes through a fifth zone(purge zone 24) before joining the regeneration fluid stream(noting purge line 26 joins with regeneration gas 12) and passing through the third zone. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) with a fifth purge zone, wherein a portion of the OA stream passes through the purge zone before joining the regeneration fluid stream RA, in order to provide for a mechanism for including a purge zone in Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) which adds additional heated gas to the regeneration zone of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2). Examiner furthermore notes that Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) includes no seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor at the adsorption zone, therefore adding a fifth purge zone as taught by Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) would not require a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone. Examiner also respectfully submits that it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art to route the purge fluid through a fifth zone which is located exterior to the isolation fluid stream of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) in order to provide for no requirement of a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone. Examiner notes the barrier for the isolation zone of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) prevents any purge air in a fifth zone from crossing over into the isolation zone, therefore removing a requirement of a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone.
With regards to claim 2, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the supply fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream are passed through the sorbent mass in opposite directions(figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2)), and the isolation fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the same direction as the fluid stream immediately following the isolation fluid stream with respect to the direction of rotation of the sorbent mass(noting arrow directions for isolation stream in figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2).
With regards to claim 3, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches a heating device(heating coil 309 in figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) ) disposed in the regeneration fluid stream between the fifth zone and the third zone so as to further heat the regeneration fluid stream before passing through the third zone.
With regards to claim 4, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the supply fluid stream is at a higher pressure than the regeneration fluid stream.
With regards to claim 7, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the portion of the supply fluid stream passes through the fifth zone of the sorbent mass before joining the regeneration fluid stream and another portion of the supply fluid stream passes through the first zone of the sorbent mass as a process fluid stream.
With regards to claim 8, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the portion of the supply fluid stream that passes through the fifth zone of the sorbent mass is the source of all of the regeneration fluid stream.
Claims 9,11,12,15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A).
Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) in figure 6 teaches a rotary sorption system, comprising a rotor(rotor 301) formed of a rotating sorbent mass of a regenerable sorbent material, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passing through first, second, third, fourth zones, before returning to the first zone; a process fluid stream (OA stream) directed through the first zone(adsorption zone 304); a regeneration fluid stream(RA stream) directed through the third zone(regeneration zone 303); an isolation fluid stream (stream including circulation fan 311 passing through heat recovery zone 303 and preheating zone 305) that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream through the second and fourth zones. Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) is silent as to a purge fluid stream directed through a fifth zone, wherein the purge fluid stream passes through the fifth zone before being further heated and passing through the third zone as the regeneration fluid stream, and no barrier or seal is disposed between the process fluid stream and the purge fluid stream upstream of the rotor before the process fluid stream and the purge fluid stream pass through the first zone and the fifth zone.
Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) in figure 2 teaches a rotary sorption system including a rotor(rotor 7) of rotating sorbent mass, a supply fluid stream(10) directed through an adsorption zone 8, a regeneration fluid stream(12) directed through a regeneration zone(9), wherein a portion of the supply fluid stream(purge air 25) passes through the fifth zone(purge zone 24) before joining the regeneration fluid stream(noting purge line 26 joins with regeneration gas 12) and passing through the third zone. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) with a fifth purge zone, wherein a portion of the OA stream passes through the purge zone before joining the regeneration fluid stream RA, in order to provide for a mechanism for including a purge zone in Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) which adds additional heated gas to the regeneration zone of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2). Examiner furthermore notes that Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) includes no seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor at the adsorption zone, therefore adding a fifth purge zone as taught by Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) would not require a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone. Examiner also respectfully submits that it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art to route the purge fluid through a fifth zone which is located exterior to the isolation fluid stream of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) in order to provide for no requirement of a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone. Examiner notes the barrier for the isolation zone of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) prevents any purge air in a fifth zone from crossing over into the isolation zone, therefore removing a requirement of a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone. Examiner also notes the limitations “before being further heated” are directed to functional limitations and not given patentable weight for prior art analysis.
With regards to claim 10, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the supply fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream are passed through the sorbent mass in opposite directions(figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2)), and the isolation fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the same direction as the fluid stream immediately following the isolation fluid stream with respect to the direction of rotation of the sorbent mass(noting arrow directions for isolation stream in figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2).
With regards to claim 11, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches a heating device(heating coil 309 in figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) ) disposed in the regeneration fluid stream between the fifth zone and the third zone so as to further heat the regeneration fluid stream before passing through the third zone.
With regards to claim 12, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the supply fluid stream is at a higher pressure than the regeneration fluid stream.
With regards to claim 15, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the portion of the supply fluid stream passes through the fifth zone of the sorbent mass before joining the regeneration fluid stream and another portion of the supply fluid stream passes through the first zone of the sorbent mass as a process fluid stream.
Claims 16-19,23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A).
Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) in figure 6 is teaches a rotary sorption system, comprising: a rotor(rotor 301) formed of a rotating sorbent mass of a regenerable sorbent material, in a cycle of operation, a given volume of the sorbent mass sequentially passing through first, second, third, fourth zones, before returning to the first zone; first ductwork(ductwork for OA stream) configured to direct a supply fluid stream through the first zone(adsorption zone 304); second ductwork(ductwork for RA stream) configured to direct a regeneration fluid stream through the third zone(regeneration zone 302); third ductwork configured to direct an isolation fluid stream(ductwork for stream including circulation fan 311 passing through heat recovery zone 303 and preheating zone 305) to recirculate in a closed loop independent of the process fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream through the second and fourth zones. Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) is silent as to fourth ductwork configured to direct a first portion of the supply fluid stream, having passed through a fifth zone, to the second ductwork to join the regeneration fluid stream, and to direct a second portion of the supply fluid stream, having passed through the first zone, to a process target, wherein the first portion of the supply fluid stream, having passed through the fifth zone, joins the regeneration fluid stream before passing through the third zone.
Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) in figure 2 teaches a rotary sorption system including a rotor(rotor 7) of rotating sorbent mass, a supply fluid stream ductwork(10) directed through an adsorption zone 8, a regeneration fluid stream ductwork(12) directed through a regeneration zone(9), wherein purge air ductwork provides a portion of the supply fluid stream(purge air 25) passes through a fifth zone(purge zone 24) before joining the regeneration fluid stream(noting purge line 26 joins with regeneration gas 12) and passing through the third zone, wherein the first portion of the supply fluid stream, having passed through the fifth zone, joins the regeneration fluid stream( purge stream 26 joining regeneration gas 12 in figure 2 of Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) before passing through the third zone . It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) with a fifth purge zone, wherein a portion of the OA stream passes through the purge zone before joining the regeneration fluid stream RA, in order to provide for a mechanism for including a purge zone in Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) which adds additional heated gas to the regeneration zone of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2).
Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches no seal or barrier is disposed at a face of the rotor between the first zone and the fifth zone(Examiner furthermore notes that Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) includes no seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor at the adsorption zone, therefore adding a fifth purge zone as taught by Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) would not require a seal or barrier disposed at a face of the rotor of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) between the adsorption zone and the added purge zone).
With regards to claim 17, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the supply fluid stream and the regeneration fluid stream are passed through the sorbent mass in opposite directions(figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2)), and the isolation fluid stream is passed through the sorbent mass in the same direction as the fluid stream immediately following the isolation fluid stream with respect to the direction of rotation of the sorbent mass(noting arrow directions for isolation stream in figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2).
With regards to claim 18, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches a heating device(heating coil 309 in figure 6 of Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) ) disposed in the regeneration fluid stream between the fifth zone and the third zone so as to further heat the regeneration fluid stream before passing through the third zone.
With regards to claim 19, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the supply fluid stream is at a higher pressure than the regeneration fluid stream.
With regards to claim 23, Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) further teaches wherein the first portion of the supply fluid stream that passes through the fifth zone of the sorbent mass is the source of all the regeneration fluid stream.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5,6,13,14,20,21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 5,13, and 20 recites “wherein the supply fluid stream is at a lower pressure than the regeneration fluid stream.”. Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) recites “Since the static pressure of the purge air flow path is higher than the static pressure of the regeneration flow path, the regeneration gas 12 does not flow to the purge air 26”. Therefore Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) does not teach or suggest wherein the supply fluid stream is at a lower pressure than the regeneration fluid stream.
Claims 6, 14, and 21 recites “wherein the process fluid stream is recirculated in a substantially closed loop to dehydrate or maintain dryness of a product”. Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) teaches a process fluid stream, however Japanese reference(JP3819272B2) taken together with Japanese reference(JP2004-257710A) does not teach or suggest wherein the process fluid stream is recirculated in a substantially closed loop to dehydrate or maintain dryness of a product.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7-10-2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant states the office action takes the position that it would have been obvious to incorporate the purge zone 24 of Goto into the dehumidifying device of Mino in order to add more heated gas to the regeneration flow, and further suggests that Goto does not include any seal or barrier at a face of the rotor between the zones, and Applicant respectfully disagrees.
Examiner notes both Mino and Goto teach a supply fluid stream directed through an adsorption zone of a rotor and a regeneration fluid stream directed through a regeneration zone of a rotor, wherein someone of ordinary skill in the art, requiring providing addition of a portion of a supply fluid stream as a purge fluid to the rotor, would look to Goto as motivation to use a portion of a supply fluid stream of Mino as a purge fluid and to combine the downstream purge fluid with the regeneration fluid stream of Mino. Examiner notes the office action states that the adsorption zone(304) does not include any seal or barrier at a face of the rotor, therefore addition of a purge fluid to an upstream portion of the rotor of Mino would not require inclusion of any seal or barrier between the adsorption zone(304) and an included purge zone.
Applicant argues with respect to claim 1 that although Goto does not depict any seals or barriers in the drawings of its various embodiments, it does describe such with respect to the prior art in its Figure 6 and notes that partition plates 4 and 5 are provided inside respective casings (see paragraph [0003] of the English translation) and that the casings 6 and 7 and the partition plates 4 and 5 are provided with a seal structure 33 at portions that are in contact with the front and rear end surfaces of the desiccant rotor 1 (see paragraph [0006]). Goto further describes the seals in several embodiments, but does not depict such in the corresponding drawings. Applicant submits that, given the teachings of the reference as a whole, one of ordinary skill in the art would construe Goto as including seals and partitions at both rotor faces and that the lack of any illustration of such was for drawing simplification. Goto fails to remedy the deficiencies of Mino noted above with respect to independent Claims 1, 9, and 16.
Examiner respectfully submits that the embodiment of figure 6 of Goto was not included as part of the prior art rejection, therefore a statement that partition plates 4 and 5 are provided with a seal structure 33 at portions that are in contact with the front and rear end surfaces of the desiccant rotor does not apply to the current rejection, wherein the embodiment of figure 2 of Goto and the embodiment of figure 6 of Goto are two diverse and distinct embodiments, wherein inclusion of partition plates 4 and 5 does not transfer over to the embodiment of figure 2 of Goto. Examiner further notes that para 0002 of Goto states that figure 6 is directed to a prior art conventional dehumidification device that includes partition plates 4 and 5, and figure 1, which does not include a purge stream, is stated in para 0006 of Goto as an embodiment which would include partition plates. Examiner further notes para 0068 of Goto specifically describes the embodiment of figure 2, wherein para 0068 does not specifically include a discussion of inclusion of partition plates as in the prior art figure 6 embodiment. Examiner furthermore notes Mino includes an isolation fluid stream that recirculates in a closed loop independent of the adsorption fluid stream and regeneration fluid stream, equivalent to the isolation fluid stream of figure 1 of the current drawings. Examiner notes para 0032 of the current specification states “any barrier defining the fifth zone could restrict this compact design by interfering with the shortest paths for the isolation airstream connection ductwork 106, 108. Accordingly, no seal or barrier is positioned between the first zone and the fifth zone, at least on the upstream side of the rotor with respect to the direction of the supply airflow”. Examiner respectfully submits that providing no seal or barrier between the adsorption zone of Mino and a purge zone of Mino would also provide for no interference with a shortest path for isolation airstream connection ductwork for the closed loop isolation fluid stream of Mino.
Examiner notes arguments and response to arguments for independent claims 9 and 16 are the same as the arguments and response to arguments to claim 1.
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 ROBERT A HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at 5712707872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT A HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
August 6, 2026
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