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 .
This is in response to the above application filed on 20 May 2024. Claims 1-6 are examined.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
Figures 1-9b are objected to, in accordance with 37 CFR 1.84(l), because the weight, density, and darkness of all lines and letters (dashed lines, solid lines, and text within and outside of shaded areas) are not heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction (the figures as filed are blurry).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-4 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding Claim 1:
The recitation “a. a manifold having a fluid entry point and a plurality of ports formed therein each of which is fluidly connected to the fluid entry point; and b. a plurality of nozzle, each nozzle being adapted for attachment within a respective one of the plurality of ports.” (ll. 2-4) is believed to be in error for – a manifold having a fluid entry point and a plurality of ports formed therein each of which is fluidly connected to the fluid entry point; and a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle being adapted for attachment within a respective one of the plurality of ports –.
Regarding Claims 2-3:
The recitation “wherein each nozzle” (l. 1) is believed to be in error for – wherein said each nozzle –.
Regarding Claim 4:
The recitation “a respective one of the ports” (ll. 2-3) is believed to be in error for – a respective one of the plurality of ports –.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Patel 10279360.
Regarding Claim 1, Patel teaches a misting nozzle assembly, comprising:
a manifold 20 having a fluid entry point 35 and a plurality of ports 26 formed therein each of which is fluidly connected to the fluid entry point 35; and a plurality of nozzle 25, each nozzle 25 being adapted for attachment within a respective one of the plurality of ports 26 (Col. 2, l. 63 - Col. 3, l. 24;Figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 2, Patel teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 1, and Patel further teaches
each nozzle 25 is positioned equidistant from the other nozzles 25 (Col. 2, l. 63 – Col. 3, l. 8; Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 3, Patel teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 2, and Patel further teaches
each nozzle 25 is positioned 120 degrees ([a] – angle a is 120 deg, seen in Fig. 4) from the adjacent nozzles 25 (Col. 2, l. 63 – Col. 3, l. 8; Annotated Fig. 4, below).
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Figure A: Annotated Fig. 4 of Patel (U.S. 10279360)
Regarding Claim 4, Patel teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 1, and Patel further teaches
a plurality of threaded adapters 30, each threaded adapter 30 is positioned within a respective one of the ports 26 (Col. 3, ll. 9-24; Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 5, Patel teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 4, and Patel further teaches
a plurality of threaded caps 28, each cap 28 is adapted for positioning around a respective nozzle 25 and to be securely connected to a respective threaded adapter 30, each threaded cap 28 secures a respective nozzle 25 (Col. 3, ll. 9-24; Fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 6, Patel teaches the invention as claimed and as discussed above for claim 5, and Patel further teaches
a plurality of gaskets 31 (Col. 3, ll. 9-24; Fig. 5).
Conclusion
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/JACEK LISOWSKI/ /GERALD L SUNG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741 Examiner, Art Unit 3741