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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2016-108575A cited by applicant. Regarding claims 1 and 9, JP2016-108575A discloses an electric arc furnace (1) comprising a furnace vessel (Figure 1), with at least one electrode (4); and a voltage supply (Figure 1) connected to the at least one electrode (4), wherein the furnace vessel (Figure 1) has a lower vessel (Figure 1), wherein the lower vessel for receptacle of a melt (13) and a cover (Figure 1) for placement on the lower vessel (Figure 1), wherein the lower vessel has a tapping channel (14), and wherein the cover has a holding means (Figure 1) for fastening the at least one electrode (4), wherein the electric arc furnace is configured for determining a nitrogen content in the melt (13), wherein the electric arc furnace has a means for determining the nitrogen content in the melt and wherein the electric arc furnace is configured to reduce the nitrogen content in the melt (13) to less than or equal to 70ppm, wherein the electric arc furnace (1) has an apparatus for the insertion of oxygen into the melt (13). Regarding claims 2-5, JP2016-108575A discloses the electric arc furnace has a conveyor system for conveying a carbon carrier (par. 0020), wherein the electric arc furnace and/or the conveyor system is configured to convey the carbon carrier at a temperature of the carbon carrier of more than or equal to 500°C (par. 0048). Regarding claim 6, JP2016-108575A discloses the electric arc furnace and/or the conveyor system is controlled in such a way that the melt has a carbon content of less than or equal to 2.06 wt.% (par. 0030-par. 0035, claims 1-3). Regarding claims 7 and 10, JP2016-108575A discloses the electric arc furnace is configured to remove nitrogen in a gas phase (par. 0033). Regarding claim 8, JP2016-108575A discloses the voltage supply has a control which is operatively connected to the temperature of the melt (Figure 1, par. 0036). Regarding claim 11, JP2016-108575A implicit discloses from the ,measured value.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Kleinschmidt et al (US 2014/0355642) discloses electric arc furnace and method of operating same.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG T VAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4789. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00.
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, Steven W Crabb can be reached at 571-270-5095. 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 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/QUANG T VAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761 August 18, 2026
Prosecution Insights