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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Claims
Claims 19-36 are pending. Claims 19, 22 and 35 are the subject of this NON-FINAL Office Action. This is the first action on the merits.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 19-35) and the species of feed reservoir of claim 22 in the reply filed on 03/13/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 20-21, 23-34 and 36 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112- Indefiniteness
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.
Claims 19, 22 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 19 contains multiple antecedent basis issues that cause confusion as to the powder. First, “the powder mass” lacks antecedent basis, making it unclear if this is referencing the “moving powder mass,” or another powder. Similarly, “the moving mass” lacks antecedent basis, causing the same confusion. Applicants are encouraged to clarify the powder masses by using specific modifiers in each instance of using the “mass” or “powder.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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; or
(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 19, 22 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HAEBERLI (US5858419).
In the Requirement for Restriction/Election, the Examiner attempted to make Applicants aware that their claims are so broad that they encompass a large amount of prior art. To this end, for the sake of compact prosecution, the Examiner encouraged Applicants to amend their claims to recite their invention which seems to be a particular powder feeding and blending system for tablet presses that uses a brush in the reservoir outlet to simultaneously mix and deposit powder compositions into a blender tube. Applicants did not do this; thus, this rejection.
The “moving device” encompasses any device capable of moving a powder in any way, and any direction (e.g. simple belt conveyor, blade, air, rotating table, etc.).
The “feeding reservoir” is any device with openings capable of releasing powder to the “moving device” (e.g. simple hopper with holes, etc.).
Together, the “feeding system” with “feeding reservoir” that releases powder to a “moving device” encompasses a huge amount of prior art. The following is only one such prior art reference.
As to claim 19, HAEBERLI teaches a feeding system for feeding a powder material to a moving powder mass comprising:
a moving device 2 (“belt”) configured to move the powder mass along a movement direction (Fig. 1); and
a feeding reservoir 1 (“hopper”) configured to provide the powder material to be fed to the moving mass, the feeding reservoir comprises (Fig. 1),
a plurality of feeding openings (between radial brushes 16 as shown in Fig. 8; alternatively, sieve 19 has openings as shown in Figs. 2-3) dimensioned for feeding the powder material to the moving powder mass, wherein at least some of the plurality of feeding openings are arranged along the movement direction of the moving powder mass (Figs. 1-3 & 8-9).
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As to claim 22, HAEBERLI teaches wherein at least some of the plurality of the feeding openings are arranged along an axis that intersects the movement direction of the moving powder mass (Fig. 8).
As to claim 35, HAEBERLI teaches wherein the feeding system is a continuous feeding system configured to continuously feed the powder material to the moving powder mass (Figs. 1-3 & 8-9; claim 9).
Claims 19, 22 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2019055830A.
This reference teaches the same feeding device as the claims, along with the specific feeding device configuration of drawings.
As to claim 19, JP2019055830A teaches a feeding system for feeding a powder material to a moving powder mass comprising:
a moving device 5 (“conveyor”) configured to move the powder mass along a movement direction (Fig. 2); and
a feeding reservoir 4/14 (“powder spraying device”; “powder spreading mechanism”) configured to provide the powder material to be fed to the moving mass, the feeding reservoir comprises (Fig. 2),
a plurality of feeding openings 16a dimensioned for feeding the powder material to the moving powder mass, wherein at least some of the plurality of feeding openings are arranged along the movement direction of the moving powder mass (Fig. 2). This feeder also includes brushes 17 within a cylinder 4/13/14 that has holes 16a (Figs. 2-3 & 7).
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As to claim 22, JP2019055830A teaches wherein at least some of the plurality of the feeding openings are arranged along an axis that intersects the movement direction of the moving powder mass (Fig. 2).
As to claim 35, JP2019055830A teaches wherein the feeding system is a continuous feeding system configured to continuously feed the powder material to the moving powder mass (Figs. 2-3 & 7).
Prior Art
The following prior art, among many, teaches “feeding system” with “feeding reservoir” that releases powder to a “moving device” (e.g. using brushes inside a rotating drum/barrel that has holes): US20160056493; KR 20070111064 A; CN 208768926 U; CN 112010058 A.
Conclusion
No claims are allowed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELODY TSUI whose telephone number is (571)272-1846. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm.
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/YUNG-SHENG M TSUI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1684
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