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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority (SE2151427-8, filed on November 24, 2021) under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
The term “comprising,” should be corrected to read “comprising:” for proper claim formatting.
Claim 6 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “wherein primary water supply conduit comprises” should be corrected to read “wherein the primary water supply conduit comprises” for grammar and consistency.
Claim 11 objected to because of the following informalities:
The term “millimetre” should be corrected to read “millimeter” for consistency with U.S. spelling.
Claim 13 objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “wherein secondary water supply conduit comprises” should be corrected to read “wherein the secondary water supply conduit comprises” for grammar and consistency.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 1 recites the limitation “a purified water dispenser tool connected to the reservoir.” The instant specification discloses that the purified water dispenser tool may be a manually operated nozzle/handle or an automatically controlled nozzle (¶[0027]), and that each tank includes an outlet conduit connected to the purified water dispenser tool with a controllable outlet valve (¶[0035]). Under broadest reasonable interpretation, the term “purified water dispenser tool” encompasses a point-of-use outlet structure configured to dispense purified water from the reservoir, including an automatically controlled outlet. The term is not limited to a manually operated nozzle or handle.
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.
Claim 11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “preferably equal to or more than 0.1 millimetre and equal to or less than 0.2 millimetre.” The term “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the preferred range is required by the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 / § 103
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.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-7, 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ZHANG et al. (CN102417210B, hereinafter ZHANG).
Regarding Claim 1, ZHANG discloses an immersion vacuum membrane distillation device based on the principle of air permeability and water impermeability of hydrophobic membrane technology (¶[0002]).
FIG. 2 illustrates a submersible vacuum membrane distillation device for treating wastewater, including raw water storage tank 1, dissolved air pump 2, raw water heating tank 3, and membrane distillation hydrophobic membrane module 4 installed inside raw water heating tank 3. The outlet pipe of raw water storage tank 1 is connected to liquid flow meter 13, dissolved air pump 2 is connected between liquid flow meter 13 and opening regulating valve 15, raw water heating tank 3 has an inlet pipe connected to opening regulating valve 15, and the permeate-side outlet of membrane module 4 is connected to the inlet of condenser 5 by a pipeline (¶[0066]–¶[0070]).
Condenser 5 has an inlet connected to the permeate side of membrane module 4 through a pipeline, and includes condensate inlet 19 and condensate outlet 20 for countercurrent flow of circulating condensate and membrane distillation product water (¶[0071]–¶[0072]). Water production tanks 8 and 9 are connected in parallel, with tank 8 having inlet solenoid valve 23 connected to the outlet of condenser 5 and outlet solenoid valve 25 connected to the outlet pipeline leading to the water point, and tank 9 having inlet solenoid valve 24 connected to the outlet of condenser 5 and outlet solenoid valve 26 connected to the outlet pipeline leading to the water point (¶[0075]–¶[0076]).
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FIG. 2 of ZHANG
With the permeate side of membrane module 4 under vacuum, gas and vapor in the wastewater pass through the membrane pores to the permeate side, the vapor condenses and enters the product water tank, and solenoid valves 23, 24, 25, and 26 operate in a coordinated manner so that product water tanks 8 and 9 switch between receiving product water and sending produced water directly to the point of use (i.e., a purified water dispenser tool; ¶[0087]).
Regarding Claim 2, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 1. FIG. 2 of ZHANG illustrates the water production tanks 8 and 9 connected in parallel, with the respective inlet solenoid valves 23 and 24 connected to the outlet of condenser 5 and the respective outlet solenoid valves 25 and 26 connected to the outlet pipeline leading to the water point (¶[0075]–¶[0076]).
Regarding Claims 5 and 6, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 1. FIG. 2 of ZHANG illustrates the raw water storage tank 1 connected through the liquid flow meter 13, the dissolved air pump 2, and the opening regulating valve 15 (i.e., a water regulator) to the inlet pipe of the raw water heating tank 3 (i.e., the evaporation chamber), where the membrane distillation hydrophobic membrane module 4 is installed inside the raw water heating tank 3 (¶[0067]–¶[0070]).
Regarding Claim 7, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 5. FIG. 2 of ZHANG illustrates the raw water storage tank 1 having an inlet pipe equipped with opening regulating valve 10 and an outlet pipe connected to the inlet of liquid flow meter 13 (¶[0067]).
Regarding Claims 9 and 10, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 1. FIG. 2 of ZHANG illustrates condenser 5 connected to the permeate side of membrane module 4 (¶[0071]).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of FUJII et al. (JP2000126767A, hereinafter FUJII).
Regarding Claim 3, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 1. However, ZHANG does not explicitly disclose that each tank comprises “a discharge conduit having a controllable discharge valve, wherein the discharge conduit bypasses the dispenser tool.”
FUJII discloses an apparatus for producing purified water by separating raw water into concentrated water and permeate using a separation membrane (¶[0001]).
FIG. 4 illustrates a storage-tank configuration for permeate 4 applicable to purified water storage tank 7, in which first storage tank 77 and second storage tank 78 have respective drain valves 104 and 105. During a sterilization cycle, one storage tank stores and supplies permeate water while the other storage tank stores chemical solution for a period of time. The chemical solution is then drained through the corresponding drain valve, and the tank is cleaned before being switched back to permeate-water storage. Switching between a tank storing permeate water and a tank being sterilized suppresses contamination and allows the supply of permeate to continue without stopping operation (¶[0041]–¶[0044]).
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FIG. 4 of FUJII
The drain valve arrangement disclosed by FUJII permits a storage tank to be drained and cleaned before it is returned to permeate-water storage. This suppresses contamination and allows permeate supply to continue without stopping operation (¶[0043]–¶[0044]). In view of ZHANG’s parallel water production tank setup, a person skilled in the art would have included this drain valve arrangement on the water production tanks to allow each tank to be discharged and cleaned independently of the normal outlet path to the water point.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the drain valve arrangement, as disclosed by FUJII, into the water production tanks of the membrane distillation device by ZHANG.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of ZHAO (CN108613776A).
Regarding Claim 4, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 1. However, ZHANG does not explicitly disclose that the membrane distillation assembly comprises “a gas source,” or that each tank comprises “a gas supply conduit connected to the gas source and having a controllable gas valve.”
Gas purging was known for liquid-handling tanks to remove residual liquid from tanks and pipes after discharge. In this context, ZHAO discloses a dual water storage tank setup connected to a compressed air source through pipes equipped with valves (¶[0008]).
FIG. 1 illustrates first water storage tank 5 connected to an external compressed air source through sixth pipe C6, with pressure control valve V17, air filter 3, and fourteenth valve V14 on sixth pipe C6. Second water storage tank 4 is connected to sixth pipe C6 through eighth pipe C8. Third pipe C3 connects first water storage tank 5 and second water storage tank 4 for gas passage, and exhaust pipe C13 is connected to third pipe C3 for discharging exhaust gas (¶[0032]).
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FIG. 1 of ZHAO
During testing, compressed air enters first water storage tank 5 through air filter 3 after pressure adjustment by pressure control valve V17, and pushes wetting liquid from first water storage tank 5 through first pipe C1 into filter housing 9 and then into second water storage tank 4 through second pipe C2. Tenth valve V10 is then opened so gas enters second water storage tank 4 through eighth pipe C8 to pressurize the wetting liquid (¶[0035]–¶[0036]). As observed from the annotated gas supply path in FIG. 1, the gas supply side is a parallel configuration, with sixth pipe C6 supplying compressed air to first water storage tank 5 and eighth pipe C8 branching from sixth pipe C6 to supply compressed air to second water storage tank 4.
The gas purge arrangement disclosed by ZHAO permits residual wetting liquid in the water storage tanks and pipes to be dried after liquid and gas are discharged (¶[0037]). This reduces residue remaining in the tanks after liquid handling. In view of ZHANG’s water production tank setup, a person skilled in the art would have provided this gas purge arrangement to purge the tanks after discharge, predictably drying residual liquid before subsequent use (KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, USPQ2d 1385, 1395 – 97 (2007) MPEP § 2143C).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the gas purge arrangement, as disclosed by ZHAO, into the water production tanks of the membrane distillation device by ZHANG.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of MA et al. (US20110180383A1, hereinafter MA).
Regarding Claim 8, ZHANG makes obvious the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 7. However, ZHANG does not explicitly disclose “a primary water return conduit extending from the evaporation chamber to the buffer tank.”
MA discloses a membrane distillation system suitable for water treatment at various scales (¶[0014]). FIG. 1 illustrates membrane distillation system 10 including feed source 12, membrane distillation vessel 16, and feed conveyance network 22 formed by lines, conduits, and tubing 22a–22f (¶[0015]). Retentate feed solution exits distillation vessel 16 through line 22e to heat exchanger 20, and is delivered back through line 22f to feed source 12, where it can continue through membrane distillation system 10 additional times (¶[0019]–¶[0020]).
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FIG. 1 of MA
The return-loop arrangement disclosed by MA reflects the well-known water-treatment practice of increasing water recovery by recirculating retentate feed solution for additional distillation passes before removing the remaining feed. In view of ZHANG’s feed-side water supply path, a person skilled in the art would have included this return-loop arrangement to return remaining feed-side liquid to the upstream buffer tank for additional distillation passes, which predictably increases water recovery.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the return-loop arrangement, as disclosed by MA, into the feed-side water supply path of the membrane distillation device by ZHANG.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of MA.
Regarding Claim 11, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 10. However, ZHANG does not explicitly disclose that the thickness of the film is equal to or more than 0.08 millimetre and equal to or less than 0.25 millimetre.
MA discloses a membrane distillation system suitable for water treatment at various scales (¶[0014]). The membrane wall 36 has suitable wall thicknesses from 50 µm to 500 µm, with particularly suitable wall thicknesses from 100 µm to 250 µm (¶[0026]), which correspond to 0.1 mm to 0.25 mm and overlap the claimed range of 0.08 mm to 0.25 mm.
The membrane wall thickness disclosed by MA affects heat transfer and structural and mechanical integrity, with suitable thickness depending on material and operating temperature (¶[0029]). In view of ZHANG’s membrane distillation membrane structure, a person skilled in the art would have selected an optimized film thickness to predictably balance vapor and heat transport through the membrane with structural and mechanical integrity.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply the membrane wall thickness, as disclosed by MA, to the membrane module of the membrane distillation device by ZHANG.
Claim(s) 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG.
Regarding Claim 12, ZHANG discloses the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 9. FIG. 2 of ZHANG illustrates condenser 5 including circulating condensate inlet 19 and circulating condensate outlet 20, where circulating condensate flows counter currently with membrane distillation product water in condenser 5 (¶[0071]–¶[0072]).
Regarding the limitation “the secondary water supply conduit comprises a cooler,” it would have been obvious to provide a cooler in the circulating condensate supply path before a condenser to maintain the circulating condensate at a cooling temperature for condensing the heated steam.
Regarding Claim 13, ZHANG makes obvious the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 12. Regarding the limitation “a water regulator configured for controlling the flow and pressure of the water supplied to the cooling chamber via the secondary water supply conduit,” it was well known to provide a valve or controller in a cooling-water supply path to control flow and pressure according to the desired cooling temperature.
Regarding Claims 14 and 15, ZHANG makes obvious the membrane distillation assembly of Claim 12.
Regarding the limitations “a buffer tank connected to the secondary water supply conduit” and “a secondary water return conduit extending from the cooling chamber to the buffer tank,” recirculating cooling water through a holding tank reflects a well-understood conservation principle for reusing the cooling stream and recovering heat. It would have been obvious to route ZHANG’s circulating condensate inlet 19 and circulating condensate outlet 20 through raw water storage tank 1, since such a setup would predictably conserve water and heat.
Regarding the limitation “a controllable charging valve,” a controllable valve in a feed water conduit was a well-known routine flow-control feature for regulating makeup water supplied to a circulating water path. In view of ZHANG’s valve-controlled water-flow arrangement, it would have been obvious to implement such a controllable charging valve in the feed water conduit for supplying makeup water to the circulating condensate path, providing predictable makeup-water control.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAK L. CHIU whose telephone number is (703)756-1059. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00am - 6:00pm (CST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, PREM C. SINGH can be reached at (571)272-6381. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAK L. CHIU/Examiner, Art Unit 1777
/PREM C SINGH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1771
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