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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 3 “spark plug” should be “a spark plug”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-14 are 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 1 recites “a cylindrical combustion chamber” in line 5, it is unclear if the applicant is claiming a new cylindrical combustion chamber or the same chamber claimed in line 1. For the purposes of examination, the limitation is interpreted as “the cylindrical combustion chamber”.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the entrance to the main channel" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites “…a cylindrical body is additionally introduced, inside of which a cylindrical combustion chamber is located coaxially with the formation between them, the entrance of the main channel and the tangential swirler, an additional annular channel for supplying and heating the air-ammonia mixture…” in lines 5-8, it is unclear if “the formation” is a structure itself or describing an assembly of the subsequently claimed structures. For the purposes of examination, the claim is interpreted as “…a cylindrical body is introduced, inside of which the cylindrical combustion chamber is located coaxially with an annular channel for supplying and heating the air-ammonia mixture formed between an entrance to the main channel and the tangential swirler”.
Claim 1 recites “…the cylindrical side surfaces of the body and the combustion chamber have at least one through hole for installation of the spark plug, a flame sensor, a device for secondary air supply and a flame stabilizer are introduced” in lines 9-11. It is unclear if the list “…the spark plug, a flame sensor, a device for secondary air supply and a flame stabilizer” all extend from “at least one through hole for installation”. For the purposes of examination, the claim is interpreted as “…the cylindrical side surfaces of the body and the combustion chamber have at least one through hole for installation of the spark plug, additionally, a flame sensor, a device for secondary air supply and a flame stabilizer are introduced”. The interpretation is consistent with Fig. 1, which only shows a spark plug extending through the side surfaces of the body and the combustion chamber.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the heat exchanger" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites “an ammonia-air mixture” in lines 1-2, it is unclear if the applicant is claiming a new ammonia-air mixture or the same mixture already introduced in claim 1. For the purposes of examination, the claim is interpreted as “the ammonia-air mixture”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Li et. al (US 11,747,014) discloses an ammonia burner with a channel for the introduction of ammonia, a supplemental fuel gas, air, secondary air, and a tangential swirler [see Fig. 4 and 12]; Ogata et. al (US 2017/0356656 A1) discloses an annular preheating combustor that includes a pre-heating channel [reference character 37] that feeds air [reference character 200] from an inlet to the channel to a swirler [reference character 317]; Mauzey et. al (US 2004/0058290 A1) discloses an annular burner with a preheat channel [reference character 81] and a spark plug [reference character 70] that extends through both the exterior and interior walls and a flame stabilizer [reference character 60] within the combustion chamber.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIVEK K SHIRSAT whose telephone number is (571)272-3722. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:20AM.
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, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at 571-272-9059. 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.
/VIVEK K SHIRSAT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
Prosecution Insights