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 7, “and a to” should read “and to a”. 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 9-15 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 9 recites “supplying a gaseous fuel and oxidant gas to the burner assembly, thereby introducing the gaseous fuel and oxidant gas into the chamber, where they react,” which renders the claim indefinite, because it is unclear what “they” is referring to. For the purposes of examination, claim 9 is given the broadest reasonable interpretation such that the limitation “supplying a gaseous fuel and oxidant gas to the burner assembly, thereby introducing the gaseous fuel and oxidant gas into the chamber, where they react” is interpreted as –supplying a gaseous fuel and oxidant gas to the burner assembly, thereby introducing the gaseous fuel and oxidant gas into the chamber, where the gaseous fuel and oxidant gas react–. Claims 11-15 are dependent on claim 11 and are thus also rejected for the same reasons.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “composed essentially of recycled gas streams,” which renders the claim indefinite, because the metes and bounds of the limitation “composed essentially of” is unclear. For the purposes of examination, claim 11 is given the broadest reasonable interpretation such that the limitation “composed essentially of” is interpreted as –composed of–.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 are allowed.
Claims 9-15 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art fails to disclose or fairly suggest the arrangement for heating a process gas of an iron ore pelletizing plant as recited. In particular, the closest prior art, Cain et al. (US 2010/0244336), as cited in the IDS dated 6/13/2024, hereinafter “Cain,” teaches an arrangement for heating a process gas of an iron ore pelletizing plant, wherein the arrangement comprises a process gas inlet, a process gas outlet, a wall extended from the process gas inlet to the process gas outlet, and a heating chamber port arranged in the wall at a point intermediate to the process gas inlet and the process gas outlet, and a burner assembly arranged to be connectible to a source of gaseous fuel and to a source of oxidant gas (Fig. 5-7, [0002]-[0005], [0024]-[0027]). Cain further teaches wherein the arrangement comprises a precombustion chamber wherein the precombustion chamber comprises a burner port and a wall extending from the burner port to a heating chamber port, and the burner assembly is arranged in the burner port of the precombustion chamber, wherein during operation, the burner assembly is arranged to introduce the gaseous fuel, the oxidant gas and/or combustion products thereof into the precombustion chamber (Fig, 5-7, [0024]-[0027]). Additionally, Cain discloses wherein the burner assembly comprises a fuel lance (Fig, 5-7, [0024]-[0027]). However, Cain fails to teach or adequately suggest wherein a nozzle of the fuel lance comprises a plurality of outlet holes, and wherein at least one of the plurality of outlet holes is arranged at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the fuel lance, as required by claim 1. Thus, claim 1 is distinct over the teachings of the prior art. Claims 2-15 further limit the subject matter of claim 1 and are thus also distinct over the teachings of the prior art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY M LIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-0483. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00am-5:00pm.
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/ANTHONY M LIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1734
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