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 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 – 6 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.
Regarding claim 1, the phrase "comb-like" renders the claim(s) indefinite because the claim(s) include(s) elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "like"), thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). It is not clear exactly what structures would be considered similar enough to a comb to be “comb-like”. Claims 2 – 6 depend from claim 1 and are also rejected.
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 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.
(a)(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 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0226753 to Okuno et al. (hereinafter referred to as Okuno).
In regard to claim 1, as best shown in figures 2 and 3, Okuno discloses a gas-liquid separator (A). The gas-liquid separator (A) includes a housing (10) having a water storage space in a bottom portion (12), as discussed in paragraph [0044]. An inlet port (14) is connected to a lower part (12) of the housing (10). Water-containing gas is capable of being introduced through the inlet port (14). The introduction face (6b) forms a sloping guide section that is capable of guiding the water-containing gas supplied through the inlet port into the housing in an upward direction above the water storage space. The partition wall (16) forms a separation plate including a plurality of separation plates (17). The separation blades (17) can be considered to form a “comb-like” contact surface extending in a vertical direction. The separation plate (16) is capable of separating water contained in the water-containing gas guided by the sloping guide section by colliding with the water-containing gas, the comb-like contact surface coming into contact with the water-containing gas when the water-containing gas collides with the separation plate.
In regard to claim 4, as shown in figure 2, a gap is formed between an inner surface of the housing where the inlet port (14) is formed and the sloping guide section (6b), and a sloping collecting passage for discharging water in the gap into the water storage space is provided.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art reference listed on the PTO-892 (Notice of References Cited) is considered to be of interest disclosing a similar gas-liquid separator.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert Clemente whose telephone number is (571)272-1476. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lebron can be reached at 571-272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT CLEMENTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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