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 1-10 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 is indefinite because line 6 recites “a first adsorption chamber and a second adsorption chamber directly coupled to the charge port and the purge port, or indirectly coupled to the charge port and the purge port via an additional chamber.” It is unclear whether or not the first adsorption chamber is required to be coupled as recited, or if only the second chamber is. If both are, “, each chamber” should be inserted after “second adsorption chamber”. For examination, it is assumed that both adsorption chambers are coupled to the charge port and the purge port either with or without an additional chamber in between. The instant specification discloses the first chamber (3) connected to the ports (2A,2B) via the second chamber (4) and an optional additional chamber (5).
Claims 2-10 are rejected for depending from an indefinite parent claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Meiller et al. (US 2005/0081717 A1).
Meiller et al. ‘717 teach a fuel vapor canister comprising an atmosphere port (110), charge and purge ports (the other two ports in figure 2), a first adsorption chamber (100), and a second adsorption chamber (102) adjacent to the charge and purge ports, adsorption beds in each of the chambers, wherein the first adsorption chamber includes layers of adsorbent alternating with layers of porous foam having an airflow resistance than the resistance of the adsorbent layers. The layers can be spiral-wound around a core (figures 5-6) and have a portion (124) where the foam is not arranged between the adsorption layers (see figures 2-7, paragraphs 20-24, 26, 27, 32. Regarding the second adsorption chamber (main evaporative canister 102), one skilled in the art will understand that it contains one or more adsorbent beds.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references listed on the attached PTO-892 form disclose evaporative emission canister arrangements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANK LAWRENCE whose telephone number is (571)272-1161. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached at 571-270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FRANK M LAWRENCE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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