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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10,13-18 are allowed
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 11-12,19-26 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.
As to claim 11, “engagement feature protruding” (italics added, line 5) and “as stop feature” are indefinite as it’s undetermined if such features are structure, purely functional or a means plus functional limitation.
As to claim 21, it’s not clear in what manner the verb “associating” (line 3) is a step. Is such a metal step of associating the in-line portion with a flow line? If so what might the step be? Could the step mean mental recognition/acknowledgement that the in-line portion and flow line are present? If not, what other action (- - providing - - ?) might lines be attributed to lines 3-5? What is Applicant’s intent?
As to claim 19, “stop feature” is indefinite. What meaning is to be attributed to such?
Prior Art Cited
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Reference Silvioli et at WO 2023/057623 teach a system, A coupon sampler for a reactor system, the coupon sampler comprising:
a lower assembly 10 having an
an upper assembly fluidically coupled with the lower assembly and having an upper assembly pipe portion (highest tip of the conduit that retains counter electrode 13) defining an upper channel therethrough and cooperating with the lower channel
a coupon
an
Reference Harkema et al (“Development and Demonstration of a Prototype Molten Salt Sampling System”), listed on 1449, illustrates (Figure 2) a sample system that removes a molten salt sample from an on-line portion “Tubing”.
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Reference Sun CN 114813222 teaches testing molten metal with gas (air) usage. The metal is in a tank 10; not an “in-line” element.
CONCLUSION
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/ROBERT R RAEVIS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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