DETAILED ACTION
This is the first action in response to US Patent Application No. 18/797,417, filed 07 August, 2024, with foreign priority claimed to German application DE 10 2023 121 164.1 filed 08 August, 2023.
All claims 1-13 are pending and have been fully considered.
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 Interpretation
It is noted that the claims reference characters throughout. The reference characters are all appropriately enclosed within parentheses to prevent confusion with other numbers or characters which may appear in the claims, and thus no objection is set forth; see MPEP 608.01(m). The presence of the reference characters is not considered to affect the scope of the claim; see MPEP 2173.05(s).
Claims 1 and 7 refer to a “regular operation” (claim 1, line 11; claim 7, lines 6-7); as presented, “regular operation” fairly entails any operation regularly performed by a container treatment system, and is not limited to a particularly operating mode.
The claims recite a “high speed steam generator” (e.g., claim 1, line 6). The term “high speed steam generator” does not appear to have a well-defined meaning in the art which establishes a distinction between a “high speed” steam generator and a generic steam generator. Furthermore, the instant disclosure does not clearly set forth a definition establishing the criteria a steam generator must possess to be a “high speed” steam generator. Accordingly, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term “high speed steam generator” encompasses any device which generates steam, with the phrase “high-speed” not requiring any special structural or functional limitation beyond what is clearly set forth in the claims. For independent claims 1 and 7, the structure of the high-speed steam generator is only clearly limited in that the high-speed steam generator includes a steam boiler which is connected to a condensate line.
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.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
“Preferably” Issue
A broad range or limitation together with a narrow range or limitation that falls within the broad range or limitation (in the same claim) may be considered indefinite if the resulting claim does not clearly set forth the metes and bounds of the patent protection desired. See MPEP § 2173.05(c).
In the instant claims, there are multiple instances of a broad limitation being linked to a narrower limitation with the term “preferably”; this construction creates a question or doubt as to whether the narrower features recited after the term “preferably” are a required feature of the claim, or merely exemplary, and therefore render the claims indefinite. The instances of this issue are enumerated below, with emphasis added to the term “preferably”:
-Claim 1, line 1: “A system (1) for treating containers, preferably a beverage filling system”
-Claim 1, lines 3-5: “a container treatment portion (50) which is configured to treat the containers, preferably to fill the containers with a filling product and/or to close the containers with a container closure”
-Claim 1, lines 6-8: “a high-speed steam generator (10) with a steam boiler (15) which is configured to heat feed water, preferably by means of at least one electrical heating element”
-Claim 2, lines 1-5: “the high-speed steam generator (10) has a feed vessel (13) which is configured to receive the condensate (K) via the condensate line (11), to collect it and to deliver it to the steam boiler (15), wherein the condensate (K) can preferably be conveyed from the feed vessel (13) into the steam boiler (15) by means of a pressure booster pump (14).”
-Claims 3, lines 1-5: “a vaporizer (20) which is configured to receive steam from the steam boiler (15) of the high-speed steam generator (10) and to vaporize a treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, wherein the vaporizer is preferably configured to introduce the vaporized treatment agent into the container treatment portion (50)”.
-Claims 4, lines 1-5: “an operating steam generator (60) which is different from the high-speed steam generator (10) and is configured to generate operating steam whose temperature and/or pressure are preferably lower than the temperature and/or pressure of the steam produced by the high-speed steam generator (10).”
-Claim 6, lines 2-3: “wherein the connection to the cleaning circuit is preferably made via a block & bleed valve combination”.
-Claim 7, lines 1-2: “a method for providing steam in a system (1) for treating containers, preferably a beverage filling system”
-Claim 7, lines 3-5: generating condensate (K) in a container treatment portion (50) during sterilization of the container treatment portion (50) which is configured to treat the containers, preferably to fill the containers with a filling product and/or to close the containers with a container closure”
-Claim 7, lines 8-9: “heating and evaporating the condensate (K) as feed water in the steam boiler (15), preferably by means of at least one electrical heating element (15a).”;
-Claim 8, lines 1-4: “the high-speed steam generator (10) has a feed vessel (13) which receives the condensate (K) via the condensate line (11), collects it and delivers it to the steam boiler (15), wherein the condensate (K) is preferably conveyed from the feed vessel (13) into the steam boiler (15) by means of a pressure booster pump (14).”;
-Claim 9, lines 2-3: “a vaporizer (20) which vaporizes a treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide”;
-Claim 10, lines 1-4: “an operating steam generator (60) which is different from the high-speed steam generator (10) produces operating steam whose temperature and/or pressure are preferably lower than the temperature and/or pressure of the steam produced by the high-speed steam generator (10).”;
-Claim 13, line 4: “the treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide”; and
-Claim 13, lines 4-6: “the vaporized treatment agent is fed to the container treatment portion (50) during regular operation, preferably for sterilizing containers and/or container closures.”.
Therefore, claims 1-4, 6-10, and 13 are indefinite because there is a question or doubt as to whether the limitation coming after or encompassed by the term “preferably” is (a) merely exemplary of the remainder of the claim, and therefore not required, or (b) a required feature of the claims.
For purposes of examination, any component or claim element referred to as being “preferably” included is interpreted as exemplary and thus is not a required feature of the claim.
The claims should be adjusted such that the term “preferably” is removed from the claims. In instances wherein the limitations recited as preferable are intended as exemplary, such limitations should be omitted from the claims. In instances wherein the limitation recited as preferable are intended to be required components of the claim, the language of the claim should be adjusted to clearly indicate what is required.
For example, the limitation at claim 3, line 3, could be adjusted as follows (if the claim is meant to require that the treatment agent be hydrogen peroxide): “vaporize a treatment agent, wherein the treatment agent is hydrogen peroxideand wherein the vaporizer (20) is
Claims 2-6 are also rejected at least by virtue of dependency on either independent claim 1, and claims 8-13 are rejected at least by virtue of dependency on independent claim 7.
Antecedent Basis Issues
Further regarding claim 5, the claim recites the term “the operating steam generator” (claim 5, line 1) with insufficient antecedent basis. It is suggested that claim 5 be adjusted to depend from claim 4, which does recite “an operating steam generator” (claim 4, lines 1-2). Alternatively, claim 5 could be adjusted to recite “ an operating steam generator” at line 1.
Further regarding claim 6, the claim recites the term “the cleaning circuit” (claim 6, line 2) with insufficient antecedent basis. It is suggested that claim 6 be adjusted to depend from claim 5, which does recite “a cleaning circuit” (claim 5, line 2). Alternatively, the term in claim 6 could be adjusted to read “a cleaning circuit”.
Further regarding claim 12, the claim recites the term “the CIP and/or SIP treatment” (claim 12, line 2) with insufficient antecedent basis. It is suggested the term be adjusted to read “a CIP and/or SIP treatment”. Alternatively, claim 12 could be adjusted to depend from claim 11, which does recite “a CIP and/or SIP treatment” (claim 11, lines 3); this adjustment would need to be paired with a further adjustment which either: changes “the feed vessel” (claim 12, line 3) to “a feed vessel”; or adjusts claim 10 or 11 to depend from claim 8, to ensure that there is proper antecedent basis for “the feed vessel” recited in claim 12.
Further regarding claim 13, the claim recites the term “the vaporizer” (claim 13, lines 3-4) with improper antecedent basis. It is suggested the term be adjusted to recite “a vaporizer”, or the claim be adjusted to depend from claim 9.
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.
As indicated in the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) above, the claims recite several elements as part of “preferably” clauses, and such elements are therefore not required features of the claims. The claim mapping included in the prior art rejections below includes the original claim language with non-required features struck through. The cited prior art does not need to teach the non-required features to sustain a rejection.
Claims 1-2, 5-8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lu et al. (CN 114366829 A, cited in the IDS filed 08 January, 2025; see examiner’s version of the translated document provided with this correspondence).
Regarding claim 1, Lu teaches:
A system for treating containers (sterilizer water circulation system—Fig. 1, [0019], tittle)
a container treatment portion (1) which is configured to treat the containers (pot body 1—[0020]; medical equipment is placed in pot for sterilization or disinfection—see [0004]; thus, system and pot body 1 are capable of receiving and treating containers, especially containers associated with or having the same size as medical equipment), (evaporator provides water vapor to the pot body through the first pipeline, and the water vapor in the pot body is condensed…when there is a certain amount of condensed water in the pot body, the first solenoid valve is opened—[0008]);
a high-speed steam generator with a steam boiler (evaporator 2) which is configured to heat feed water, (the evaporator 2 heats water to generate water vapor and transports it into the pot body through the first pipeline 6—[0020], lines 6-8), wherein
the high-speed steam generator (2) is configured to receive the condensate accumulating in the container treatment portion via a condensate line (second water pipeline 7) and to introduce it into the steam boiler as feed water to be vaporized during regular operation (first water outlet 5 [of pot body 1] and first water inlet 300 [of water collector 3] are connected through a second pipeline 7…The water collector 3 and the evaporator are communicated through the return water pipeline 9…[the pipelines forming] a circulation pipeline for the return of the condensed water, so that the condensed water can fully flow into the evaporator 2—[0020], lines 12-14 and 25-27).
Fig. 1 allows tracing the path of water condensed within the treatment portion (pot body 1) of the system, the condensed water traveling:
- from the treatment portion (pot body 1) into a feed vessel (water collector 3) via a drain port (5), second pipeline (7), and first valve (8);
-from feed vessel (3) to steam boiler (evaporator 2) via a second drain port (301), a third pipeline (91) of return water pipeline (9), a second solenoid valve (10), and a return water port (201); and
- from the steam boiler (2) back to the treatment portion (1) as water vapor via an air outlet (200), pipe (6), fourth solenoid valve (12), and air inlets (4) (see [0020]).
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Thus, it is clear that the condensate from the treatment portion (1) is introduced into the steam boiler (2) via a condensate line (second pipeline 7), feed vessel (water collector 3), and third pipeline (91), the condensate received in the steam boiler (2) being vaporized.
In view of the above, Lu anticipates claim 1 because Lu teaches all required elements thereof.
Regarding claim 2, Lu teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the high-speed steam generator has a feed vessel (water collector 3) which is configured to receive the condensate via the condensate line (second pipeline 7), to collect it and to deliver it to the steam boiler (evaporator 2) (see the discussion of the pathway of condensate within the system of Lu above; Fig. 1 and [0020] establish that a water collector 3 receives and collects condensate from second pipeline 7 before delivering it to evaporator 2 via a third pipeline 91)
Regarding claim 5, Lu teaches the system of claim 1. As currently presented, claim 5 depends from claim 1 and refers to the system including an operating steam generator which is configured to clean, sterilize, or disinfect the container treatment portion as part of a CIP and/or SIP treatment, and the CIP or SIP treatment leads to accumulation of condensate in the container treatment portion. The claim [as presented] does not further limit the operating steam generator, the cleaning circuit, or the particulars of the cleaning in place (CIP) or sterilizing in place (SIP) treatment.
Accordingly, the evaporator (2) of Lu can fairly further define an operating steam generator when it is active (i.e., operating). Also, as discussed with respect to claim 1 above, the system of Lu includes a fluid circuit which circulates water between the treatment portion (pot body 1) and steam generator (2) so that sterilizing stem is delivered to the treatment portion. Accordingly, Lu fairly teaches the operating steam generator (2) is part of a cleaning circuit which sterilizes the container treatment portion (1) (steam is delivered to pot body 1 for sterilization, and thus would be expected to have a sterilizing effect on the surfaces thereof), and such operations can be considered part of a sterilization in place (SIP) treatment. Also, Lu indicates condensate accumulates during the identified SIP treatment (evaporator provides water vapor to the pot body through the first pipeline, and the water vapor in the pot body is condensed…when there is a certain amount of condensed water in the pot body, the first solenoid valve is opened—[0008]). Accordingly, Lu anticipates claim 5 based on the currently presented claim language.
Regarding claim 6, Lu teaches the system according to claim 1. Claim 6 further recites that the high-speed steam generator is connected to [a] Claim 6, as presented, does not particularly limit an arrangement of the cleaning circuit, or require a particular type of CIP treatment the CIP feed line must enable. The steam generator (vaporizer 2) of Lu is connected to the system with a plurality of lines (6, 14, 91—see Fig. 1) which enable the delivery of sterilizing steam into the treatment portion (pot body 1), such delivery fairly defining a CIP process (see rejection of claim 5 above). Accordingly, a Lu fairly teaches the high-speed steam generator is connected to a cleaning circuit of the system via a CIP feed line (6, 14, or 91).
Regarding claim 7, the independent claim corresponds to a method of operating the system of claim 1. Lu teaches the system of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above), wherein regular use of the system of Lu defines:
A method for providing steam in a system (sterilizer water circulation system….[wherein] the evaporator provides water vapor to the pot body through a first pipeline—[0008]) for treating containers (see discussion of containers below),
generating condensate in a container treatment portion (pot body 1) during sterilization of the container treatment portion which is configured to treat the containers (water vapor is generated and the water vapor is passed into the pot for sterilization and disinfection—[0004]; evaporator provides water vapor to the pot body through the first pipeline, and the water vapor in the pot body is condensed…when there is a certain amount of condensed water in the pot body, the first solenoid valve is opened—[0008]; see discussion of containers below)
during regular operation, introducing the condensate via a condensate line (7) into a steam boiler (2) of a high-speed steam generator (first water outlet 5 [of pot body 1] and first water inlet 300 [of water collector 3] are connected through a second pipeline 7…The water collector 3 and the evaporator are communicated through the return water pipeline 9…[the pipelines forming] a circulation pipeline for the return of the condensed water, so that the condensed water can fully flow into the evaporator 2—[0020], lines 12-14 and 25-27; also see Fig. 1 and discussion of water path with respect to claim 1 above, with the system of Lu circulating condensate from the pot body 1 to the vaporizer 2 via second pipeline 7, water collector 3, and third pipeline 91);
heating and evaporating the condensate as feed water in the steam boiler (condensed water is sent back to the evaporator through the return pipe by the water collector to be reheated for secondary use….[such that] the system can continuously generate water vapor without adding additional water---[0008], lines 4-8; evaporator heats water to generate water vapor—[0020], lines 6-7),
As currently presented, the “containers” recited throughout claim 7 are not interpreted as a positively recited structure involved in the manipulative steps of claim 7, with the “containers” instead being recited with respect to the intended uses of the system and the treatment portion thereof. As discussed with respect to claim 1 above, the system and treatment portion (pot body 1) of Lu are reasonably configured to treat containers because the pot body receives items (equipment) to be subjected to a sterilizing and/or disinfecting steam treatment (see Lu at [0004]), such that a container positioned in the pot body would be treated when the system is operated regularly. That is, the pot body (1) of Lu fairly constitutes a container treatment portion which is configured to treat containers.
Regarding claim 8, Lu teaches the method according to claim 7. Lu further teaches the high-speed steam generator has a feed vessel (water collector 3) which receives the condensate via the condensate line (second pipeline 7), collects it and delivers it to the steam boiler (evaporator 2) (see rejections of claims 1 and 2 above, especially discussion of Fig. 1 and the circulation pathway through the system),
Regarding claim 12, Lu teaches the method according to claim 8. As currently presented, claim 12 indicates that the condensate accumulates during a CIP or Sip treatment of the container treatment portion and the condensate is collected in the feed vessel. For similar reasons as discussed with respect to claim 5 above, the operations of the system of Lu fairly define a SIP treatment during which condensate accumulates in the container treatment portion (see rejection of claim 5 above), and Lu further indicates the condensate is collected in the feed vessel (water collector 3) of the high-speed generator (2) until later use (water condensed from steam in pot body 1 is received at water collector 3 before returning to evaporator 2—see circulation pathway discussed with respect to claim 1 above, and Lu at Fig. 1, [0020]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 4 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu et al. (CN 114366829 A), as applied to claims 1 and 7 above, in view of Stippler et al. (US 2009/0148556 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Lu teaches the system according to claim 1. Lu does not teach the system has an operating steam generator which is different from the high-speed steam generator and is configured to generate operating steam
However, in the analogous art of thermal energy management in a plant including bottling equipment (title, abstract, [0008], [0014], [0038], [0046], [0054]), Stippler teaches a brewery plant (1) including a bottling room (23) comprising bottling equipment and bottle cleaning equipment, and a cleaning in process (CIP) system (21) for cleaning and disinfecting the brewery plant ([0038]), the CIP system and bottling room representing thermal loads in the brewery plant which must be provided with an appropriate feed of a heating medium ([0008], [0014]) such as steam or hot water ([0023]).
For thermal loads requiring steam (see thermal loads 69 in Fig. 6), steam can be supplied from a tank (72) (in the relaxation tank 72 the water heated by the solar collectors I present in the liquid and also steam phases, and the steam is drawn from the relaxation tank via the pipe 84 in the upper region and passed to a steam jet compressor 71, whereupon it is passed on to the thermal loads 69—[0057]) or a high speed steam generator (70) (high-speed steam generating device 70 supplies the thermal loads 69 which need steam as the heating medium with additional thermal energy, with steam fed via the pipe 87 to the steam jet compressor 71 and then to the thermal loads—[0060]). After application to a thermal load, the condensed steam is collected and returned to the high-speed steam generating device (cooled condensate is returned via the pipe 88 in a circulating manner to the high-speed steam generating device 70—[0060]; condensate can pass into a collection container via the pipe 88 to the high-speed steam generator—[0057]). The steam in the tank (72) is generated by harvesting thermal energy from solar radiation (water heated by solar collectors is present in the liquid and also steam phases—[0057]), reducing the dependency of the plant on fossil fuel energy ([0006]).
Accordingly, it is evident from Stippler that including an additional steam generating device powered by solar radiation (tank 72 of Stippler with associated solar collectors heating means) alongside a high-speed steam generator can allow for delivery of steam to meet a thermal load requirement with reduced consumption of fossil fuels (consider Stippler at [0006], [0057], [0060]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of Lu to include an operating steam generator (tank 72 and solar collector arrangement of Stippler) which is different from the high-speed steam generator and is configured to generate steam for the benefit of yielding a steam supply system with reduced dependency on fossil fuel energy sources (consider Stippler at [0006], [0057], [0060]).
Regarding claim 10, Lu teaches the method according to claim 7. Lu does not teach an operating steam generator which is different from the high-speed steam generator produces operating steam . However, this limitation directly corresponds to the limitation of claim 4. Therefore, see the rejection of claim 4 above regarding the obviousness of modifying Lu in view of Stippler to include an operating steam generator which is different from the high-speed steam generator produces operating steam for the benefit of reducing the dependency of the steam supply system on fossil fuel energy sources.
Regarding claim 11, Lu in view of Stippler teaches the method according to claim 10. As modified with respect to claim 10, the method of Lu combines steam from a high speed generator and an operating steam generator (tank 72 of Stippler) and delivers the combined steam flow to the thermal load (see Fig. 6 of Stippler wherein lines 87 and 84 combine at steam compressor 71 for delivery to a thermal load 69), the container treatment portion (pot body 1 of Lu) defining a thermal load within the modified invention of Lu. For substantially the same reasons discussed with respect to claim 6 above, such an arrangement of the operating steam generator fairly constitutes the operating steam generator being part of a cleaning circuit which cleans and/or sterilizes and/or disinfects the container treatment portion as part of a CIP and/or SIP treatment (see rejection of claim 6 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 9, and 13—as best understood based on their current presentation—would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The present language of claims 3, 9, and 12, are reproduced below, with non-required features struck through.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system has a vaporizer which is configured to receive steam from the steam boiler of the high-speed steam generator and to vaporize a treatment agent
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the steam generated in the steam boiler drives a vaporizer which vaporizes a treatment agent,
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the condensate collected in the feed vessel is fed to the steam boiler during regular operation of the container treatment portion, wherein the steam thus generated in the steam boiler is used in the vaporizer to vaporize the treatment agent, preferably hydrogen peroxide, and the vaporized treatment agent is fed to the container treatment portion during regular operation,
Claims 3, 9, and 13 are understood to require the core subject matter that a vaporizer receives steam from a steam boiler in order to vaporize a treatment agent, wherein the steam boiler is arranged to receive condensate from a container treatment portion of a system for treating containers.
As indicated above, Lu teaches the system of claim 1 and methods of claims 7-8, wherein a condensate from a container treatment portion is collected and vaporized at a steam boiler. Lu does not suggest the steam generated at the steam boiler being used to vaporize a treatment agent at a distinct vaporizer.
Generally, using steam as a heat source to vaporize a treatment agent like hydrogen peroxide is known. For example, Peter (US 2021/0031121 A1, corresponding to document WO 2018/060422, cited in the IDS filed 07 August, 2024) indicates various types and forms of evaporators are known for evaporating fluid media, including evaporators wherein a fluid media, such as hydrogen peroxide, is sprayed onto an evaporator surface which is heated by steam to produce gaseous hydrogen peroxide, which can be useful in the disinfection of plant components of a beverage filling plant ([0003]).
While it is clear from Peter that the steam from the steam generator of Lu could be used to vaporize hydrogen peroxide or a similar treatment agent at a vaporizer, there is no clear motivation to modify the invention of Lu to include a hydrogen peroxide vaporizer arranged for such operation.
EP 2992906 A2 teaches a sterilization arrangement/method for an isolator of a container treatment system (abstract; also see [0034] discussing container treatments performed in isolator), the arrangement including a CIP module (3) ([0038]) and a hydrogen peroxide evaporator (5) ([0040]), the CIP module supplying a cleaning agent and hot water rinse into the isolator via nozzles (2) for cleaning ([0041]), and the evaporator (5) providing hydrogen peroxide into the isolator via the nozzles for sterilization ([0043]). The Figure suggests that cleaning fluid drained from the system can be returned to the CIP module; nonetheless, there is no clear suggestion to boil a condensate collected from the isolator and subsequently use said boiled condensate to heat the hydrogen peroxide vaporizer. Thus, EP 2992906 A2 does not suggest the core feature of claims 3, 9, and 13.
Although the prior art discloses various heat recovery methods involving the use of collected condensate (see pertinent prior art cited in conclusion section below) and the prior art discloses the use of hydrogen peroxide in cleaning operations of container treatment systems (e.g., as disclosed by EP 2992906 A2), the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest an arrangement wherein condensate collected from a container treatment portion is directed to a steam boiler of a high speed steam generator, and the generated steam is directed to a separate vaporizer to act as a heat source to vaporize a treatment agent. Accordingly, the subject matter of claims 3, 9, and 13—as best understood—appears novel and non-obvious over the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wang et al. (US 2023/0218786 A1) teaches a steam sterilization system (title) including a condensate recovery system which returns condensate to a steam generator through a condensate recovery pipe ([0024], [0053], [0121], claim 3).
Weiler et al. (US 2017/0341791 A1) teaches a method to sterilize containers in a filling device, the method including evaporating a hydrogen peroxide solution in an evaporator, impinging a container with the vaporized hydrogen peroxide in a sterilization zone, condensing an unconsumed part of the vaporized hydrogen peroxide from the sterilization zone, and supplying the condensed hydrogen peroxide back to the evaporator (abstract).
Soellner et al. (US 2018/0178258 A1) teaches a device for cleaning a part of a beverage filling plant wherein a cleaning medium inflow is heated at a heating unit, the heated cleaning medium inflow is delivered to the plant part to be cleaned, the used cleaning medium is collected and directed toward a recuperator as a medium return flow, and the medium return flow transfers heat to the medium inflow at the recuperator.
JP 2004041529 A was cited by the Chinese patent office in the prosecution history of the Chinese patent family member of the instant application, and the reference teaches a steam sterilizer equipped with sterilizing means (2) and steam generating means (3), with drain recovery means (20) which recover condensate from the sterilization means (abstract), the recovered condensate being used to preheat water entering the steam generation means and/or being directed into the steam generation means ([0044]).
JP 20150584795 A was cited by the Chinese patent office in the prosecution history of the Chinese patent application family member of the instant application, and the reference teaches a steam sterilizer for medical instruments (title, [0001]) wherein drain water recovered from a portion of the sterilizer is returned to a steam supply source ([0011], [0014]-[0015]).
CN 206810815 U was cited in the European search option in a patent application for the patent family of the instant application, the reference teaching a bottle washing machine including means for circulating and re heating wash water (abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADY C PILSBURY whose telephone number is (571)272-8054. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30a-5:00p.
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/BRADY C PILSBURY/Examiner, Art Unit 1799
/JENNIFER WECKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1797
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